Aims' 'Whirlybird'

NEWS Regional chamber not in the cards ‘Northern Colorado Chamber’ exists, at least on paper Page 2 Agribusiness outlook good $ 1 Ethanol fueling March 2-15, 2007 corn crops, high prices RuSport race team Vol. 12, No. 12 to keep Loveland HQ www.ncbr.com 0Page 2 Champ car team still adjusting to new cars, owner and races Page 3 Two local companies make national list Plenty magazine Aims’ ‘whirlybird’ major takes off notes Ice Energy, Envirofit International Page 4 based Aims Community College semester in a modest way: Two stu- time director of Larimer County’s Spreading the word Helicopter pilot and a Fort Collins helicopter service dents are enrolled in the 62-credit, emergency services. “Any time oil about global warming have launched Colorado’s first-ever two-year program of study leading and gas exploration picks up there Trained by Al Gore, training program degree program for helicopter to a commercial helicopter pilot is a big need, and emergency med- local man sets sights on pilots. associate’s degree. Assuming both ical service is also a very good mar- informing businesses first in Colorado Front Range Helicopters Inc. finish, they’ll soon be looking for ket now. There’s just a lot of Page 5 and Aims have worked two years industry jobs at a time when oppor- demand.” By Tom Hacker obtaining the blessings of federal tunities abound for qualified com- Ironically, those markets are not [email protected] regulators for the project, and steer- mercial pilots. likely to be available to students in THE EDGE ing the curriculum through the “It’s an excellent time for people the Aims program immediately LOVELAND — Fueled by rapid state’s higher education approval to be getting into this market,” said upon graduation. New grads, growth in helicopters’ share of the process. Ron Griffith, Front Range Heli- global aviation industry, Greeley- The Aims program debuted this copters founder and former long- See WHIRLYBIRD, 18 Funding a startup – banks or plastic? Counties Things to note when Tale of two managers starting a venture on the swipe of a card need help Page 9 SPECIAL REPORTS in fighting Technology fraud, theft Personal GPS units increasing abilities for city navigators Number of reports Page 20 grows, no matter LISTS how they’re tallied Region’s largest By Kristen Bastian agribusinesses [email protected] Page 21 When the Federal Trade Com- Ag subsidy mission released its consumer fraud recipients and identity theft reports in early Page 22 -23 Photo illustration by Chad Collins, Northern Colorado Business Report February, many in Northern Col- orado were shocked to see the Gree- TWO BROTHERS — Frank Bruno, left, and Darin Atteberry, here set against the backdrops of Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall and Fort Collins’ Old Town ley metro area, which encompasses Computer systems square, ascended to their top city jobs after concurrent terms as assistant city managers in Fort Collins where they formed a fast friendship. integrators most of Weld County, at the top of Page 27 the list for consumer fraud com- Atteberry and Bruno Colorado Buffaloes and the Col- “And now here we were in these plaints. The report also showed Software orado State University Rams. jobs, dismantling programs and Greeley at No. 6 in the nation for developers work friendship into Darin Atteberry, city manager of cutting staff. I said to Frank, ‘You identity theft complaints. Page 28 Fort Collins, and Frank Bruno, who know, this just isn’t as much fun as The Fort Collins/Loveland metro region’s top city jobs holds the same job in Boulder, it used to be.’” area appeared on the list as well, at spent a portion of that time at CU’s The two rose to their positions No. 50 in the nation for consumer By Tom Hacker Folsom Field recollecting their days — Bruno in 2003, Atteberry a year fraud and No. 119 for identity theft. [email protected] together in Fort Collins, where they later — as the civic economies in However, an identity theft report served together in assistant city Boulder and Fort Collins were coincidentally released just days n September 2005, two old manager positions. tanking. Accustomed to managing after the FTC breakdown doesn’t friends shared part of a balmy “We were talking about those municipal wealth while working put Greeley or Fort Collins/Love- Ilate-summer day at a college years, when everything was just together under Fort Collins City land anywhere near even the top 10. football game, the annual show- booming and we were building pro- Manager John Fischbach, they were The report from ID Analytics down between the University of grams, adding staff,”Atteberry said. See MANAGER, 29 See ID THEFT, 31 2 The Northern Colorado Business Report March 2-15, 2007 Regional chamber not in the cards Colorado Legislative ‘Northern Colorado Alliance better served to unify their