Tell us a little bit about you – what’s your background? If you had 2 minutes in an elevator with the Governor to tell your story, what would you say? 

I grew up on a ranch in Salida, CO and came to CSU in 2002.  I graduated with a BA in History in 2006, however discovered my love of great food and taking care of people while working with Tom Stoner and Spoons starting in 2003.  I have been with company ever since (15 years now).  Through my time here we have tried to instill Spoons as a cornerstone business of the local food movement and a staple of the Fort Collins community.  I would want the governor to hear through our story that the small businesses of each of our communities can have tremendous impacts.  Through serving the Larimer County Food Bank with programs such as Stone Soup and Empty Bowls, to providing almost 100 jobs to local residents and students, Spoons and other small businesses have a major impact on the communities that make Colorado great.

What do you like about doing business in Fort Collins? Tell us what it’s been like being part of a company that continues to see growth and has expanded into multiple locations across the City.

I love the culture of community in Fort Collins.  As we continue to grow, it has been amazing to see the successes we have and passionate guests who believe in our values: healthy, local food served in a friendly atmosphere.

Spoons is local to Fort Collins and prioritizes local ingredients. Can you talk about what sustainability means for your company and why that’s important to you?

We cherish the idea of creating a symbiotic, cyclical system of support for our local farms and our local businesses.  We recognize the as an intricate member of this community we will all succeed together.  For me personally, as I mentioned above, I grew up on ranch and in an agricultural family.  Large events of harvest, chicken butchering, canning, etc were a part of my childhood where I saw neighbors and family come together to put the work in to sustain and support each other.  We want to do this as a business.   Come together put the work in and sustain and support each other.

November 2018