A Seat at the Table with Debbie Brown

Aerospace in Colorado with Boeing Site Director Dave Eddy

Dave Eddy has been with the Boeing Company for 30 years and is the Boeing Site Director for the Aurora and Colorado Springs locations. He is the Boeing Program Manager on the GPS OCX Program and also serves as the President of the Boeing Leadership Network Association for the Colorado Chapter. Prior to moving to Denver eight years ago from Southern California David was a Senior Manager on the National Systems Program and other Proprietary Programs. His responsibilities have included Element Systems Engineering, Mission Manager for Space Vehicle Launch & Initialization, Mission Operations Lead and Technical Subcontract Manager. He has a BSEE from Brigham Young University and MBA from Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management. He is an avid golfer and has coached a variety of sports at the High School and Club level.

On this week's episode Dave shares his journey in the aerospace industry, discusses how he got involved in the Colorado Business Roundtable, his philosophy on the three phases of a career and much more.

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

Colorado Oil & Gas Association featuring President & CEO Dan Haley

Dan Haley is the President and CEO of the Colorado Oil & Gas Association (COGA). Founded in 1984, the Colorado Oil & Gas Association’s mission is to be the unified political and regulatory voice for the oil and natural gas industry in Colorado, and to support our members through advocacy, partnerships, education and stakeholder engagement.

As President, Dan is responsible for leading the industry in Colorado legislative, regulatory, and public relations matters. Previously, he was Vice President of Communications, Development and Strategy at EIS Solutions, a public affairs firm where he served as a consultant for numerous corporate and political clients, including oil and gas interests. Prior to that, Mr. Haley spent more than 20 years in the communications field, including 13 years at The Denver Post, where he was the Editorial Page Editor. He also was Director of Corporate Communications for CoBank, a $100 billion bank headquartered in Denver.

On this episode, Dan discusses the many challenges facing the oil and natural gas industry in Colorado including depressed demand due to COVID-19, activists and out-of-state interests attempting to dictate public policy, and more. He articulates the importance of a robust industry in this state and talks about the oil and gas industry as both high tech and stewards of the environment.

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

Road to Recovery Initiative featuring CSI President & CEO Kristin Strohm

A global pandemic and corresponding economic crisis have brought about a time of severe disruption. Business and our way of life have been transformed. While we are faced with unprecedented challenges, we have also been presented with unique opportunities to shape our future with purpose.

The Colorado Business Roundtable and Common Sense Institute have provided a forum called the Road to Recovery Initiative to formulate and influence public policy through collaboration and research in response to the pandemic’s economic realities.

Thought leaders from diverse industry backgrounds across Colorado convened in the summer and fall of 2020 to identify three pillars for a sustainable, growing, and global economy that will position Colorado for long-term economic success.

Kristin Strohm is President & CEO of Common Sense Institute. CSI’s mission is to examine the fiscal impacts of policies, initiatives, and proposed laws so that Coloradans are educated and informed on issues impacting their lives. Common Sense Institute was founded in 2010 originally as Common Sense Policy Roundtable. CSI’s founders were a concerned group of business and community leaders who observed that divisive partisanship was overwhelming policymaking and believed that sound economic analysis could help Coloradans make fact-based and common sense decisions. She joins the show to discuss the Road to Recovery Initiative.

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

The Present and Future of Wireless Infrastructure featuring Scott Harry of Crown Castle

Scott Harry is the Government Affairs Manager at Crown Castle, the nation's largest provider of shared communications infrastructure - cell towers, small cells, fiber - which connects businesses to the data, technology, and wireless services we all rely on every day. The company's comprehensive infrastructure portfolio consists of more than 40,000 cell towers, approximately 70,000 on-air or under-contract small cell nodes, and approximately 80,000 route miles of fiber. 

On this week's episode, Scott shares his journey to Crown Castle, the impressive footprint of the company, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted its operations. Scott posits that many of the changes we've experienced as a result of the pandemic are here to stay and shares insight into why. 

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

World Trade Center Denver featuring President & CEO Karen Gerwitz

Karen Gerwitz is the President & CEO of World Trade Center Denver. a business network and services organization dedicated exclusively to the international business success of companies based in Colorado and the surrounding Rocky Mountain region. From their website:

"Our mission to build a strong future for the remarkable industries of the Rocky Mountain Region by helping our members collaborate locally, connect strategically and thrive on the global stage. We seek to inspire Colorado businesses and entrepreneurs to think bigger. To see what global trade can do, not just for our bottom lines, but for the places we call home. It isn’t just about imports and exports. It’s about bringing prosperity to our state and neighborhoods by forging ties with other neighborhoods around the world. It’s about a better future for all of us."

