The Longmont Area Economic Council exists for the sole purpose of keeping the Longmont area economy strong. This is accomplished specifically by "actively supporting the creation and preservation of quality primary jobs". Primary employers are those who sell the majority of their goods and services outside the region.
The Economic Council is a public/private partnership, governed by a Board of Directors made up of representatives from primary employers, the City of Longmont, and the business community at large.
Keith Kanemoto is a commercial real estate broker in Longmont for Prudential Rocky Mountain Realtors. Keith graduated from Longmont High School and the University of Denver with a Bachelors Degree in Finance & Real Estate. Keith is a past President of the Longmont Association of Realtors as well as a member of the National Association of Realtors, and the International Council of Shopping Centers. When asked why Keith wanted to serve on the Longmont Area Economic Council Board of Directors, he replied "I think it is important to bring new business into Longmont as well as help our existing companies expand and grow. This community has a lot to offer." Keith's hobbies are golf, cars and motorcycles.
Sue is the Longmont Facilities Manager for Xilinx. Sue obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Architecture from CU and has worked for Synergen and Adaptec before joining Xilinx. Sue has 10 years experience in Facilities Management.
Andy Bade is currently serving as Director of Facilities and Engineering at Amgen in Longmont, Colorado. Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and markets human therapeutics based on advances in cellular and molecular biology. The company's research and product development efforts are focused on helping patients in four clinical areas: nephrology, cancer, inflammation, and neurology/metabolism. Andy earned a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, a Master's in Mechanical Engineering from San Diego State University, and a Master's in Business Administration from Pepperdine University. He is also a Registered Professional Engineer (Mechanical) in California. Prior to joining Amgen, Andy served in the US Navy as a nuclear submarine officer.
Shan Hemphill is site liaison and engineering manager for Intel's Longmont location. Shan has overseen Intel's local expansion to accommodate up to 100+ Longmont area employees. Since joining the company in 1996, Shan has held positions in engineering management, marketing, and program management, with a focus on storage including Solid State Drive technology and products. Shan holds a BS in Computer Science, a Master's in Business Administration, and is a Juris Doctor from Lewis & Clark University. Shan is also a member of the Oregon State Bar. Intel is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation of the world's computing devices. Founded in 1968 to build semiconductor memory products, Intel introduced the world's first microprocessor in 1971. Shan lives with his wife and two children in Berthoud, and enjoys activities in the great Colorado outdoors.
Chuck Herring has served as DigitalGlobe's Director of DigialGlobe's Analysis Center since its inception in January, 2011. He joined DigitalGlobe in July, 1995 after working for five years as a contractor for technical writing and programming on site at IBM and has held a range of development, sales, marketing, and communications positions at DigitalGlobe.Chuck joined DigitalGlobe in 1995 as a software developer and technical writer and in 1997 joined the Sales, Marketing and Communications team. In 1998 Chuck was selected to lead the team as the Director of Marketing and Communications. Since that time he has held positions throughout the marketing team and most recently was Director of PR and Defense Marketing.Prior to working at DigitalGlobe Chuck held various technical positions as a contractor at IBM's Global Software and Solutions division in Colorado. Chuck also completed two summer internships focused on IT and Marketing at Ball Aerospace and Technologies.Chuck was born and raised in Boulder, is a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado and has spent over a decade working and living in Longmont. He has two daughters in the St. Vrain school district. Chuck and his family enjoy skiing and golfing.
Dave Quinn is Senior Director of Facilities and Real Estate for Seagate Technology, responsible for all design center operations, including sites in Longmont, Colorado Springs, Pittsburgh and Shakopee, Minnesota. He has worked in Longmont since 1991, and has coordinated Seagate's gradual expansion here from 25,000 to 535,000 square feet of office, lab and production space. Dave holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from Lehigh University, and an MS in Computer Science from the University of Southern California. Seagate is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of hard disk drives, providing products for a wide range of applications, including enterprise, desktop, mobile computing, consumer electronics and branded solutions.
Chris Treharne is the Founder and President of Gibraltar Business Appraisals, Inc. Professional designations and licenses that he has earned include Certified Business Appraiser from the Institute of Business Appraisers, Accredited Senior Appraiser in business valuations from the American Society of Appraisers, Professional Engineer, and Real Estate Broker. His educational backgroud includes a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Iowa and an M.B.A. in finance from the University of Colorado. Chris is one of less than 100 business appraisers in the U.S. with both the ASA and CBA business valuation designations. He has served on the Board of Directors for Boulder County Partners (an at-risk youth service agency), the Boulder Technology Incubator and is the Northwest Region Governor for the Institute of Business Appraisers. In 1994, the Longmont Association of Realtors presented him with its Citizen of the Year award.
Mitch Carson is the President/CEO and Board member of Longmont United Hospital. He has over 30 years of experience in Health Care Administration and has worked for hospitals in North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Indiana. He was formerly the President and Board Member of Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, Indiana. Mitch earned his B.A. in Hospital Administration from Concordia College and his M.A. in Hospital and Health Administration from the University of Iowa. He is Board Certified in Healthcare Management by the American College of Healthcare Executives and is active with the HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties, the Longmont Chamber and is the Founder of the Support Our Students program for the St. Vrain Valley School District.
