DAVID   
click on any picture to enlarge
I never moved more than 70 miles from Allenspark, but have had an opportunity to enjoy a rewarding personal and professional life.
After graduating from Lyons High School in 1972, I headed off to UNC at Greeley, where I hoodwinked the powers-that-be into granting me a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Along the way, I also conned a beautiful co-ed, Sue Nelson, into spending the rest of her life with me.
Sue and I worked briefly in the newspaper business in Summit County before I started working as the communications director for a regional farm organization in 1978. That began a career track that has kept me connected with agriculture for the past 30 years.
Since 2001, I have served as the executive director of the National Bison Association, an organization that represents about 1,000 bison ranchers in the U.S. and Canada. Sue and I took the plunge into the bison business, and now have 16 head that we run as a part of a larger herd south of Castle Rock.
Two other guys and I founded a pet food company in 2003. Pet Promise www.petpromiseinc.com sources all of its chicken, beef and bison from U.S. family farmers who humanely raise their animals without using growth hormones or antibiotics. In addition, I served on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Standards Board, which helped develop the federal regulations for growing, processing and marketing organic food. I also have a consulting business, Crystal Springs Consulting (a name that was coined during a family backpacking trip up Mt. St. Vrain in 2001).
My folks operated the Longmont airport before moving to Allenspark in 1958. After Mom died in 1992 (you’ll remember her as one of the teachers from 1960-1962), I took lessons and earned my pilot’s license. With another pilot, I now share a great 1965 Mooney airplane (very fast, very thrifty…not very roomy) that we keep hangered at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport (formerly Jeffco).
Sue and I have two fantastic kids. Joanna will turn 26 in March. She’s married to a great guy, and lives in Boston, where she works as a book editor. Our son, Jeff, is 21, and working on getting through college in Greeley. He has the socialization part down pat, and is working on the academic portion.
I’ve always felt extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to grow up in Allenspark. I don’t think any of us realized at the time what an incredible community we lived in. The combination of mountain living, a close-knit community, good folks, and lots of room to roam were experiences that I will always cherish.
As I’ve reconnected periodically with old friends who shared the Allenspark experience, we’ve often said, “Wouldn’t it be great if we could have a reunion there sometime?” Well, that sometime is this summer. I’m excited about seeing great friends (notice, I avoided the term “old” friends), and catching up on 40 years of history.
|
