EXECs Advocacy Program
Contact
- Priscilla Varner Execs Advocacy Program Manager 303.866.9635 pvarner@cochamber.com
The EXECs Advocacy Program is a 9-month program that offers exclusive insight into the workings of prominent Colorado companies through business tours and policy-based forums with key Colorado executives and officials.
Participants learn about policy issues impacting their business and community while developing a working understanding of business advocacy. Tours will be fascinating “insider” looks at businesses while integrating policy issues focused around Healthcare, Labor
& Employment, Tax, Energy & Environment, Manufacturing, and Federal Affairs. The Colorado Chamber staffers, key legislators, and congressional staffers may be brought in for specific expertise.
Please click on the EXECs Advocacy Program menu in the table to the left to get to know our current EXECs as well as our EXECs Alumni. You can also view tours from past programs.
Click here to view the 2022 brochure!
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
- Develop a strong foundation in Colorado business policy and advocacy
- Network with other leaders from Colorado companies
- Gain perspective on critical issues that impact the different regions of Colorado and the industries that support them
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
Rising leaders who are passionate about shaping and enhancing Colorado’s economy and strengthening Colorado’s business climate. Candidates should have 5+ years of experience in their field.
WHAT IS THE COST?
The EXECs Advocacy Program fees are based per person and include all required program materials, travel, food, and beverages. Class fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. Programs range from half-day to full-day commitments.
Applicant’s Employer is an active member of the Colorado Chamber: $2950
Applicant’s Employer is NOT an active member of the Colorado Chamber: $3545
APPLY TO THE PROGRAM
The 2022 EXECs Advocacy Program Application Link, located in the EXECs Advocacy Program menu to the left, is currently open.
The application due date is February 4th, 2022.
DATES
The program runs from February through October (March-November in 2021 due to COVID). Participants meet once per month for an interactive tour, participate in at least one council meeting, and have the option to attend optional networking opportunities and special events. The 2022 EXECs Program Schedule will be posted in October!
2022 Programming
(Updates will be posted as 2022 programs are confirmed.)
February
Program Launch
Welcome and Networking
March
American Furniture
April
Coors
May
Denver Zoo
June
HealthONE
July
Southern Colorado Overnight
August
Lockheed Martin Space
September
Ardent Mills
October
Program Conclusion
Past Tour Hosts
Please take a moment to view the list of past companies that have hosted the EXECs Advocacy Program. Note: the list is comprehensive, but not exhaustive.
2021 EXECs Advocacy Program Recap
2021 EXECs Cohort
March
EXECs Virtual Meet and Greet
April
Unconscious Biases and Equity in the Workplace
Interactive Discussion and Panel
May
Post-Covid Economic Recovery
Interactive Discussion and Panel
June
Footers Catering
July
Golden Aluminum
August
5 Rivers Cattle
September
Lincoln Tech
2020 EXECs Advocacy Program Recap
2020 EXECs Cohort
February | Kick-Off and Capitol Tour
Guest Speaker
Stacey Campbell
Shareholder, Campbell Litigation, P.C.
Board Chair, Colorado Chamber of Commerce
Topics
Program Introductions and Expectations
Program Calendar
Bird’s eye view of the legislative session in action
Tour of the Capitol building
Recap
The 2020 EXECs Advocacy Program kicked off the new year with a great introductory gather and professional encouragement by Stacey Campbell, the Colorado Chamber of Commerce’s Board Chair. After a morning of introductions, the cohort moved to the Capitol building where they observed the legislative session in action. The program concluded with a tour of the Capitol building and a historical overview in Mr. Brown’s Attic.
March | Xcel Energy
Guest Speakers
Jerome Davis, Regional VP of Customer and Community Affairs
Wes Parham, Manager of State Government Affairs
Nadia El Mallakh, AVP of Strategic Partnerships
Keith Hay, Director of Policy, Colorado Energy Office
Jared Luner, Public Policy Analyst
Topics
Colorado Climate and Clean Energy Policy
Xcel Energy’s Carbon Strategy
Recap
The 2020 EXECs Xcel Energy tour consisted of a visit to the Blue Spruce Plant in Aurora with a panel discussion hosted at Xcel’s Denver office. The discussion touched base on the impact of the COVID-19 virus on operations, strategic partnerships, and public policy pertaining to the reduction of carbon emissions.
