Read the Colorado Business Journal's article on all the 2009 Honorees. Please note that due to contractual obligations with the photographers, this article can only be read—it cannot be printed.
CEBA ANNUAL LUNCHEON HONORS FIVE, UNVEILS NEW BUSINESS ETHICS INDEX
DENVER—The Colorado Ethics in Business Alliance (CEBA) honored Colorado’s top ethical role models and introduced a new business ethics index at the 17th annual CEBA awards luncheon, March 26, at the Marriott City Center in downtown Denver. Two for- profit companies, one non-profit organization and two individuals received the coveted ethics awards.
Landscape company Designs by Sundown and Keller Brothers Auto Repair received the CEBA Business Ethics Award recognizing for-profit enterprises.
The Ronald McDonald House of Colorado received the Samaritan Institute Award in the non-profit category.
The Daniel L. Ritchie Award, honoring individuals for outstanding ethical achievement, went to Harry Lewis of Lewis Investments, and Robert L. Powell, of Character Fort Collins.
Former CEBA Board Chair Roy Koerner unveiled the CEBA business ethics index, which the organization is formulating to provide a barometer of ethical business activity in Colorado. He noted that data obtained from a number of business and government entities is being used to determine the index. Participating groups include Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Colorado Supreme Court, Colorado Springs BBB, Denver/Boulder BBB, Fort Collins BBB, Mountain States Employers Council, The Grantsmanship Center and Guidestar web sites.
Using a baseline of 100, Colorado’s overall business ethics index for 2008 was 99.6. Industry groups achieving an ethics index above the 100 baseline included:
Philanthropic companies—114
Automobile Insurance—110
Communicatons/Utlity—110
Areas needing improvement that indexed below 100 included:
Health Insurance—86
Home Insurance—91
Transportaton/Utlity—91
Noted turnaround artist Dick Evans gave the keynote speech at the annual luncheon, sharing his insights into the art of corporate sustainability—developing and implementing strategies to insure the long-term viability of businesses and how the same principles apply no matter what the size of a business. Evans was instrumental in the revitalization of such icons as Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden.
Sponsors of the event included FirstBank Holding Company, Wright Water Engineers, Inc., Greenberg Traurig, LLP, IMA, Colorado Container, Minor & Brown, Hart Axley, Xcel Energy, KM Concessions, Jack Houlihan & RJ Ross, Horan & McConaty, Gary-Wiliams Energy Corporation, ColroadoBiz Magazine, Roy & MaryAnn Koerner, PrintColorado Communications, Berenbaum, Weinshienk, Eason, Snell & Wilmer, Rocky Mountain PBS and Ryden & Associates Integrated Marketing.
Organizational sponsors are the University of Denver Daniels College of Business, Samaritan Institute, Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau, Denver Rotary Club 31 and other District 5450 Rotary Clubs, and Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals.
Nominations are open through September 1, 2009 for the 2010 CEBA Awards. Information is available online at www.CEBA.org, or call the CEBA office at 303-283-6002.
