Library Journal Names Arapahoe Libraries' Davies as 2016 Librarian of the Year

January 6, 2016

CONTACT: MICHELLE CINGRANI OR GINGER MATTSON
303-792-8944

 

LIBRARY JOURNAL NAMES NICOLLE INGUI DAVIES AS THE 2016 LIBRARIAN OF THE YEAR

Nicolle Ingui Davies, executive director of Arapahoe Libraries, has been named the 2016 Library Journal Librarian of the Year. This annual award recognizes one talented individual for transforming their library and community, and leading the profession toward innovation, and it is the first time that a librarian in Colorado has earned this honor. Davies is notable for building a committed and energized staff and implementing a forward-thinking strategic plan to move the library from “nice to essential” – while helping to reimagine how the library as a brand is considered in her community and beyond.

Soon after Davies became executive director in 2012, she worked with the board and her staff on developing a new strategic plan. Together, they established four pillars in the system’s rebranding strategy: deliver very important patron experiences, surprise and delight, make every experience matter and strive for simplicity. This patron-focused model creates a memorable experience when users come through the doors or interact with the Arapahoe Libraries out in the community. 

“I think all of us are aware of the kind of antiquated perception of libraries that we have to battle. Over the past five to seven years this has become ever more challenging. As e-content became so pervasive, we had to carve out our niche, our relevance,” Davies says in Library Journal’s January issue. “It was also about reworking the way that we tell our story to turn the perception of libraries people have on its head.”  

In her previous role as Arapahoe Libraries’ deputy director, Davies began the evolution of the libraries into community centers with a focus on easy access to resources and technology. Arapahoe Libraries is the local leader in providing access to cutting-edge technology, featuring products in their early development. Arapahoe Libraries takes on the costs and risks of early adoption, providing such new technologies as 3-D printers, Go Pro cameras, Oculus Rift Virtual Reality headsets, and many more. 

Arapahoe Libraries takes on an educator role with its Tech Road Shows, taking these technologies throughout the Denver area to local businesses, professional and social associations, museums, and business groups. 

“Nicolle brings both a strength of leadership and a refreshing spirit that is exciting for libraries and transformative for her community,” said Rebecca T. Miller, editorial director of Library Journal. “She represents the kind of library leader our communities need and deserve, and we couldn’t be more pleased to name her the 2016 Librarian of the Year.” 

The award is celebrated in a cover story in the January issue of the magazine and at a special reception during ALA Midwinter in Boston, MA. Read the full story at http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2016/01/awards/nicolle-ingui-davies-ljs-2016-librarian-of-the-year/

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About Library Journal

Founded in 1876, Library Journal is one of the oldest and most respected publications covering the library field. Over 75,000 library directors, administrators, and staff in public, academic, and special libraries read LJ. Library Journal reviews over 8000 books, audiobooks, videos, databases, and web sites annually, and provides coverage of technology, management, policy, and other professional concerns. For more information, visit www.libraryjournal.com. Library Journal is a publication of Media Source Inc., which also owns School Library Journal, The Horn Book publications, and Junior Library Guild.

About Arapahoe Libraries

Arapahoe Libraries serve 250,000 patrons and include eight community libraries, a jail library and a Library on Wheels in Arapahoe County, Colorado. For more information, visit arapahoelibraries.org.

Erik Mitisek Appointed Co-Chair of Quarterly Forum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Quarterly Forum
Ryan Heckman, 303.330.6929, [email protected]
Kelly Brown, 303.204.1542, [email protected]

Erik Mitisek Appointed Co-Chair of Quarterly Forum

DENVER — Feb. 12, 2016 — Local business leader Erik Mitisek has been appointed co-chairman of Quarterly Forum, a nonprofit organization that works to connect, educate and inspire leaders in Colorado. Effective March 1, Mitisek will share oversight of the leadership organization with fellow co-chairman Ryan Heckman. 

In his co-chairman role, Mitisek will provide strategic direction and work with the Quarterly Forum board of directors, partners and members to continue building the organization into an impactful leadership organization for the state of Colorado – developing the next generation of state leaders across the business, nonprofit and government sectors. This new partnership between Heckman and Mitisek comes at a momentous era for Quarterly Forum with increasing membership, new leadership and civic engagement programs tailored to the development of the state’s best emerging leaders. 

“Erik truly embodies the spirit of leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation that is propelling Colorado forward,” said Heckman. “He is a model of what Quarterly Forum is becoming... a civic platform to develop the next generation of Colorado leaders who will truly make a difference in our state together.” 

Mitisek is a long-time advocate for business and innovation in Colorado. He is the CEO of the Colorado Technology Association and helped lead the 2015 opening of the Commons on Champa, a collaborative effort between the Downtown Denver Partnership, Colorado Technology Association and the City and County of Denver. The Commons on Champa is a public campus for entrepreneurship and a gathering place for business builders and innovators. Heckman, in the name of Quarterly Forum, underwrote the creation of the “QF Innovation Lounge” at the Commons on Champa, and that gift connects Quarterly Forum members directly to the entrepreneurial community. 

