Rob Cohen and Metro State go “way back.”
Before Gov. Ritter appointed him as a trustee for the College last
December, Cohen was a member of the Metro State College Foundation from
1999 to 2004, serving as chair the last two years.
“I have a passion for Metro State and its message and mission,” says
Cohen, who is chair and CEO of IMA Financial Group, Inc. And he says
that what he wants students, faculty and staff to know about him is
that he is just like them. “I think we’re all open to ideas.
Ultimately, I think what we all want is what is best for the College.”
Cohen says that Metro State’s raison d’etre has remained
unchanged since he was first involved with the College nine years ago.
“Its mission, its governance, faculty and leadership are still the
things that together drive Metro State.”
That leadership will be very important, Cohen says, as Metro State
and all of higher education in Colorado continue to face a funding
crisis. “We shouldn’t assume that even though polls show community
support, that it’s a given,” he explains. “We all need to be very
thoughtful about what we can do as trustees, faculty and staff. I
encourage everyone to let people know the depth and breadth of the
problem (of funding).”
Cohen believes that something needs to change regarding the conflict
between TABOR and Amendment 23, which are at odds with each other
concerning state revenue. “We can’t continue to be strapped by our own
constitution,” he says, “so anything that moves the debate about a
solution forward is good.”
At the March tri-board retreat with the alumni association and
foundation boards, Cohen was tapped to champion scholarships and
athletics/athletics facilities – initiatives he says hit three of his
four causes: kids, education, sports and economic development. “It’s
great when you can marry what you love with what you do.”
Sports play a big role in Cohen’s life. He is founder and executive
chairman of the Metro Denver Sports Commission, whose purpose is to
attract major sporting events to Denver and Colorado. He has attended a
fair amount of Roadrunner games over the years and spoken to the
baseball team. “I was mostly a baseball player in high school – not a
great one, but I had a lot of fun.”
His other community involvement is substantial. He chaired the
Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and his board experience with local
nonprofits includes Adventures Within, I Have a Dream Foundation,
Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Community College of Denver, Denver Art
Museum and Junior Achievement, among others.
“Once Colorado became home (he moved here permanently in 1988 after
a temporary job transfer two years earlier), it was natural to want the
best for my community,” he says to explain his many volunteer
commitments. “I’ve now lived here longer that I have anywhere else.”
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