Downing Street Garage is proud to a part of the following organizations:
Community Leadership, Rebecca Kirchdorfer
2010 Colorado Ethics and Business Alliance Leadership Council
2009, 2010 ELP Environmental Support Committee
2009 Chair, Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau, Torch Award Selection Committee
2009 International Better Business Bureau, Torch Award Selection Committee
2009 City of Denver P2 Partners Advisory Committee
2008 Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau, Torch Award Selection Committee
2004-2010 Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors
2004-2006 Colorado Ethics in Business Alliance Selection Committee
Community Leadership, Douglass Kirchdorfer
2010-2015 Automotive Service Association (ASA) National Mechanical Operations Committee
2010 ASA National Automotive Aftermarket Parts Quality Committee
2004, 2005, 2007 Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau, Torch Award Selection Committee
2002 President ASA Colorado
2001 ASA Colorado Executive Vice President
1995-2002 ASA Colorado Board of Directors
1995 ASA Colorado Executive Committee
"As the Administrator of the Colorado Environmental Leadership Program (ELP), I am please to acknowledge Downing Street Garage as a Gold Leader member of the program. A central goal of the ELP is to celebrate partnerships among businesses, governments and organizations. The program strives to foster good relationships, reward environmental performance and create a healthier, cleaner and more sustainable Colorado. Although I cannot include all of their accomplishments, DSG has demonstrated "above and beyond" compliance achievements by installing a UL listed waste oil furnace to help heat their facility with used motor oil collected from customer's performance vehicles. In addition, DSG is part of the ELP Support Committee and participates in mentoring projects which help potential members learn more about the ELP and criteria.
Should DSG be selected for the Sustainable Company of the Year, the award would be given to a company that has a proven track record of success in the field of sustainability."
Lynette Myers
Administrator, Colorado Environmental Leadership Program
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
"Downing Street Garage, lead by Rebecca and Doug Kirchdorfer, is one of the shining lights in the city's green business community. They have demonstrated time and time again that a business can be an environmental, economic and community leader. Towards that end, DSG and the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) have established a mutually supporting relationship: we help them improve their environmental operations and they help us test new methods of assisting Denver's businesses in reducing their environmental impact, saving money and reducing risk from their operations through the implementation of an environmental management system (EMS). Their assistance has been invaluable in improving DEH's outreach to the small business community."
Paul Schmiechen, EMS Program Manager
Environmental Quality Division
Department of Environmental Health, City/County of Denver
"Downing Street Garage was instrumental in assisting the City and County of Denver's P2 Partners Program in the development of a "Green Certification" for the auto repair sector. The certification recognizes businesses that voluntarily adopt sustainable practices to minimize the use of hazardous materials, improve energy efficiency and water conservation, and decrease the use of natural resources and generation of waste. DSG was the first auto repair shop to achieve certification with the program criteria which also requires continual improvement to maintain certification. In addition, DSG has been found to be in conformance with ISO 14001 standards by a team of third party auditors".
Janet Burgesser,
City and County of Denver's P2 Partners Program
Department of Environmental Health, City/County of Denver
"Rebecca Kirchdorfer's participation this past May as an instructor in the Greater Good Academy; (an 8-week business training program for low income entrepreneurs), was a powerful experience for the students. Most impressive were the examples she offered of how DSG was walking the talk around its commitment to sustainable business practices. She highlighted the company's environmental stewardship strategy as well as its active engagement with community organizations. Yet, what made the greatest impact was her description of the inclusive and caring organizational culture of the company. 'Always make time for the team to come together and acknowledge each others good work and resolve outstanding issue' she advised our class of emerging entrepreneurs. DSG is truly a leader among Denver area small businesses in building a responsible economy."
Richard Eidlin, Greater Good Academy
"It is not often that an enterprise - whether organized as a for-profit, not-for-profit (or even governmental program!) - illustrates sustainable business practice that incorporates social, environmental and economic initiatives - but Downing Street Garage is one such example.
DSG is a model business in the field of sustainability. The credit should be extended to Douglass and Rebecca Kirchdorfer. As enterprise owners they have vested their personal values - anchored by authenticity - into the policies, practices, programs and practice that model sustainability within the automotive industry.
The field of sustainability is constantly changing and challenging- often creating a field of confusion as to compliance, regulation and general operating requirements of what "accommodates" the base requirements of the criteria deemed as "sustainable." This is the critical juncture where DSG stands apart - and becomes a market leader - taking an informed leadership position to help set the pace, tone, and style to integrate sustainability into Denver small business practices.
I have learned a lot of about the applied practice of sustainability through my involvement with DSG during the last year. As an adjunct professor at the University of Denver, Daniels College of Business, I have designed several course iterations of the required MBA course titled, "Creating Sustainable Enterprise." Downing Street Garage has hosted four groups of MBA students - throughout four separate learning terms - illustrating applied sustainable business practice. Their time, commitment and "real world practice" helped bridge the critical juncture of theory into application.
Sustainability is constantly evolving - on behalf of the University of Denver, as well as Regis University - I extend my personal request and endorsement that Downing Street Garage be recognized for the model they are creating for our Denver, and Rocky Mountain, community."
Nancy Fell, Adjunct Professor
Daniels College of Business, University of Denver
AAA Colorado
AC Delco
Automotive Service Association (ASA)
ASE | Blue Seal Recognition Program
Better Business Bureau (BBB)Colorado Environmental Leadership Program
Colorado Ethics in Business Alliance (CEBA)
Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce (CWCC)
Motor Age
Rebecca Kirchdorfer, Co-owner, Downing Street Garage, joins 10 other influential community and business leaders in this year's class of inductees to Girl Scouts of Colorado's Women of Distinction program. The Denver metro-area honorees were selected by their peers and chosen based on their contributions to the community, both professionally and personally. The Women of Distinction commit to supporting Girl Scouts of Colorado and serving Girl Scouts today.
"We believe that DSG shows significant leadership and has made an impact in our community. DSG's body of work shows integrity in environmental, community, business, and social change in the community in which they work and live. They also epitomize leadership and devotion in the community and it is our honor to have you as one of our finalists.
We will honor the finalists and award recipient during the Annual Awards Luncheon on Friday, October 7, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center. For more information on the event, please visit the Chamber website at www.cwcc.org."
Meghan Stinton
Marketing and Communications Manager
Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce