Millennium Magazine_6th Ed

256 Millennium - A Marquis Who’s Who Magazine S usan Jessup grew up on her parents’ guest ranch west of Loveland, Colorado. She followed in the footsteps of her father by pursuing a career in education, receiving a BS in elementary education, with a minor in Spanish, from the University of Northern Colorado. Her first teaching job was interrupted by the Big Thompson Flood of 1976, and she resigned to provide recovery assistance to her parents. Upon her father’s passing in 1993, Ms. Jessup took the responsibility of running the ranch, raising cattle, horses and hay and sharing the Western lifestyle with guests from across the country. The love of the land is reflected in their land stewardship practices, and today, over 70% of Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch is protected by Conservation Easements. Ms. Jessup is a former board member of the Colorado Dude and Guest Ranch Association and has received several accolades for her service, including the Bravo Award for Women of Distinction. She is passionate about continuing the legacy of her parents and is currently working with her brother, David, to transition the ranch to The Heart J Center for Experiential Learning, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. OWNER, GENERAL MANAGER Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch Loveland, CO SUSAN JESSUP CO-OWNER Inner Circle Vodka Bar Tulsa, OK JACOB HARPER W hile studying at Oklahoma State University, Jacob Harper began working in the restaurant business part-time. He grew to love the daily interactions between his staff and customers, as well as the strong sense of community. In 2015, he spearheaded the Inner Circle Vodka Bar in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as co-owner. Mr. Harper previously managed the restaurant Eskimo Jones, where he watched the daily operations and function of the business, knowing one day he wanted to pursue a business of his own. He attributes the current success of Inner Circle Vodka Bar to the amount of time he spent researching before diving into the industry. In creating a brand tailor-made for their specific demographic of customers, the meticulous detail going into the business is what has brought its current success. A member of the Tulsa Young Professionals Organization, Mr. Harper recently opened a second location in Springfield, Missouri, and has hopes to open at least three additional locations in the future. His advice to budding restaurant owners is to understand the market they are going after and take time perfecting the look, cuisine, drinks and atmosphere of the establishment. Millennium Magazine Featured Listee HOSPITALITY AND LEISURE