 |
 |
The Denver Forum is dedicated to the dialogue of democracy. That core belief was present at The Forum's inception and remains, 24 years later, the driving principle of this organization. In faithful observance of that ideal, The Forum has presented more than 500 programs in the highest public interest.
In 2008 The Forum presented, among other programs, the Ambassador of France to America, Pierre Vimont; the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Mary Peters; a special birthday remembrance of Jackie Robinson featuring the President of the Pacific Coast League, Branch Rickey III; Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey; the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, DC, the Rt. Reverend John Bryson Chane; the President of Environmental Defense, Fred Krupp; the President & Chief Executive Office of the American Petroleum Institute (API), Red Cavaney, and syndicated columnist and presidential biographer Richard Reeves, who has been The Forum’s most frequent guest.
But the most memorable Forum event in 2008 took place during the Democratic National Convention – a special luncheon tribute to former U.S. Senator George McGovern for a lifetime of service to America. The program featured former NBC Nightly News anchor, Tom Brokaw; former U.S. Senate Majority leader, Tom Daschle; former Massachusetts Governor and Democratic nominee for President, Michael Dukakis; former Maryland Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend; and former Vice President of the United States, Walter Mondale. In addition, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper presented The Denver Forum’s Spirit of America Award to Senator McGovern.
In 2007 The Forum presented a special World Series luncheon featuring ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian, writer and social critic Naomi Wolf, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Dominican Republic Ambassador Flavio Espinal, the legendary sports writer Frank Deford, United States Attorney Troy Eid, Denver School Superintendent Mike Bennett, Washington Times columnist Harlan Ullman, Shell Oil President John Hofmeister, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Ken Adelman, and Deloitte Touche CEO James Quigley, among others.
In previous years Forum members have heard from Reverend Jerry Falwell, Paris Review Editor George Plimpton, PBS's Judy Woodruff, author Tom Wolfe, author Paul Theroux, The New York Times' Anthony Lewis, U.S. Senator, and now Vice President of the United States, Joseph Biden of Delaware, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Jack Kemp, famed historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr., The Wall Street Journal's Al Hunt, syndicated columnist Robert Novak, PBS’ Mark Shields, Ladies Home Journal Editor Myrna Blyth, U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich, 20/20's Lynn Sherr, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum founder Buck O'Neil, FBI Director Robert Mueller, Sports Illustrated’s Rick Reilly, Price Waterhouse Chairman Dennis Nally, Atlantic Monthly correspondent James Fallows, former Texas Lt. Governor and author Ben Barnes, AMA President Dr. J. Edward Hill, U.S. Comptroller General David Walker, author and Council on Foreign Relations member Max Boot, and American Red Cross Chairman Bonnie McElveen-Hunter.
Denver Forum speakers represent different professions, philosophies, and political persuasions. An appropriate distinction, for it underscores The Forum's unyielding commitment to embrace neither political party nor partisan creed.
In addition, The Forum has presented such important programs as “Censorship in America”, “Denver in the Mind of America”, “An Evening With the Columnists”, featuring six of Colorado's leading journalists, and a symposium on “Have the Media Gone Too Far?”
Events of The Denver Forum are held over lunch at the historic Oxford Hotel in Lo-Do. Some events are held at breakfast, others in the evenings. The Forum occasionally goes on the road to Boulder and Aspen. Members pay $30 for luncheons. Non-members, who pay $45 to attend events, are always welcome – but membership is encouraged.
Members of The Denver Forum include some of Colorado's most distinguished citizens, such as former Governor Richard Lamm and his wife, Dottie, former U. S. Senator Gary Hart, Norm Brownstein and Steve Farber of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Lockheed Martin’s Joe Lehman, DMX Direct President Jim Kennel, FirstBank President Ron Tilton, Cap Logistics President & CEO Gayle Dendinger, Fulcrum Books founder Bob Baron, Tim O’Neill of Snell & Wilmer, and Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey. The Forum's list of Corporate Sponsors includes: Bennett, Wagner & Grody, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, FirstBank Denver, Lockheed Martin, DMX Direct Inc., Colorado Permanente Medical Group (CPMG), and Snell & Wilmer.
The Denver Forum holds to the Athenian's celebration of citizenship – a person engaged in civic life. If that describes the type of organization you're looking for, one that challenges you intellectually, causes you to reflect on the additional means by which you can help make Denver and our nation a better place, bring you into association with remarkable people, then The Denver Forum is your organization.
Membership in The Denver Forum is open to all. Through membership individuals help sustain one of America’s great public forums. (Please see membership details on this Web page.)
The President and founder of The Denver Forum is George Mitrovich, who also serves as President of The Forum’s sister organization in San Diego, The City Club. In addition, Mr. Mitrovich chairs for the Boston Red Sox, The Great Fenway Park Writers Series.
|
