In the Arena with Colorado Concern: Recent Episodes
Colorado Concern
In the Arena with Colorado Concern explores the intersection of business and politics in the Centennial state. On the podcast Mike Kopp will connect you with individuals who are rolling up their sleeves and working to make meaningful change in the state. He will also keep you apprised of issues impacting the business community and let you know when your voice can have an impact.
Mitch Morrissey is a former District Attorney for Colorado’s second judicial district in Denver. He currently serves as Common Sense Institute’s Owens Early Criminal justice Fellowship where he has been researching and reporting extensively on crime trends across the state and in our major cities. Few people are as well equipped to discuss how policy changes at the state capitol impact the City of Denver.
This podcast references CSI's crime reporting tool which can be found here:
Speaker Julie McCluskie is tasked with leading a historic democratic majority in the House. She joins the podcast to discuss her leadership vision.
Mayor Coffman rejoins the podcast to discuss how his time on the streets has informed the new direction for homelessness prevention taken by the City of Aurora.
Ryan Clancy is the Chief Strategist for No Labels, a national movement of Democrats, Republicans, and independents working to bring leaders together to solve America’s toughest problems. Ryan joined the podcast last year to discuss the federal infrastructure package, he rejoins us today to discuss the changing nature of democracy and what we can expect from this new congress.
Yuval Levin is the Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, where he also holds the Beth and Ravenel Curry Chair in Public Policy. He is also the Founder and Editor of National Affairs. He joins the podcast to discuss his new book, A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream.
This is a recording from the Colorado Concern Governor's Forum held on Friday, September 30th, at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. We were joined by Governor Jared Polis and CU Regent Heidi Ganahl to deeply discuss issues facing business and the state. Our moderator was esteemed newspaper executive Dean Singleton.
Rafael Mangual is the head of research for the Policing and Public Safety Initiative at the Manhattan Institute. He recently released the book Criminal (In)Justice: What the Push for Decarceration and Depolicing Gets Wrong and Who it Hurts Most. He joins the podcast to discuss criminal justice reform from a national perspective.
Alice Jackson is the Senior Vice President of System Strategy and Chief Planning Officer at Xcel Energy, she is also a member of Colorado Concern’s board of directors. Alice oversees electric integration in eight states and joins the podcast to discuss Colorado’s electric grid.
Paul Pazen has been the Chief of Police for the City of Denver since 2018 and will retire in October. Regular listeners will remember Chief Pazen on the podcast discussing the alarming role of personal recognizance bonds on the state of crime in the city. Today we zoom out and look at the city and statewide trends as well as hiring the next generation of officers.
We are looking back on an important discussion from 2020 where we were joined by Paul Seby, a Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig with 25 years of experience in environmental issues, where we discussed the legal realities of HB 19-1261, the Climate Action Plan to Reduce Pollution. This bill was signed into law in 2019, giving broad authority to regulate emissions to the Air Quality Control Commission and creating constitutional concerns. Join us as we unpack this important issue that will have a substantial impact on business for decades to come.
https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1261
Our guest today is David Bernhardt, who served as Secretary of the Interior from 2019 to 2021 under President Trump. He is currently Senior Counsel at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck and joins the podcast to discuss the Colorado River Compact and what it can tell us about the future of water in the West.
Our guest today is Paul Lopez, the Clerk and Recorder for the City and County of Denver. Paul is a longtime public servant, having served three terms with the City Council. We have invited him to the podcast to discuss a ballot reform working group he is co-chairing.
We are joined by Paul Pazen, Police Chief for the City of Denver. Together we discuss the connected themes of drugs, public safety, and the rise of personal recognizance bonds.
We are joined on the podcast by Graham Anderson from Anderson Analytics and Josh Penry from 76 Group to discuss the alarming upward trajectory of property taxes in Colorado. Colorado Concern has backed several ballot measures that were recently introduced to slow this rapid rise in property taxes. Today's conversation paints a picture of the need for action on the November ballot.
Former US District Attorney for Colorado Jason Dunn joins the podcast to discuss the mounting problems with fentanyl use and how a recent Colorado state law complicates police efforts to combat the surge of drugs.