April | Impact of COVID on Business
Guest Speakers
May | Unconscious Biases
June | Government 101
Guest Speakers
July | Developing a Skilled Workforce
August | Corporate Social Responsibilit
September | Native Roots Zoom
October | End Of Program Celebration
2019 EXECs Advocacy Program Recap
2019 EXECs Cohort
February | Kick-Off Program
Guest Speaker
Chuck Berry
President, Colorado Chamber of Commerce
Topics
Program Introductions and Expectations
Program Calendar
Networking with fellow EXECs and EXECs Alumni
Recap
The 2019 EXECs Advocacy Program kicked off the new year with a fun and interactive icebreaker followed by a festive happy hour. Program attendees worked together in small groups scouring downtown Denver for answers to a set of questions. This fun and interactive event provided an rich networking environment where participants were able to work together and forge strong bonds in a more intimate environment. The event concluded with a great downtown happy hour where all of the 2019 EXECs came together to network and discuss the program in more details with EXECs Alumni.
March | EXECs Day at the Capitol
Guest Speaker
Joe Rice
Director of Government Relations, Lockheed Martin Space
Topics
House of Representatives (Observation)
Capitol Building Tour
Government 101
(Government Structure, Lobbying, and State Budget)
Recap
The session is in! The EXECs program made the short walk to the Capitol building for the March tour. The group took time to observe legislators in action from the House of Representatives Gallery. The group commented on their observations of the house dynamics, how the legislators interacted, and the manner in which they conducted business. Additionally, the EXECs hiked the 94 steps to the Capitol’s dome to take in the beautiful mountain view and learned about the construction of Capitol building on a guided tour of Mr. Brown’s attic. Immediately following the tour, the group met with Joe Rice, Director of Government Relations for Lockheed Martin Space. Joe, drawing from his legislative and mayoral experiences, guided the group through the state government structure, discussed lobbying and how everyone must be cognizant of how they are representing their company, and encouraged all the EXECs to be engaged in the political process.
April | Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center
Guest Speakers
Rick Medwedeff
General Manager, Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center
Kevin Hougen
President/CEO, Aurora Chamber of Commerce
Cathy Ritter
Director, Colorado Tourism Office
Recap
The EXECs group enjoyed a fantastic back-end tour of the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center. The group learned about the convention business, the Gaylord business model, as well as the technology and engineering involved in keeping a large facility operating. The post-tour panel included enlightening discussion about the Gaylord brand, economic development in Aurora, and Colorado Tourism.
May | Afternoon at Lockheed Martin Space
Guest Speakers
Adam Sohn
Vice President of Communications, Lockheed Martin Space
Joe Rice
Director of Government Relations, Lockheed Martin Space
Panelists
Global Positioning System (GPS) III – Chris Jewell, GPS IIIF Program Execution Manager
Advanced Manufacturing Technician Apprentice Program (AMTAP) – Sarah Turner, AMTAP Program Manager
Orion & Long Duration Deep Space Exploration – Todd Sullivan, Acting Advanced Programs Director
Recap
Lockheed Martin Space hosted the EXECs group for an amazing presentation and tour lead by Adam Sohn, Vice President of Communications, and Director of Government Relations, Joe Rice. The group explored the Factory, led by Bryce Svihoveci and Brian Kaplun, and stopped in to learn about the Additive Lab. The Additive Lab tour provided the EXECs an opportunity to learn about and handle 3D printed materials and to view first-hand the Orion heat shield. The next stop on the tour was the new Gateway Center, led by Brian Sava, which is the new advanced satellite manufacturing facility. During our tour we learned that Lockheed Martin created the Advanced Manufacturing Technician Apprentice Program (AMTAP) which trains candidates on the skills necessary to build electronics. Vaughn Redmon explained the process of Lockheed Martin Space identifying a need for technical workers and filling that need by creating a training pipeline for individuals interested in building electronics. Finally, the group stopped by the Collaborative Human Immersive Lab (CHIL). Jared Harper and Christian Kennett discussed the CHIL and how this work space allows pertinent individuals the opportunity to analyze designs and manufacturing processes in virtual worlds prior to physical manufacturing. The CHIL was a big hit with the group as they were encouraged to participate in 3-D renderings of systems and make their way through virtual reality experiences.
