Author Archives: Nancy Koontz

Have You Heard #55 Denver is experiencing a great economic turn-around, and we’re hot, hot, hot!   Houses are selling within minutes of being listed, new businesses are moving in, and signs of new construction seem to be on every corner.   May it bring prosperity and opportunities for our community. As our growth progresses, remember those who are in need of help through no fault of their own.  Keep supporting your favorite causes with your time, support, and donations. In Step with our Have You Mets:

BJ Dyer with singer, Rhonda Ross (daughter of Diana Ross), when she performed at Lannie Garrett’s Clocktower Cabaret

BJ Dyer received the “Freer Award” from the Garden Club of America for outstanding achievement and contribution in the field of flower arranging.

Lannie Garrett with Rhonda Ross, when Rhonda performed at Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret

Pam & Chris Kiker with Jenna Huelskamp were given the “Diamond Club Award” 2014 by the South Metro Denver Realtor Association

Photo of Barbara Brooks at the St. Jude Glamour & Giving event. The committee for St. Jude Glamour & Giving First Row: Elizabeth Lee and Sheena Powell; Second Row: Kristin Brown, Michelle Poirier, Ashley Sain with St. Jude, Kai Ravariere; Third row: Kimberley Cronin, Chelsea Brown – Chairwoman, Barbara Brooks, Camille Gerard, Joella Monroe, Jessica Jones. (photo courtesy of Josh Gold)

HYM Barbara Brooks has been invited to sit on the Governor’s re-election voter marketing committee.

Sheila Martin Kowal with her husband Tom at a recent Rockies game

  Arc Thrift Stores received a “2014 Ethics in Business Award” from Golden Rotary and Colorado School of Mines.  Ed Greene was the event MC, with Congressman Ed Perlmutter, Frances Owens and Lloyd Lewis on hand.   HYM Kirk Montgomery has left Channel 9 News where he’s worked since 2001.  He moves on to a new station WILX-TV in Lansing, Michigan.  Best of Luck Kirk… We will miss you!

Kirk Montgomery, Mary Louise Lee, & Mayor Michael Hancock at Kirk’s going away party.

Let us all congratulate HYM Jamie Theronne Angelich for receiving “THE DONALD SEAWELL VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD” from the Denver Center Alliance at their Spring Membership Luncheon on May 8, 2014! This award honors a member who most exemplifies a spirit of inclusiveness and philanthropy.  Summer is a great time for Jamie.  She and her husband, Alan, are celebrating their 25^th anniversary, and Jamie and Alan are going on a trip to Africa to visit their son, Adam, who is studying abroad in Capetown, South Africa;  They also will go on a Safari at the Lion Sands River Lodge Reserve National Park. Congratulations Jamie and Alan! 

Jamie Angelich, Adrienne Fitzgibbons Back Row: Lyn Schaffer & Louise Richardson at the Bessie’s Hope Gala meeting

At “Hattitude” for the DCPA: Front Row: Peggy Larsen, Trisha Hood, Keri Christiansen, Joanne Davidson, & Helen Hanks. Back Row: Mary Freund, Lois MacPhee, Ruth Ann Windmiller, Margaret Hoeppner, & Nancy Koontz

Denise Snyder and Denise Plante at “Hattitude”

Bev Black with “Dixie Longate” (Kris Andersson) from Dixie’s Tupperware Party showing at the Garner Theatre

Heather Loyall, Alison Brantley, Mary McNicholas, Eimear McNicholas, & Audra McNicholas at the “real” Kentucky Derby!