In December, the Marshall Fire quickly spread across the towns of Superior and Lousiville, destroying more than 1,000 structures and causing more than $1 billion in damages. We are joined by the Mayors of these great towns, Clint Folsom from Superior and Ashley Stolzmann from Louisville, to discuss the impact of this tragic fire. We are also joined by Sally Ray, the Director of Domestic Funds for the Center for Disaster Philanthropy to talk about the Colorado Wildfire Fund and ways to help.
https://disasterphilanthropy.org/donate-to-the-colorado-wildfires-recovery-fund/
Troy Hill is a member of Colorado Concern and the Owner of Hill Petroleum, a full-service petroleum marketer with over 110 employees serving the Western half of the US. Hill Petroleum is a first source marketer for Chevron and a Master Distributor for Sunoco, Brad Penn Lubricants, and JAX. He joins us on the podcast to discuss the energy industry and the impact of state and local legislation on gas prices.
Today we discuss the University of Colorado Boulder's Leeds School of Business 57th annual Colorado's Business Economic Outlook Report with Dr. Richard Wobbekind, the leading researcher behind the annual report. Things are looking up for the state as we emerge from the pandemic. Tune in to learn more.
Chad Vorthmann is the Executive Vice President of the Colorado Farm Bureau, he has been with the organization since 2002 and recently helped produce the Future of Agriculture in Colorado Task Force Report. Today we discuss that report and dive into the policy dynamics at play for the future of our food system.
Ed Sealover, a Senior Reporter from the Denver Business Journal, joins the podcast to discuss changes at the Colorado State Legislature and discussions underway to radically alter our tax code.
Dr. Janine Davidson is the president of Metropolitan State University of Denver, Colorado’s third-largest public university and the only access-oriented higher-education institution in the state. Dr. Davidson joins us to speak to the value proposition of higher education, how MSU is working with employers to train the next generation as well as the debate over free speech on America's campuses.
This is a live recording from our 2021 Defining Issues Breakfast. Colorado Concern has a bias for action, for a strong economic growth environment, and for getting results in the arena.
The point of the Defining Issues forum is to identify evolving public policy areas that will define important aspects of Colorado's future. We know that business leaders can solve our biggest challenges when we come together to meet the issue head-on. We begin that journey by first understanding the challenges themselves.
Our 2021 speakers included:
- Chris Wright - CEO and Chairman of the Board, Liberty Oilfield Services
- Shoshana Lew - Executive Director, Colorado Department of Transportation
- Murphy Robinson - Deputy Mayor and Executive Director of Public Safety, City and County of Denver
- Chetter Latcham - President, Shea Homes Colorado
- Mike Coffman - Mayor of Aurora
- With special guest Governor Jared Polis
Colorado has become a hub for space. On the podcast, we explore Maxar Technologies and how this Colorado company is using its satellite technology to help Americans, and friends of Americans, escape Afghanistan safely. Dan Jablonsky is the President and CEO of Maxar and a member of Colorado Concern.
In the second part of our deep dive on housing affordability, long-time board member Pat Hamill joins the podcast to discuss the role of labor and materials shortages on the housing stock in Colorado. Pat Hamill is the Chairman and CEO of Oakwood Homes, a premier master-plan developer and home builder in Colorado and Utah. He is also a founder of the Colorado Homebuilding Academy.
We are joined by fellow Colorado Concern member Chetter Latcham to discuss how the regulatory process is accelerating Colorado's housing affordability crisis. Chetter Latcham is the President of the Colorado Division of Shea Homes, the largest privately-owned builder in the United States.
Chris Wright is the CEO of Liberty Oilfield Services, the second biggest hydraulic fracturing company in North America. He is both a mountain climber and an MIT graduate who has been working in energy for over 30 years. As the author of more than 60 technical papers, Chris brings a wealth of knowledge to the important topic of energy and the environment.
