A manager with discriminating taste

Driving by exit 186 on I-25 is routine for most of us, not realizing what special gems lie behind the massive earthmoving equipment, cranes and burgeoning rooftops of The Canyons community on the east side of the highway. Though many have sipped or dined at The Exchange Coffee House or Canyon House Kitchen + Cocktails, few know the force behind them, Joey Sanders. His management and the team he has brought together enhance the community’s ambience and appeal.

Joey was born in Illinois 37 years ago to military parents stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Station. His dad was a Marine and his mom was an emergency room Navy nurse with two master’s degrees, who retired after 28 years with the rank of captain.

Being sandwiched between a leatherneck and an almost admiral, Joey’s childhood was a “tight ship.” Not surprisingly, he is self-disciplined and remarkably well-adjusted, no matter the location. Growing up, he and his sisters, Amy and Erin, saw the world, including Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and Okinawa.

Perhaps Joey’s exposure to military discipline enabled him to map out his future more clearly. Focused on service, he earned a degree in hospitality management from James Madison University in Virginia. Professionally and from day one, Joey was driven, steadily advancing over the years in the industry to his current position as BlueStar Resort & Golf’s area general manager for Colorado.

Reserved and low-key, Joey has many special talents, among them an eye for quality team members. Hiring for personality, Joe has built a remarkably efficient group of employees who enjoy working with him. One of his more cherished mottos is “Take care of the people and they take care of you.” Based on service rendered and the patronage observed, he routinely strikes the bullseye.

Well-traveled, Joey’s enthusiasm for new things is unbridled and he remains an adventurer in off time and vacations, especially outdoors as a skier, golfer and hiker. Joey also developed an early flair for cooking and is known as a chef extraordinaire by close friends. Not surprisingly, he is also a practiced sommelier.

Joey is not only discerning at his leadership position but in love. Last year, he proposed to his wife, Meghan, overlooking Europe’s Rhône River. Subsequently, the two married at an intimate wedding at a villa in Tuscany.

A pharmacist with Anthem Insurance, Meghan is a chef of her own sort with her chemical compounding and prescription medicines, very much as Joey is in the kitchen. Residents of Sterling Ranch today, their interests remain outdoor oriented with their dog Packer.

An observer at Joey’s restaurants will find something rare in today’s service industry: a camaraderie among colleagues and a manager who is a leader rather than “the boss.”