The president of the Colorado Retail Council will step down from her job to become Colorado’s property tax administrator.
JoAnn Groff is leaving effective Dec. 31 to take the job being vacated by Mary Huddleston, who is retiring. Groff was appointed to the position by the State Board of Equalization.
Groff, 49, has led the trade group for 13 years. It lobbies on behalf of the state’s retail businesses.
“It’s bittersweet, but it’s a great opportunity to do something else,” Groff said Monday. “Sometimes you don’t want to stay in a job for so long that it becomes routine.”
She said one of the most significant trends during her tenure was the consolidation of retailers “and also some folks just flat going out of business.”
“The state of retail has changed pretty considerably. I can’t say it’s all for the good. It’s all for continuity, and it sure seems to be that we’re getting all the goods and services that we could possibly want.”
Groff will be replaced at the retail council by Chris Howes, who will fill the role on a contract basis while maintaining his lobbying business, The Howes Group.
Howes, 40, served as the council’s vice president from 1997 to 2001 before leaving to start his firm. He has lobbied on behalf of the council since.
Staff writer Kristi Arellano can be reached at 303-820-1902 or karellano@denverpost.com.