Bettering Human Lives: 2020 ESG Report: https://www.libertyfrac.com/bettering-human-lives-2020-esg-report/
Our guest this week is Jake Harriman, founder and CEO of a +More Perfect Union, a citizen-led movement working to heal the divide in our nation and make our government work for the people. Join us in a rich discussion about how to cultivate a new, and deeply necessary, form of patriotism.
More at: https://www.mpu.us/
Ryan Clancy is the Chief Strategist for No Labels, a national movement of Democrats, Republicans, and independents working to bring leaders together to solve America’s toughest problems. Their recent polling provides keen insight into what the American public wants from their congressional representatives on this important issue.
This week, we discuss the new process of legislative redistricting that was established under Amendments Y and Z in 2018 with Jessika Shipley from the Colorado Legislative Council Staff.
Have your voice heard at: https://redistricting.colorado.gov/
The Employee Traffic Reduction Program will require large employers to track and alter the commuting habits of their employees in order to reduce greenhouse gasses. This wide-reaching rule is currently in development and we discuss how business leaders can get involved with Kelly Sloan, the Executive Director of the Freedom to Drive coalition.
Our guests today are this year’s Terry J. Stevinson fellows at the Common Sense Institute, Evelyn Lim and Peter LiFari. Together they researched housing affordability and presented a paper that outlined several achievable solutions for building our way out of Colorado’s affordable housing crisis.
What attracts a business to Colorado and what may cause a business to move its headquarters elsewhere? Today we discuss the competitive advantages of our great state and what elements of our regulatory environment harm business prospects with JJ Ament, the CEO of the Metro Denver Economic Corporation. JJ and his team have helped facilitate the creation of nearly 14,000 new jobs and $800 million of capital investment in the nine-county Metro Denver and Northern Colorado regions.
Public safety has a tremendous impact on business stability and economic vibrancy. Today we discuss the state of the city with Murphy Robinson, Denver's Deputy Mayor and the Executive Director of the Department of Public Safety.
Ransomware and other forms of cyberattacks have escalated in recent years. Today we sit down with Chad Wolf, the founder and President of Wolf Global Advisors, who served as the former Acting Secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security in the Trump Administration. Chad has significant experience in this arena and provides keen insights for the private sector on this increasingly important topic.
We are joined by Michael Bennet, Colorado's Senior Senator to discuss the American Jobs Plan and what it could mean for Colorado.
Long-time republican insider DJ Gribbin joins the podcast to discuss the best ways to fund our transportation infrastructure. Making the case that direct user-fees are the most appropriate path and that they conform with traditionally conservative ideology. DJ Gribbin is the founder of the strategic consulting firm Madrus LLC and a nonresident Senior Fellow at the Bookings Institution.DJ also served as Special Assistant to the President of the United States for Infrastructure in the Trump Administration and as General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Transportation in the Bush Administration.
Today we discuss SB 21-260, the transportation omnibus bill with CDOT Director Shoshana Lew. Shoshana walks us through the types of projects this bill will enable and provides us with a stark reality check on what is at stake if it fails. Colorado Concern stands behind SB 21-260 and encourages the legislature to vote YES.
We are joined byKathie Barstnar, the Executive Director for NAIOP Colorado and Whiting Management Resources, and Stephen Shepard, the Executive Vice President of Denver Metro BOMA to discuss HB 1286, a bill whose aim is to improve the energy efficiency of commercial buildings. The goal of HB 1286 may be laudable, but the method is misguided. Kathie and Stephen walk us through the challenges with this proposed legislation and how it can be improved to the benefit of all.
This week HB 21-1232, the Colorado Public Option, is in front of the House Health and Insurance Committee. Today we discuss the policy with Katherine Mulready, the Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for the Colorado Hospital Association, and Chris Brown, the Vice President of Policy and Research at the Common Sense Institute. Join us as we unpack this complex and dangerous policy proposal.
We keep hearing that vaccines are our ticket out of the pandemic, today we discuss what they mean for the future of work with experts from the Employers Council Jenny DeFranco and Randi Lewis.
This episode is a live recording of our annual member event with Governor Polis. Together we discuss a range of issues important to doing business in Colorado.