Karen Gerwitz brings 30 years’ experience in international business to the organization in the private, public and non-profit sectors.  Her enthusiastic vision for how Denver can become a more globally-conscious city is what is driving the organization to its new development in the RiNo neighborhood near downtown.  With business development, strategic growth and marketing as her main functional expertise, Karen has served overseas in Ghana and Austria, and in Colorado in multiple sectors including:  IT, Aerospace, Lumber, Science, Mining, and Government.  Her protocol and international cultural expertise prepared her well to host the official visits of the Emperor and Empress of Japan, the G8 Summit, the Western Hemisphere Ministerial Summit, and hundreds of other delegations. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in International Business and her Masters of Public Administration from the University of Colorado.

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

GlobalMindED featuring Founder Carol Carter

Carol Carter is the Founder of GlobalMindED, a 501(c)(3) closing the equity gap by creating a capable, diverse talent pipeline with programs, content and courses for students from the least resourced backgrounds through connections to role models, mentors, internships, experiences and jobs that make them employment worthy, promotion ready and financially fit to navigate a hierarchical world.

Carol’s business experience and her international work help shape her unique perspective on how institutions of learning, youth development, and businesses can prepare students from all backgrounds and levels of learning to thrive in an increasingly complex world. In 2014 she founded GlobalMindED to bring together leaders in education, government, business, and social enterprise committed to improving access and equity to education, employment and health. Now in its sixth year, the annual conference attracts more than 1000 attendees, including 100 first-generation college students who learn academic and professional skills while networking with companies who seek a diverse talent pipeline.

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

Vote No on Proposition 113 featuring Rose Pugliese

Proposition 113 would enter Colorado into the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC). The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) is an interstate compact to award member states' presidential electors to the candidate that receives the most votes nationwide. The NPVIC will go into effect if states representing at least 270 Electoral College votes—the number required to win the presidency—adopt the legislation.

Rose Pugliese is a County Commissioner representing District 3 of Mesa County, and is opposed to Proposition 113. On this week's episode, she shares the reasons for her opposition which include the belief that submitting to a compact of this type is tantamount to vote theft, a diminishing of Colorado's voice in national issues, and more. You can see more at ProtectColoradosVote.org. 

Rose graduated with honors from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and a minor in Japanese. She attended St. John's University School of Law and is admitted to practice law in Colorado, New York, and Florida. She is a dedicated member of the community, is a member of Rotary and participates in many community service projects.

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

Vote No on Proposition 118 featuring Kristi Pollard

Proposition 118 is a ballot measure currently before Colorado voters that would allow for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave funded through a payroll tax paid by employers and employees in a 50/50 split.

Kristi Pollard is a Principal at Catalyst Public Affairs and is opposed to Proposition 118. In this week's episode, she shares the impact the measure would have on businesses and families, the unintended consequences of the measure if it were to pass, who is funding the support side, and much more. While Proposition 118 might appear like an easy proposition to support, the devil is in the details. Tune in to our latest episode to hear more and then visit VoteNoOnProposition118.com for a full rundown. 

Prior to her time with Catalyst, Kristi served as the President and CEO of the Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation, a non-profit consortium of business, community and governmental leaders striving to create greater economic vitality in Jefferson County, Colorado. Kristi has diverse experience working in the public, private and non-profit sectors having been the Executive Director of the Grand Junction Economic Partnership, the principal owner of P², LLC, a government relations consulting firm, the CEO of the Colorado Mesa University Foundation, Stakeholder Engagement Specialist for Chevron and an Area Director for the United States Senate.

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

Colorado Business Coalition for Immigration Solutions featuring Brock Herzberg

Brock Herzberg is the Coordinator for the Colorado Business Coalition for Immigration Solutions in their daily efforts to assist Colorado business to find workable solutions on immigration reform. After having worked on this issue for well over a decade, Brock is ready to engage in a way that keeps this very important issue top of mind as our state, country, and the globe deal with the impacts and aftermath of COVID-19, as well as the upcoming election.

He is also a Principal owner of Capitol Focus, LLC, a government affairs firm in Denver. A native from Akron, Colorado, Brock graduated from Colorado State University in 2000 with a Bachelors degree in Speech Communications with a minor in Political Science.  Brock received his Masters degree in Communications from Colorado State University in 2002.

On this week's show Brock talks about his journey into political work, which started in elementary school as he attended county commission meetings, worked on campaigns, and developed a love for civic engagement. He also discusses immigration reform, why the issue doesn't have to be so deeply partisan, and the work done by CBCIS.

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

ACEC Colorado featuring President Karlene Thomas

The American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado (ACEC Colorado) is the business association of more than 250 member firms employing approximately 11,000 employees in the independent private practice of consulting engineering. ACEC Colorado is a primary resource for accessing engineering information, expertise and business ethics practices.

Karlene Thomas is the President of ACEC Colorado. She is also Principal - Quality Assurance / Quality Control at Pinyon Environmental, Inc. She is an environmental professional and licensed Professional Engineer -- both of which make her perfect for leading Pinyon’s Quality Assurance / Quality Control program. 

On this week's episode, she discusses the value ACEC Colorado brings to its members, discusses the work of engineers in general, and shares both her own personal journey into engineering as well as her favorite part about the work ACEC Colorado does. 

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.