Sandee Walling, Terri Fisher, Cindy Kent, Lois Paul, Keri Christiansen, & Stacy Ohlsson at the Denver Center Alliance membership luncheon

Terri Fisher, Donald Seawell, Judi Wolf, & Jill Behr

Loan Vo and Dave Zwyer at the Sean Lough Foundation Denver Derby Party

Trisha Hood, Keri Christiansen, Lisza Gulyas, Louise Richardson & Shelly St. John at the Colorado Prayer Luncheon

Governor John Hickenlooper spoke at the Colorado Prayer Luncheon

Arlene and Don Johnson with their granddaughter Reese at the Fine Arts Foundation Deb Fashion Show Luncheon

Warren & Helen Hanks, Vickie Dow, Kitty Gregg, & Candis Hewitt at the Fine Arts Foundation Deb Fashion Show Luncheon

Mitzi Townshend, Cheryl Hiltzik, Mike Nelson & Nancy Alterman at Mutts and Models

HYM William Hybl receiving the Mizel Institute “Community Enrichment Award” from Larry Mizel at their annual dinner. (photo courtesy of Wonder Works)

Natalie Rekstad-Lynn joined “Women Moving Millions”, a global contagion of women making gifts of $1 million or more for the advancement of women and girls. There are now 10 “Women Moving Millions” in Colorado, and 190 worldwide.  Also an active supporter of The Women’s Foundation of Colorado since 2007, Natalie now serves as a member of their Board of Trustees. Her ultimate vision: A world where men and women effectively lead together with full opportunity and equality.”

Natalie Rekstad-Lynn and daughter Sophie Lynn

HYM’s Gayle Novak and Terri Fisher will chair the Multiple Sclerosis Gala on September 13, 2014.  The gala will honor HYM Sandee Walling.

Rylan Gillette, son of HYM Christine Chang Gillette and Damon Gillett stares down his favorite toy

Louise Richardson, Shelly St. John, Rebecca Saltman at Shelly St. John’s recent Auction Divas event at the Wellshire Event Center.

Have You Met Rebecca Saltman is teaching a class on “Social Entrepreneurship” at Metropolitan State College.

Get Well Soon:

Nikki Fisher, Julia Ann Hicks, Sam Adams, Keith Montoya, Rebecca Colvin, Leslie McKay, Juan Grado, Joshua Barry, Rocky Sealanders.

Condolences:

Virginia Henry, Todd Eccles, PJ Cain, Jen Nuanes, Father Tomas Fraile, General Jim Hall, David Condit, Dr. Vincent Harding.

Babies:

Caitlin & Peter Johnson baby girl

Theresa Grace Aaron & Barb Silverstein baby boy

Elliott Marcus Dan & Johanna Gibbs baby girl

Grace Jeanne Anthony and Sakari Graves– baby girl

Kinley Lionne Says Grace: June is also my birthday and the day that Sakari and I first met! We are overjoyed by the arrival of our first child and would like to thank you all for your love and support over the last nine months. If you are interested in helping us celebrate the arrival of our little girl, we encourage you to make a contribution to the Denver Health Foundation in lieu of a gift to our family. Denver Health delivers around 3,200 of Denver’s babies each year and cares for 35% of Denver’s children:

Birthdays:

Happy 80^th birthday Willie Nelson (yes that Willie Nelson!)

Happy 80^th Birthday Ed Connors

Happy Birthday to our step mom Marge Koontz – 90 years old!

In the Romance Department:

Genia Larsen married Christopher Herndon

Jennifer Gargotto married Chase Beck

Brittani O’Brien married Aaron Georgas

Taylor Schreck married Grant Stauffer

Katie Nicole Stinnett married Jeff Hooper

Gina Comminello married Michael Stutzer

Lisa Korsen is engaged to Matthew Whipple

Happy Anniversary:

100^th anniversary for American Red Cross of Colorado

35 years for Ronald McDonald House

60 years for Radio KEZW 1430.

20 years for local Great Divide Brewing Company.

And 90 years for local business J.E. Dunn Construction.

Community News:

Kate Sneed is the new Associate Development Director for the Nathan Yip Foundation and Emily Barrett has been named a new board member.

Artist and friend Cheryl St. John was featured in “Artists to Watch” in Southwest Art Magazine”, June 2014.

Pat Cortez was given the “On the Shoulders of Giants Award” at the Latinas First luncheon on May 2nd. Metropolitan State University’s Center for Visual Art presents “Paper Work” – a show featuring paper art – from June 20^th through August 2^nd at  965 Santa Fe Drive in Denver.

