Captured Event

May, 31 2007 - Mizel Museum Celebrates 25 Years

What: Mizel Museum annual dinner

Where: Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum

When: May 31, 2007

Time: 6 p.m.

Gala Chairperson(s): Mary Lou and Don Kortz, Connie and Gary Levine

Honorary Chairperson(s): Michael F. Bennet, Federico Pena, Wellington Webb, Mayor Ed Tauer

Co-Chair(s): Dinner honorary co-chairs: Governor Bill and First Lady Jeanne Ritter, Senator Wayne Allard, Senator Ken Salazar, Honorable Alan K. Simpson, Bill and Francis Owens

Executive Director: Museium Director: Ellen Premack

Committee Members: Honorary Dinner Committee: Adam J. Agron, Robert Alvarado, Don Bailey, Ray Baker, Joe Blake, Norman Brownstein, Dee Chirafisi, Tom Clark, Barry Curtiss-Lusher, Lee Driscoll, Mark Falcone, Steve Farber, Cole Finegan, Charlie Gallagher, Patrick A. Grant, Frederic C. Hamilton, Barry Hirschfeld, Christopher W. Hunt, Debbie Jessup, Jim Kelly, J. Mariner Kemper, Francis Koncilja, J. Landis Martin, Molly & Bill Mosher, Kathryn Paul, Blair Richardson, Rick Sapkin, Richard Scharf, Willie Sheperd, John J. Sie, Mark Smith, Lawson K. Stiff, Tom Strickland, Fred Wolfe, Jason Yee, Daniel Yohannes

Staff: Ellen Premack, Executive Director, Janelle Mock, Education Director; Maggi Junor, Office and Database Manager; Deanne Kapnik, Special Projects Coordinator; Georgina Kolber, Director of Exhibitions, Collections and Programs; Elle Barrett, Director of Public Relations; Carolyn D. Munoz, Web Professional/Electronic Media Marketing, Scott Lyon, Exhibition and Collections Coordinator, Jim Byrne, Technology Specialist, Joe Mauro, Grant Writer

Introductions: Don Kortz and Gary Levine

Invocation: Expression for Mankind: Cheryl Morrison, Director of Israel Outreach, Faith Bible Chapel

Libations: Herzog Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay

Catering: Epicurean Catering

Sponsors: Principal Underwriter: Key Foundation, Key Bank, Laurie & Paul Brooks;
Lead Gifts: BankOne, Diane and Charles P. Gallagher & Family; Special Gifts: Maxwell Bruce Drever, Bonnie and Peter Kudla; Underwriters: AMCO, Aqueduct Capital, Fran and Ray Baker, Braddock Financial (Sue and Harvey Allon), Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine P.C., Centre Communities Ltd., The Chotin Group (Robin Chotin, Steven Chotin), CitiGroup Global Markers Inc., Coors Brewing Company, Steve Ellman, Joel Farkas, Fidelity Investments, Margot and Alan Frank, Louise and David Gitlitz, Greenlight Capital Inc., Hogan & Harrison LLP, Anne and Jim Hillary, Hyde Park Jewelers (Sheeren and Michael Pollak, Steve Rosdal), Land Title Guarantee Co., LeBoeuf Lamb Green MacRae LLP, LIATIS Foundation, Bonnie and David Mandarich, Cydney and Tom Marsico, MDC Holdings, Media News Group (The Denver Post, Dean Singleton) Laura and David Merage Foundation, Stuart A. Miller Family Foundation, Jared Polis, Blair and Kristin Richardson, Steven and David Roitman, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Routzon, Shea Homes & Shea Properties, Sidley Austin LLP, Anna & Joe Sie, Sue and Greg Stevenson, U.S. Bank National Assn., United Western Bancorp, Inc., Vectra Bank Colorado (Kirk Monroe, David Blackford), Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP, XELR8

