Career advancement and business success aren’t the only things on the minds of young professional people in Durango.
Members of Young Professionals of Durango find time to work, support each other and invest time in the community as well.
The organization was founded in 2005 as a 501(c)6 through the Durango Chamber of Commerce.
Dormancy reigned until 2011 when Mandi Davis became president. Since then, membership has zoomed from 17 Y-pods – a nickname for Young Professionals of Durango – to 103 today.
“We focus on empowerment, connectivity and engagement,” Davis said.
The word “young” in the organization’s title is relative, Davis said. The organizational divide has two constituencies, the 21-39 age group and the “experienced” members.
“But we don’t card at the door,” Davis said.
Davis is part of the family that founded SkyWerx, a wireless Internet service provider formed in 2003. SkyWerx was picked as a comer this year by Colorado Companies to Watch, a statewide awards group that looks at the potential of growing companies.
Davis also is the daytime manager of Seasons Rotisserie & Grill.
The goals of empowerment, connectivity and engagement cover a lot ground, Davis said.
The organization holds professional-development sessions for its members once a year, Davis said.
Among the tips on how to present oneself to make a good impression are the proper location for a name tag, how to hold a drink and how to maintain conversation appropriate of a professional, Davis said.
For five years, Y-pods have switched from dress clothes to dungarees to help Habitat for Humanity build houses.
“We go build for a day,” Davis said. “We also do landscaping and painting.”
Forty Y-pods turned out this summer to help Durango Rivertrippers pull trash from the Animas River.
“We had 12 boats and six duckies,” Davis said.
Networking is important to broaden contacts, Davis said. So starting last month, Y-pods can attend monthly “Lunch with Leaders,” a get-together with an established member of the business community who will speak about her or his professional career in Durango.
Davis said the organization receives fantastic support from the Chamber of Commerce.
Justin Otto said he received an open-arms welcome when he arrived in February to become manager of the Durango Mall.
The first encounter he had with Y-pods was at the organization’s early spring gathering at the Rochester Hotel to watch the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby.
As a native of Northern Kentucky, Otto was in his element.
“It made a major impact on me,” said Otto, a veteran mall manager who came to Durango from Memphis, Tennessee.
“I have a core of Y-pod contacts now who are ready with suggestions if I need them,” Otto said.
Matt Hoaglin and his wife, Allison Ragsdale, looked for young professionals as soon as they arrived in Durango three years ago to open a photography studio.
“We wanted to network with people our age,” Hoaglin said. “But we met people approaching the ‘exit (beyond their age group).’”
Then they learned about Young Professionals of Durango, which was the helping hand they needed, Hoaglin said.
“It’s super inspiring to be around people who do things,” Hoaglin said. “We can ask questions when something comes up.”
Alex Brandon, sales manager for American General Media, a group of nine radio stations in the Four Corners, got a Y-pod assignment as soon as he introduced himself.
He was with American General Media in Albuquerque and a member of a young-professionals group.
“I brought the idea of a lunch with leaders with me,” Brandon said. “I took the assignment and ran with it. It’s part of opportunities to network, do community service and to develop professionally.
“Contact with top business leaders helps you get past mistakes and move on,” he said. “They give you insights and candid advice.”
daler@durangoherald.com
Professional women launch networking group in Durango
The Professional Women’s Network of Durango is the latest addition among a batch of professional organizations ready to spawn tomorrow’s entrepreneurs.
Melissa Glick, chief executive officer and co-owner of Think Networks Technologies, a computer-services company, said the group evolved after she and a colleague were inspired last October by Daniel Epstein, the La Plata County Economic Development Alliance annual Economic Summit keynote speaker.
“We were both motivated to take action,” she said.
Seven weeks later, the group has three co-founders: Glick; Jessika Buell, co-owner of Lucky services, an event-planning and marketing-consulting company; and Donnis Dolso, co-owner of Lucky Services and The Durango Vault, a local gym.
The three founders are Durango business owners who wanted to be a part of a professional women’s group. However, Durango lacked a group for professional women designed to help develop their careers, Glick said.
Also, the group’s purposes include:
Providing a venue for women to connect and inspire each other and grow professionally.
Hosting entrepreneurial speakers in an area considered geographically isolated.
Providing a springboard for younger members who might not have access to reach out to leaders and mentors in business.
The Professional Women’s Network will host its launch party from 5 to 6:30 p.m. today at the Lost Dog Bar & Lounge.
The network invited about 300 women to the event. It anticipates a turnout of about 100.
vguthrie@durangoherald.com
