Commissioners

Larry Beckner
Grand Junction, CO
Mr. Beckner's appointment to the Commission was approved by Governor Ritter on March 6th.

Mr. Beckner will serve through June 2011 as a Republican from the 3rd Congressional District.

Jill L. Brake
Pueblo, CO
Ms. Brake is the Director of Thatcher Learning Center, a child care center for employees of Parkview Medical Center in Pueblo, CO. She has a degree in Early Childhood Education from The University of Southern Colorado, now Colorado State University-Pueblo. All of her career and volunteer work has concentrated on children and education, “Kids are my Business." She has served on numerous local, state and national boards including President of Swallows Charter Academy, a K-8 Core Knowledge school, President of Pueblo School District 70 Education Foundation, Pueblo Work Link Board, and Colorado Bright Beginnings (Denver). Ms. Brake served as an elected member of Pueblo School District 70 Board of Education from 1997-2005. She served on the Colorado Association of School Boards from 1997-2006 and she was President in 2001. She served on the National School Board Association representing 95,000 school board members from 2003-2006. Ms. Brake enjoys fly-fishing, camping and riding ATV's. Ms. Brake is also an award winning artist and her paintings and murals are exhibited at local Pueblo restaurants and businesses. Ms. Brake will serve through June 2011 as a Democrat from the 3rd Congressional District.

Patricia L. Pacey
Boulder, CO
Dr. Patricia Pacey is frequently called upon to assess economic issues for personal injury, employment termination, business litigation, and antitrust matters, and to conduct studies for government agencies and corporations. She has previously been involved in telecommunications, cable television, public utilities, and sports markets industry studies.  In more recent years, Dr. Pacey has been regularly retained by the Office of the State Auditor and the Colorado Legislative Council to provide performance audits and economic modeling projects.   Dr. Pacey graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics from the University of Florida and went on to receive her Ph.D., also with honors, in economics from the same institution. She was an analyst for the Congressional Budget Office in Washington D.C. and an economics professor at the University of Colorado. Dr. Pacey is a member of national and regional economic associations.  She has published articles in various economic and business journals.  In addition, Dr. Pacey recently served on the Commission to Strengthen & Secure PERA formed by the Colorado State Treasurer.  Dr. Pacey will serve through June 2011 as a Democrat representing the 2nd Congressional District and resides in Boulder, Colorado.

Mike Plachy
Centennial, CO
Mike Plachy is a partner in the law firm of Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons LLP. He is a Colorado native whose family has a long history in public higher education in the state. He attended Denver Public Schools, graduated from the University of Colorado-Boulder, and received a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Colorado School of Law. He is a founder and organizer of the Race for Research, a charitable event which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the University of Colorado Cancer Center. He has served on the University of Colorado Cancer Center Community Advisory Board. He currently serves on the Judicial Nominating Commission for the 18th Judicial District of Colorado. Mr. Plachy lives in Centennial, Colorado, with his wife and three daughters. Upon Senate confirmation, Mr. Plachy will serve through June 2011 as an unaffiliated resident of the 6th Congressional District.

James T. Polsfut (Acting Chair)
Arvada, CO
Jim Polsfut is the President of First Western Development Corporation, a division of the Denver-based First Western Trust Bank. Previously, he was the chairman of Cordillera Asset Management and a general manager of GE Capital in Mexico and in the United States. Mr. Polsfut earned an undergraduate degree in government from Harvard University in 1983 and an MBA from Stanford University in 1989. He was named an American Marshall Memorial fellow in 1999 and was an International Rotary Foundation fellow in Costa Rica in 1984. Mr. Polsfut currently serves as co-chair of Denver's Road Home, a $50 million plan organized in metro-Denver to combat homelessness. He also chairs the Alumni Roundtable of the Arvada Center, a fundraising network of past board members of the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities. In addition, he serves on the board of the University of Denver Social Science Foundation, the Child and Family Development Committee of the Rose Community Foundation, and Open World Learning which offers computer and leadership training to elementary school students. He also serves as a continuing elder of the Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church. Previously, Mr. Polsfut served as chairman of the board of the Urban Peak shelter for homeless and runaway youth and as chair of the Governor's Council on Housing and the Homeless. He also served as treasurer of the Mi Casa Resource Center for Women and as a board member of the Latin American Educational Foundation, the Arvada Council for the Arts and Humanities, and Special Olympics Mexico, among other organizations. Mr. Polsfut lives in the town where he was raised, Arvada, Colorado, and has one son, Javier. Mr. Polsfut will serve through June 2011 as a Democrat and a representative of the 7th Congressional District.

