IMA Financial Group Joins BEN Colorado Sustainability Campaign
The Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network Colorado (BEN Colorado) is pleased to announce that IMA Financial Group will participate as an Innovation Partner in the program's Sustainability Initiative. As part of the partnership, Vice President Chris Walters will work closely with BEN Colorado to support the continued growth of scale-up companies in Colorado.
"We are honored to add IMA as an Innovation Partner to help serve our network companies and are excited to work with Chris Walters and Anna Ewing as BEN Network Advisors. I have a longstanding respect for Rob Cohen, CEO of IMA, and his investment in the Denver Business Community." said Greg Greenwood, CEO/Executive Director of BEN Colorado.
BEN Colorado launched its Sustainability campaign in July of 2016 and have added partners from the community who are dedicated to the success of Colorado companies and willing to contribute to our state's economic engine.The BEN Colorado Sustainability Initiative has described six Partner levels:
- Cornerstone Partner—$100,0000
- Visionary Partner—$50,000
- Innovation Partner (Institutional)—$25,000
- Entrepreneur Partner (Individual)—$25,000
- Scale Up Partner—$10,000
- Bootstrap Partner - $500
The IMA Financial Group, Inc. (IMA) is a diversified financial services company specializing in risk management, insurance, employee benefits solutions and wealth management. It is the sixth-largest privately held and employee-owned insurance broker in the country and employs nearly 700 associates at offices in Colorado, Kansas, Michigan and Texas. The IMA Financial Group is comprised of IMA, Inc., a retail insurance broker that includes IMA Select, a small-business and personal-insurance division; Towerstone, Inc., a wholesale insurance broker; Eydent Insurance Services, a managing general underwriter specializing in niche solutions; CORnerstone Risk Solutions, an alternative risk services company; IMAgine Analytics, an insurtech startup; and IMA Wealth, an SEC-registered investment advisory firm that provides professional asset management and investment consulting services.
"As a leader and employee owner at IMA, I understand first-hand the importance of shared values among Colorado's business community," said IMA, Inc. Vice President Chris Walters. "Because we all benefit from an entrepreneurial community, we have a responsibility to foster that same spirit where we work and live."
The current network of BEN Colorado companies employs over 8,000 people and generated more than $4 billion in revenue last year.
BEN Colorado received seed money as a part of a three-year gift from the Blackstone Charitable Foundation's Entrepreneurship Initiative, and with the help of partners like IMA Financial Group, BEN Colorado has committed to be self-sustaining by the time the pilot period is completed. The effort is designed to leverage the resources of investment firm Blackstone to support entrepreneurs, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth in targeted regions across the world.
“Innovation Partners are valued contributors to the network and key to the long-term sustainability of our program. In partnership with companies who support Colorado’s scale-up ecosystem, we can continue to serve second-stage, high growth CEOs and deliver meaningful value to the community,” said Ally Patterson, President/Managing Director for BEN Colorado.
The Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network Colorado (BEN Colorado) is funded by a $3 million gift to the University of Colorado at Boulder to develop a strong entrepreneurial community that supports high-growth Colorado companies. Its mission is to deliver highly-curated programming that facilitates authentic peer-to-peer connection, community collaboration, and meaningful guidance. Learn more at www.bencolorado.org.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please call Ally Patterson at 773.677.6185 or email allyson@bencolorado.org.