Chamber News

The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce that their keynote speaker for the Celebrating Small Business Award & Luncheon event will be Lacy Edwards, Executive in Residence at Rocky Mountain Innosphere. Lacy Edwards will be speaking to the importance of small business as well as his accomplishments in the software industry. The luncheon is to be held at 11:30 a.m. at The Hilton Fort Collins, 425 W. Prospect Rd., on April 25, 2012. “I admire what the Chamber is doing with this event. I know it will serve the business community and city of Fort Collins well,â€� said Edwards. Edwards has spent twenty years as a software industry CEO, has led a successful IPO, raised several hundred million dollars in public and private capital, managed numerous mergers, acquisition and divestitures and has led companies through high growth as well as through downsizing. Edwards received the Harvard Business School Club’s “Entrepreneur of the Yearâ€� in 2000 and also received Insider Magazine’s “CEO of the Yearâ€� in 1989. Edwards is nationally known and an active public speaker. In addition to the keynote presentation, the luncheon will celebrate small businesses and their contributions to Fort Collins while kicking of the annual Spring Showcase. Over 30 companies were nominated to receive the Small Business of the Year Awards with awards being given for companies with 1-10 employees and 11-50 employees. Finalists for the awards include: AlphaGraphics, Brinkman Partners, The Cupboard, MazTech & All-Tech Automotive, Shaw & Associates and Palmer Flowers. For this award, a small business is defined as an independently owned and operated business headquartered in northern Colorado that is organized for profit. The business is required to have 200 employees or fewer to be eligible. To receive a Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award, the company must be a member of the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce at the time the award is presented and have been in business three years. Businesses were judged on: community involvement and stewardship, commitment to good business practices, overall business growth and innovation and workplace culture and employee relations. About 200 business professionals and community leaders are expected at the Small Business of the Year luncheon. Individual ticket prices are $35 per person for Chamber members and $40 per person for non-members. A table of 10 people is $300. Get your tickets now. Ticket sales end on Friday, April 20. For ticket information call the Chamber at (970) 482-3746 or go to www.FortCollinsChamber.com.