The top executive at Stan Kroenke’s Denver sports empire is resigning to take the reins of the National Western Stock Show, an annual showcase event for Colorado’s agricultural industry.
Paul Andrews will succeed Pat Grant as president and chief executive of the National Western effective Nov. 1, the organization announced Friday. Andrews will leave his post as executive vice president of Kroenke Sports Enterprises — owner of the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Pepsi Center and other assets — on Oct 27.
At National Western, Andrews will handle day-to-day operations and lead long-term planning for the 104-year-old event. In recent years, stock show officials have sought to move the event from its aging complex amid struggles with rising maintenance costs. They’ve said the existing site at Interstate 70 and Brighton Boulevard in northeast Denver is too constrictive.
Andrews declined Friday to address whether there are still plans to move the event, which features rodeos, exhibits and vendors.
In 2007, a year after attracting a record 730,000 visitors for its 100th anniversary, the National Western suffered its first financial loss in nearly two decades, losing $559,000.
Since then, the event has posted gains of $184,000 in 2008, $63,000 in 2009 and $285,000 this year, according to a spokeswoman. The next stock show is scheduled to run from Jan. 8 to Jan. 23.
Andrews, 46, said he was approached about the position several months ago.
“The National Western is the fabric of everything good and attracts international and national audiences,” he said. “I was very attracted to that as a kid who grew up in Lakewood and went to the University of Wyoming and worked on a ranch most of his life out in Golden.” Andrews said his grandfather was a rancher in Golden.
National Western board chairman Jerry McMorris said Andrews was selected after an “extensive search.”
“We’ve found a dynamic leader who will continue to build upon the stock-show legacy, tradition, charitable mission and history,” McMorris said in a press release. In a separate statement, Stan Kroenke called Andrews “a good friend.”
Andrews joined the Nuggets in 1990 as an account executive. He was appointed executive vice president of Kroenke Sports in April 2005.
“We have experienced a tremendous amount of growth as a company thanks to Paul’s leadership,” Kroenke said.
Grant announced in June that he would step down from the stock-show post he has held since 1991.
Five years ago, Grant looked at moving the stock show to a site near the Prairie Gateway project in Commerce City, which was in early development stages at the time. The project is anchored by Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, a soccer stadium that Kroenke Sports opened in 2007.
Andy Vuong: 303-954-1209, avuong@denverpost.com or
