LEADING EDGE™ for Transportation

Cathy Kramer

Cathy Kramer is the Statewide Program Manager for Connect2DOT and owner of Caddis LLC, a business and marketing consulting firm specializing in small business program development and support services for companies in the transportation industry. She has 25 years of marketing and management consulting experience, working with a range of clients from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. She provides strategic direction to corporations and government agencies regarding market analysis, corporate positioning, brand strategy, integrated marketing planning, proposal writing, supplier diversity, and small business program management. She has been directly responsible for more than 50 national and international client accounts and is often asked to provide keynote presentations and training at national organizations and events.

Cathy has been a consultant to CDOT for 12 years providing technical assistance to DBE/ESB firms and supporting the development and outreach of CDOT’s DBE/ESB Programs. In 2008, Cathy was part of the team that conducted the CDOT Disparity Study which was used to determine the need for remedial programs based upon racial and gender discrimination in state highway construction contracting. As a result, she assisted CDOT staff in restructuring the DBE/ESB Programs and determining the 2013 – 2015 FHWA Overall Annual DBE Goal. She has an extensive understanding of CDOT contracting and project delivery methods and has assisted hundreds of firms in marketing their services to CDOT.

Prior to starting her own business, Cathy was a Senior Systems Analyst for a Washington D.C. management consulting company where she managed large-scale federal financial and procurement software implementations at the Library of Congress, US Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce, and Louisville Water Company. She consulted with clients to re-engineer workflow procedures, define system requirements, and streamline business processes.

Cathy is currently the Program Manager for Connect2DOT, managing the partnership between CDOT and the Colorado Small Business Development Centers and assisting with business consulting, training, outreach, and technical support to contractors and consultants through 14 centers across the state. Cathy received a B.A. from Michigan State University.

Cathy is available for consulting through the Denver Metro SBDC in downtown Denver, as well as by virtual appointment statewide.

Rob Rose

Rob Rose is the Director of Programs and Engagement for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. He manages personal and professional development programming for both members and nonmember’s alike. The programs range from basic leads group pipeline feeding opportunities to working with emerging leaders as well as programming specifically for business owners of all sizes.

Rob has been with the Chamber of Commerce for over 15 years, prior to joining the Chamber and the Denver Metro SBDC he was an assistant golf professional at Glenmoor Country Club in Englewood, Colorado where we worked with members through golf instruction and tournament production.

Rob received his BA from the University of Northern Colorado, his area of focus was Mass Communications with an emphasis in Advertising.

Rob has served the community as a Board member of the Autism Society of Colorado for over two years and currently serves on the Advisory Board for A Precious Child as well as a newly formed Development Group for Goodwill Industries of Denver. Rob is passionate about giving back to the Denver business and nonprofit community that has given him so much in return.

Rob and his wife, Veronica, live in Parker with their three children, Ashton, Jordan and Aidan.

Greg Durocher

Greg Durocher is Co-founder and CEO at Safe Ride 4 Kids, LLC. Greg first came to the SBDC as a client in 2014. He was looking for ways to expand his business and knew that he needed a formal business plan to present when seeking funding, whether that be a loan or investors. He found in the SBDC class offering, including Leading Edge, exactly what he needed to compliment the consulting he received.

Fast forward to today. Greg and his business have received recognition and awards in the state-wide business plan competition and Trout Tank pitch event and his business SafeRide4Kids.com has grown into a very successful e-commerce business thanks to the support from the Denver SBDC. Because of his history as an SBDC client, his entrepreneurial success, his desire to serve, and his background in training & coaching, Greg was invited to take over facilitating the Leading Edge class as well to be on the team of consultants serving the SBDC’s clients. Greg also has a second successful business that is related to his coaching and training endeavors.

Before entering the world of entrepreneurs Greg was a career firefighter/paramedic for thirteen years and a volunteer for five years prior to that. For more than 15 years he has also been a student of human behavior and change. He has trained under and learned from the very best in the world: Tony Robbins, Steve Linder, Cloe Madanes, John Gray, Deborah Battersby, and many others. His training includes Human Needs Psychology, Strategic Intervention, Neurostrategies, NLP, Hypnotherapy, and EmMatrix. With this diverse background, he can help business owners on many levels in their entrepreneurial journey.

In 2003 he married his wife, Amie (who is also one of his business Co-Founders). They have three children, and they live, work and play in Denver, Colorado.”