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CBCA Applauds 12 Honorees at Sold-Out Business for the Arts Awards Luncheon

Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA) recognized 12 honorees at its 2023 Business for the Arts Awards, presented by EY and PNC Bank. This sold-out event was attended by 700 corporate, cultural and civic leaders at the Seawell Ballroom, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, as well as live streamed to attendees. CBCA’s largest annual fundraiser and celebration, the Awards luncheon is the only statewide event honoring companies and individuals for their outstanding partnerships and engagement with the arts.

Founded in 1985, CBCA has been producing this inspiring, arts-infused event for 35 years, featuring exemplary honorees and a variety of homegrown entertainers and Colorado artists. CBCA has honored over 200 companies and individuals in that time.

“It was wonderful to be back with another sold-out Awards luncheon,” said Dustin Whistler, CBCA Board Chair and Founder & Principal, Forte Commercial Real Estate. “This year’s honorees truly demonstrated the impact of CBCA’s mission and how arts and business partnerships can foster innovation, inclusion and economic growth.”

The Awards luncheon program was emceed by CBS4 Anchorman and award-winning Journalist Jim Benemann, who has emceed this event for over a decade and retires later this month. The program was punctuated with four diverse live performances featuring Colorado-based artists, sponsored by Moye White. The program kicked off with a moving performance by Denver singer, songwriter and performance artist Kayla Marque. Leela Dance Collective, an international touring dance company, performed the North Indian dance form kathak. The Boulder Bassoon Quartet showcased a range of musical genres and Wild Heart Dance closed out the event with a riveting contemporary dance piece. 

Prior to the event, guests mingled at a networking reception, sponsored by Xcel Energy, featuring music from Denver-Boulder area singers and instrumentalists, Planina: Songs of Eastern Europe. Honorees and sponsors attended a VIP Reception, sponsored by Anythink Libraries, with live music from singer, songwriter and musician Casino Perosi at Prelude + Post.

The original Award Artwork presented to each honoree was commissioned from interdisciplinary artist Autumn T. Thomas, and sponsored by HealthONE. Each of the illuminated mixed media table centerpieces were crafted by the Art Students League of Denver, and sponsored by Bellco Credit Union.

2023 Arts & Business Partnership Award Honorees

The Arts & Business Partnership Award honorees are exemplary organizations that have gone above and beyond to support the arts and creative industries. 

  • Colectiva is dedicated to advancing Latinx and BIPOC artists and creative businesses, ranging from chefs to dancers. Since 2020, Colectiva has worked with over 30 businesses and organizations to foster collaborations, infuse our community with art and advocate for culture. 

  • Colorado School of Mines students and faculty in the George S. Ansell Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering and the Hennebach Program in the Humanities collaborated with performing arts collective itchy-O to create one-of-kind musical instruments, advancing the field of musical engineering, and showcasing the intersection of the arts and science.

  • Fitzsimons Credit Union is deeply invested in supporting and promoting the Aurora Cultural Arts District. Fitzsimons staff and philanthropy support Downtown Aurora Visual Arts (DAVA), Aurora Fox Theater, Colfax Canvas Mural Fest, and We Are A-Town Art District Clean-Up events.

  • Gill Foundation & Scream Agency partnered with the LGBTQ artist community in Denver, as well as History Colorado and RiNo Arts District, to raise awareness about the pivotal LGBTQ movements in 2021. Local artists depicted key LGBTQ milestones on canvas, wood, and even a warehouse garage.

  • McWhinney believes that incorporating art is necessary for successful placemaking. With arts and culture as one of its brand pillars, McWhinney brings its commitment to life at a multitude of properties in Colorado, such as Dairy Block, Centerra in Loveland and Denver Union Station. 

  • Mishawaka Amphitheatre and their philanthropic arm, the Mish Initiative, having been partnering with the Front Range community and beyond to expand access to live music, catalyze the careers of Colorado musicians, and shape the policy to improve the music ecosystem.

  • Modivcare worked with Access Gallery to fill their new corporate headquarters with 100 original artworks created by artists with disabilities and seniors, which aligns with their mission to provide health access to underserved communities. 

  • U.S. Bank in a national leader in corporate support and employee engagement for arts and culture. The arts are one of three community focus areas, which results in more than $250,000 annually to support a range of Colorado cultural organizations through the U.S. Bank Foundation. 

