There’s a crisis in American education. Too many kids from low-income families are falling between the cracks simply because they’re stuck in failing schools and can’t afford any other options. It’s happening right here in Colorado where only 68.5% of students from low-income families graduate from high school. ACE Scholarships was founded in Colorado in 2000 to provide low-income families with school choice through partial scholarships to K-12 private schools. ACE serves children whose families qualify for the federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program and the average income for our ACE families is $48,776 a year. So far in Colorado we’ve awarded over 26,000 scholarships with a cumulative worth of more than $58M, helping to send kids from low-income families to the schools of their choice. And the results are amazing with a 99% high school graduation rate for the ACE Class of 2020 in Colorado. Moreover, they are enrolling in and graduating from college at rates similar to kids from predominantly high-income high schools. To learn more about ACE Colorado’s success, take a look at our third-party research report, click here.
STATES WE WORK IN » COLORADO
This is more than the story of America’s educational crisis. It’s the story of how we can solve it.
Give a child the promise of a better tomorrow by becoming a donor today.
Please help us fill the 10,027 open desks all over Colorado, and let’s give children from low-income families the opportunity for a great education and a lifetime of success.
Board of Trustees
KEVIN AHERN Managing Partner, Brush Creek Partners
DON BAILEY* Chairman & CEO, Triton Investment Company
BILL BERGNER Bergner Companies
GRAYDON BEVIS CEO, Pella Windows & Doors of Colorado, Inc
ED BERNAU Denver, CO
MARK BRINKERHOFF Managing Partner, Brinkerhoff Hospitality
RICHARD BROWN Denver, CO
MATT CALL Founding Principal NavPoint Real Estate Group & Dormie Capital Partners
PATRICK CALLAHAN Vice President of Business Development, US Strategic Minerals Exploration
BLAKE CARLSON Partner, Carlson Land Development, LLC
GEORGE CAULKINS III* Principal, Greendeck Capital
ALEX CRANBERG* Chairman, Aspect Energy, LLC ACE Trustee Emeritus
MEG DUKE Denver, CO
LORI DURHAM Denver, CO
RICK ELDRIDGE President & CEO, Intuitive Companies
GREGG ENGLES Partner, Capital Peak Partners
JAMES EVANS President & CFO, Rockpile Energy Services, LLC
DARREN FISK Founder, CEO/CIO, Forum Real Estate Group
NATE FORD Partner, Perkins Coie, LLP
JOHN FOX Chairman, Augusta Jane Oil & Gas, LLC
MIKE FRIES President & CEO, Liberty Global, Inc.
CHARLIE GALLAGHER Chairman & CEO, Gallagher Enterprises ACE Trustee Emeritus
CALEB GATES Denver, CO
JOHN GRIER President, Crimson Midstream, LLC
TOM HAMILTON President, HF Corp
J. DAVE HUNTER Chairman, Financial Designs Ltd.
LOU HUTCHISON President, H-D Asset Management, LLC
JOHN IKARD Denver, CO
BRANDON JOHNSON President, Johnson Financial Group
MIKE JOHNSON President, Johnson GEO
TOM JORDEN Chairman, CEO & President, Cimarex Energy Company
MIKE KENNEDY President, Point Rider Real Estate LLC
ERIC KOEPLIN* Partner Advisor, AdvicePeriod
DON LAW* President, Prima Exploration, Inc.
DICK LEWIS Chairman, Tudor Pickering Holt & Co.
STEVE LOCKTON Owner, Lockton Companies of Colorado, Inc
SHARON MAFFEI Principal, SAM Lifestyles
JONATHAN MARSICO Owner, Ship Sticks
MARK MCCAMMON Managing Partner, Strength Capital
SCOTT MCLEAN CEO, Implementix
TIM MILLER Chairman, Pivot Point Ventures
KELLY MILLEN Denver, CO
KEVIN MIZE Founder, KM Investments
NICK MORRIS CEO, Western Paper Distributors
JULIE MORK Managing Director, ECA Foundation ACE Trustee Emeritus
SUSAN MUELLER Denver, CO
JIMMY MULVIHILL Principal & Founder, Black Creek Capital
RALPH NAGEL* President, Top Rock Investments, LLC
JOE NIEBUR President / Owner, Niebur Development, Inc.
MICHAEL O'SHAUGHNESSY President, Lario Oil & Gas Company Co.
BILL OWENS* Senior Director, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
TOM PETRIE Chairman, Petrie Partners, LLC ACE Trustee Emeritus
WALTER RAKOWICH Retired CEO, ProLogis Foundation
SCOTT REIMAN* President, Hexagon Investments, Inc. ACE Trustee Board Co-Chairman
PERRY RICKEL Founder & CEO, Marrick Medical Finance, LLC
AUDREY ROBERTSON Co-Founder & CFO, Franklin Mountain Energy, LLC
KRISTINE ROBERTSON Denver, CO
DICK ROBINSON Co-Chairman, Robinson Dairy, Inc. ACE Trustee Emeritus
JON ROBINSON EVP Regional Chief Credit Officer, UMB Bank of Colorado, N.A.
