Alan ‘Big Al’ Jantzen
Background: Alan grew up in a livestock-raising family that moved from Nebraska to Colorado, where his dad worked in sheep and goat buying and feedlot operations. Alan left CSU as a sophomore and got his start in the hospitality industry washing dishes at a Greeley hotel. By age 22, he had worked his way up to assistant GM.
Current Ventures: Alan spent several years leading operations for Hot Corner Concepts, managing seven restaurant locations, 400 employees, and over $12M in annual revenue. In 2021, he purchased the Silver Grill Café, followed by Vern’s Place in 2022. He also manages a 42-acre property near Loveland, where he grows hay to support his horse breeding operation.
Expertise: Hospitality, restaurant operations, small business management, people leadership, and land-based entrepreneurship. Alan describes his core gift as hospitality.
Student Experience: Alan hopes to take students behind the scenes of his restaurants, farm, and breeding operation. He’s especially interested in showing how hospitality and agriculture can intersect, and sharing what it’s like to build a business from the ground up without a college degree.
Fun Fact: Alan also goes by “Big Al” and inspired the name behind Big Al’s Burgers and Dogs on Mountain Ave in Fort Collins.