EY Next Wave Leadership Award

The EY Next Wave Leadership Award honors rising professionals who are leading the future of our cultural community. 

  • Ashley Cornelius, LPC, RESTORE Program Manager, Denver Health is a passionate advocate for mental health, empowerment and racial equity. A licensed counselor and Pikes Peak Region Poet Laureate, Cornelius is committed to using poetry as a platform to speak up and out for marginalized groups and be a voice for those who have been silenced.

PNC Bank Cultural Leadership Award

The PNC Bank Cultural Leadership Award recognizes an outstanding graduate of CBCA’s Leadership Arts program who has made an impact on arts and culture in Colorado. 

  • Deborah Malden, Co-Founder/Board Member, Create Boulder and Arts Liaison & Advisor, Boulder Chamber has been advocating for the arts since graduating from Leadership Arts in 2013. Malden’s leadership service includes 3rd Law Dance/Theater, SCFD Board of Directors, Create Boulder, Boulder Chamber, CBCA’s Colorado Cultural Champions and more. 

Volunteer Attorney Impact Award

The Volunteer Attorney Impact Award recognizes an outstanding attorney who has provided pro bono legal services to Colorado creatives and advanced CBCA’s Colorado Attorneys for the Arts (CAFTA) program. 

  • Brian Hanning, Attorney, Hanning Law Limited has been an active volunteer with Colorado Attorneys for the Arts (CAFTA) since 2017, helping numerous artists and creative entrepreneurs with their legal needs, answering questions on CAFTA consultation clinics, and advocating for startup and small business support in Northern Colorado. 

John Madden, Jr. Leadership Award

Named for CBCA’s founding chairman, the John Madden, Jr. Leadership Award recognizes a lifetime of extraordinary leadership and a legacy of support for the arts. 

  • Merle Chambers, business person and co-founder, Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art is a pioneer of women’s leadership and philanthropy, supporting significant capital projects at several museums, performance venues and cultural institutions. Chambers was recently appointed by U.S. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. to the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts (PACA).

CBCA thanks our generous sponsors who make this event possible. The Business for the Arts Awards are presented by EY and PNC Bank. Generous support is also provided by HealthONE, Bellco Credit Union, Moye White, Xcel Energy and Anythink Libraries. In-kind and media partners are CBS4, ColoradoBiz Magazine, Denver Business Journal, Ligature Creative, Moxtopia, and The Publishing House.

 

Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA) advances Colorado’s creative economy by connecting business and the arts through arts engagement, advocacy, training, research, and volunteerism. CBCA is a 38-year-old 501c3 nonprofit membership organization of leading Colorado companies who recognize the link between cultural vitality and economic success.  Learn more at www.cbca.org.

Debunking the Myth of the Visionary

Steve Jobs. Elon Musk. Bill Gates. Mark Zuckerberg. Jeff Bezos. These current and historic CEOs are highly recognized for being the figureheads of the powerful organizations they founded (i.e., Apple, Tesla, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon).

Many believe the success of these companies is the direct result of a singular vision conceived and executed by these individuals. Some in leadership roles are all too happy to perpetuate this “myth of the visionary,” positioning themselves as revolutionary figures and the human embodiment of their businesses.

Others share my stance on the matter — founders and CEOs get far too much credit for their companies’ achievements.

The most effective leaders realize their limitations and have mastered the skill of soliciting perspectives from a broad network, channeling this input to continually refine and reinvent the business.

In the business world, vision is rarely (if ever) a singular concept — but an amalgamation of ideas and input from several key contributors. CEOs don’t have all the answers, and they don’t conceive strategies in a vacuum. The most effective leaders realize their limitations and have mastered the skill of soliciting perspectives from a broad network, channeling this input to continually refine and reinvent the business.

In my experience, both as a CEO and as an employee, the following 6 traits — not vision — are the hallmarks of an effective leader.

1. Open-minded

As author Daniel Weinberger states in his book Too Big to Know, “The smartest person in the room is the room itself.” Effective leaders are not only open to new insights and ideas — they seek them out, initiating conversations with leaders in related businesses and listening to teammates at every level. Shared experience and intelligence are crucial to building an organization that meets the varied and ever-changing needs of its customers.