Paul Andrews is the President and CEO of the National Western Stock Show and the Campaign Vice Chair for Honoring the Legacy, Building the Future, the campaign to redevelop the National Western Center. Today we discuss the capital campaign and the role the National Western Center plays in preserving the spirit of the West.
This week we are sharing an audio recording of a recent event with member Helen Young Hayes from Activate Workforce Solutions where we discuss purposeful recruitment of underrepresented talent through full time hiring, part time college programs, and youth apprenticeships.
Elizabeth Garner is our state demographer. She has been with the Department of Local Affairs, working as an economist and researching changing demographics, for the last 17 years. Her role gives her tremendous insight into where our state has been and where we are going. We hope you enjoy this discussion.
We are joined by Lu Cordova, the Governor's Advisor on Efficiencies and Digital Transformation, to discuss how technology, a private sector mindset, and cross agency collaboration can improve state government.
This episode is a special presentation of the A Way Forward coalition's virtual Transportation Summit. Colorado Concern is on the executive committee of this business coalition advocating for a legislative solution to fund CDOT's 10-Year Plan for Transportation. Guest on the call include Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Colorado Department of Transportation Director Shoshana Lew, Gary Arnold Business Manager for Denver Pipefitters Local 208, Rachel Beck VP of Government Affairs for Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, Robin Brown Executive Director of the Grand Junction Economic Partnership, Kelly Brough President & CEO of Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Greg Fulton President of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association, Tony Milo Executive Director of Colorado Contractors Association, Jake Swanton Public Policy for Rockies Region and SW for Lyft, and Sandra Hagen Solin Executive Director for Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance. .
More can be found at: www.awayforwardcolorado.com
Mayor Mike Coffman of Aurora joins us to discuss his experience sleeping on the streets with his homeless constituents. This radical act has shaped his understanding of the homeless population and the public policies designed to support them. We hope you enjoy the conversation.
We are pleased to be joined by three business leaders this week to discuss the important job of safely reopening our economy. Andrew Feinstein is the CEO & Managing Partner of EXDO Development. Together with Juan Padro, the Managing Partner of Culinary Creative restaurant group, they share crucial insights into the impacts of the pandemic on business. Complimenting this perspective is Jamie Smith, the President of Saint Joseph Hospital. Together these leaders speak to the impact of the COVID pandemic on the state and how government and private industry can work together to reopen safely.
We are joined by Paul Seby, a Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig with 25 years of experience in environmental issues to discuss the legal realities of HB19-1261, the Climate Action Plan to Reduce Pollution. This bill was signed into law in 2019, giving broad authority to regulate emissions to the Air Quality Control Commission and creating constitutional concerns. Join us as we unpack this important issue that will have a substantial impact on business for decades to come.
https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1261
Tune into a moderated panel discussion with the leaders of the Colorado Legislature on economic growth and job creation in Colorado. Our guests are Speaker of the House Alec Garnett, House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, House Minority Leader Hugh McKean, Senate President Leroy Garcia , Senate Majority Leader Chris Fenberg, and Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert.
Minority Leader-Elect Hugh McKean joins us on the podcast this week to discuss Republican priorities for the 2021 legislative session including COVID, business regulation, and transportation.
Homelessness is on the rise in Colorado and across the country. We are fortunate to be joined by Kristin Toombs, Director of the Office of Homeless Initiatives within the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, to discuss this important issue. Together we unpack the types of homelessness and what is needed politically to help our neighbors facing housing insecurity.
Director Toombs frequently references DOLAs new playbook, Making Homelessness History in Colorado, the playbook can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dQ-FbbNyCW9ecpqBJcCkxrOad_5X7IsH/view
This week we look back on an interview we did this spring with Shoshana Lew, Director of the Colorado Department of Transportation. Her team recently completed a 64 county listening tour and devised a 10-year plan for traffic alleviation and pothole repair across the state. It represents the biggest road investment in modern history. As we look toward the 2021 legislative session our team, along with the Governor and leaders in the legislature, will be seeking long term funding for this innovative plan.
