After six years as leader of one of the region’s premier arts organizations, Tom Botelho will be leaving the position, the Denver Film Society announced Tuesday.
A longtime champion of the film society and a former board member, Botelho told the film society’s board this month he wanted to pursue fresh opportunities. He is expected to stay through September.
Botelho was appointed executive director in 2009 after a particularly contentious time at the film society. Before that, he had been a longtime marketing executive at the Denver Newspaper Agency.
“I’m very proud of what we’ve done. The future is bright,” Botelho said on the phone Tuesday. “I’m excited about the transition.”
The film society’s 2010 move to the Lowenstein cultureplex on East Colfax Avenue — along with its nationally known Starz Denver Film Festival — has positioned the nonprofit organization to become a national leader in independent film exhibition and education.
“Tom has been a godsend to the organization,” said film society board chairman Jim Bunch. “He did a great job, not just making it better but making it a lot better.”
