Growing the Denver metro area’s educated workforce and supporting initiatives that will shape the business community and the region were top priorities shared by leaders of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce at its 131st Annual Meeting this afternoon.
“Our state is the envy of the nation—we have a thriving economy, an educated and healthy workforce and collaboration that just won’t stop,” said Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kelly Brough. “Yet, we are also at a point in our history where we face great opportunity to build for the future. And, instead of defending our strong work to date, we’re putting all of us back in the driver’s seat, as our Chair (Bob Hottman) said, to play offense on the investments we know our state needs to make both short term and long term.”
Chamber board of directors Chair Bob Hottman accepted the gavel from outgoing Chair Bob Deibel and shared the Chamber’s position on five issues voters will weigh in on at the November polls:
- Supporting investment in the National Western Stock Show and Colorado Convention Center by extending the lodgers’ tax with Referred Question 2C.
- Supporting the agreement among counties surrounding the Denver International Airport—a key example of collaboration in the region—with Referred Question 1A.
- Supporting the Denver College Affordability Program, Referred Question 2A, which will leverage funds to make college more affordable for qualifying students who need financial aid, and which can be a model for how the state can make higher education more accessible.
- Supporting allowing the state to keep marijuana taxes, despite limits under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights with Proposition BB.
- Opposing a Wheat Ridge amendment to tax increment financing, a tool that is critical to revitalizing neighborhoods, with Ballot Question #300.
“The common theme that you’re going to always find with your Chamber and where we go forward is we want to make sure that we’re helping all of you and your businesses create an environment and a climate where your businesses can thrive,” Hottman said. “Because we know when we have a thriving business economy … we have a thriving community.”
See what the Chamber accomplished in the past year by watching the video below, or visit 2015.denverchamber.org. Want to see more of the conversation? Check out @denchamber and #dmcc2015.
Ned Minor Receives Del Hock Lifetime Achievement Award
The Chamber also honored a member who has made a significant impact on the business community during his career, recognizing Ned Minor with the Del Hock Lifetime Achievement Award. Minor, president of Minor & Brown.
“None of us would be here but for the great example of my dear friend Del Hock,” Minor said. “You were a role model, you were an inspiration to me personally … You always reached out to the next generation of leaders.”
New Board Members Welcomed
The Chamber also welcomed new members of its board of directors, who include:
- Jandel Allen-Davis, vice president of government and external relations for Kaiser Permanente
- George Batejan, executive vice president and global head of technology and operations for Janus
- Ruth Benton, CEO of New West Physicians, P.C.
- David Fine, Denver office managing partner for Dentons US LLP
- Tony Frank, president of Colorado State University
- Jena Hausmann, CEO of Children’s Hospital Colorado
- Scott Ingvoldstad, vice president of public affairs for CH2M
- Vernon Irvin, vice president of national enterprise sales for CenturyLink
- Lenee Koch, vice president of LEI Companies
- Katie Kramer, vice president and assistant executive director of the Boettcher Foundation
- Chuck McDaniel, president and CEO of Lockton Companies
- Roberta Robinette, president-Colorado of AT&T
- Maja Rosenquist, vice president and general manager of Mortenson
- Greg Tarpinian, senior vice president, general counsel and secretary for Arrow Electronics
Click here to view the full list of the Chamber’s board of directors.
Sara Crocker is the communications manager for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.