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Tag: 2021 GenXYZ

Joshalynn Green’s phenomenal quest to pay it forward

Joshalynn Green, 29

Founder and President, Phenomenal Women Inc.| Denver

Joshalynn Green founded the nonprofit Phenomenal Women Inc. in 2017 to fulfill a longtime desire to give back. In doing so, she’s also recognizing – paying forward, she says – the encouragement she received from others while growing up in a fatherless home, at one point in foster care, living in seven different states and attending more than a dozen schools before she was 18.

“I’ve had a great group of mentors who have definitely been pillars and pivotal in my life to encourage me to keep going. They definitely invested in me, and I want to just continue paying forward and helping out,” says Green, who earned a bachelor of science degree in management information systems from Miles College in Birmingham, Alabama, and in 2015 was named Miss Black Colorado USA.

Phenomenal Women, with chapters in Denver and Birmingham, consists of three components: community service, youth enrichment and women empowerment.

“We partner with various homeless shelters across Colorado,” explains Green, who also works as a corporate senior recruiter for Johnson Controls, a Fortune 500 company. “Every year we provide up to 500 homeless care kits to the homeless community.”

The youth enrichment component includes a 12-week life skills program on subjects ranging from financial literacy to etiquette in dining, for students age 10 to 16 across the state.

For the women-empowerment element, Phenomenal Women provides a free platform for women to come together through networking events, and workshops for participants to showcase their products, services or business opportunities through the organization’s annual Invest in Youth symposium.

Her No. 1 goal: “To expand Phenomenal Women to a national platform so we can continue our work on a broader scale, to help students get full-ride college scholarships and provide free year-long mentorships.”

This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers. 

Joshua Pollack’s burgeoning restaurant empire

Joshua Pollack, 37

Owner, Bridge and Tunnel Restaurant Group (BTRG) | Denver

The prospect of making people happy through food gets Joshua Pollack out of bed every morning, and it reflects one of the two pieces of advice that have shaped him as an entrepreneur.

“First, do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life,” he says. “Before I entered the restaurant business, I worked in finance and was extremely unhappy. My career today is infinitely more fulfilling, and being passionate about the work has helped me to thrive in reaching my goals.

“Second is an important lesson from my mentor, Bobby Schorr: Build a business that doesn’t need you to run it every day,” Pollack says. “The key to BTRG’s success has been assembling an incredible team of people that I truly trust to run the business as if it was their own.”

Pollack’s burgeoning empire includes Rosenberg’s Bagel and Delicatessen, Lou’s Italian Specialties, Famous Original J’s Pizza and the new Sherry’s Soda Shoppe.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Pollack has kept his employees busy and is actively hiring. Ongoing charitable commitments include the National Black Justice Coalition and Conscious Alliance, a nonprofit supporting hunger relief to communities in crisis.

His No. 1 goal: “To help create real change in food systems, particularly as it applies to the restaurant industry.”

This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.

Patrick McRorie measures success by his team achievements

Patrick McRorie, 39

Partner in Charge, Lathrop GPM LLP | Denver

Patrick McRorie has no time for complacency, and his career trajectory proves it.

“The best advice I’ve received is that there is no substitute for the relentless pursuit of the highest quality product,” he says. “Remaining stagnant is a sure path to doom.”

McRorie became a partner at 31 and leader of the firm’s energy team a few years later, overseeing billion-dollar acquisitions and creating connections that foster responsible energy development. In 2017, McRorie was elected to the firm’s Executive Committee, as one of only 13 attorneys out of 400 charged with overseeing the management of the firm nationwide. As Partner in Charge of the Denver office, he oversees a staff of 14 attorneys and 19 professional staff and mentors younger colleagues.

“(I think) the best measure of success is the achievements of those around you,” McRorie says. “Building an engaged team and business culture to be proud of are indicative that you are doing something right as a colleague and a leader.”

McRorie was one of 30 attorneys selected for the first Colorado General Counsel Group Advisor Program, working to support young and diverse general counsel. Under his leadership, the Denver office also sponsors initiatives of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association and the Colorado LGBT Bar Association.

His No. 1 goal: “To continue to foster a thriving team.”

This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.

Bernadette Johnson is an expert in energy market fundamentals

Bernadette Johnson, 38

Vice President-Strategic Analytics, Enverus | Centennial

When Bernadette Johnson thinks of success, she thinks of the poet Maya Angelou’s definition: “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”

An expert in energy market fundamentals with more than 13 years of experience, Johnson worked as a senior energy analyst at Bentek Energy and Sasco Energy Partners. She co-founded Ponderosa Advisors, an energy analytics leader acquired in 2016 by Enverus (formerly Drillinginfo), an energy sector data, software and insights company.

“I largely attribute (my success) to luck and good timing, and very strong leaders early in my career who taught me a lot about leadership and energy markets, where my expertise is focused,” she says.

Johnson, whose energy chops have made her a go-to expert for national and local media, also volunteers as a board member of Denver Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), which supports and promotes court-appointed advocates for abused or neglected children.

Her No. 1 goal: “Freedom to do work on things that I want to work on and that I am passionate about, and creating opportunities for that same freedom for the people I work with.”

This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.

Julia Marvin is committed to making her city a better place

Julia Marvin, 34

Thornton City Councilor

When Julia Marvin faces a tough choice, she asks herself a few tough questions: Can I sleep at night with the decision I made? Can I back up my choice with evidence and solid reasoning? Is it true to my values and beliefs? Have I put in my best effort? Is this as close to a win-win as it can be?

“When I can answer yes to those questions, then it’s easier to have peace and face whatever comes next,” Thornton’s youngest city councilor says. “And if the answer to some of them is no, then it’s an opportunity to reflect on what went well, what didn’t and how I can do better next time.”

Marvin has fought to bring more transparency to council and city processes, advocated for using CARES Act funding to help the most vulnerable residents, and fought for policies to support working families. Last summer, she helped launch a city council committee focused on equity in police oversight, transportation, communications and amenities.

“Julia is truly committed to making her city a better place,” friend Dan Pinkston says. “She is always willing to talk with people and hear their stories and concerns.”

Her No. 1 goal: “To advocate for policies with tangible outcomes that will help working families thrive and leave Thornton a better place than when I began.”

This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.

Maxwell Meyer is helping people build a better financial future

Maxwell Meyer, 30

CEO & Co-founder, Masii.com | Colorado Springs

Maxwell Meyer ditched his job at global consultancy McKinsey & Co. to devote himself to a solution for a problem a world away.

“I want to end predatory lending in Southeast Asia,” Meyer says. “It is the fastest-growing region of the world with more than 600 million people — many of them new to formal banking.”

Meyer’s fintech Colorado Springs-based startup, Masii.com, currently focuses on Thailand, where he says nearly 20 million people are underbanked. Millions have used his website to learn about, apply for and build better credit.

“Thais often can’t get loans from a regulated bank, so they turn to payday lenders who charge up to 20% per day. These rates can devastate families in their time of greatest need,” he says.

His company made KPMG’s Global Fintech100 list, and Meyer claimed a spot on Forbes’ 2020 “30 Under 30” list. He is the youngest professor at Harbour.Space University in Barcelona, Spain, where he teaches entrepreneurship, and he chairs the board of the long-running PBS interview show, “The Open Mind.”

“Max’s entire mission is about helping the less fortunate,” says his friend, Zoey DeWolf. “His commitment to educating people, helping them to build a better financial future, and to bring an ethical approach to lending is a testament to his values.” 

His No. 1 goal: “To end predatory lending in Southeast Asia.”

This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.