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Past Inductees
The Denver & Colorado Travel Industry Hall of Fame was created to recognize outstanding…
Past Tourism Stars
“Tourism Star” awards are presented to organizations and attractions that had a…
Paul Andrews
President and CEO, National Western Stock Show and Rodeo
January 2025 will be the last National Western Stock Show and Rodeo for Paul Andrews as he will retire in spring/summer 2025 as the president and CEO, a position he held since November 2010 in which he oversees the business operations, staff and venue development for this multi-year event complex and home of the National Western Stock Show. During his tenure, the Stock Show and the historic north Denver campus that has hosted the event every January since 1906 saw significant changes. His leadership is credited with helping the show grow to an average attendance of more than 700,000 people per year over its 16-day run. The number of events held as part of the show doubled on Andrews’ watch, exceeding 250 per year, while the show has a $171 million economic impact to the metro-Denver area. Most importantly, the January show occurs at a time that is typically slow for Denver’s hotels and hospitality industry. In 2015, Andrews was one of the leaders of the coalition that backed the successful campaign for Ballot Measure 2C, a bond measure that called for an extension of taxes on hotels and rental cars to raise $1 billion for the overhaul of the National Western Center complex and campus. Andrews’ tenure also saw the development of the Colorado State University Spur campus, adjacent to the National Western Stock Show complex. Paul currently serves as a director on the boards of the Western Stock Show Association, VISIT DENVER, Monarch Casino and the Gold Crown Foundation.
Jayne Buck
Former Vice President of Tourism, VISIT DENVER
Jayne Buck served as the vice president of tourism at VISIT DENVER, the marketing organization for Denver, for more than 20 years during a period in which the Mile High City’s tourism industry saw unprecedented and continual growth. Before retiring in 2020, she drove increases in Denver’s visitor numbers for 15 consecutive years and consistently achieved annual goals. Buck was instrumental in developing successful tourism programs including Mile High Holidays, a $1 million program to drive business in the slow months of December and January; the Go the EXTRA Mile hospitality training program, which helped train hospitality workers for the Democratic Convention in 2008 and every year since; and the annual Denver Arts Week marketing initiative, which became the largest arts festival in the city with hundreds of participating galleries, museums and cultural facilities.. Buck was instrumental in collaborating with Denver International Airport, the State of Colorado and the City to attract and market international nonstop flights. She crossed the globe marketing Denver in London, Berlin, Tokyo, Iceland, Australia, China, Paris, Mexico and so many other destinations, establishing relationships with hundreds of international tour operators who brought business to Colorado. She embraced the city and became VISIT DENVER’s liaison to the LGBTQ+ community, helping to make Denver PrideFest one of the biggest celebrations in the nation. She served on the board of the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, the Japan America Society of Colorado, the SCFD Denver County Cultural Council and many other cultural organizations and worked continuously to promote Denver’s art scene.
Greg Leonard
General Manager, Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center
A beloved hospitality industry veteran, Greg Leonard celebrates 45 years with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts. His journey with Hyatt Hotels began in 1980, with his connection to Denver starting in 1998 as General Manager of the Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center. In 2008, he transitioned downtown to lead the Grand Hyatt Denver team, where he spent five impactful years overseeing a transformative renovation of the property’s lobby, guest rooms and meeting spaces in 2012 and 2013. Leonard’s career has also taken him to other markets, including a two-year leadership role at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio prior to returning home to Denver in August 2015 where he assumed the role of General Manager at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center. Since then, Leonard has led the hotel through several major projects, including renovations of its meeting spaces in 2015 and 2016, a full reimagining of the lobby and food and beverage outlets in 2018 and 2019, and is currently spearheading a transformation of all 1,100 guest rooms. Beyond his exceptional contributions to the hospitality industry, Leonard has been a pillar of the Denver community. He has served as chairman of the board for VISIT DENVER and worked closely with organizations such as the Downtown Denver Partnership, the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association and Special Olympics Colorado (SOCO), where he has been a long-time board member, past board chair, volunteer, fundraiser, multi-sport coach and a proud father of a SOCO athlete. He is also the driving force behind the Bike MS Colorado Team Stay Fit at Hyatt, which raised more than $1 million over 15 years, growing to include over 200 riders. His commitment to giving back is matched only by his dedication to his family. Married to his wife, Jenny, for 44 years, Leonard is the proud father of three beautiful and successful daughters who were raised through a dozen moves across the country during his remarkable Hyatt career. Greg Leonard’s dedication to the hotel industry, his community, and his family has solidified his place as a true legend in the industry. His remarkable career spanning four and a half decades continues to inspire… with no end in sight.
Brian Vogt
CEO, Denver Botanic Gardens
Throughout his career, Brian Vogt has always been involved in tourism. In 1986, he was hired as Director or the South Metro Denver Economic Development Group, a fresh program of the South Metro Denver Chamber. A few years later and for the next 14 years, Brian served as president of the Chamber. Attracting visitors to the region was always a priority, and Brian led numerous initiatives to attract tourism infrastructure and new audiences. In 2002, Brian was recruited to lead the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, which included the Colorado Tourism Office. During his tenure, OEDIT launched numerous initiatives to provide services to every corner of the State, incorporate Colorado Creative Industries, rebuild the Colorado Film Commission, launch the Advance Colorado Center and pass six pieces of legislation that more than doubled state tourism funding. Brian has been CEO of Denver Botanic Gardens since April 2007. In that time, attendance has grown to 1.5 million per year. He has launched programs to address access to food in urban areas, the Center for Global Initiatives, which was launched focusing on plant research and crop genetics. Under his tenure, the Denver Botanic Gardens has had exhibit programs curating works by legends such as Henry Moore, Dale Chihuly and Alexander Calder. He also helped raise $120 million for more than 60 construction projects at the Gardens, including the Mordecai Children’s Garden, a parking complex, the Bonfils-Stanton Visitor Center, the Greenhouse Complex, the Science Pyramid, Ellipse Garden, Steppe Garden, Sensory Garden Hive Garden Bistro and the Freyer – Newman Center.