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(BOULDER, Colo., April 10, 2017) – 8z Real Estate, a Colorado owned real estate brokerage, was named the top middle sized workplace in Colorado, in the Denver Post’s annual Top Workplaces survey.  The rankings were announced to participating companies at an event on April 4^th at Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and announced to the public in the April 7^th edition of the Denver Post.

CEO and Founder Lane Hornung commented, “What makes 8z a great workplace? It’s pretty simple; we have great people working together on a shared goal, fixing real estate.”

Full time professional Realtors have a different experience when they join 8z.  8z supports their Realtors with a comprehensive system which includes lead generation, marketing, training, and administrative support.   The training and support are designed to not only grow a Realtor’s expertise, but also increase the productivity per agent. 

8zers also find support through the collaborative culture that is shared across the company.  Doug Gieck, the Production Manager, commented: “[our Realtors] put the client's interests in front of our own because 8z Realtors are collaborative. We work as a team to achieve the highest standards of service for our clients. You might find that from one or two agents at a typical real estate office, but to find that companywide is rare.”

The company has been rising in the ranks and getting noticed as a top workplace. Previously competing in the small workplaces division of the Top Workplaces survey, 8z ranked 5^th in 2016, and 9^th in 2015.  8z grew into the medium sized division in 2017, competing against other companies with 150-499 employees.

The Denver Post Top Workplaces survey is organized by WorkplaceDynamics, a leading research firm on organizational health and employee engagement.  WorkplaceDynamics invited 1,048 companies in Colorado to participate.  They surveyed employees from 213 organizations and received 48,109 responses.  The twenty-four question survey digs deeper than just the benefits an employee receives, but qualitative factors including confidence in the company’s leadership, employee loyalty, and alignment with company values and where the company is headed, among other factors.

About 8z Real Estate

8z Real Estate is a residential brokerage that empowers buyers and sellers with unmatched market data and online tools, combined with the knowledge and expertise of professionals on the ground. Each Realtor specializes in a specific community, to develop expertise on everything local. 8z puts clients first with Realtors who listen to their clients’ needs, address their concerns, and deliver solutions so that each client has clarity, control and confidence in their real estate transaction. For more information call 303-563-4103 and visit http://8z.com/.

Where will green technology take us in 2012? Ecotech Institute is keeping a close eye on that very big question. We are constantly monitoring cleantech industry growth and innovation, and looking for ways to align our environmental sustainabilitycurriculum with employer and marketplace demands. Every day we read up on the latest research regarding solar power, wind energy, smart grid and other relevant industries. We want to make sure our students are up to speed when they graduate so their employers truly get the best, most knowledgeable employees.

In 2011, cleantech ventureinvestment had an incredible year. As a result of financial backing, we saw an infusion of green start-up companies, new jobs and a growing belief in the future of cleantech industries. However, the challenges of this relatively new space also came to light as some companies met very public criticism.

As the president of Ecotech Institute, it’s my job to take a hard look at opportunities in cleantech now and into the future. Our career services team needs to accurately predict where Ecotech graduates will be able to make a living and make a difference in the world. Frankly, there is a lot of enthusiasm as we enter 2012 with a promising outlook about environmental sustainability’s growing role in the world.

This is a very exciting year for Ecotech because we will graduate our first group of students in June. As we continue to prepare them for the workforce this year, we are collectively interested in what industry leaders are predicting.

Here are some predictions of note:

1. According to a December 28, 2011 article by Michael Kanellos on www.greenbiz.com, “Renewables will start to win over the jobs argument.”

He states, “The 2012 Presidential election will be only about one thing: jobs. In the energy and sustainability context, the debate boils down to whether you think more jobs can be created through pipelines and offshore drilling or through erecting solar farms and retrofitting buildings.”

“But here is where renewables win: they don't take years….Many fossil projects, meanwhile, are bogged down in land use hearings….If renewables get results quicker, they become the better solution.”

My takeaway: Green jobs will continue to grow and companies need educated people to fill them.

2. The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) says this year is going to be a big year for wind power, both in the field and in policy. The association notes that unlike the volatile prices of fossil fuels, wind power has a fixed fuel cost of zero, making it a very appealing form of energy. However, Congress needs to act quickly to protect the future of wind energyin the U.S. If lawmakers do not extend the Production Tax Credit that is due to expire at the end of this year, taxes on wind will go up and jobs could go overseas.

My takeaway: Wind energy will continue to grow this year, however Congress needs to take action to make sure that growth continues in 2013 and beyond. Please contact your lawmakers to let them know the importance of extending the Production Tax Credit.

3. According to predictions from www.EnvironmentalLeader.com, solar innovation will serve as a perennial driver.

“Investment into good old solar innovation and projects is still strong, and has remained so for years, while other clean technologies have risen and fallen in and out of investment fashion.”

