By Alicia Wallace, Camera Business Writer
February 12, 2007

Boulder tech company is expanding its downtown footprint and plans to bring on a dozen people in the process.

Applied Trust Engineering signed a five-year lease on the first floor of the 1033 Walnut St. office building where it runs an 18-employee operation on the second floor. The 5,500-square-foot addition will more than double the size of the network security company's existing headquarters, said Chief Executive Officer Trent Hein, who co-founded the firm in 2001 with Ned McClain.

The expansion means USA Rugby, the governing body for rugby in the United States and the building's first floor's current occupant, will relocate its headquarters to 2500 Arapahoe Ave., suite 200.

Applied Trust's planned April expansion was fueled by growth in the areas of information technology compliance and more companies adopting "green IT" practices of making systems more environmentally responsible, Hein said. As a result, the company plans to hire an additional 12 people by the end of the year, he said.

"It's definitely really expensive to have offices in downtown Boulder, but I feel like the quality of life is worth it," he said. "I just think the value of that exceeds the cost of rent."

USA Rugby's new space is expected to be slightly smaller, at 5,208 square feet, but it is being customized to fit the 20-person organization's specifications, said Jen Cope, chief financial officer of USA Rugby.

Keeping the national office in Boulder was key, she said, adding the organization is considering some new events in areas such as Denver. Boulder's centralized location also is a draw for recruitment, she said.

"We think there are a lot of growth opportunities for us," she said.

Chris Jensen, a broker with Keys Commercial who represented USA Rugby, said the central Boulder area offered lower lease rates that helped to keep the organization within city limits. Terms of the lease were not disclosed.

Chris Boston, an agent with Gibbons-White Inc., represented the landlord.

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