By its very nature, the Bernie Valdez Awards Luncheon is a happy occasion. This year it was even more so as the sponsoring Latin American Research and Service Agency embraced a huge, VIP-type crowd and introduced both a new award and its new leader.
Thomas Ogas succeeds the recently retired Polly Baca as LARASA’s chief executive, and comes to Denver from Silver City, N.M., where he was a respected civic leader and community volunteer.
Ogas was executive director/transit director for the Southwest Regional Transit District and created Corre Caminos, whose mission is to help curb the high rate of driving under the influence in the Grant County, N.M., area. He also volunteered on behalf of such groups as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Grant County, Border Area Mental Health and the Southwest Hispanic Roundtable.
He’s very familiar with the Denver area, thanks in large part to family living here. His brother, Jesse Ogas, is an actor at El Centro Su Teatro, a community relations executive with ARC Thrift of Colorado, and one-third of the vocal trio Encantada, which sang the national anthem at the luncheon’s start.
The luncheon’s newest award, the Sheldon Steinhauser Award for Community Service, was established this year in honor of Steinhauser, a longtime leader in Denver’s civil rights, Jewish and arts communities. The first recipient was Bill Vandenberg, a lobbyist, grassroots organizer and coalition builder who in 1996 founded the Colorado Progressive Coalition.
Steinhauser shared his table at the Denver Merchandise Mart with his wife, artist Jan Steinhauser; their daughter, Karen, who chairs the Anti-Defamation League board; grandson Daniel; nephew Jeff Geller; Cheryl Kisling, development vice president for the University of Colorado Foundation; Dr. Ralph Altiere, dean of the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy; Bruce DeBoskey, the ADL’s regional director; and Doug Seserman, president and CEO of the Allied Jewish Federation of Denver.
Gov. Bill Ritter was the keynote speaker, and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson sent a video message that was shown before emcee Luis Canela introduced the other award recipients:
Artist Carlos Santistevan was recognized for his commitment to civil rights; state Sen. Paula Sandoval was cited for her public service; Denver School Board president Theresa Peña was honored for contributions to education; and AARP Colorado was lauded for being a corporate leader.
Presenters included Bernie Valdez’s widow, Dora Valdez; Rudy Gonzales, son of the late activist Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales; Lena Archuleta; and Kim Montoya, chair of the LARASA board.
Society editor Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, /davidson