My takeaway: As money continues to be filtered into solar power innovation, we must keep a close eye on how these technologies will be built and maintained.

4. Jesse Berst with gigaom.com listed top predictions based on his takeaways from a webinar offered by renowned research firm IDC. He stated the following, “Smart buildings will become important to utilities. 25 states have energy efficiency standards or targets. Smart buildings can help meet such goals. The building energy analytics market will double between 2012 and 2015, jumping from $193 billion to $402 billion.”

My takeaway: The growth of smart buildings requires savvy energy efficiency experts.

5. In “10 solar trends to watch for in 2012,” Ucilia Wang, another contributor to gigaom.com, discusses solar energy’s impact on the grid. The article states that, “The increase in solar energygeneration has nudged utilities and electric grid regulators to give more thought and investment to the impact of solar in their mission to deliver electricity reliably.”

“Since solar production can ebb and surge depending on the time of the day and the weather, new technologies and policies are cropping up to monitor solar energy production and minimize interruptions of power delivery.”

My takeaway: The marketplace needs educated professionals who understand the interplay between solar technology and the current energy grid system.

The green landscape will continue to shift and it is important to watch, learn and prepare future leaders. The excitement of clean technology innovation in 2012 and beyond ought to be celebrated by everyone who has a stake in making our world a better place to work, play and live.

Love Grown Foods®, a leading natural food company, announced today it has appointed three new advisors as it continues to make a splash in the natural products industry. Love Grown Foods, which two young entrepreneurs founded in 2008, is now available in more than 2,100 stores throughout the United States and Canada and will reach 3,000 outlets by this summer.

Just in time to spread the LOVE at Booth #2296 at Natural Products Expo West, Love Grown Foods is thrilled to announce that esteemed executives Mo Siegel and Tom Spier have joined their recently assembled Board of Advisors along with industry veteran Joan Boykin, who has been named a strategic advisor.

Mo Siegel founded, chaired and presided over Celestial Seasonings, Inc., the largest manufacturer and marketer of specialty teas in North America, from 1970 – 1986. After Celestial Seasonings, Mr. Siegel planned and developed Earth Wise, marketer of cleaning products, which was later sold to Block Drug Company. In 1991, Mr. Siegel returned to serve as chairman and CEO of Celestial Seasonings until May 2000, when Celestial Seasonings merged with The Hain Food Group. Mr. Siegel served as vice chairman until retiring in 2002.

Tom Spier is chief executive officer of EVOL Foods and founder of Spier Consumer Capital. Mr. Spier started his career working in finance, but after four years on Wall Street, he joined Bear Naked as COO. During that time, Bear Naked grew to become the largest natural granola company in the country. Mr. Spier successfully grew the company and positioned the organization for its sale to Kellogg’s. In his role as CEO of EVOL Foods, Mr. Spier has overseen the company’s maturation from a small regional brand with products in one category to a multi-category platform brand with broad national distribution. Today, EVOL Foods produces over 800,000 units per month and employs 65 people.

Joan Boykin, Love Grown Foods’ strategic advisor, is the executive director of The Organic Center. She has spent her career in the natural and organic products industry with Celestial Seasonings, where she spent more than 13 years as design/creative manager and director of marketing, new products, PR and retail; director of marketing and PR at Alfalfa’s Markets and Wild Oats Markets; and creative director and VP of new business at New Hope Natural Media. Boykin is a board member and advisor of Naturally Boulder, the Organic Voices/Just Label It Campaign, and the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship’s Organic Business Initiative.

“The teamwork and spirit at Love Grown Foods reminds me of the early days at Celestial Seasonings,” said Siegel. “Their youthful enthusiasm for producing and distributing healthy food is the kind of energy that builds great brands.”

“It is an honor to work with such influential people in our industry.  They each offer varied expertise and a deep well of knowledge to our company,” added Maddy D’Amato, co-founder and chief love officer. “Their counsel in properly approaching opportunities and challenges will result in continued strategic growth and sustained success for Love Grown Foods.”

During Natural Foods Expo West, which runs March 9-11, 2012, Love Grown Foods and its team of LOVE Ambassadors will be spreading the LOVE in Anaheim. Attendees and press are invited to stop by their booth to learn more about the company and taste their delicious, all-natural, Certified Gluten-Free products that are flying off retailers’ shelves.

Love Grown Foods is known for its delectable line of Oat Clusters & LOVE

healthy granola, which is chock-full of wholesome and pronounceable ingredients. Oat Clusters & LOVE are available in the following flavors: Simply Oats, Apple Walnut Delight, Raisin Almond Crunch, Sweet Cranberry Pecan and Cocoa Goodness. For ingredients, recipes and more, visit http://www.lovegrownfoods.com/oatclusters.