JEFF ROSS* President & CEO, Ross Aviation
JAMIE SABATIER CEO, J Sabatier and Company
CRAIG SAEMAN Chief Development Officer, Catholic Charities of Denver
DICK SAUNDERS Founder & Chairman, Saunders Construction Company
ADAM SAYERS President, Axia Energy II, LLC
RICK SCHMITZ Partner, SKS Ventures, LLC
MARK SEXTON Chairman & CEO, Evergreen National Resources
TERRY SHADWICK BarnLight Capital LLC
JOE SMITH Partner, Bartlit Beck LLP
GEORGE SOLICH* President, FourPoint Energy, LLC
MICHAEL STARZER Managing Partner, Sixth Creek Energy
BETSEY UNGER Denver, CO
WOUTER VAN KEMPEN CEO, DCP Midstream, LLC
GREG VIGIL* Principal, Castle Rock Resources II, LLC
MIKE WARD* Owner, Mike Ward Infiniti, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, McLaren, Fiat
TIM WALSH CEO & Founder, Confluence Companies, LLC
DICK WEIL CEO, Janus Capital Group
PETER WELLS Chairman, Wells Property Holdings, LLC
CHARLES WESLEY CEO, Thoroughbred Resources
JOHN WILLIAMS Denver, CO
DON WOLF CEO, Enduring Resources, LLC
JOHN WOODWARD Partner, Spierer, Woodward, Corbalis, and Goldberg, P.C
CHRIS WRIGHT* CEO, Liberty Oilfield Services, LLC ACE Trustee Board Co-Chairman
*denotes Executive Committee Member
Board of Advisors
ANDY AYE Colorado Market President, U.S. Bank
CHRISTIAN BIENVENU Managing Director, SVP, Sr. Relationship Manager, PNC Bank, N.A.
GABE BODHI CEO, Tekton Group
CHRIS BRIGGS Denver, Colorado
CHRIS BROWN Vice President, CRH Americas
LINDSAY BROWN* Executive Vice President, Hughes Marino
STEVE BURETZ Senior Vice President – CAZ Investments
ENRICO CACCIORNI, Managing Partner, Red Lodge Development
JUDY CAIN Partner, Plante Moran
MATT CALL Principal & CEO, NavPoint Real Estate Group
WAYNE CAVANAUGH Founder & CEO, Ninja Nation
COURTNEE CHUN SVP of Investor Relations, Liberty Media Corporation
SCOTT CLARK* Chairman and CEO, The True Life Companies
MIKE CORBETT Vice President, Innovest Portfolio Solutions, LLC
MELISSA CORRADO-HARRISON Managing Director - Wealth Management, Corrado Harrison & Associates
IAN DICKINSON Denver, CO
STACEY DUKE* President & Managing Partner, BDO ACE Advisory Board Co-Chair
LEIGH DUNN Manager/VP of Philanthropy, Engineered Demolition, Inc.
ANN DURHAM LIV Sotheby’s International Realty Advisor, Anne Durham Properties
JAE EDWARDS Co-Founder / CEO, Dublin Development
MIKE FARGHER Territory Manager, Ritchie Bros., Inc.
SHANE FEIMAN Executive Vice President, Assured Equity Management Corporation
TRACY FORST Managing Director, Aon Risk Solutions
NORM FRANKE Regional President, Alpine Bank
JOHN FREYER, JR.* President, Land Title Guarantee Company
LINDSAY MORTON GAISER Owner and Vice President, Andrisen Morton
JENNIFER GILLILAND Denver, CO
SERGIO GUTIERREZ Vice President & Client Advisor, JP Morgan Private Bank
NATASHA HARRIS Natasha Harris, Principal/Manager, Biegert Group
JOHN HILL CEO, Quince Associates
MIKE HOMMEL* Owner, Designs by Sundown
CHRISTOPHER HUMBER* Denver, CO
ERIN HUTCHINSON COO, Vehicle Vault
BRIAN JUMPS Member, Jumps Law, LLC
CRAIG S. KINARD Managing Director - Wealth Management, Merrill Lynch, The Kinard Group
JON L. KINNING* EVP/COO, RK Mechanical, Inc.
KURT KITTLESON President & CEO, K2 Commodities
MARK KORELL Principal, Tower Rock Investments, LLC
JEFF LANG Vice President, Energy Practices, IMA Financial Group, Inc.
BRUCE MACDONALD Owner/President, MacDonald Hardwoods
TRAVIS MCAFOOS Principal, Ketro Real Estate
MIKE MCCUBBIN* Vice President, IMA Financial Group, Inc.
MARVIN MCDANIEL Denver, CO
WALKER MONFORT* Vice President, Corporate Sales, Colorado Rockies Baseball Club ACE Advisory Board Co-Chair
SARA MONTGOMERY Wealth Transfer Specialist, Planta Moran
CHRIS MURDY Managing Director-Real Estate Development, Haselden Construction
FRANK NESSINGER Executive Vice President, FourPoint Energy, LLC
CARL PISKE President, Alta Products LLC
JB RICHARDSON COO, Cherry Creek, Insurance Agency, Inc.
