Barry Hirschfeld was introduced to community service — and philanthropy — as a child when he accompanied his grandfather, A.B. Hirschfeld, on his charitable rounds.
The elder Hirschfeld, who spent 10 years in the state legislature and founded the A.B. Hirschfeld Press in 1907, served on 50 civic boards.
The exposure served Barry well because Wednesday night, he received the Mizel Institute’s 2015 Community Cultural Enrichment Award for his contributions to the greater good of Denver.
The award was presented before 2,000 guests at a dinner ceremony held at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum.
The evening, Barry said, was particularly meaningful because it was given by his friend of 50 years, Larry Mizel. “I am both proud and humbled that they saw fit to confer this honor on me. “
His wife, Arlene, who received the same award 10 years ago, was elated that Barry accepted it. “He never likes to be in the limelight, even when he’s in charge. “
Guests include Gov. John Hickenlooper, Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, attorney general Cynthia Coffman, Phil and Nancy Anschutz, Colorado Springs Mayor-elect John Suthers, Starz founder John Sie and Pete Coors.
Dick Kelly, retired head of Xcel Energy, on whose board Barry served for 25 years: “everything good that’s happened in Denver has Barry’s fingerprints on it”
A 1964 graduate of Cal Poly who also has an MBA from the University of Denver, Barry Hirschfeld was president of A.B. Hirschfeld Press from 1984 to 2004, when the company was merged with National Printing. He also founded Colorado Carphone and continues as president of A.B. Hirschfeld & Sons, a real estate development company.
He is an inductee to the Colorado Business Hall of Fame and Colorado Tourism Hall of Fame, and he serves on the boards of several organizations, including VISIT Denver, Boy Scouts and the Rocky Mountain Multiple Sclerosis Center, which he helped start.
