In honor of Black History Month, the Colorado Chamber is recognizing Black business owners, entrepreneurs, executives, and job creators who have grown their businesses from the ground up and are core to our local Colorado communities.
Today’s feature is Simone Ross with Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce
Simone D. Ross serves as chief executive officer of the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce and executive director of its foundation, where she leads efforts to position Colorado as the premier state for women in business. In her roles, Ross advances initiatives focused on economic equity, workforce participation and inclusive business growth.
Ross holds dual master’s degrees in business administration and arts from Colorado State University and brings extensive corporate experience from organizations including Kaiser Permanente, Delta Dental of Colorado, SCL Health and The Riveter. She also leads her consulting firm, Simone D. Ross LLC, where she provides change management and organizational strategy services to businesses and institutions.
Her leadership has earned recognition including the Denver Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business and 40 Under 40 awards, COBiz Gen XYZ Most Influential, Girl Scouts Woman of Distinction, and inclusion in the Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business. Ross is also a TEDx speaker and develops training programs that equip business leaders with practical strategies to implement equitable operational systems.
The Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce is a statewide organization representing more than 400 businesses and 1,600 individual members who collectively contribute approximately $33 billion annually to Colorado’s economy. Guided by a mission to ignite and amplify the power of women in business, the chamber focuses on economic growth through inclusive leadership and access to opportunity.
The organization provides advocacy, professional development and networking opportunities while hosting signature events such as the ATHENA Leadership Awards, Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business celebration, and the State of Women in Business luncheon. Through partnerships with employers, legislators and community leaders, the chamber advances workplace equity and positions women’s advancement as a competitive business strategy.
Beyond her work with the chamber, Ross serves on multiple boards, including Girls Inc. of Metro Denver, The Denver Foundation, Colorado Enterprise Fund, the Colorado Music Hall of Fame and the Economic Development Association for Black Communities. She also holds appointed roles with the Colorado secretary of state’s Fraudulent Filings Committee and the Denver Public Schools Community Planning and Advisory Committee.
Through her leadership, Ross continues to advance policies and programs that strengthen Colorado’s workforce, expand access to opportunity and reinforce the role of women as essential drivers of the state’s economy.
Learn more about Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce by visiting their website here.
Know of a Black-owned business you think should be featured by the Colorado Chamber? Nominate one here!
The Colorado Chamber is committed to promoting an inclusive state economy and diverse workforce, fostering economic opportunity for all. We appreciate our partnership with minority-owned businesses across Colorado and will continue to work with these job creators on state and federal policies that impact minority employers and their employees.
Resources:
Small Business Association: Minority Owned Business Resources
Colorado Office of Economic Development and Trade: Minority Owned Business Directory
Minority Business Office of Colorado: Programs and Funding
Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Chamber: 21 Resources for Black-Owned Businesses
Minority Business Development Agency
Google for Small Business: How can I let customers know my business is Black-owned?