More than almost anything in the world, Denver Botanic Gardens chief executive Brian Vogt loved people.
It came out in big ways, like his tireless efforts to make the gardens welcoming for all, and in small ways, like the way he stopped to talk with every volunteer planting flowers and wrote birthday cards for his employees.
“Brian was the most generous person on the planet,” said Deborah Jordy, executive director of the . “He touched my life in the most meaningful way. He was always there for me, his staff and board, our cultural community and business community.”
Vogt died early Tuesday morning from cancer, his sister, Teri Bray, told The Denver Post. He was 66.
Over his 18-year tenure as CEO, Vogt became a national leader in the garden world and transformed the Denver Botanic Gardens with events, music, film and collaboration, Jordy said.
“He would come up with these ideas and you’d think, ‘Can we do that?'” said Mary Lee Chin, chair of the garden’s Board of Trustees. “And he would make it happen.”
That included overseeing and raising funds for master development plans to transform both the York Street and campuses, Chin said.
One of Vogt’s biggest passions was making the gardens a place for everyone, Chin said. Programs for people of all ages and backgrounds, adding shuttle buses to increase access for people who needed transportation and veterans programs were all brought to fruition under Vogt’s leadership.
“It truly was such an open place because his goal was to make it not only a place of beauty, but a place where people can come and move apart from their busy, chaotic every day lives and enjoy nature and flowers and find solace,” she said.
Vogt previously worked in economic development, serving as president of the for 14 years, leading a campaign to establish the city of Centennial and leading the state’s Office of Economic Development & International Trade and Department of Local Affairs. He was hired as CEO of the gardens in 2007.
Bray said she wasn’t surprised when her brother decided to shift from business to the nonprofit world. It just made sense.
“He was a giver. He would more than anything rather give to people and love people than receive it,” Bray said. “He took great passion in helping and seeing the best in everyone.”
Brian Vogt was born June 10, 1958, in Denver to parents Roy and Dorothy Vogt. The family moved to Aurora and then Littleton after Roy Vogt was elected
Brian Vogt attended the University of Colorado Boulder and briefly moved away to work for the “Just Say No” anti-drug campaign spearheaded by Nancy Reagan, but later moved back to Colorado.
He is survived by his sister Teri Bray, brother-in-law Brett Bray, niece Eliann Carr, nephew Brandon Bray and great-nephews Charlie and Michael Carr.
Services have not yet been announced.
