Entries by Bart Taylor

The new heart and soul of Colorado business

History repeats itself and one might easily conclude that the heartbeat of Colorado business is once again energy. Not that oil and gas ever stopped flowing, but the shale boom, headlines of a forthcoming investment gusher and media’s opportunistic content push evoke Denver circa-1980, when the Petroleum Club was hip and Energy the business brand. […]

Take sides, but lament the loss of Magpul.

Reaction to news last week that Magpul was finally pulling up stakes developed along familiar lines. Empathizers blamed overreaching politicians. Supporters of the 2013 legislation charged the company with economic extortion. Both tended to sidestep the unfortunate reality that losing manufacturing jobs, under these circumstances, is a lousy development. We’re left to wonder if more […]

Do university rankings matter? California business hopes so.

Do university rankings matter? The easy answer it that it depends. For schools, the higher the ranking the more meaningful the list. But with competition for students intensifying, rankings now generate more than passing interest, especially for those without the top-25 pedigree. A higher ranking can translate into more students, more tuition dollars. As reported […]

Follow industry’s lead to put the goods-producing sector on the fast-track

Behind great brands are often stories of astute decision-making at pivotal times. Osprey, a growing Colorado company and respected global lifestyle brand based in Cortez, was at a crossroads early in life, choosing to stay in business by moving its manufacturing operations offshore. Now a “mature” brand (read Osprey’s profile), the company hopes to build […]

Follow industry’s lead to put the goods-producing sector on the fast-track

Behind great brands are often stories of astute decision-making at pivotal times. Osprey, a growing Colorado company and respected global lifestyle brand based in Cortez, was at a crossroads early in life, choosing to stay in business by moving its manufacturing operations offshore. Now a “mature” brand (read Osprey’s profile), the company hopes to build […]

Gov’t v. MFG: Regulation and political dysfunction threaten growth

Government’s never been more involved in business. For Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturing (NAM), this development has few upsides. Timmons spoke in Denver last week at a business luncheon sponsored by CACI, the Colorado Association for Commerce and Industry, and took on much of the political establishment in recounting […]

Regional manufacturers to get a much-needed resource from Denver OED

I’ve written previously about the regional push to invest in manufacturing. Colorado and its neighbors, many with similar sized manufacturing sectors, are host to business interests seeking funding, an improved workforce, tools and expertise to drive new manufacturing activity. Support varies but in Colorado several communities are poised to benefit from active partnerships between industry, […]