2. Network-oriented

Effective leaders use their interactions with others to establish a network of trusted partners and advisors they can continually consult for advice and direction. This includes external partners such as private equity firms, investment banks, and vendor partners. It also includes internal advisors such as other C-level executives and board members. Opportunities and ideas for business growth commonly emerge from these relationships.

For example, our partner network at Modivcare, which includes prominent health plans, helped us realize how the addition of supportive care services like personal care, remote patient monitoring, and meals to our solution suite could position our company to provide a more comprehensive offering to health plan members while also benefitting healthcare case managers and State governments. Internal advisors and stakeholders, such as our corporate development team, led the development and execution of a plan to recalibrate our corporate entity around this new vision.

3. Flexibility

Effective CEOs aren’t necessarily the greatest thinkers, strategists, or forecasters, but they are always flexible and responsive. Good leaders adjust quickly to new information, synthesizing the views of many into key directives and adapting the business vision and strategy accordingly. This is true even if new information leads the company down a different path than originally anticipated. Getting to ‘Plan B’ is not a sign of failure, but an essential milestone on the path to success.

4. Willingness to Act

Assimilating new information is key, but entrepreneurs can easily become inundated with data and succumb to analysis paralysis. There comes a time for action. Effective leaders are decisive, trusting their instincts, and comfortable with some level of uncertainty. A successful CEO isn’t afraid to take calculated risks when the potential rewards outweigh the drawbacks.

Furthermore, a resilient leader is willing to “Run to the Roar” by thoughtfully tackling primary issues facing the company even if the process is difficult or frightening.

5. Staying Humble

Inspirational leaders aren’t characterized by shameless self-promotion or self-aggrandizement. Instead, effective CEOs are humble instruments of the business — shaping themselves to the company rather than the company to themselves. True leaders walk the talk, setting the example for teammates. They also use their positions of leadership to benefit the organization, its customers, and its employees.

This is especially true during times of significant change. For example, effective CEOs not only make incoming employees from an acquisition feel welcome, but they also ensure these new team members are better positioned to succeed than they were prior to the merger.

For CEOs, shifting focus from functional expertise to interpersonal skills such as empathy and mentorship is a sound strategy to not only continue personal growth, but also prepare the next generation of CEOs to be effective leaders.

6. Commitment to Self-improvement

Finally, effective leaders never stop focusing on their personal and professional development. They are not only willing, but also motivated to learn new things and enhance their skill sets to ensure continued self-improvement. Just because a CEO has reached the perceived pinnacle of their career doesn’t mean they have achieved optimal effectiveness and impact. For CEOs, shifting focus from functional expertise to interpersonal skills such as empathy and mentorship is a sound strategy to not only continue personal growth, but also prepare the next generation of CEOs to be effective leaders.

History will always want to place certain founders and CEOs on a pedestal — exalting them as brilliant, once-in-a-lifetime visionaries that single-handedly changed the course of their respective industries. The truth is most often the exact opposite. Vision is a collective concept, and effective leadership is the result of successfully harnessing and targeting shared experience and insight to shape company strategy.

 

Modivcare won in the highly competitive category of Community Relations PR Campaign of the Year for its collaboration with Access Gallery, a Denver-based non-profit organization that empowers artists with disabilities.
Modivcare and Access Gallery 1
From Left to Right: Skylar K., Dareius H., Daniel E. Greenleaf, Josiah L., AJ K.  |  (Access Gallery artists names are recognized and provided as stated, by Access Gallery and Modivcare)
Modivcare and Access Gallery 2
From Left to Right: Josiah L., Daniel E. Greenleaf, AJ K.  |  (Access Gallery artists names are recognized and provided as stated, by Access Gallery and Modivcare)

 

Daniel E. Greenleaf Portrait

Daniel E. Greenleaf is president and CEO of Modivcare, a technology-enabled healthcare services company that provides a platform of integrated supportive care solutions for public and private payors and their patients.

In June 2022, Dan was awarded The Alumni Citation Award from Denison University. The Alumni Citation is the highest honor bestowed upon a Denisonian, with criteria for selection including professional accomplishment, service to one’s local community and beyond, and service to Denison. 

Modivcare recently won a Stevie® Award in the 20th Annual American Business Awards®. Modivcare won in the highly competitive category of Community Relations PR Campaign of the Year for its collaboration with Access Gallery, a Denver-based non-profit organization that empowers artists with disabilities.