We are joined by David Flaherty, Founder and CEO of Magellan Strategies, to discuss how the rise of unaffiliated voters in Colorado changes the politics of our great state.
This week we are joined by two giants of Denver city politics, Elbra Wedgeworth and Jeanne Faatz, to discuss two critical ballot initiatives facing Denver voters 2E and 2G. These issues are tantamount to a power grab by City Council and Colorado Concern has taken an oppose position.
On Monday, October 12th, Colorado Concern hosted a live forum with Senator Cory Gardner and Colorado Politics Opinion Editor Dan Njegomir. This podcast is a recording of the in-person event. Please note that Governor John Hickenlooper declined participation and that Colorado Concern does not endorse U.S. Senate candidates.
Today we are joined by Kent Thiry, former Chairman and CEO of DaVita, as well as Dick Wadhams, the former Chair of the Colorado Republican Party, to discuss the Gallagher Amendment repeal effort. Colorado Concern has endorsed Amendment B and we are here to unpack this notoriously arcane issue to help leaders understand its impact on business and the state.
We are joined today by Kristen Blessman, President & CEO of the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and Dave Davia, Executive Vice President and CEO of the Rocky Mountain Mechanical Contractors Association to discuss Proposition 118, the Paid Medical and Family Leave Initiative. Colorado Concern has taken an oppose position on this measure and this podcast serves to provide context for business owners on this important issue.
Today we are joined by Dr Raj Sisodia, the co-founder and co-chairman of Conscious Capitalism. He has authored four books on business ethics, The Healing Organization, Conscious Capitalism, Firms of Endearment, and the Rule of Three. Our discussion roughly followed his book Conscious Capitalism, in which he and his co-author, John Mackey - the founder of Whole Foods, defend the imperative of free market capitalism, but also argue that making profit as a sole pursuit is off-base.
We discuss the difficult political environment business leaders must navigate and what he believes businesses must do in order to defend and expand free market capitalism in the face of political forces that seek to shut it down.
We are joined by Colorado Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg and Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert to discuss the the policies and politics of this past session, why their party should be in control, and their readiness to come together during an election year to solve the most pressing issues for our state.
Today, we are joined by Colorado Concern member Mark Kennedy. Mark is the President of the University of Colorado, a former congressman, and a former Fortune 500 executive. He brings his experience in academia, politics, and business to bear in advising leaders how they can succeed in the age of activism. Together we discuss how shapeholders - regulators, the media, along with social and political activists have changed the way we do business.
His book can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Shapeholders-Business-Activism-Columbia-Publishing/dp/023118056X
Today we speak with Simon Lomax a policy advisor at EIS Solutions. Simon has been working with the Colorado Infrastructure Committee; a coalition of business and civic leaders, non-profit organizations, local government officials and state legislative leaders that are providing federal policymakers with a robust set of recommendations to maximize the impact of a national infrastructure program in Colorado. Together we dive into that report and tease out the biggest recommendations.
Today we are joined by Chris Brown, the Director of Policy and Research at the Common Sense Institute, to discuss the economic impact of potential ballot issues and recent legislation.
Today we are joined by Blair Richardson the Chairman and CEO of Bow River Capitol, a Board Member of Colorado Concern, and Democratic Representative Shannon Bird from Westminster to discuss HB 1413, the Small Business Recovery Loan Program. This bill is an extraordinary example of the power of collaboration between business and government.
This week we speak with lawyers Adam Agron and Chris Murray from Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck about a lawsuit filed by Colorado Concern and Dan Ritchie in response to a weekend Executive Order that circumvents the Colorado constitution.
Today we are joined by Dr Graham Allison, the Douglas Dillon Professor of Government at the Harvard Kennedy School. Dr Allison recently published the paper “Coronavirus as a Strategic Challenge: Has Washington Misdiagnosed the Problem?”
**In this paper, he posits that we are being faced with a false dilemma when it comes to protecting ourselves and our economy from the impacts of coronavirus. On this episode we explore the greater context we should be considering with coronavirus.
