Top 100: Women in Business Awards

Making the Top 100 Woman-Owned Companies list is a distinction in itself, and this year, ColoradoBiz is honoring five firms further, with awards for Top Revenue, Top Startup, Top Grower, the Spirit Award (community service) and Most Inspirational.

The winner for Top Revenue should come as no surprise: For the fourth straight year, Alpine Automotive stands atop Colorado’s Top 100 Woman-Owned Companies ranking, with $346.6 million in sales in 2023. The Littleton-based auto dealership group, headed by Ivette Dominguez, is the Denver area’s largest minority-owned business.

Other award winners:

Top Startup, for the top revenue-generating company among firms five years old or less: Caliola Engineering

Jennifer Halford founded the company in 2019 following a nearly 20-year career in the defense industry. Last year the Colorado Springs-based provider of technical solutions and services for secure and resilient communications generated sales of $13.1 million to lead all companies in the Women’s Top 100. That represented a 71% jump from the previous year.

Top Grower (for companies at least three years old with the highest year-over-year revenue increase): Axis Integrated Mental Health

Co-founded by Liesl Perez four years ago, the Denver-based firm generated revenue of $4.1 million in 2023, a 379% increase over the previous year’s $846,000. Axis is an outpatient mental health clinic with multiple locations that provides clients with a full suite of integrated mental health treatment under one roof.

Spirit Award (for Community Involvement): Cain Travel

Along with ranking No. 4 on this year’s Top 100 Woman-Owned Companies list with revenue of $131.5 million in 2023, the Boulder-based agency specializing in corporate travel and events has been a longtime supporter of causes locally and beyond.

CEO Linda Cain’s contributions over the years have focused on the University of Colorado, Boulder High School, The Family Learning Center, Imagine! Compassion International, Meals On Wheels, and The Gabby Krause Foundation. Cain also has served on the board of the Robert D. Sutherland foundation, which is focused on providing support and services to individuals in Boulder afflicted with Bi-Polar disorder, and on the board of The Colorado Ski Hall of Fame in Vail.

In addition, she has served on the board of the Coral Reef Alliance in San Francisco, which is focused on uniting individuals to save coral reefs around the world.

Most Inspirational: Copper Door Coffee Roasters

This award goes to the first woman-owned coffee roaster in Denver, Hannah Ulbrich, and her company, Copper Door Coffee Roasters. Ulbrich, a mother of two, bought Copper Door Coffee Roasters from a neighbor when it was run out of a garage in 2014. Under Ulbrich’s guidance, Copper Door has opened multiple cafes and an online wholesale business. It provides coffee for local restaurants, specialty grocers such as Marczyk Fine Foods, and offices. Copper Door’s beans are roasted with 100% wind power. Last year the company posted revenue of $2.4 million, up from $1.6 million the previous year.

These five companies along with all the firms on this year’s Top 100 Woman-Owned Companies list will be honored Aug. 28 at the ColoradoBiz Women in Business event, 5-8 p.m. at Mile High Station in Denver.