Kevin Welch named 2026 ColoradoBiz Icon

ColoradoBiz magazine named Journey Payroll & HR founder and CEO Kevin Welch a 2026 Icon, recognizing his influence, community investment and leadership in Colorado’s business community. The honor also spotlights Journey’s growth from a Fort Collins startup into a multistate payroll and HR franchise network.

Why it matters: - ColoradoBiz’s Icons recognition puts Kevin Welch among the state’s most influential business leaders for 2026. - The honor reflects the business case for Journey Payroll & HR’s local-ownership model and its focus on client service, ethics and community involvement. - Journey’s recognition also signals continued visibility for Colorado-based firms competing against larger national payroll and HR providers.

What happened: - ColoradoBiz magazine named Kevin Welch, founder and CEO of Journey Payroll & HR, a 2026 Icon. - The annual recognition honors Colorado business leaders for lasting impact, community investment and leadership beyond their own companies. - Welch founded Journey Payroll & HR in Fort Collins, Colorado, in 2010. - Welch said the recognition is a reminder of business leadership’s responsibility beyond the bottom line and of the employers who have trusted Journey since 2010.

The details: - Journey Payroll & HR has grown from a single Colorado location into a multistate payroll and HR franchise network serving thousands of small and mid-sized employers nationwide. - Journey Central supports the company’s locally owned franchise model. - Welch built the company around the idea that payroll and HR should focus on people, not transactions. - Journey says local ownership and direct relationships help preserve accountability and service quality. - The company reports a client retention rate above 98% at its Colorado headquarters operation. - Journey has appeared on BizWest’s Mercury 100 Fastest Growing Companies list since 2013. - ColoradoBiz named Journey a Companies to Watch honoree in 2022. - The Better Business Bureau gave Journey its Torch Award for Ethics in 2024. - Journey provides free payroll and HR compliance education to employers across Colorado. - The company maintains partnerships with chambers of commerce, BizWest and the Better Business Bureau. - Journey offers payroll, HR, compliance and workforce support solutions to small and mid-sized businesses across the country. - The company is headquartered in Fort Collins and operates through a franchise model that combines local ownership with national tools and infrastructure. - More information is available in the company’s announcement.

Between the lines: - The recognition underscores a broader shift in how service businesses compete: on trust, retention and local relationships, not just price or scale. - Journey’s awards history and retention rate suggest the company has used community ties and ethics positioning as part of its growth strategy. - Welch’s comments frame the award as a validation of long-term leadership rather than a one-time milestone.

What’s next: - Journey is likely to keep leaning on its franchise network, local-market approach and compliance education programs as it grows. - The company’s Colorado profile may help support recruiting, partnerships and customer acquisition as it expands.

The bottom line: - Kevin Welch’s latest honor highlights a Colorado company that has turned people-first service and local ownership into a growth story.