Dr Allison's Paper: https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/coronavirus-strategic-challenge-has-washington-misdiagnosed-problem Dr Allison's Op-Ed in the Hill:** https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/494949-we-can-protect-the-most-vulnerable-and-reopen-the-economy
Today we are joined by Professor Andrew Schnackenberg at the Daniel’s College of Business. Professor Schnackenberg recently completed a survey on how American’s are thinking about the balance between the economic costs and health benefits of stay at home orders. His research can be found at: https://daniels.du.edu/blog/new-research-offers-insight-on-the-moral-dilemma-underlying-covid-19/
We are joined by Helen Young Hayes, founder and CEO of Activate Workforce Solutions a Denver-based professional placement and coaching non profit focused on empowering untapped talent. Activate and Colorado Concern recently launched a formal partnership and we are proud to be joining forces to vault individuals from low-wage jobs to middle-class careers, building stronger and healthier families, companies, and communities. Learn more at https://www.coloradoconcern.com/workforce-development/
Today we are joined by longtime board member Rick Sapkin who is co-chairing the Governor's COVID-19 Relief Fund task force. In three weeks, individuals and businesses have donated almost $10 million dollars to help their fellow Coloradans during this challenging time. This fund is focused on prevention, impact, and recovery. You can learn more about this remarkable program and how to get involved at www.helpcoloradonow.org
Today we are joined by Richard Wobbekind to discuss business confidence in Q2 and projections for the rest of the year. Richard is the Associate Dean for Business and Government Relations as well as Senior Economist and Faculty Director of the Business Research Division at the University of Colorado Boulder. The Leeds Business Confidence Index for Q2 can be found here: https://www.colorado.edu/business/sites/default/files/attached-files/lbci_q2_2020_final.pdf
Please join us for a candid conversation between US Senator for Colorado Michael Bennet and Colorado Concern member CEOs where we discuss Federal relief efforts to address COVID-19.
In response to COVID-19, Colorado has created a series of local municipality and county level orders - this is unique to our state and is not happening in the rest of the county. Paul Seby, a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig and distinguished lawyer, walks us through the details businesses need to know about state and local orders.
Please join us for a candid conversation between US Senator for Colorado Cory Gardner and Colorado Concern member CEOs where we discuss Federal relief efforts to address COVID-19.
Today we speak with Dan Nordberg, the Small Business Administration's Region VIII Administrator. Congress has recently authorized SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program to be used for businesses who have been adversely impacted by COVID-19. This comes from the Corona Virus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act and Dan will walk us though how Colorado businesses can access capital during this critical time. www.sba.gov/disaster
Today we are joined by Rich Todd, CEO and co-founder of Innovest Portfolio Solutions. Rich is a leading financial thinker who manages assets for individuals, governments, and non profit organizations. Together we discuss the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 in historical context with an eye toward community. The fastest remedy can come from business and in this episode we discuss ways to get involved, including at www.helpcoloradonow.org
This week we are joined by the Director of the Colorado Department of Transportation, Shoshana Lew. Her team recently completed a 64 county listening tour and devised a 10-year plan for traffic alleviation and pothole repair across the state. It represents the biggest road investment in modern history.
This week we speak with Representatives Matt Gray and Colin Larson who are introducing companion bills to reform the property tax assessment appeals process.
These efforts will increase transparency by requiring changes to assessment materials be subject to public review and will expedite the appeals process by creating a fast track option.
This week we speak with Maleka Momand, CEO and Co-Founder of Esper, a technology company focused on improving the policy making process, and bill sponsor Representative James Coleman from Denver about ways Colorado can use technology to improve the democratic process.
Occupational licensing impacts 1 in 5 Coloradans. Today we discuss a reform measure being introduced by Representative Shannon Bird of Westminster that would accelerate the recognition process for licensed individuals moving to Colorado from other states. We also speak with Matthew Mitchell, a Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Equity Initiative at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, about the state of occupational licensing nationwide.
Today we speak with House Majority Leader Alec Garnett and House Minority Leader Patrick Neville about what business can expect from the 2020 legislative session.
Mike Kopp speaks with Senate President Leroy Garcia and Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert about what business can expect from the 2020 legislative session.