Richard L. Ramirez
Ft. Collins, CO
Richard L. "Rick" Ramirez was born in Pueblo, Colorado, in 1956 and is a second generation Coloradoan. His mother immigrated from Michuacan, Mexico and his father's parents from Jalisco, Mexico. Mr. Ramirez is a career educator who has worked with pre K through graduate level students. His experience includes lead teacher in the summer migrant program, junior high science teacher and coach, former assistant director of the Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program at Colorado State University, assistant principal and principal (retired) of Preston Junior High in Poudre School District. Mr. Ramirezis a former trustee and board member with Colorado Outward Bound. He is a former member of the Fort Collins Community Block Grant Commission and the Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Board. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from Colorado State University. Mr. Ramirez will serve through June 2009 as a Democrat resident of the 4th Congressional District.

Edward A. Robinson
Denver, CO
Edward A. "Eddie" Robinson was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1932 and is a fourth generation Coloradoan. His grandfather settled in Lakewood in 1885. A native of Denver, he attended public schools and received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Colorado A & M College, now Colorado State University, in 1954. In 1962, he received an Honorable Discharge from the U.S. Army as a 1st Lieutenant having served in Germany, and he began his career in the family dairy business. Mr. Robinson has spent his entire working career in the Dairy Products Processing business and he and his brother purchased Roberts Dairy Operations in 1975 and formed Robinson Dairy. Today they are Co-Chief Executive Officer of the Company which was sold to Dean Foods in 1999. Eddie has been in numerous community and charitable organizations. He presently serves as a life-time member of the Denver Zoological Foundation and was past Chair for 3 years. He has also served on the Board of National Jewish Medical and Research Center and was past Chair and Board member of the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation and Metropolitan State College of Denver Foundation. In addition, he has served on the Board of Central Bank of Denver and, subsequently, on the U.S. Bank Local Advisory Board. He is married to Susan and they have a blended family of six children and 10 grandchildren. They live in Greenwood Village. Mr. Robinson enjoys playing golf and is a member of Cherry Hills Country Club, Green Gables Country Club and Cherry Creek Country Club. Mr. Robinson will serve through June 2009 as a Democrat and a representative of the 6th Congressional District.

Greg C. Stevinson
Littleton, CO
President of Denver West Reality, Inc. and President of Denver West Management, Inc. Mr. Stevinson is in partnership with Mills Corp, and designed and built the Denver West Village retail center. He is actively involved in community and organization activities including Jefferson County Open Space Advisory Committee, and is a former Chairman of the Board of Craig Hospital, a member of the board of Red Rocks Community College Foundation and the West Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Stevinson graduated from Regis College. He will serve through June 2011 as a Republican resident of the 6th congressional District.

James M. Stewart
Colorado Springs, CO
President of Technology Vectors, Incorporated, specializes in program management and professional technical services, and he is president of Infant Graduated Child Care Center. He has a broad background in technology assessment, operations analysis, weapon system acquisition, and test and evaluation. He is the Board Chair of the Ent Federal Credit Union, a member of the Pikes Peak United Way, and the Air Force Academy Flight Training Center. In addition he serves on several other community boards. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Technology from Boston University, a Master of Science in Systems Management from the University of Southern California, attended the Air War College and the National War College. Mr. Stewart will serve through June 2008 as a Republican resident of the 5th Congressional District.