June | Western Slope Tour
Guest Speakers
Vicki Seppala
General Manager, Climax Molybdenum
Eric Weise (EXECs 2018)
Regional Global Supply Chain Manager, Climax Molybdenum
Recap
Vicki and her staff covered a brief history of Climax Molybdenum. They discussed their impressive community involvement along with their community programming. The Climax staff also explained their mining and shipping processes along with the challenges and opportunities of conducting business in Colorado.
Guest Speaker
Bill Graham
Owner, Peach Street Distillers
Bill and his employees welcomed the EXECs group during their Western Slope tour. Bill covered the history of the distillery, technical aspects of distilling, Peach Street’s struggle with accounting on the Western Slope. He also discussed the benefits of working in the area and how Peach Street focuses on sourcing their ingredients locally, commenting on the importance of the distillery using as many local purveyors as possible. Bill and Peach Street have a tremendous relationship with local farmers and are proud of the work they all do together.
Guest Speaker
Shawn Brennan
Environmental, Health, and Safety Manager, Terra Energy Partners
Shawn, and the employees of Terra Energy, hosted the final leg of the Western Slope tour. Shawn discussed the history of Terra Energy, the presence of natural gas in the Piceance Basin of Colorado, the technology needed to reach the gas deposits and challenges with extraction. Additionally, Shawn touched on Terra’s innovative spirit, community efforts, and environmental concerns. After the initial discussion, the EXECs were able to visit an active pad that was being serviced as well as a producing pad.
Special Guest Speaker
Betsy Bair
Regional Director, United States Senator Cory Gardner
Senator Cory Gardner’s Regional Director, Betsy Bair, stopped by at the conclusion of the Terra Energy tour to discuss Senator Gardner’s agenda and noted different areas of opportunity that the senator is currently working on. She started with the anticipated relocation of the BLM government offices. Currently housed in Washington DC, Senator Gardner has been lobbying for Colorado, specifically Grand Junction, to become the new home of the BLM offices. Additionally, Betsy commented on the senator’s involvement in the Coos Bay conversation and its relevance to Colorado. Lastly, Betsy touched on a Robocall bill that was introduced and the importance of workforce development along the Front Range.
July | Morning at Five Rivers Feeding
Guest Speakers
Mike Thoren
President and CEO, Five Rivers Cattle Feeding
Tom McDonald
Vice President of Environmental Affairs, Five Rivers Cattle Feeding
Josh Szasz, DVM
Staff Veterinarian, Five Rivers Cattle Feeding
Sara Place, Ph.D.
Senior Director, Sustainable Beef Production Research
Recap
The EXECs headed north to Kersey, Colorado for the July tour. Five Rivers Cattle Feeding hosted an immersive experience for the group, covering topics such as cattle processing, inoculation, feed make-up and distribution, veterinary medicine, water reclamation, and environmental issues, as well as industry misconceptions. As the group made their way from station to station, they were introduced to the incredible amount of science behind cattle feeding. Additionally Dr. Sarah Place, Senior Director for Sustainable Beef Production Research, discussed the inter-workings of beef sustainability in depth.
August | Afternoon at Native Roots
Panelist
Senator Julie Gonzales
State Senator for SD 34
Representative Harod
State Representative for HD 8
Representative Matt Grey
State Representative for HD 33
Benjamin Waters
Principal, Waters Public Affairs
Jordan Wellington
Vice President of Policy, VS Strategies
Cindy Sovine (EXECs 2014)
Lobbyist and Political Consultant, Sovine Consulting
Recap
Native Roots hosted the EXECs Advocacy Group August tour. The day began with the panel discussing several cannabis bills that were introduced during the 2019 Legislative Session. Additionally, the panel touched on federal issues as they relate to the cannabis industry and the effects of marijuana legalization on the minority population. Immediately following the panel, the group traveled to the retail facility and then the production facility. While touring each location, the staff members discussed medical vs. recreational marijuana and tax obligations with both, we learned about the science behind the grow timeline from Native Root’s in-house horticulturist, and we made several stops along the production cycle, learning about the different processes.
September | Zimmer Biomet
Guest Speakers
Jonathan Toronto
Vice President, Associate General Council, Zimmer Biomet
Amar Patnaik
Director of Marketing, Zimmer Biomet
Randy Fesmire
Compliance Director, Zimmer Biomet
Leah Curtsinger (EXECs 2015)
Director of Federal Affairs, Colorado Chamber of Commerce
October | Laws Whiskey House/Program Conclusion
Guest Speakers
Rhonda Sparlin, Partner, RubinBrown
Board Chair, Colorado Chamber of Commerce
Chuck Berry
President, Colorado Chamber of Commerce
Stacey Campbell, Shareholder, Campbell Litigation, P.C.