Brad Golter graduated from Longmont High School and then from the University of Northern Colorado with Accounting and Finance degrees. Following college, he worked in program accounting for Martin Marietta and then in accounting and manufacturing management for Unique Mobility. Then he went to work for three years with his parents at their family-owned company, Longmont Florist. In 1998 he took over management and ownership of their two retail locations. Brad also serves on the board of directors of the Floral Association of the Rockies and has also been on the board of directors at the Tiny Tim Center. His is married with four children and is active in coaching their basketball teams.
Christopher GunliksonHolland & HartAt-Large
Christopher Gunlikson is a transactional attorney at Holland & Hart emphasizing in commercial real estate, corporate and tax matters, including real estate acquisition, sales, construction, development, financing, commercial leasing, affordable housing development and low income housing tax credit financing and syndication. His practice also includes extensive work in entity formation, partnership in law, tax planning, contracts, technology agreements and business sale and acquisition transactions. Prior to law school, Mr. Gunlikson worked as a CFO for a developer and construction company. He is also a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the American Bar Association (Business and Taxation Sections), a member of the Colorado Bar Association (Real Estate Section), a committee member of LEN, a community-based advisory committee that assists in launching and growing emerging technology-based businesses in Boulder County, a Board member of the Funding Partners, a CHFA 2006 Qualified Allocation Plan Advisory Board member, and a Boulder CHAP Grant Technical Review Group Member. Mr. Gunlikson graduated from the University of Dnver College of Law, J.D. in 2000, and Colorado State University B.S. in 1993.
Raised in Denver, Colorado, Don Haddad earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from Colorado State University and his Master of Arts Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Colorado at Denver. Additionally, Don is currently completing his Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University - Florida. Don has been successfully involved in an educational career for the past 25 years. During this time he has benefitted from a broad range of experiences in several school districts while working in various teaching, coaching and administrative positions. Currently he participates in numerous professional organizations and educationally-focused activities. In St. Vrain he has held the positions of principal at Niwot High School, Executive Director of Secondary Instruction, Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services and Deputy Superintendent. He assumed the position of Superintendent of Schools for the St. Vrain Valley School District in July 2009. In addition to his work in education, Don serves on the Board of Directors for the Longmont Chamber of Commerce, and has membership in various service-oriented organizations.
Bruce Robbins in President of FirstBank of Longmont. FirstBank is the largest locally-owned bank holding company in Colorado. Bruce is a Colorado native and avid sportsman. He earned his B.S. in the School of Business at Colorado State University. Bruce has over 18 years of banking experience and teaches commercial real estate lending principles to Bank Officers in the FirstBank system. Bruce also serves on the Board and as Treasurer for the Colorado Housing Assistance Corporation; and on the Board for the OUR Center in Longmont.
Dennis Coombs – Mayor of Longmont is a second generation Coloradan. Born in Boulder, Colorado, he grew up in West Seattle and has lived in Longmont for 31 years. Coombs has both BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington. Having worked as an engineer in the Aerospace industry for over 30 years, he retired at age 55 from Ball Aerospace. Dennis was also one of the founders and is one of the co-owners of the Pumphouse Restaurant and Brewery in Longmont. Coombs has previously served on Longmont Downtown Development Authority (LDDA) Board of Directors from 1998 to 2003. Dennis and his wife Kristen Kinard have been members of First Congregational United Church of Christ of Longmont since 1980. Dennis has also been a member of Longmont Rotary Club for the last four years. He also has been a local avid age group athlete in Longmont for 28 years. He has competed in two ironman world championships in Hawaii. He also was selected in a National Championship race in Wisconsin to become a member of the United States age group tri-athletes to compete in world triathlon championships in New Zealand in 2003.Dennis and Kristen have a son Aaron (29 years old), and a daughter Alison (26 years old). Aaron is an attorney working in Washington DC, and Alison is an attorney working in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Brian Bagley, J.D., M.B.A. - Longmont City Councilman is the chief executive and managing partner of Tommy Edison, LLC and The Bagley Law firm, LLC, professional services firms specializing in complex business and legal matters. Brian specializes in working with private and public companies teaching their executives how to plan and execute competitive strategies for critical start-up, turnaround, and fast-track growth.
In addition, he is a practicing attorney who has represented many high profile clients, including Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, entrepreneurs, investment bankers, physicians, actors, lawyers, filmmakers, and their families. Along with his work in the private sector, Brian is a Senior Lecturer at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder and a professor for the university's prestigious Presidents Leadership Class. Brian himself is a CU alumnus, having earned a Master of Business Administration from the Leeds School of Business and a Juris Doctor from CU's School of Law.
Brian began his career as a senior analyst and key member of the team that researched and wrote the New York Times Bestseller, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t. Brian's personal accomplishments include earning the rank of Eagle Scout from the Boy Scouts of America, speaking and writing fluent Spanish, writing and directing a full-length feature film distributed by Universal Vivendi, and volunteering – along with his wife – as a foster-adopt parent for Boulder County's Department of Housing and Human Services. Presently, Brian serves as an elected official on the City Council in Longmont, Colorado. Nevertheless, his foremost passion remains his wife, Ivone, and their four young children: Danielle, Jordan, Augie, and Mikey.