Pro-services shortlists: annual ranking of Colorado firms in eight professional-service industries.

• Position: [professional service] RANKINGS

Our annual ranking of professional-service firms originated in 2002 as an effort to identify industries that are likely to provide valuable assistance in the life of a business and then provide a ranking of firms - usually by size - in each of those industries. Although many more professional disciplines would fit the description of a professional service provider, this year's edition covers eight fairly traditional industries: law, accounting, advertising/PR/marketing, architecture, engineering, general contracting, small-business healthcare carriers, and investment managers/financial advisers.

The rankings are of Colorado-based companies, except where otherwise noted. In some cases we've included companies that are headquartered out of state because they have a significant Colorado presence.

All figures used to compile the rankings were self-reported by the companies, with the exception of the small-group healthcare providers, which were provided by the Colorado Division of Insurance.

COLORADO-BASED ACCOUNTING FIRMS RANKED BY NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES COMPANY NO. OF CITY PHONE WEBSITE EMPLOYEES Ehrhardt 409 Denver (303) 740-9400 www.eksh.com Keefe Steiner & Hottman PC Hein & 232 Denver (303) 298-9600 www.heincpa.com Associates LLP Dalby, 100 Grand (970) 243-1921 www.dalbycpa.com Wendland & Junction Co. P.C. GHP Horwath 94 Denver (303) 831-5000 www.ghphorwath.com PC Anton Collins 70 Denver (303) 830-1120 www.acmllp.com Mitchell LLP Brock & Co. 57 Boulder (303) 444-2971 www.brockcpas.com CPAs PC JDS 52 Denver (303) 771-0123 www.jdscpagroup.com Professional Group LLC Causey Demgen 51 Denver (303) 296-2229 www.cdmcpa.com & Moore Inc. COLORADO-BASED AD/PR/MARKETING FIRMS RANKED BY NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES COMPANY NO. OF CITY PHONE EMPLOYEES Integer 576 Lakewood (303) 393-3500 Group-Denver Network 130 Lakewood (303) 232-2707 Affiliates Sterling-Rice 100 Boulder (303) 381-6400 Group Factory Design 93 Denver (303) 573-9100 Labs Inc. Vladimir Jones 70 Colorado (719) 473-0704 Springs Leopard 57 Broomfield (303) 527-2900 Cactus 41 Denver (303) 455-7545 Marketing Communications Karsh & Hagan 33 Denver (303) 296-8400 Communications Blizzard 32 Glenwood (970) 928-7875 Internet Springs Marketing 90octane LLC 31 Denver (720) 904-8169 RANKED BY NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES Company WEBSITE Integer www.integer.com Group-Denver Network www.netaff.com Affiliates Sterling-Rice www.srg.com Group Factory Design www.factorylabs.com Labs Inc. Vladimir Jones www.vladimirjones.com...