About Setterfield & Bright, Aspen's Real Estate Professionals

Karen Setterfield - Aspen Realtor

Karen Setterfield grew up in California on the San Francisco Peninsula, and graduated from Woodside High School. As the daughter of a Pan American World Airways pilot, she traveled extensively in Europe and South America, and lived with families in England, France and Mexico City. After graduating with a B.A. in Economics from Occidental College in Los Angeles (plus minors in Spanish and Accounting), Karen worked as an accountant at the corporate offices of Coldwell Banker Management Corporation, where she became interested in commercial real estate.

Becoming a licensed real estate broker in California in 1976, Karen sold commercial and residential properties in the San Fernando Valley and became Vice President of a large regional brokerage company. In 1982, Karen earned an MBA in Finance from California State University at Northridge while working as an accountant and financial manager for a private group of real estate investors, developers and syndicators in Beverly Hills.

In 1983, Karen became Vice President of Finance and Administration for BetaWest Properties, a new commercial real estate subsidiary of U S West in Denver, Colorado. After obtaining a Colorado real estate broker license in 1986, Karen moved to Aspen, joining The Fleisher Company as Vice President, where she focused on retail and office leasing. After also brokering several sales of commercial properties, Karen started her own commercial real estate brokerage company in 1990.

Karen earned the prestigious designation of CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member of the National Association of REALTORS) in 1992. From 1988 to 2003, Karen also owned a retail business with Galen Bright, the managing partner. Upon selling that retail business, Galen began working full-time as a real estate broker and partner with Karen, which is reflected in the new company name: Setterfield & Bright.

Since Don Fleisher (founder and former owner of The Fleisher Company) is now retired, Karen is unequivocally Aspen’s most experienced and most knowledgeable commercial REALTOR. Since 1986, she has leased almost every retail space in downtown Aspen (some several times), and she has sold many commercial properties and buildings in Aspen.

When she is not assisting clients with their commercial real estate needs, Karen enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband, David Muckenhirn, and hiking with Dante, their German Shepherd dog. Every winter Karen has a season pass to ski all of the Aspen area slopes, while in the summers she attends the classical concerts at the Aspen Music Festival, and likes to ride her bike to the Maroon Bells. Karen believes that Aspen is the most perfect place to live, own property and do business, because the physical beauty of the mountains is only surpassed by the incredible people that live here or visit.

Galen Bright - Aspen Realtor

Galen Bright grew up near Denver, Colorado as a fourth-generation Coloradan, learning to downhill ski at age four. He worked as a carpenter building homes during high school and college, graduating with at B.A. in Business/Marketing from Colorado State University. Upon acquiring Aspen Canvas/Aspen Luggage Company in 1988, Galen moved to Aspen operate this retail business with Karen Setterfield as partner. While President/General Manager of Aspen Luggage Company, Galen managed two retail locations, manufacturing, catalog and internet sales, marketing, all employees, ordering, and designed new products, until selling the business in December 2003.

Upon obtaining a Colorado Real Estate license in 1991, Galen began buying and selling real estate in Aspen. He successfully sold two of his own townhomes at a profit after completing extensive remodels. Galen managed condominium associations for owners and participated in redesigning and upgrading of condominium buildings. Now on the Board of Directors for Southpoint Condominiums, Galen owns his own home and other residential investment properties in Aspen and Snowmass Village.

In 2003, Galen became a full-time REALTOR and the company name was changed to Setterfield & Bright. Successfully working with both buyers and sellers, and as one of Aspen's most active brokers, Galen closes 20 to 30 transactions per year. His total transaction volume exceeded $50,000,000 during the last eighteen months. Primarily focusing on homes and condominiums, Galen has also closed land sales, commercial leases and commercial sale transactions. No broker knows the Aspen real estate market better, or how to "get the deal done" for the client more effectively, than Galen Bright. Clients call this "The Galen Factor". ALL of Galen's buyers and sellers have sent him letters of thanks and/or referrals to other clients and customers.

Known as an expert downhill snow skier, Galen also enjoys mountain biking, hiking, and yoga. Living in downtown Aspen where he can walk to the gondola for “first tracks” on powder days, Galen has also explored every view property from Aspen to Redstone seeking unique private acreage for special homesites. Galen enjoys adventurous and exotic foreign travel when he has time to get away, but he always comes back knowing that there is no better place to live than Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley, surrounded by the mountains he loves.