2010 Speakers

Keynote Speaker –
Mayor John Hickenlooper, Denver, Colorado

A geologist-turned brewpub pioneer who had never run for political office, John Hickenlooper was elected Mayor of Denver in 2003 and re-elected in 2007.  In April 2005 – less than two years into his first term – Time Magazine named the political newcomer one of the top five “big-city” mayors in America. Both Hickenlooper and Denver continue to gain national recognition for innovative approaches to sustainability, transit, arts and culture, ending homelessness, economic development, regionalism and – of course – hosting the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
 
Hickenlooper brings creative leadership and innovative thinking to Denver’s City Hall, drawing on his diverse background as an exploration geologist, real estate developer and restaurateur.  After the collapse of the oil industry in the mid-1980s, he found himself with a healthy severance check, no immediate job prospects, and time on his hands. He spent two years developing the Wynkoop Brewing Company, the first brewpub in the Rocky Mountains and one of the largest in the world.
 
A respected entrepreneur, Hickenlooper was also involved with numerous downtown Denver renovation and development projects and is credited as one of the pioneers that helped revitalize Denver’s Lower Downtown historic district. In recognition of his efforts supporting preservation in Denver and downtowns across the country, Hickenlooper received a National Preservation Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1997.
 
Long before he had ever considered public office, Hickenlooper was active in community affairs, serving on numerous civic boards including Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Denver Civic Ventures, Colorado Business Committee for the Arts, the Denver Art Museum, the Association of Brewers, and the Institute for Brewing Studies.  
 
Leading a grassroots campaign to preserve the “Mile High Stadium” name in 2000 planted the seeds for his 2003 mayoral bid. An unlikely candidate facing a half-dozen seasoned political veterans, Hickenlooper made Denver history with his nearly two-to-one margin of victory and began his term by assembling the most diverse team of city leadership Denver has ever known.
 
Since taking office, Mayor Hickenlooper has increased civic engagement and participation throughout the city and Denver metro region, building strong bonds and partnerships that transcend partisan and geographic lines. His integrity, sense of humor and accomplishments have renewed public faith and trust in City Hall, and his boundless energy, enthusiasm and creativity have generated tremendous optimism and confidence in Denver’s future.
 
Mayor Hickenlooper graduated from Wesleyan University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in geology.  His wife, Helen Thorpe, is a writer whose work has been published in the New Yorker, New York Times Magazine, George, and Texas Monthly. They live in northeast Denver with their 6-year-old son Teddy.

FEATURED SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

Timothy Kruse (learn more)
Senior Capital Markets Specialist
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Daniel P. McQuade (learn more)
Regional President
Tishman Construction Corporation

Constantine “Tino” Korologos (learn more)
Managing Director
Deloitte Corporate Finance LLC

Jamie Woodwell (learn more)
Vice President of Commercial/Multifamily Research,
Mortgage Bankers Association

Robert Dietrich (learn more)
Managing Director
FMV Opinions

Lisa Preston (learn more)
President
The Preston Group

Greg Lopez (learn more)
District Director
Colorado SBA

Malia Hifner (learn more)
Vice President
Relationship Manager | SME Specialty Finance Division, Bank of the West

Mike O’Donnell (learn more)
Executive Director
Colorado Lending Source

To speak with someone directly, please contact a Conference Coordinator at:
Phone: 866.710.4087
Email: SSCL Seminar

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