Lauren Cannon Davis and Leigh McMahon are chairing Kempe’s 2014 “Salt on the Rim” on July 19^th at the Wellshire Event Center.  For more info go to:  www.kempe.org

The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce sponsored “Young Professionals Night Out at History Colorado” on June 12^th from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information e-mail: jessica.schwartz@denverchamber.org.

University of Denver celebrates its 150 year anniversary with the “Denver 150 Festival” and a free family concert series on Driscoll Green starting in June.  For more information e-mail: Chris Wiger at chris.wiger@du.edu.

David Ethan Greenberg, University of Denver Vice-Chancellor, has received the Bonfils Stanton Foundation 2014 Community Service Award.

Veronica Caraveo-Chavarria, owner of Little Angels Child Care, a licensed family child care home in southwest Denver, earned this year’s “Quality Enrichment” award from the Denver Preschool Program; and the “The Commitment to Quality” award went to Anne Watkins, a teacher at Mile High Montessori’s Sun Valley Early Learning Center, for her tireless commitment to advancing quality early childhood education in their 4-year-old classrooms. An early childhood teacher for more than 15 years, Anne was selected from a pool of nearly 600 classroom teachers.

Excelsior Youth Center welcomes new CEO Susan Hebert, and with overwhelming gratitude, says goodbye to former CEO Joan Gabrielson after 41 years of service to Excelsior. They are saddened to see Joan leave, but excited to welcome Susan Hébert as their new CEO.

Pam Cress with Jan Hammond & Margrit Brinker at the Colorado Cancer League Hope Ball.

Elaine Neal was recently recognized with the “Stellar Woman Award.”  Elaine began her Criminal Justice career in 1972 as a Probation Officer with Denver Juvenile Courts. She arranged for juveniles to get into alternative schools, or drug treatment or any other kind of program she thought might help. Where there was no program, she helped create one. She served 28 years as a Probation Officer. She currently serves on the boards of the Denver Police Officers Foundation; District 5 Denver Police Citizens Advisory Board and Steps to Success.

Colorado Springs News:

The Women’s Foundation of Colorado Springs announced that their annual luncheon in Colorado Springs will be held on Wednesday, September 24^th at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort this year.  For more information contact: Deidre McCormack at 719-577-5522.

Author Wendy Wilkinson of Manitou Springs is a 2014 International Book Awards  (Honoring Excellence in Independent & Mainstream Publishing) finalist for her recent book “Pirate’s Plunder.”

And – winner of two 2014 International Book Awards is Colorado Springs girl Mara Purl (sister of actress Linda Purl) for her books: “What the Heart Knows” and “Where the Heart Lives.”

The Colorado Springs Gazette, The Colorado Springs Independent and The Colorado Springs Business Journal will host the first in a series of political debates at 6 p.m. Monday, June 16 at Centennial Hall, located at 200 S. Cascade Ave. in Colorado Springs. During this first debate, incumbent U.S. Congressional representative Doug Lamborn will debate challenger Maj. Gen. Bentley Rayburn.

HYH # 54 Ahhh – Spring is here and the beauty is all around us – as always in Colorado!  Enjoy and embrace as you focus on all the upcoming summer activities out there.  Remember those less fortunate and in need by continuing to give to the many worthy charities.  And keep visiting us online at www.blacktie-colorado.com.

KEEPING UP WITH OUR HAVE YOU METS

Congratulations to Have You Met Rhiannon Burns Hendrickson and her husband Levi Hendrickson on the birth of their son Ethan. HYM Jamie Angelich will receive the “Volunteer Award” at the Invisible Disabilities Association’s fundraiser “It’s Not a Laughing Matter” on October 24^th.  HYM and Cherry Hills Village Mayor, Doug Tisdale, will be the honorary chairman of the event.  A kickoff party was held at the home of Scott Lynes recently and was attended by 100+ supporters.