Mitisek is also founder and co-chair of Denver Startup Week, co-chair of Startup Colorado, chairman of Built In Colorado, an alumnus of Leadership Denver, and a board member of the Governor of Colorado’s Colorado Innovation Network. In addition, Mitisek is an appointee to the Information Technology Economic Development Advisory Committee for Colorado.

Mitisek said, “The importance of giving back to the community has always been central to my beliefs. I am also deeply passionate about applying entrepreneurial principles to those efforts, which is what Quarterly Forum is largely about. When you can bring together the public, private and nonprofit sectors under an entrepreneurial umbrella, amazing change can happen.”

With a 17-year history of convening thought leaders and leadership development, Quarterly Forum recently expanded its mission to include The Leaders Initiative, which promotes and activates citizenship and service to the state of Colorado through a fellowship program, and the Colorado Governors Citizenship Award, which under Executive Order by Governor Hickenlooper debuted in December 2015 and recognizes Colorado residents and organizations from diverse sectors that have worked to strengthen Colorado communities and develop new opportunities for Coloradans throughout the state. 

The QF Innovation Lounge at the Commons on Champa will host the Governors Fellowship Program beginning in mid-2016. Meegan Moszynski, who previously served as the ideas director of the Biennial of the Americas, was recently named executive director of The Leaders Initiative and will oversee its various programs. The Leaders Initiative is sponsored by the Colorado Business Roundtable and is supported by Governors Hickenlooper, Owens and Ritter who are inspired to increase engagement between business leaders and public service.

In addition to fostering leadership among the public, private and nonprofit sectors, Quarterly Forum also supports our state’s future leaders through scholarship programs including a program with the state that sends 30-plus first generation college students to college tuition-free each year, the Mike Fries Emerging Artist Scholarship and the Scott Reiman Emerging Leader Scholarship. The Quarterly Forum scholarship program gifted approximately $200,000 in 2015 and complements the organization’s mission of seeding future leadership in the state of Colorado.

About Quarterly Forum

Quarterly Forum is a Colorado-based leadership organization that connects, educates and inspires the state’s emerging leaders. The organization has a 17-year history of providing a place for developing executives to dream more, learn more, do more and become more by fostering strong ties among the business, government and nonprofit sectors in Colorado. Quarterly Forum is a non-partisan and by-invitation membership-based community that represents diverse industries including health care, energy, agriculture, private equity, nonprofit, professional service providers, restaurants, consumer products and services, hospitality, real estate, building products, media, technology and telecom.

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Leeds School of Business Takes Leadership Role in UN Education Initiative

Contact:
Dr. Mark Meaney, Executive Director for the Center for Education on Social Responsibility, 303.492.3937
[email protected]
Ms. Zeel Patel, Director of Marketing & Communications, 303.492.6397
[email protected]

The Leeds School of Business takes leadership role in the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education Initiative.

Dr. Mark Meaney accepts leadership position with newly formed North American chapter involving over 150 business schools.

BOULDER, Colorado – Feb 3, 2016 – The Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado, Boulder, announced that Dr. Mark Meaney, Executive Director of the Center for Education on Social Responsibility (CESR), was elected as Chair of the newly established North America Chapter of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (UN PRME) initiative. Dr. Meaney was also appointed to the UN PRME International Advisory Board.

Launched at the 2007 United Nations Global Compact Leader’s Summit in Geneva, the UN PRME initiative focuses on inspiring and championing responsible business management education, research and thought leadership globally. UN PRME Chapter North America is comprised of 18 Canadian and 138 US business school signatories, and is part of a collective of over 600 business schools world-wide.

Key areas the North America Chapter will focus on include developing resources to foster student experiential learning in business ethics, and establishing and sharing best practices to align with UN sustainable development goals. Dr. Meaney remarked, “This is a significant opportunity for a vast network of educational leaders to collaborate and make a difference in critical areas of student learning such as business ethics, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability. We have an opportunity to develop widely accepted best practices and contribute on a global scale.” Dr. Meaney will be presenting at UN PRME’s 2nd North American meeting hosted in Atlanta, GA, February 4 to 6 to further establish the Chapter’s focus and engagement across participating schools.

Dr. Meaney has over 20 years of experience and an international reputation in business ethics. He is currently the Executive Director at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business, Center for Education on Social Responsibility, which was founded through the support of the Leeds family. Under Dr. Meaney’s leadership, the Center focuses on developing socially conscious, values-driven business leaders to manage the ethical challenges of a global economy. Learn more at http://www.colorado.edu/business/CESR