Backbone Media Recognized as a Colorado Company to Watch

(Carbondale, Colo.) – Backbone Media, a full service public relations and media firm based in Carbondale, was recently named a ‘Colorado Companies To Watch’ award winner. Hosted by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, Colorado Companies to Watch attracted over 400 nominees, and Backbone Media was named as one of 50 winners in the 2010 class. Backbone Media partner Nate Simmons was also just named a ‘40 Under 40′ award recipient by Sporting Goods Business (SGB) magazine.

“Backbone has experienced significant growth over the past few years as our core public relations business has expanded to include social media marketing and media planning,” says Penn Newhard, Backbone Media partner and co-founder. “The Colorado Companies to Watch award is a terrific honor and Nate is pretty excited to squeak into the 40 Under 40 criteria a few months before he’s officially over the hill.”

Colorado Companies to Watch, a unique awards program developed by the Edward Lowe Foundation, recognizes second-stage companies that are developing new industry throughout the state. Typically these companies possess such characteristics as being growth focused, privately-held, headquartered in Colorado, 6-99 full-time employees and feature $750,000 to $50 million in annual sales. The program allows the state of Colorado to recognize its trend setting leaders that help strengthen the state’s economy.

SGB’s ‘40 under 40′ award winners were selected out of a list of over 300 nominations by a panel of SportsOneSource editors and a team of industry executives. The award acknowledges the hard work and long hours Simmons has sustained leading a dual life as both a partner at Backbone Media and serving as the global marketing director at Polartec.

At Polartec, Simmons is spearheading a major international campaign to re-brand the company with a new website, marketing creative, and advertising campaign. He has assembled a team of talented marketing professionals and the company is in the strongest position it has ever been in its long history.

Simmons has also been instrumental in helping Backbone Media grow into the largest media and PR agency specializing in the outdoor industry, with 17 employees and over 35 category-leading clients.