Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers and his wife, Janet, aren’t known as business people. But they still play major roles in supporting the area’s business community.
The Sutherses were honored Saturday as 2022 Business Citizens of the Year by the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC at the organization’s annual gala, which took place at The Broadmoor hotel.
The award, the business group’s top honor, recognizes business individuals who contribute to the area’s economic growth and prosperity, according to the Chamber & EDC. It also honors individuals who try to better the community through civic participation and who demonstrate a willingness to assist in business and community projects.
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“Mayor John Suthers and Janet Suthers have made an enormous impact in Colorado Springs, creating a foundation for our community to thrive,” Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, the Chamber & EDC’s president and CEO, said in a news release. “Under Mayor Suthers’ leadership, our community has experienced great economic development success, adding nearly 50,000 jobs, investment in infrastructure and an emphasis in public safety to ensure our future is safe and strong.”
John Suthers “sparked historic infrastructure improvements to the city’s roads and stormwater system, vastly improved relations between the executive and legislative branches of government, and has overseen a renaissance of both the Colorado Springs Airport and downtown Colorado Springs” according to the Chamber & EDC.
The Chamber & EDC also credited him for overseeing the finalization of the City for Champions projects, which were launched in 2013 and that the business group said have generated millions of dollars worth of local economic impact and tourism.
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The Sutherses also helped launch and support a campaign to brand the city — headquarters of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee — as “Olympic City USA,” according to the Chamber & EDC. Janet Suthers has raised nearly $1 million for that effort and also helped to make soccer free for thousands of children through the Colorado Springs Sports Office, the organization said.
John Suthers was elected mayor in 2015 and reelected in 2019; he’s term-limited and will leave office next year. He’s also served as Colorado attorney general, U.S. attorney for Colorado and 4th Judicial District attorney. Janet Suthers spent her career working for Hewlett Packard and has served on several local boards and commissions.
At Saturday’s gala, the Chamber & EDC also presented its Excellence in Industry Awards to three businesses:
• Company of the Year: Bluestaq. Last year, the defense technology contractor won a $280 million contract to develop a database of objects in space. This year, the state Office of Economic Development and International Trade awarded $5.6 million in job growth incentive tax credits to Bluestaq, which plans to add 585 highly skilled jobs.
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• New & Growing Business of the Year: Beauty Bar. The hair, skin, nail and body treatment facility now has two locations and offers a space for clients to network and cross-promote businesses while they utilize salon services. Beauty Bar owner Uyen Le recently was featured on personal finance company Nerdwallet’s national podcast and gave advice on growing a brick-and-mortar business.
• Community Investment of the Year: Solid Rock Community Development Corp. Solid Rock, an affiliate of Solid Rock Christian Center, is investing in housing, small businesses and infrastructure, and working to resolve food access barriers. This year, Solid Rock broke ground on a four-story, 77-unit southeast side apartment project that will provide housing for renters earning 30% to 60% of the area median income.