HYM Steve Edmonds, Jamie Angelich, with Dave Fisher Photo by Steve Peterson

HYM’s Scottie Iverson and Jan Blankennagel Photo by Steve Peterson

HYM Susie Krabacher’s photo of her kids in Haiti that are taken care of there by her organization that she founded – Mercy & Sharing

And – On Saturday, August 23, Bessie’s Hope will celebrate its 20^th anniversary at their “Copacabana Night.”  The organization will also present its first annual “Community Angel Award” to HYM Jamie Angelich.  Ed Greene will emcee the special event, and HYM Jerry Barnett’s 10-piece band with singers and dancers will provide their exciting “Copa Club Tropicale Show” and dance music.  The event Chairperson is HYM Adrienne Ruston Fitzgibbons,  Décor Chair is Kay Ray, and Social Media Chair is HYM Louise Richardson.

Keri Christiansen’s fun “Oscar Party” with: Front Row: HYM’s Kim Christiansen, Frances Owens, & Gayle Novak – with Gayle’s niece, Angela English Back Row: HYM Gail Johnson, Jerri Huffman-Berning, HYM Trisha Hood, & HYM Keri Christiansen

HYM Keri Christiansen hosted a fun “Oscar Party” with: HYM and Denver PR Rock Star, Wendy Aiello, is in the running for “Leukemia Lymphoma  Woman of the Year” in honor of her mom who is battling leukemia and a her dear friend, Have You Met, Linda Goto, who recently passed from the disease. Wendy needs your support to help find cures for blood cancers and to assist patients and families as they battle these diseases. LLS is an organization that is doing the right things with the money it raises, and Wendy is proud to be associated with such a remarkable organization. Every dollar Wendy raises is a vote to cure cancer. If you want to help Wendy by making a donation to her campaign, go to http://www.mwoy.org/pages/rm/denver14/waiello, and help her in this noble and worthwhile cause. 5280 Magazine’s new ranking of Denver’s most powerful includes HYM Monica Owens along with my childhood friend, Lilly Marks, Vice President for Health Affairs, University of Colorado and Executive Vice Chancellor of the Anschutz Medical Campus.

HYM Sue Miller with her daughter Leslie Heins at the “Night of Caring for Breast Cancer” event

Future HYM Tangy Buchanan w HYM Judy McNeil at the Diabetes Guild Membership Brunch

HYM’s Louise Richardson & Lisza Gulyas w author/lecturer Barb Tobias & HYM Jamie Angelich at the Diabetes Membership Brunch

HYM Terri Fisher, Nancy Koontz & HYM’s Gail Johnson & Kristina Davidson at Don & Arlene’s Valentine’s Day Party

HYM’s Don & Arlene Johnson, Sandi Hewins, HYM Maestro Tom Jensen, Vickie Dow & her guest at Inside the Orchestra for Adults

HYM’s and all Excelsior Youth Triumphant Women winners: Michelle Sie Whitten, Jamie Angelich, Cindy Acree, Angie Austin, Lisza Gulyas, Susan Kiely, Jill Farquhar, Glory Weisberg, & Lannie Garrett

Excelsior Youth Triumphant Woman Gala Chairs: Bonnie Mandarich, Maureen Cannon, HYM 2014 winner Michelle Sie Whitten & HYM Lois Paul

Danielle LaCabe w her mom, HYM Faye Washington at the Rocky Mountain Children’s Hospital Kaleidoscope Gala

Honorary Chair Warren Lammert with HYM Craig Fleishman & Sandi Hewins at the Epilepsy Foundation of Colo. dinner

Dave & Bonnie Mandarich with HYM’s George and Gail Johnson, and Jamie and Alan Angelich at Saturday Night Alive for the DCPA (photo credit Denise Bellucci)

HYM’s Betsy Wiersma, Louise Richardson, Frances Owens with Francoise Bergan, and HYM Trisha Hood at the Claudia Beauprez breakfast

HYM Frances Owens with Bob & Claudia Beauprez and their granddaughter Virginia Anne, Ann Pritzlaff, and HYM Monica Owens at the Claudia Beauprez breakfast

HYM Mary McNicholas with granddaughter Aralilia being held by mom Audra McNicholas. (Mary received the Fine Arts Foundation “Bravo Award” at their recent spring luncheon.)

