Banking/Professional Services

South Metro Denver is home to a growing number of leading companies in the finance and professional services industry. In fact, metro Denver has been called the “Wall Street of the West.” This sector encompasses firms engaged in financial transactions and in facilitating those transactions. Companies involved in banking and finance, investments, securities, lending and insurance carriers and brokerages are all included in this key industry group.



Major finance and insurance employers in the area include FirstData Corporation, Oppenheimer Funds, Western Union, Charles Schwab & Co., Wells Fargo Bank NA, FirstBank, US Bank, Nordstrom National Credit Bank and Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Co.



The University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business is nationally ranked in the top 10 for academic excellence in accounting and the financial services industry. The key reasons to locate financial services and insurance companies to the area are a highly-qualified workforce, outstanding quality of life, low to moderate costs of doing business, a pro-business environment and competitive tax structure and a central location with global access.

The South Metro Denver area includes more than 53,000 jobs in the professional and technical services area, making it one of the strongest and largest industry groups in the region. 



The individual industries of this subsector are defined on the basis of the particular expertise and training of the service provider. The distinguishing feature of professional services is the fact that most of the industries grouped in it have production processes that are almost wholly dependent on worker skills. Most of this expertise requires a college degree, though not in every case. Professional services include legal, engineering, accounting, architectural, construction, consulting and management jobs.



This industry cluster is projected to grow by 26.9 percent between 2006 and 2016, faster than the 21.8 percent growth rate for all industries in the area. More than 64 percent of the jobs in business services are located along the I-25 corridor.



The engineering firm CH2M Hill, headquartered in Douglas County, is a global leader in engineering, procurement, construction and operations for public and private clients. CH2M Hill is the largest professional services employer in South Metro Denver. In 2008, Fortune Magazine selected the firm as one of its 100 best companies to work for. Additionally, FirstData is an industry leader in information processing for companies around the world, helping them manage their current customers' information and develop new revenue streams.

Major construction firms represented in the area include The Weitz Company, which built the new Re/MAX headquarters and Kiewit Building Group, which built the Palazzo Verdi building in Greenwood Village.



The professional services companies located in South Metro Denver’s premier office parks serve regional, national and international clients.  SEBP is proud to represent many of these firms and promote business friendly public policy on their behalf.