For the first time in his professional career, local notable Tom Downey doesn’t know what fork in the road he’s going to take.
On Friday, Downey will step down as the head of the Timothy and Bernadette Marquez Foundation, a philanthropic organization funded by Venoco, a Denver oil-and-gas company.
“Monday’s my first day off, and I will be at Water World with my kids,” Downey said about his decision to leave the foundation.
“The process to leave was very difficult, but the end has been incredible,” said Downey, 45. “It just feels very good in that way. These visionary people are taking care of me.”
Downey, who is a father of three married to Lori Fox, a United Airlines spokeswoman and Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce board member, was at the Marquez Foundation less than six months.
He left his job as president of the Children’s Museum of Denver after 4 1/2 years. There, one of his proudest achievements was to leave the organization debt-free.
Before that job, Downey practiced law at various firms, including a stint as an attorney for then-state Attorney General Ken Salazar.
He took a leave of absence from the AG’s office to head up Al Gore’s campaign in Colorado and has been a fundraising fixture for Democratic candidates.
Moving forward, Downey says, he will likely stay in the nonprofit sector, where he’s found a calling.
“It’s been a pleasure working with Tom, and we wish him well in future endeavors,” Tim Marquez said.
If you want to reach Downey, e-mail him at tomfoxdowney@gmail.com.
Bar star.
The Tavern Downtown, co-owned by Frank Schultz, was named one of America’s 10 best rooftop bars in locally produced Frontier Airlines’ Wild Blue Yonder in- flight magazine in the July/August edition.
The issue focuses on the 10 hottest urban rooftop bars in America for an urban escape.
“One glimpse of the Rockies can make a grown man cry, especially if it’s the view of Coors Field from Denver’s Tavern Downtown,” the article says.
Earlier this year, Schultz expanded the rooftop area to more than double its previous size with the addition of the next-door building.
Pretty peeps.
Denver’s big booster Rich Grant, spokesmodel for Visit Denver (formerly the Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau), wants the Mile High City to earn bragging rights as the city with the prettiest people in Travel + Leisure magazine’s online survey.
To vote, you can take the survey at travelandleisure .
Daves save.
If your name is Dave, David or Davy (maybe Davie? Davis?) you will get a free entree (up to a $15 value) at Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que restaurants Sunday as part of the restaurant chain’s 16th-anniversary celebration.
If your middle name is Dave, David or Davy, you can get a half-price entree. The offer is good for dining in or to-go orders. Famous Dave’s has five Colorado locations; go to or for addresses.
Eavesdropping
on a woman to a group of co-workers: “I wish someone would say I was having sex. Just saying it would be nice.”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Listen to her between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