Future HYM’s Lynn Hinkle, Lynn Cahen, Jane Wiltshire, Christine Trigg, and Caroline Simpson at the Fine Arts Foundation membership luncheon.

Jane Wiltshire, Judy Newman, HYM Arlene Johnson and Christine Yaros at the Fine Arts Foundation luncheon

Heather Brecl, conductor/director John Baril, HYM’s Susan Stiff and Glory Weisberg at the Central City Opera Guild’s “Theatre of Dreams” Gala

HYM Stephen Edmonds with Barbara and Bob Danos, and Dan Ritchie at the Central City Opera Guild’s “Theatre of Dreams” Gala.

HYM’s Jamie Angelich and Jim Guttau at ICON 2014

HYM Carmel Koeltzow with John Elway and HYM Terri Fisher at the Denver Auto Show Charity Preview Party

Nancy Koontz and HYM Trisha Hood visiting HYM Bertha Haugen as she rehabilitates from a broken hip.

HYM Cindy Acree will once again be honored by the Colorado Neurological Institute (CNI) as they hold their 2014 “Cindy Acree Hope Awards Celebration” on May 1st.  This event is named in honor of former Colorado Legislature Representative, Cindy Acree – heroic epilepsy patient, stroke survivor, community leader – and one of our Have You Met’s!  Cindy recently announced that she will be leaving Denver to go live in Arkansas to be close to her mother.  Best of luck Cindy, we will miss you…

Get Well Soon:  Anne Green, Sheila Glanville-Conlee, Rebecca Colvin, Tommy Lucero, Ray Bellucci, and Keith Brooks

Baby News: Congrats to former Blacktie-Colorado IT guy Kurt  Lindberg & his wife — on the birth of their baby Jack.  Big sisters are Ava and Lauren. Kevin and Nyadak Rucker are expecting a baby. Nidal & Veronica Allis are expecting a baby. Princess Ilene Wallace and her husband Fred are expecting a baby. Shannon Sullivan and Matt Sjovall birth of their son Remmington Everett Aaron & Lina Dungy baby girl Khaleesi Rose Heidi Hemmat and Jason Stone baby girl Skyler Grace Jen & Sterling Mount baby boy Brock.

Weddings: HYM David Alexander and Brandt Wilkins got married

Condolences:  Larry Ames, Vivian Tate, Phil Nash, Kelly de la Torre, David “Dougal” McDougal, Lorraine Smith,  Gary Garrison, and my dear friend – Edna Chang-Grant.

Engagements: Lana Mott and Trevor Williams are engaged. Michael Sharon and Dana Rommerdahl are engaged. Lloyd Lewis and Claire O’Berst Holz are engaged.

Special Birthdays: Happy 80^th Birthday to HYM Sue Miller; 80^th Happy Birthday to Gloria Steinem, who has a home in Colorado.

Anniversaries: Central City Opera Guild celebrates 40 years Bessie’s Hope celebrates 20 years. Chris Daniels and the Kings celebrate 30 years of performing. ArtReach celebrates 40 years.  Dine & D’art National Urban League celebrates 100 years. The US Youth Soccer, the nation’s largest youth sports organization, celebrates its 40^th anniversary. Sage Hospitality 30 years Mile High Adventist Academy celebrates 100 years. And – the “legendary” Casa Bonita Restaurant celebrates their 40^th anniversary – Now who hasn’t taken their child or grandchild to Casa Bonita – at least once?

