Five distinguished graduates of the University of Denver were honored at a dinner that celebrated the 147th anniversary of DU’s founding.
Pat Grant, Carol Tome, John Ritter, Brad Busse and Nicholas Sauer — along with Victor Quinn, DU’s outside legal counsel for 50-plus years — accepted their awards at a dinner held in the Seawell Grand Ballroom.
Grant, who earned his MBA from DU in 1973, received the university’s highest alumni honor, the Evans Award, for his 20 years as president/chief executive of the National Western Stock Show. Grant relinquished that post in late 2010 to become the stock show’s director of long-range planning.
Grant’s tenure as CEO included overseeing the funding and construction of the National Western Events Center, the Expo Hall and the Hall of Education. He also helped create the Coors Western Art Exhibit and Sale that operates during each stock show; and under his leadership, attendance at the stock show’s ticketed events increased by 20 percent.
Tome, the chief financial officer and executive vice president of corporate services for The Home Depot, received her MBA from DU in 1981 and was given the nod for professional achievement.
Ritter, president of the New York chapter of DU’s alumni association, accepted the Randolph P. McDonough Award for Service to Alumni. He received his bachelor’s and BSCE degrees from DU in 1972.
Busse, president and co-chair of RBC Daniels, which provides financial services to the cable, telecommunications, media and technology industries worldwide, earned his bachelor of science degree from DU in 1980 and was given the Community Service Award for his work with groups that include Mile High United Way and Colorado’s Early Childhood Leadership Commission.
The Alumni Hyde Award for Recent Graduate Achievement went to Nicholas Sauer (B.A., 2005), the youngest member of the School District 220 Board of Education in Barrington, Ill.
Though Quinn is not a DU grad, he earned the Distinguished Service to the University Award for serving as DU’s outside legal counsel for 50-plus years. He was a partner with the Denver law firm Cockrell Quinn & Creighton from 1961 to 2007 and specialized in nonprofit corporation law, real estate, probate and trust, education and public pensions.
Coming right up
Whine & Kibbles, a $100-a-ticket party to raise money for the purchase of two dogs for the Greenwood Village Police Department Canine Unit, begins at 6 p.m. today at Mangia Bevi restaurant. Chairwoman Jamie Angelich says the festivities will kick off with Opie Gone Bad frontman Jake Schroeder singing “The Star Spangled Banner”; there will also be a police helicopter flyover, food and wine samplings and an auction. Sign up at . . . . The Denver chapter of The Links Inc. raises money for its philanthropic projects by hosting a reception and performance of “Ruined” on Thursday night at the Ricketson Theatre in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Visit . . . . At 11 a.m. Sunday, the Greenwood Village boutique Delish Demure is having a gardenparty-themed fashion show and best hat contest at Il Fornaio restaurant, 8000 E. Belleview Ave. A portion of the $20 admission goes to Centus Counseling Center. Call 303-740-1100. . . . In other hat news, a Mad Hatter Happy Hour is scheduled for 6 p.m. March 23 at Goorin Bros., 1410 Larimer St. There’ll be cocktails courtesy of St-Germain, food from Gourmet Fine Catering and guests are asked to wear or bring a hat to be donated to the Step 13 recovery center. RSVP to jimguttau@msn.com.
