Who We Are

Our story began over 30 years ago…

Our founder, Don Sturm, assembled a group of experienced real estate and investment professionals in Denver, united in an approach combining ethical behavior, creative tenacity, a long-term outlook, and strong teamwork.

Over that time, we bought buildings and built communities, invested in entrepreneurs, businesses and our local community. As our work grew and diversified, we added new projects and new leaders, but we remain a multi-generational family business focused on patient growth and a commitment to quality.

We strive to build and maintain a first-class team and culture where employees learn and grow, find satisfaction in their hard work and are rewarded for their efforts. Today, Alder Companies is a multi-faceted family office that manages and supports two primary business lines, Alder Ventures and Alder Real Estate, and provides professional services to the Sturm Family, their partners, and their closely held businesses.

We cultivate thoughtfully designed investments that generate meaningful returns and long-term value for our companies, colleagues, and communities.

Our Core Values

Valued for its role as a stabilizing force in the communities it grows in and its naturally resilient characteristics, the Alder tree serves as a metaphor for what we stand for –
growing, stronger, together.

Improve
Continuously

Success is a continuous path, not a final destination. Each achievement, challenge and misstep is an opportunity to learn and grow.

Act with
Integrity

When facing disparate opinions, different directions, and difficult decisions, we ask ourselves one question: “What is the right thing to do?”

Grow
Together

Our potential lies in our people. When a group of smart, thoughtful, and patient people work together, they unlock limitless opportunities.

Take the
Long View

Patient, yet persistent, we balance a drive for new opportunities with
a long-term view of success
based on experience and analysis.

Discover Alder

Meet the Alder Team

Don Sturm
Chairman

Don Sturm

Chairman, Alder Companies

Donald L. Sturm was born in New York City, New York. He received a B.A undergraduate degree from the City College of New York in 1954. After serving two years in the U.S. Army, he earned an LLB degree from Denver University College of Law in 1958 and earned an LLM (Taxation) degree from New York University School of Law in 1959.

Mr. Sturm worked from 1959-1963 as a trial attorney for the Internal Revenue Service stationed in Omaha, Nebraska, and Kansas City, Missouri, handling cases in an eight state area.

Mr. Sturm joined Peter Kiewit Sons’ Inc., in 1963 as Tax Counsel. In 1970, he was elected Vice President and shortly thereafter was appointed to the position of Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Sturm, during 1970 to 1989, was the negotiator for coal contracts with utility customers, involving the sale of approximately 600 million tons of coal with an original contract value of approximately $12 billion. In 1975, Mr. Sturm was elected to the Board of Directors of Peter Kiewit Sons’, Inc.

During 1981 – 1984, Mr. Sturm directed the Peter Kiewit Sons’, Inc. acquisition of a 24.9% interest in Mapco, Inc., a New York Stock Exchange energy-pipeline company, investing approximately $150 million in equity. He served as a Director of Mapco from 1982 through 1985, at which time he on behalf of Peter Kiewit Sons’, Inc. sold the stock interest to Conoco for a $135 million profit.

In 1984, Mr. Sturm, on behalf of Peter Kiewit Sons’, spearheaded the acquisition of the Continental Group, and was appointed Chairman of the Group. The Continental Group, an international, Fortune 500 corporation engaged in packaging, energy, insurance, and forestry-paper making, with annual sales in excess of $5 billion and approximately 40,000 employees. The acquisition cost was $3.5 billion with Kiewit equity being $600 million. Mr. Sturm successfully restructured, ran, and sold Continental Group at an $880 million profit.

In 1986, Mr. Sturm was named Vice Chairman of Peter Kiewit Sons’, Inc. As Vice Chairman, his areas of responsibility included mergers and acquisitions, corporate financial functions, coal contracting and administration, and the administration, operation and sale of Continental Group Inc. During his stay with Peter Kiewit Sons’ he was involved in numerous real-estate activities, and development projects.

Mr. Sturm left Peter Kiewit Sons’, Inc., in December 1991 to pursue his own financial interests. Prior to leaving Peter Kiewit Sons’, Mr. Sturm began purchasing banks in Wyoming and Colorado. He and his family currently own banks in Colorado, Wyoming and Kansas whose assets exceed $3.5 billion. The Sturm family also owns numerous real-estate assets primarily within Colorado. Included in his holdings are The Meadows in Castle Rock and two city blocks in Cherry Creek as well as other Colorado property.

Mr. Sturm also was a member of the group that bought Continental Airlines out of bankruptcy in April 1993. The airline was restructured and is now part of United Airlines. He served on the airline’s Board of Directors from April 1993 to September 2003.

Don and his wife Susan, primarily through the Sturm Family Foundation, have participated in philanthropic activities by providing funds and oversight for charter schools to benefit low income children, affordable housing, University of Denver, Mayo Clinic, National Jewish Health and numerous other charitable activities. Don is a former trustee of the University of Denver, now recognized as an Honorary Life Trustee, and two facilities on the campus bear the family name. Don is also on an Advisory Committee of Johns Hopkins Hospital Brady Institute.