LoDo Drupal specialist Elevated Third, doubles staff in two years, continues growth pattern

After working to monetize a virtual 3-D anatomical model at the Center for Human Simulation at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in the early 21st century, Jeff Calderone, the founder and principal of Elevated Third Digital Agency, started moonlighting in website design in 2004. 

 

He struck out on his own in 2005, and started focusing on open-source content management system Drupal, in 2010. 

"We really saw that you needed a robust content management system," Calderone says of the move.

 

Elevated Third has grown from 10 to 20 employees since 2010. Having hired a Drupal developer in the fall of 2012, Calderone is looking for a SEO specialist and two interns. 

"It's definitely ramped up in the past couple of years," Calderone says.  

 

Drupal "was a bit of an iffy choice [in 2010]," Calderone says. "It's not anymore."

Case in point: www.whitehouse.gov is a Drupal-based site. So is www.louvre.fr. 

 

Elevated Third's clients include local organizations and startups as well as national firms. The current roster includes the Denver Dumb Friends League, FirstData, DFI and Progressive Insurance. Elevated Third helped Boulder's Action Marketing develop the interactive mosaic at ShowUsYourPipes.com, a Progressive/Harley-Davidson promotion for motorcycle insurance. 

 

Elevated Third also recently built a new Drupal-based site for the Governor's Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

"They needed something that was more flexible and visible than the state's web platform," Calderone says.

 

Elevated Third moved to a new custom HQ near 18th and Lawrence Streets in LoDo in May 2012.

"We're pretty excited about our new office," Calderone says.