It’s no secret that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It’s a day to get together with people we love and reflect on what we are grateful for.
Just like us, the Chamber has much to be thankful for, too—including all of you who make this community the best place to live and do business. We want to show our gratitude to our investors, and while I can’t fit you all around my dining room table, I can see you at our annual Net90 Holiday Party on Dec. 19 at Home2/TRU by Hilton Denver Downtown. Please join the celebration!
We are always thankful for snow, even when it disrupts an event, so we are really grateful for do-overs. We’ve rescheduled our State of Small Business for next Monday, Dec. 2. We’ll provide an update on the state of our economy and be inspired by incredible business leaders, including Teatulia’s Linda Appel Lipsius and Plante Moran’s Bob Hottman, who will receive the Bill Daniels Ethical Leader of the Year award. If you missed your chance to get your ticket, you still have time. Get your seat.
And, let’s end this letter like we started it. We are thankful for you and what amazing leaders you are. Each year we honor Colorado’s best by selecting the 9NEWS Leader of the Year, a partnership between the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation and 9NEWS. Here are the 2020 9NEWS Leader of the Year finalists:
- Luis Benitez, vice president of government affairs and global impact for VF Corporation. Luis works to ensure everyone has access to the outdoors and the health benefits it creates. His life story is inspiring (and that’s not even counting his six summits of Everest). You will want to learn more about the impact he has had.
- Jerome Davis, regional vice president of Xcel Energy – Colorado. Jerome is everywhere. He has made it his business to know this community and how Xcel can best serve all of us. Jerome’s values are what stand out — his integrity, his ethics, his humility and his desire to serve others have made us all better.
- Tasha Jones, senior director of marketing and community relations for Brookfield Properties. Tasha always goes the extra mile for others. She listens intently and then acts with intention. We don’t talk much about love in the business community, but Tasha brings the love (a deep respect for others) and joy into every room, creating a new sense of what is possible.
It’s hard to imagine how we pick just one winner, so you can see that we need your help. You can read more about the finalists here and meet them on Jan. 29 at the Chamber for a panel conversation moderated by the Denver Business Journal. Voting will open that day. Keep an eye out for the link so you and your colleagues can cast your digital vote for the next 9NEWS Leader of the Year.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at the Chamber!
Kelly Brough is the president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber.