Menu: Herb crusted prime rib, mushroom marsala, herb roasted carved turkey, oven roasted Atlantic salmon, housemade steak fries, mesquite grilled vegetables, Israeli Couscous salad, cauliflower puree, crisp Asian noodle and vegetable salad, seasonal fruit salad, penne Fresca, anniversary silver and white cupcakes

Attendance: 1,700

Attire: dressy business

Special Thanks: Julie Klahn, Jessie Ketter, Doug Lane, Georgina Kolber, Dan Spahr

Hors D'Oeuvres:: Black bean tostada with Pico and sour cream, fire dogs, seared Ahi tuna, petite barbeque beef brisket slider, buffalo wings, sweet and sour meatballs, potato pancakes with apple cranberry relish, franks in a blanket

Event Coordinator: Nancy Flanagan, Faye Gardenswartz, Susan Jend, Maggi Junor, Ellen Premack

Board of Directors: Board of Directors: Arlene Hirschfeld, James Lustig, Carol MIzel, Larry Mizel. Board of Advisors: Jan Bernstein, Corinne Brown, Fonda Burnett, Catherine Deus Canny, PhD., Amy Berkowitz Caplan, Dr. Beverly Chico, Lynn Fleiger Countryman, Alan Gass, Dmitry Gershengorin, Rabbi Bernard Gerson, Bruce Gomez, Dr. Robert Hazan, Dr. Bernard Karshmer, Lu Law, Hunter Lawrence, Penny Nisson, Angela Phillips, Shannon Robinson, Esq., Ada Segan, Joey Simon, Sandra Vinnick, Reverend David F. Wright, O.P.

Blacktie Photos by: Pamela Cress

The Mayor's stepfather, William Macdonald, left, with the Mayor's sister Betsy Kennedy, Mayor John Hickenlooper, Helen Thorpe and the Mayor's brother Sydney Kennedy
View all photos

Larry Mizel and 1,700 of his closest friends gathered at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum on May 31 to celebrate the past 25 years of the Mizel Museum, and look toward an incredible future for the expanded museum and the community.

If you were looking for anyone on the who's who list in Denver outside this venue on this balmy spring evening, you wouldn't have much luck. Among those joining Mizel and his wife Carol to pay respects were Governor Bill Ritter, Sharon Magness Blake and Ernie Blake, Joy Burns, Dan Ritchie, Doug and Sue Seserman, Bruce DeBoskey, Ken Gart, Dick and Marcia Robinson, Walt and Georgia Imhoff, Arlene and Barry Hirschfeld, Mayor Ed Tauer, Turner and Elaine West, Charlie Gallagher, Margot Gilbert Frank...and those were just the people who arrived in the first five minutes.

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper was the 2007 recipient of the Cultural Enrichment Award, which did not come without some ribbing from "Hick's" peers--Governor Ritter, Senators Ken Salazar and Wayne Allard (via video) and Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News editors Greg Moore and John Temple. Hickenlooper's family was on hand to support him: his wife Helen Thorpe, his stepfather William Macdonald, in from Pennsylvania, his brother Sydney Kennedy, visiting from California, and his sister Betsy Kennedy from Virginia. Just about everyone who got a chance to speak couldn't resist the opportunity to rib the Mayor about the 60 days of snow Denver endured, his days as a brewmaster, and other tongue in cheek references to costumes and getups he has worn (or they photoshopped him wearing) over the years. Mizel presented the Israeli Kiddish Cup to the Mayor, to which he replied, "this is the Bar Mitzvah I never had."

Emcees for the evening Don Kortz and Gary Levine expertly navigated through the program, which featured a profile through video of the Mizel Museum programs and a celebration of the past 25 years of success. Highlights included the new exhibits and programs to be built in the Babi Yar Park in the Center for Empowering, Learning and Living (C.E.L.L.). The past 25 years were outstanding in providing education, children's programs, art exhibits and a myriad of programs to teach people about the Jewish heritage and campaign against genocide and terrorism.

To the Mizels, the museum, Mayor Hickenlooper, and all the supporters of these and other programs in Denver, the attendees toasted, "L'chaim."