It has not been a Happy New Year for 200 farm workers in Alamosa. As 2022 ended, the ColoradoMushroom Farm—the largest mushroom farm in the Rocky Mountains—closed shop and declaredbankruptcy. More than 200 low- to moderate-income mushroom farm workers lost their jobs andlivelihood. Many have worked at the farm for more than a decade; are…
DetailsRecently, I spent a mid-morning near Colfax and Colorado, going door-to-door to meet local business owners and spread the word about the virtues of employee ownership. As I moved eastwards, from Steele street across Colorado and towards Monaco, I passed dozens of shops, talked to numerous owners, and learned a powerful truth: Colfax has two…
DetailsBy Libby O’Neall “When everyone shares, everyone benefits,” says Fawn Romero, ASA at Prairie Capital Advisors. ESOP valuation and advisory are some of the services provided by Prairie, which has been an ESOP itself for 10 years as of January 1, 2022. According to its website, Prairie’s “ESOP provides qualified employees to participate in a…
DetailsA Denver Uber Driver’s Story By Ali Alnazzal Working for more than eight years as a driver with Uber and Lyft, I witnessed many malpractices and exploitation, from profiling to embezzlement. Passing the background check was not enough; Uber conducts a facial recognition practice, which initially might be a good practice, but when it happens…
DetailsHawkins Parnell Wins Significant ERISA Trial Against U.S. Government for Bowers + Kubota Consulting, Inc. and its Founding Shareholders in ESOP Valuation and Transaction Case Prepared by David R. Johanson, Esq., Douglas A. Rubel, Esq., Rachel J. Markun, Esq., and Robert S. Thompson, Esq. On September 17, 2021, Hawkins Parnell & Young, LLP secured a…
DetailsMy grandfather, Lambert Berger, was a businessman in Johnstown, CO. He believed that businesses should support their communities, and communities should support their businesses. His belief that “we’re all in this together” helped create a thriving local economy in my hometown. Today, I work to elevate and perpetuate his legacy by helping employee-owners who are…
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Fancy Tiger Craft’s new co-op members. Jaime Jennings and Amber Corcoran started Fancy Tiger Crafts nearly 15 years ago with the vision of an all-encompassing local craft store. After a decade and a half of running the business nonstop, Jennings and Corcoran decided they were ready to take a step back from the craft shop.…
DetailsColorado Gives Day provides Coloradans with the opportunity to exercise two of the “better angels of our nature,” gratitude and generosity. A recent visit to my pharmacy presented me with a vivid example of why I should donate to The Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Center during the 2021 drive. My response will be to contribute…
DetailsFor Erica Maldonado and Diego Pons, co-founder-owners of the San Luis Valley (SLV) Language Justice Cooperative, being bilingual wasn’t always a good thing. This sentiment changed, however, when they learned to leverage their bilingualism in a way that advanced them professionally and allowed them to fulfil a need within their community. Pons and Maldonado met…
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