Board Chair Elect, Colorado Chamber of Commerce
Award Presentation
hosted by Priscilla B. Varner, EXECs Advocacy Program Manager
2018 EXECs Advocacy Program Recap
2018 EXECs Cohort
February | Kick-Off Program
March | CACI Day a the Capitol: HealthCare
April | Lockheed Martin Space
May | Native Roots
June | Climax Molybdenum & Terra Energy
July | Vestas
August | Western Sugar Cooperative
September | Google
October | End of Program Celebration
2016 EXECs Advocacy Program Recap
2016 EXECs Cohort
February | Kick-Off Program
March | Chamber Day at the Capitol
April | HealthOne
May | Ameristar
June | Golden Aluminum
July | Climax Molybdenum
August | Pueblo Overnight Trip
September | Bioscience
October | Footers
2015 EXECs Advocacy Program Recap
2015 EXECs Cohort
February | Kick-Off Program
Guests
Scott Bemis
Director of Business Affairs & Community
EKS&H
March | Kick-Off Program
Guests
Tisha Schuller
President & CEO
Colorado Oil & Gas Association
Bill Ray
Homeownership Opportunity Alliance
Christopher Guith
Senior Vice President
Global Energy Institute, US Chamber of Commerce
Ray Johnson
Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs Manager
IBM
Doug Rhoda
President
Wolf Robotics
April | HealthONE
Guests
Sara Smith
Division Senior Vice President of Strategy & Development
HealthONE
Tony Canfield, M.D.
P/SL Robotic Surgery Chair
HealthOne
Beverly Petry
Chief Marketing Officer
Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, HealthONE
Len Kalm
Vice President of Payor Engagement
HealthONE
May | Ameristar Casino, Resort & Spa
Sean Demeule
Vice President & General Manager
Ameristar
Peter Chu
Assistant General Manager
Ameristar
June | Western Slope Overnight
Climax Molybdenum
Leitner Poma
The Business Incubator Center
July | Farm Bureau of Colorado
Gary Sebek
President
Aurora Organic Dairy
Brent Boydston
Vice President of Public Policy
Colorado Farm Bureau
August | Oil and Gas
PDC Energy
Halliburton
September | Lockheed Martin
David Markham
President of Commercial Launch
Lockheed Martin
October | Program Conclusion
2014 EXECs Advocacy Program Recap
2014 EXECs Cohort
February | Kick-Off Program
March | CACI Day at the Capitol
Guest Speaker
Loren Furman
Senior Vice President of State and Federal Regulations
Colorado Chamber of Commerce
Gayle Berry
Owner, Lobbyist and Governmental Affairs
G Berry Group
Joan Green Turner, Former State Representative
President and CEO
J. Andrew Green & Associates, Inc.
Joe Rice, Former State Representative
Director of Government Relations
Lockheed Martin
Tisha Schuller
President and CEO
Colorado Oil & Gas Association
Virginia Morrison Love
Lobbyist
Pinnacol Assurance
April | Air Methods & Air Life Denver
Ryan Frazier
Senior Advisor to the CEO, Strategic Relations
Air Methods Corporation
Ron Thackery
Senior Vice President, Professional Services & Integration
American Medical Response
Hollie Seeley
Assistant Vice President
Airlife Denver with HealthOne
May | Lincoln College of Technology
Al Short
Campus President
Lincoln College of Technology-Denver
Stephanie Steffens
Director
Workforce Development Council
June | Climax Molybdenum & WPX Energy
Al Short
Campus President
Lincoln College of Technology-Denver
Stephanie Steffens
Director
Workforce Development Council
August | The Brown Palace
Marcel Pitton
Managing Director
The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa
Jayne Buck
Vice President of Tourism
Visit Denver
August | Manufacturing
Ben Lutze
Vice President and General Manager
EVRAZ Pueblo
Nick Zeiman
Vice President of Operations
Spectranetics
September | Cyber Security
David Shepard
Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing
FORTRUST
Mike Trammell
Director of Security and Infrastructure
Webroot
Dr. David Coker
Vice President of Product Service & Infrastructure
Intelligent Software Solutions
October | Program Conclusion
