They do things big in Texas, and even though it’s been 26 years since she lived in the land of bouffant hairdos, longhorn cattle and oil rigs stretching for as far as the eye can see, this much can be said about Jamie Angelich: You can take the girl out of the Lone Star State but if you put her in charge of a fundraising gala it’s going to be as lavish as most any Dallas high-society do.
Just ask those who’ve attended any of the 21 events she has chaired, including the 2011 Le Bal de Ballet, the 1993 Children’s Hospital Gala, the 2001 Western Fantasy, the 2009 Brass Ring Luncheon, the 1996 and 1999 ArtReach Festival of Trees, or the 2000 Beaux Arts Ball, when Steve Farber was her co-chair.
When Angelich’s in charge, the function is going to be grand, yet cost-effective, because she knows exactly what she wants — and how to get it.
The contact list in her iPhone is packed with the numbers — business, home and cell — for everyone from sports executives to fertility specialists. On the rare occasion when someone she reaches out to can’t donate or discount this service or that product, they put her in touch with someone who can.
On Friday, Angelich will be honored at Excelsior Youth Center’s Triumphant FACES Gala, a dinner at the Hyatt Regency Convention Center that also includes an acoustic set by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and fellow Texan Lyle Lovett. (For tickets, call 303-693-1550, ext. 331.)
Triumphant FACES is Excelsior’s annual tribute to women who have not let adversity impede their success.
Many know Angelich as a confident, well-traveled, fashionably attired and seemingly carefree soul with a beautiful home and a BMW in the garage. But growing up in an abusive household along with her three siblings has taught her critical lessons. Forgiveness, while difficult, is what she considers one of her greatest achievements.
“It’s hard to talk about all that we went through,” she says, “so let’s just say that some really awful things happened.”
She moved to Denver in 1986, following the breakup of her first marriage, and landed a job at what was then Jones Intercable.
It was there that she met Alan Angelich, to whom she has been married for 22 years. Their 19-year-old son, Adam, is an engineering major at the University of Southern California.
(Alan Angelich eventually left Jones to start Janco Partners with former ski champ Jan Helen. He retired three years ago).
After their marriage, Jamie immersed herself in charitable fundraising and quickly emerged as a leader.
She brought fresh ideas to the table and developed a reputation for producing spectacular and cost-effective events, a skill that keeps her in constant demand.
“I could be chairing something every month,” she allows, “and as hard as it is for me to say ‘no,’ I have reached a point where I will only say ‘yes’ to causes for which I have a passion. And if I can’t do it, I will find someone who can.”
Putting people and nonprofits together isn’t the extent of her matchmaking ability. Her uncanny knack for recognizing potential romance among her single friends has resulted in seven happy marriages and an untold number of long-term relationships.
While her skill as a matchmaker is admirable, she also has what some might see as a more surprising talent: marksmanship.
“I grew up in San Angelo, Texas, and people there like to shoot,” she says.
She’s sometimes joined at the firing range by her friend Lt. Dave Fisher of the Greenwood Village Police Department. “Jamie shoots her 9mm semiautomatic pistol with precision and speed, and she has mastered the finer points of safety,” Fisher says. “She’s an ambidextrous shooter, so whether she is using one hand or both, she is someone you don’t want to challenge to a gunfight.”
Fisher adds: “She can also handle shotguns and rifles, including her favorite, the AR-15. I hear that’s what she’d like to receive for her birthday.”
Last year, Jamie chaired an event that raised enough money for Greenwood Village to purchase a new police dog.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, and @GetItWrite on Twitter
Looking good and doing good: Twelve things you might not know about Jamie
I would never leave home without: Doing my hair and makeup. It’s a Texas thing!
Even my dearest friend would be surprised to know: How much I can eat. I have a very high metabolism and my husband says I can burn more calories talking on the phone than most people can running a mile.
I have a hard time: Sitting still. There’s that high- metabolism thing again!
My favorite ways to unwind are: Knitting in front of a fire while watching “Southland”; reading a good Vince Flynn novel; (or) taking a 12-minute steam.
The trait I most deplore in myself: Having such a hard time saying “no.” I get roped into things too easily, to the detriment of spending time with my family. But I’m much better now than in years past.
Facebook or face time?: Definitely face time.
My best ideas hit: When I’m brainstorming one-on-one with a friend.
Even as a child, I knew I would always: Have a strong spirit. It’s the story line in the autobiography my siblings and I are hoping to release soon. It’s told in our brother’s voice and is called “The Children They Were … The Women They Became.”
Most overrated virtue: Patience.
Most underrated virtue: Impatience.
Louboutin or Manolo?: I’ve never met a pair of Manolos I didn’t love.
My greatest regret: Not staying in better touch with people who truly mattered to me. When they’re gone, it’s too late. And it’s always too soon.
