Top company awards 2015: top-shelf, top-notch, top-drawer--and top of the world in Colorado business.

• Author: Ryckman, Lisa

THE 11 WINNERS AND 23 FINALISTS FOR COLORADOBIZ MAGAZINE'S 28th annual Top Company Awards are tops in every sense of the word: stellar businesses, bosses, partners and community members. They stand head and shoulders above a crowded field in what is widely considered Colorado's most competitive and rigorous program of its kind.

What put them there? We asked for three words to describe their trajectories, and here are some of their choices: High-impact, compassionate, life-saving. Integrity, world-class, community. Entrepreneurial, relationship-focused, fun. Driven, innovative, sustainable.

They are all that, and more.

"This year, we had a large number of nominees, and a very strong group at that," says Sandy Rothe, managing partner at Deloitte, a longtime Top Company co-sponsor that narrows the field of applicants to three finalists in each industry category. "This isn't surprising, given the growth in the market and the diversification across industries we have in the state."

From Deloitte's list, a judging panel made up of ColoradoBiz magazine's editorial board and representatives from the business community selects the winners based on financial performance, excellence in one or more operational aspect of their business and community involvement.

No easy task--and one that gets tougher every year.

"The number of exceptional Colorado companies with exciting stories to tell continues to grow," Rothe says.

Read on to learn more about this year's best of the best.

WINNER

Gutterman Griffiths PC

www.ggfamilylaw.com

Three words from them, about them: Compassion. Competence. Collaboration.

Gutterman Griffiths is all about families: The family within the firm, and the families they help through difficult transitions.

"We apply triage concepts to ensure that all clients get the attention they need, when they need it most, and we avoid harm to our clients from our own actions," Vice President Ann Gushurst says. "We employ a team approach to combine the talent and experience of our various members to ensure each client gets precisely the expertise that client's case requires."

Since its inception in 2002 with just three attorneys, Gutterman Griffiths has more than quadrupled its revenues.

"We build a specific team for the particular client, from the very best professionals in the industry who can flexibly provide the perfect level of service for the client's needs," President Diana Powell says. "We litigate, we collaborate, we mediate, we solve problems."

Gutterman Griffiths has achieved AV Preeminent status in Martindale Hubbell, which signifies the highest level of legal ability and adherence to the professional standards of conduct, ethics, reliability and diligence. The firm has been recognized every year since 2006 as a Top 100 Woman-Owned Business by ColoradoBiz, as well as one of the Top 250 Private Companies.

All shareholders have been selected for inclusion as Colorado Super Lawyers, and every shareholder has earned a prestigious 10/10 on the attorney rating website www.avvo.com. Sheila Gutterman was recognized as the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce Athena Award winner of 2014 for her outstanding personal and professional accomplishments in forging a path of female leadership.

The secret sauce: "The firm is dedicated to bringing up the next generation of lawyers through its unique Pathfinders program," Powell says. "We reach out to hire new college graduates to give them a taste of law, and mentor them through the whole process from a new legal assistant, to paralegal, to law student to new lawyer."

FINILIST

Greystone Technology Group

www.greystonetech.com

Greystone provides five unique but complementary technology services: IT management, IT consulting, Web development, mobile app development and digital marketing management. Over the past 11 years, the company's average annual growth has been more than 40 percent, and it boasts a 97 percent client retention rate. The company's Volunteer Time Off (VTO) program gives employees three paid days per year to volunteer with the organization of their choice, with a company donation to each organization for each day worked.

Innovest Portfolio Solutions LLC

www.innovestinc.com

Denver-based Innovest, an independent, fee-only investment consulting firm, adheres to the principle, "We hire great people," and it works to keep the company commited to work-life balance. The employee-owned firm, which has clients in 19 states and assets of nearly $9 billion, provides flexible schedules and unlimited vacation time for everyone; if employees need time, they take it. A sabbatical program allows employees who have met tenure requirements to completely "check out" for a one-month period every three years.

TaxOps

www.taxops.com

TaxOps, a business tax specialty and consulting firm, prides itself on helping employees achieve career goals by working less, making more, and becoming more valuable. Employees rank their top five workplace perks in order of importance: no time sheets; no office hours; entrepreneurial; team-oriented environment; and no dress code. For its clients, the company uses an innovative fixed-fee business model to achieve best results. In addition to tax outsourcing, TaxOps provides specialized tax solutions and expertise through TaxOps Minimization andTaxOptimization.

FINALISTS

American Furniture Warehouse

www.afwonline.com

Owner Jake Jabs' American Furniture Warehouse is stronger than ever after 40 years in business, thanks to a culture built around the motto, "Do it right the first time. "His $10 million gift to the University of Colorado-Denver Business School to fund the Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship has helped students realize their own business-based dreams. AFW also houses the Junior Achievement Finance Park in its Thornton location, which fosters 8th graders through high school seniors as they learn about budgeting.

Seattle Fish Co.

www.seattlefish.com

The name says Seattle, but don't let that fool you: Seattle Fish Co., the Rocky Mountain region's largest supplier of fresh and frozen seafood, has been a Denver-based, family-owned seafood distributor since 1918. Each year, Seattle Fish Co. receives and distributes 10 million pounds of fish as near as Alamosa and as far away as New Zealand. The company distributes to more than 1,200 grocers and restaurants across the region and is the first Colorado-based company to be certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council. It is also the only company in the Rocky Mountain region to be recognized as a Monterey Bay Aquarium Business Collaborator.

WINNER

First Western Trust

www.myfw.com

Three words from them, about them: Entrepreneurial. Relationship-focused. Fun.

It's all about family, says First Western Trust CEO Scott Wylie: the people who come through the door, and the people waiting there to help them get what they want most out of life.

"Wealth is the tool to help you live a life that's rich in experiences, relationships and spirit," Wylie says. "When we talk about wealth, we talk about a client's goals for their family and friends, the values they want to pass on and the great memories and experiences they want to have. Then, we design a financial plan that uses their money to fuel these more important goals."

That approach has fueled impressive growth. The bank opened its doors in 2004 with gross revenues of $1.6 million; in 2014, they were nearly $44 million. Net loans have grown to more than $526 million from $19 million, and an initial $64 million in net assets hit $752.5 million in 2014. The company now has six Colorado locations --five banks and one mortgage office; one Los Angeles location; two in Arizona and two in Wyoming--one bank and one trust office.

First Western works hard to maintain an innovative and friendly culture, starting with the First Western Way Committee, which tasks seven associates with a yearlong mission to foster engagement. A recent key initiative, the intranet-based Idea Box, gives associates the opportunity to submit concepts to improve the company--like an online photo-based directory that helps employees get to know colleagues across all locations. The Kudos program lets associates recognize and reward colleagues who go above and beyond in their jobs, and...