Community News: Lynne Valencia was honored with the “Most Powerful and Influential Women” Award. She is the VP of Community Relations for 9 News and Denver’s Women’s Commissioner. HYM Juanita Chacon reports that her friend Katherine Archuleta was just named “2014 Top Hispanic Businesswoman of the Year” by Hispanic Business Magazine. Katherine has served on a number of Boards and Commissions locally and nationally and has been an amazing leader in our community.  She was the President’s National Policy Advisor for the 2012 campaign.ent his second term. She is one of the key women who shaped Denver and we are the beneficiaries of her commitment to the city and the non-profit community. Congratulations Katherine, well deserved! Hispanic Magazine…… If the women cited in our 2014 Woman of the Year index are an all-star team, it shows the deep bench the national team has put together. Their business acumen, social and institutional leadership, impressive educations and the number of boards they sit on make this a legendary team. Katherine Archuleta took top honors as our Woman of the Year. The former Denver kindergarten teacher first saw service in Washington as deputy chief of staff for then-Transportation Secretary Federico Peña, but she returned as chief of staff for Labor Secretary Hilda Solis in 2009. She now directs the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Craig Hospital’s recent “Push Dinner” honored former Olympic Snowboarder Kevin Pearce with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Inspiration Award. Carnivor Wine arrived in Denver recently to host a special introductory evening at Ocean Prime Restaurant.  The event was hosted by former Denver Bronco, and founder of the nonprofit Judi’s House, Brian Griese and included a wonderful four-course menu with wine parings provided by Carnivor Wine.  The media contact was our very own HYM Bradley Joseph of Silver Spur Marketing.

Jordan Pollak, with Brian Griese and Michael Pollak at the Carnivore Wine event.

Blacktie’s Pam Cress with speaker Shannon Sharpe at the Junior Achievement event

Lauren Arnold is the Interim Executive Director of the Adoption Exchange. Elycia R. Cook, Executive Director of FRIENDS FIRST, made the “Women Making History” list by the Colorado Black Women for Political Action group.   This alarming report from the Alzheimer’s Association.  There has been an 87% increase in Alzheimer’s deaths since 2000.

Colorado Springs News: HYM Katie Carrol, Director of Communications & PR, reports that The Colorado Springs Gazette Newspaper won 63 awards from two state journalism contests on Friday, February 21.  The paper’s three-day “Other than Honorable” series by Dave Philipps garnered 11 awards, plus a Best of Show from the Colorado Press Association and Colorado Associate Press Editors and Reporters contests. The series examined how soldiers injured during war were being discharged with no benefits. Series photographer, Michael Ciaglo, won a second-place award for best photo essay from the Colorado Press Association. Winners of both contests were honored at the annual Colorado Press Association Convention in Denver. The Gazette took home 15 other first-place awards. The honorees were Ryan Maye Handy, Christian Murdock, Mark Reis, Paul Klee, Jerilee Bennett, Barbara Cotter, Rich Laden, Monica Mendoza and Ciaglo.   The Colorado Press Association presented the entire Gazette staff with first-place awards for their work covering the Black Forest fire and a special section on the first anniversary of the Waldo Canyon fire. The staff also won a second-place general excellence award in the Colorado Associated Press Editors and Reporters contest.   The Gazette won 20 second and third place awards in the annual Colorado Associated Press Editors and Reporters contest. Second place awards went to Carol McGraw, Carol Lawrence, Ciaglo, Reis, Bennett, Junfu Han, Handy, Allison Noon, Linda Navarro and Jakob Rodgers. Third-place awards went to Debbie Kelley, Reis, McGraw, Ciaglo, Bill Vogrin, David Ramsey and Brent Briggeman.   The Gazette won 20 second and third place awards in the Colorado Press Association contest second-place awards went to Cotter, McGraw, Bob Stephens, Megan Schrader, Murdock, Ramsey, Rodgers, Nichole Montanez, Tom Roeder, Erin Prater, John Schroyer, Handy, Reis, Wayne Heilman and the design and layout staff.   Third-place awards went to Vogrin, Kelley, Ciaglo, Schrader, Handy, Klee, Garrison Wells and Scott Rappold.   Sue McMillin, the news director for The Gazette, has been awarded a fellowship for a Pakistan-United States journalists exchange by the East-West Center, an organization that promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the U.S., Asia and the Pacific through cooperative study, research and dialogue.