AUDREY ROBERTSON* Co-Founder & CFO, Franklin Mountain Energy, LLC
GREGORY SCHMIDT President, Saunders Construction, Inc.
MELANIE SCHMIEDING Managing Director, Abbot Downing
NATE SCHNABEL* Owner, NAS Properties
BARRY SHAMES Business Consultant, Cairn Strategies
MATT SMITH Partner, Holland & Hart LLP
REED SMITH Senior Vice President, BOK Financial Insurance
JUSTIN SOUCIE CEO & CIO, G&S Capital, LLC
BRETT SPITZER EVP and Managing Director, NAI Global Corporate Solutions
JENNA STAPLETON Executive Director, Harmes C. Fishback Foundation Trust
MARK STONEHOCKER Manager, Stonehocker Farms, LLC
STEPHEN STOREY Partner, BPT Performance Consulting
RYAN SULLIVAN Founder, Waypoints Energy
PHIL SUMMERS President & CEO, Logic Healthcare
ADAM TRUITT Principal, Financial Designs, Ltd.
MATT TURNER* Managing Partner, MorningStar Senior Living
MICHAEL TURNER Chairman of the Board, RevGen Partners
BERT WILLIAMS* Chief Operating Officer, Johnson Financial Group
PAUL WILLIAMSON President, Colorado Region, UMB Bank of Colorado
*denotes Executive Committee Member
Associate Board
NATE ANGELL Strategic Advisor, The Morgridge Family Foundation
MARTHA BORRE Associate Managing Director, Commercial Real Estate, CIBC
WES BRADISH Managing Director, Ziegler Investment Banking
MARGARITA BRAVO Chief Creative Officer, Margarita Bravo Design
EVAN BURDEN Consultant- Voluntary Solutions Inc.
DAVID FOLEY Principal, Makers Commercial
CHRISTOPHER FORDYCE President/Owner, Fordyce Consulting
JOHN FRANCE Managing Partner, Rose Gate Ventures
BRANDON GILES CEO, Eagle Automation
RYAN GOETHALS Vice President of Group Protection Sales, West Region, Lincoln Financial Group
KELSEY GOLDBERG Account Executive, Zoom Video Communications
KATHERINE GOWDEY Realtor, KCG Real Estate / Compass
CHRIS HALSTEDT Vice President, Private Wealth Advisor, Goldman Sachs
NICK HANSEN Executive Vice President, Managing Director, Alliant Specialty Insurance Services, Inc.
BRIAN HARTLEY Vice President/Broker, Live Water Properties
PARKER HEIKES Vice President/Energy Finance, UMB Bank
KELLY JOHNSON Vice President, Legal, Liberty Global, Inc.
PETER KRAHN Regional Vice President, Southwest Region, New York Life Insurance Company
MATT LENGEL Wealth Management Advisor, Denver Private Wealth Management
ZACH LEONARD Managing Director, CIBC
GREG LITVAK Principal, Highlands Vista Group
CHANCY LOVE* Managing Partner, Protera Investments, LLC
JON MAXFIELD Base President, Jet Linx Aviation
AUSTIN MCKEE Managing Director, Eagle River Energy Advisors, LLC
GRETCHEN MCLAUGHLIN* Regional Vice President, Wealth Enhancement Group
CALEB NEUMEYER Vice President, Bank of Colorado
MAGGIE O'NEIL Manager/ Partner Relations and Communications, The True Life Companies
JOHN OBERING President, Helm Energy, LLC
ADAM OSTERMILLER Vice President, Strategic Business Development, LPL Financial
ALYSON OWENS* Englewood, CO
ROB PEIRCE* Executive Vice President, USI Colorado
JESSICA RAUZI Managing Director, Unum
ALEX RIGGS Vice President, Production, Essex Financial Group
JEREMY SHEVLIN Partner, Regional Managing Director, Cresset Capital Management
BROOKE SIKONSKI Manager of Suite Services, Denver Broncos
MARGO SIMPSON Denver, CO
SEAN SJODIN Owner, Sjodin Consulting, LLC
CHARLIE SMITH Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
JARED SMITH President, Reliance Workforce
GUS SPAULDING Partner and Managing Director, Cresset
MATT TRACEY Marketer of North American Commercial Accounts, United Energy Trading
JULIE VILLALOBOS Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Gradient Energy Services
WESLEY WEISE Senior Vice President and Private Client Adviser, U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management
MARY ANN WHETZAL HR Director, Liberty Oilfield Services
CASHIN WHITE* SVP/Director of Business Banking, BOK Financial
ANNE ZELLNER Lead Assistant General Counsel, Xcel Energy
*denotes Executive Committee Member
Colorado Staff
ERIK BILLINGER Vice President of Development - CO
p: 303.519.7475
e: ebillinger@acescholarships.org
JEFFREY VAN CLEAVE Program Coordinator (Scholarship Contact)
p: 303.407.0627
e: jvancleave@acescholarships.org
BRITTANI O'BRIEN Vice President, Development - CO
p: 303.407.0622
e: bobrien@acescholarships.org
ERIN HOFFMAN Development Coordinator - CO
p: 303.407.0613
e: ehoffman@acescholarships.org
ACE Colorado News
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