Two exemplary University of Colorado Denver Business School alumnae earned spots in The Denver Business Journal’s 20th edition of its annual “Outstanding Women in Business” awards, recognizing women for their innovation, entrepreneurship, professional accomplishments, and community leadership.

Kelly Brough: Winner, Education, Government and Nonprofits category

Kelly Brough, Professional MBA ’89, President and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, took home top honors in the Education, Government and Nonprofits category.

Prior to joining the Chamber as the first female President and CEO, Brough served as Chief of Staff for the City of Denver and then-Mayor John Hickenlooper, as well as Deputy Chief of Staff & Director of the Denver Office of Accountability and Reform. She was also the first female Director of Human Resources for the City and County of Denver. In her time at CU Denver, Brough directed the internationally recognized Rocky Mountain Leadership Program, where she served as a consultant to many local governments facilitating decisions, managing large public processes and comprehensive planning efforts, mediating disputes and providing strategies to build stronger public-private partnerships.

“I’m honored by this recognition from the Denver Business Journal,” Brough said. “My time with CU Denver, first as a student and then with the Rocky Mountain Leadership Program, provided the perfect foundation for my career.”

Susan Heinzeroth: Finalist, Small Business Owner category

Susan Heinzeroth, Professional MBA ’88, Principal & Lead Strategist at SageRiver Consulting, Inc. was a finalist in the Small Business Owner category.

For the past 21 years, Heinzeroth has directed SageRiver Consulting, which offers innovative strategic consulting services to clients ranging from national nonprofits to Fortune 500 companies to government agencies. She founded her Denver-based firm after growing a medium-sized national consulting firm with five other partners. Heinzeroth gravitated to consulting early, joining Coopers & Lybrand, one of the “Big 6” firms of its day, soon after completing her CU Denver MBA. Today, in addition to leading her firm, she mentors and educates emerging leaders as a faculty member in the management division of the University of Colorado at Denver’s Business School and she is also on the faculty of the Institute for Career Advancement Needs.

Heinzeroth shared, “Whatever our individual visions, I believe each of us, in our businesses and lives, can lead change and shape the world around us for the better.”