CEO OF THE YEAR FINALISTS.

• Author: Ryckman, Lisa

JAN ALLEN

Pay Tech

www.paytech.com

Jan Allen knew firsthand the frustration of being exceptional in her field but having limited opportunities for advancement. That was in her mind 18 years ago when she started PayTech, a Greenwood Village-based provider of client-side human capital management (HCM) system consulting in the areas of implementation, process/system optimization, carve out and merger/acquisition, payroll staff augmentation and HRIS services. The company, which now has 150 employees, is one of ColoradoBiz's Top 100 Woman-Owned Companies based on annual revenue and has created consulting positions across North America that experienced payroll professionals can grow into. While Allen maximizes opportunities for her staff, she also extends a hand to those in need. Her philanthropy starts at home with Children's Hospital and the Denver Rescue Mission and extends globally to the Nyaka AIDS orphans project in Uganda in addition to feeding and supporting education efforts for children in Mexico.

COLBY BARRETT

GeoStabilization International

www.geostabilization.com

Using the values of hard work, honesty and family--along with a chemistry degree from Berkeley, a law degree from Yale and time as a U.S. Marine captain and sniper--Colby Barrett grew GeoStabilization International from three men, a truck and an excavator into a company with nearly 340 employees and a sterling safety record. Barrett's Grand Junction-based company has become North America's leading purveyor of geohazard mitigation services, including landslides and rockfall, built on core values of always do the right thing; work hard or go home; advantage by innovation; ensure client best value; and protect our family. Barrett has sat on "The Alternative Board" (TAB) where he helped mentor other business owners in Grand Junction and was winner of the 2014 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for the Mountain West Region. Barrett also donates funds to The Mission Continues, an organization that helps veterans continue their service to our country after they transition to civilian life.

WENDE CURTIS

Comedy Works

www.comedyworks.com

Sure, they're built on laughs. But Wende Curtis' Comedy Works clubs are seriously successful. The two Denver locations are considered among the nation's top comedy clubs, and Curtis is one of only a handful of women in the field. During her 30 years in the business, Curtis has been guided by the words of Winston Churchill--"Never, never, never give up"--and the values-rich upbringing by her bank exec mother and auto mechanic father. "They instilled important values of hard work, ethics, doing right by people, which she lives by both in her personal and business life today," Comedy Works CFO Jay Finesilver says. "Her parents taught her at a young age to always do the right thing, no matter how hard. In business she treats her customers, comedians and staff with the utmost respect and care." She also cares for others. In December 2012, Curtis founded the Comedy Works Foundation, which has raised $200,000 to support efforts to end homelessness and support women and children in need, as well as boost female- and minority-owned businesses. She supports Colorado Youth for a Change, hosting its annual fundraisers to help it combat high school dropout rates and provide support to at-risk students.

Recently, the event raised more than $81,000 for the charity. In addition, Comedy Works donates more than $800,000 in benefit tickets to thousands of local/national charities each year.

ROD BUSCHER

Blinker

www.blinker.com

It would be tough to find someone who knows more about the car-buying experience than Rod Buscher. A co-founder of John Elway Dealerships and Summit Automotive Partners groups, Buscher's latest venture, Blinker, marries his extensive knowledge of the auto industry and the latest in technology. Blinker--the first ever mobile app that allows anyone to buy, sell, finance or refinance cars themselves with the snap of a photo--has become the fastest-growing used car sales channel in Colorado in just one year, with more than $50 million in transactions. Buscher has served on the executive board of Colorado Uplift for more than 20 years where he has mentored and fundraised to improve the Denver public school system. Buscher also instilled a culture of giving back at Blinker by creating the Blinker Philanthropic council, which chooses specific charities each quarter for Blinker to support, donate to and volunteer with. The company recently hosted students from the Denver School of Science and Technology, who received real-world coding experience from Blinker developers in exchange for college credits.

CHRIS EGAN

Evolution Digital

www.evolutiondigital.com

Chris Egan comes by his entrepreneurial chops honestly: His father, John Egan, founded Arris and acted as chairman and CEO until 2002. Now, John Egan serves as chairman at Evolution Digital, acting as an adviser to his son. The younger Egan has made Evolution Digital a front-runner for low-cost innovative set-top boxes in the U.S. and internationally. His regulatory efforts with the FCC enabled cable operators to reclaim bandwidth in a cost-effective manner. He...