Staying power: the 2011 top company award winners have learned how to succeed in the toughest of times.

• Author: Adams, Sam
• Position: TOPCOMPANY

How do you explain a financial company enjoying the great estsuccess of its history in the worst economic climate of our lifetimes? Ask John Ikard at FirstBank. What does a chain of fitness studios have to do to nearly double its bottom-line revenue this year and stay on track to hit 100 locations in live years? Trevor Tice at CorePower Yoga could tell you. (Jan you name a public relations htm that has been profitable every year of its existence? Sharon Linhart, who co-founded her company nearly 15 years ago. Can make that claim, It's easy to lose sight of success when so many businesses are struggling to survive. The 2011 crop of Top Company winners would tell you that they've had to make their share of tough choices, but they've (bund ways to thrive in both the boom and the bust cycles. On the following pages, you'll react about how FirstBank, CorePower, Linhart Public Relations, eight other companies and a nonprofit earned their Top Company bragging rights. Their success stories reveal as much about the character of the companies as they do about their financial performance. Program sponsor Deloitte culled 33 finalists in 11 categories from the dozens of nominations we received. ColoradoBiz Publisher Bart Taylor and Deloitte Managing Partner Sandy Rothe met with a panel of business and community leaders to select the winner for each category. We celebrated the finalists and announced winners at a reception in September at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts sponsored by Holland & Hart. The Top...