interests. Chamber’ a reality, “The NCLA has already started taking ele- if only on paper ments of this collabora- tion to a different level,” By Tom Hacker MacQuiddy said. “The [email protected] regional transportation authority is an excellent MAY FORT COLLINS — The formation of a example of how the new Northern Colorado Chamber of Com- chambers and the economic development merce, at least on paper, in late February groups can come together around a single stirred speculation that a move toward uni- issue.” fying the region’s chamber groups might be Stockman said she was aware of the dis- afoot. affected group of Fort Collins chamber But Articles of Incorporation filed Feb. members, since they had approached her to 21 with the Colorado Secretary of State, BUSINESS REPORT FILE PHOTO discuss the formation of an alternative creating the nonprofit chamber housed at group. the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Com- NO MERGER — Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce president David May says incorporation of the Northern Colorado Chamber of Commerce Feb. 21 does not signal a merger with other regional chambers but was intend- “We had a group of people who had merce address and listing Fort Collins ed to prevent a “disgruntled” Fort Collins chamber member from establishing a competing, regional group. called me and asked me to meet with them chamber President David May as the enti- on the sly to talk about a regional chamber,” ty’s registered agent, do not signal a merger to establish a competing, regional member- the perception that we’re doing something she said. “I told them ‘no.’ I do not want to move, according to May. ship group. we’re not. This might cause people on my be known as a chamber president under- Nonetheless, the filing came a week “There is no intention of talking here board, and people among our members, to mining another chamber. We’re all trying to before the region’s chamber presidents had about merging the chambers in any form,” wonder what we’re up to.” do the right thing.” scheduled a joint meeting, and executive May said. “That is not our intent. If we’ve MacQuiddy said the purpose of the State incorporation records show that two committees of the Fort Collins and Love- overstepped that, fine.” three-way meeting of chamber presidents other entities, the Larimer County Chamber land groups were tentatively set to meet Both Stockman and Greeley Chamber of was to make sure the groups were commu- of Commerce and the Larimer County jointly this month to “explore opportunities Commerce President Sarah MacQuiddy, nicating with one another, “so that we can, Chamber, were also established through arti- for us to be more collaborative,” Loveland who were scheduled to meet with May on in the future, prevent screw-ups like having cles of incorporation on Feb. 21. Earlier in the Chamber President Gaye Stockman said. Feb. 28, after the Business Report w ent to our annual chamber dinners on the same month, Web site addresses were secured May said his incorporation of the press, expressed surprise that May would night.” Fort Collins and Greeley chambers for NorthernColoradoChamber.com and Northern Colorado Chamber of Com- take official action to incorporate a North- both held their annual dinners on Feb. 22. NorthernColoradoChamber.org. merce, like his group’s reservation of Inter- ern Colorado chamber. “I’m bewildered by the concept of a “Those domain names and incorpora- net addresses with the same name, were “I feel blindsided,” Stockman said when Northern Colorado chamber,” MacQuiddy tions were secured just as a precautionary measures taken to prevent a “disgruntled” she learned of the state filing. “It’s going to said, adding that the chambers’ collabora- measure,” May said. “We want to prevent Fort Collins chamber member from trying create problems, because people will have tion under the umbrella of the Northern their use by anybody else.” REGIONAL LOCATIONS AT Southeast corner of I-25 & US 34 RETAIL • OFFICE • LIGHT INDUSTRIAL www.chrislandinc.com Nicholas M Christensen, J.D. Ryan J. Schaefer 970-663-3150 x 3 970-663-3150 x 4 March 2-15, 2007 The Northern Colorado Business Report 3 THE Malpractice insurance rates drop for state doctors as about 32,000 physicians in 49 states. patients because it helps hold their costs down.” Fewer claims, caps on “Decreasing claims frequency and a contin- Lindquist-Kleissler said the drop in rates EYE ued positive tort reform environment allow us comes after a slow but steady shift in the med- awards lead to cuts in to provide this significant rate decrease,” said ical malpractice landscape since the state legis- Richard Anderson, chairman and CEO, in a lature took action in the late 1980s to cap the The Daily physicians’ premiums statement announcing the rate cuts.

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