Denver Public Schools’ former chief operating officer is now Denver’s new director of economic development.
André Pettigrew will take over Monday as the city’s top business liaison after Mayor John Hickenlooper announced the cabinet-level appointment today.
“André’s experience as a senior executive in entrepreneurial and large organizational environments — both in the private and public sectors — will be a great addition to the Denver Office of Economic Development team,” Hickenlooper said in a release. “He understands the relationship between economic health and every issue our community faces and is eager to help us expand new opportunities throughout the city.”
Pettigrew replaces former director John Huggins, who announced in January that he was leaving the city.
The mayor’s office said Pettigrew will bring “extensive experience with publicly-financed capital projects and procurements, labor and workforce issues, and working with the technology and venture-capital communities to promote investment, innovation and business growth.”
At Denver Public Schools, Pettigrew managed the district’s information technology services, human resources, facility management, transportation, safety/security, food services and purchasing.
Before working with the school district, he worked as vice president of marketing for a venture-capital fund that targeted Internet startup companies.
He also headed former Gov. Roy Romer’s Department of Personnel/General Support Services and oversaw Boulder’s economic development programs before that.
“By integrating its approaches to business support, workforce development and neighborhood vitality, the Denver Office of Economic Development has the tools, talent and mandate to promote opportunity in every corner of our community,” Pettigrew said in a statement.
Staff writer George Merritt can be reached at 303-954-1657 or gmerritt@denverpost.com.
