ACE (Achieving Community Excellence)

Bob Billings was born and raised in Greeley and has spent the past 32 years working in public education as a teacher and as an administrator. Bob retired from Greeley-Evans School District 6 in 2017 after 13 years with D6. He is currently working part-time as the Director of Athletics and Activities for Greeley-Evans School District 6. His passion for helping others is the key reason he has continued this work following his retirement. Bob has served on the ACE Board since its inception. Bob is a 1981 graduate of Greeley Central High School. He and his wife, Mary, reside in Greeley.

Bryan Guest grew up in Greeley, graduating from Greeley West High School, and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from the University of Northern Colorado and was an Honor Graduate from The Graduate School of Banking Colorado.  Bryan began his banking career while in high school and currently serves as the Group President for Great Western Bank, overseeing the Greeley, Loveland, and Fort Collins markets. In all, Bryan has 30 years of banking experience. Other work experience includes serving in the United States Army and being the Controller of Leed Fabrication. Bryan has been blessed to be married to his wife Amberly (Martinez), also from Greeley, for 22+ years and they have three sons, Tyler, Ethan, and Emerson. 

Bryan is proud to have served for numerous non-profits in Northern Colorado. Bryan currently serves as the Board Chair of the United Way of Weld County. He is also very proud of his 10 consecutive years a Board Trustee for Mosaic Church. Former volunteer positions include: Board Member for the United Way of Larimer County from 2004-2014 (Board Chair from 2010-2012), United Way of Larimer County - Golf Committee Chair, UNC’s Monfort College of Business Alumni board member, UNC Blue & Gold Club board member, United Way of Weld County - Loaned Executive; Greeley Chamber of Commerce – Ambassador Committee Co-Chair; Greeley Chamber of Commerce – Golf Committee member. 

Carolyn "CJ" Renaud is a Colorado native and longtime Greeley resident. CJ came to Greeley in 1987 to attend the University of Northern Colorado on a basketball scholarship. CJ graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology with a Sociological Emphasis and Community Health Minor. CJ met Damon Renaud while the two were finishing college. Damon Renaud became a teacher for Highland Middle School in Ault, Co. CJ ultimately went to work for the Aurora Police Department and was happy and blessed to put in 23 years as a police officer. CJ obtained her Masters in Education and came home to work for Greeley-Evans District 6 as the first and only Business and Community Partnership Administrator. Damon and CJ raised a beautiful, passionate, and intelligent daughter named Taylor right here in Greeley. Taylor just like her mom and dad is attending the University of Northern Colorado. CJ and Damon could not be more proud.  

Dr. Deirdre Pilch is the superintendent of Greeley-Evans School District 6. She was hired in July 2015. With 30 years of experience in public education, Dr. Pilch has served in a variety of roles. Before coming to Greeley, she served as the Deputy Superintendent in the Boulder Valley School District, where she had worked for 12 years. She has also worked as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, curriculum and instruction director and assistant superintendent in school districts in Wyoming, Missouri and Colorado. 
Dr. Pilch has dedicated her career to ensuring every student graduates high school career and college ready. She is passionate about ensuring equity and access for all students. This work has led to a more than 5% increase in graduation rates-outpacing the state.

During her tenure at District 6, Dr. Pilch led the adoption of a new strategic plan which has resulted in increased student achievement and graduation rates. She headed up the effort to usher in a shared-decision making model of leadership in District 6 and has worked to have staff trained on consensus building. This model led to an unprecedented two-year contract with the Greeley Education Association, the union representing teachers and other licensed staff, and to the complete redesign of the certified staff salary schedule to one that will be sustainable for years to come. In 2017, Dr. Pilch helped lead the first-ever successful campaign to secure additional operational tax revenues for District 6 from voters, an effort that had failed twice previously.

Dr. Pilch completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Wyoming. She holds a Masters degree and an Educational Specialist degree in secondary school administration from the University of Central Missouri. Her Doctorate of Education is in Educational Policy and Leadership from the University of Kansas. She and her husband, Jeff, have made their home in Greeley. 

Dr. Pilch currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Success Foundation, Greeley Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Weld County, Longs Peak Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and is a member of the Downtown Greeley Rotary Club. In July 2018, Dr. Pilch received the Woman of Vision award from the Northern Colorado Women of Influence organization. She also received the Colorado League of Charter Schools Outstanding Authorizer Award and the North Range Behavioral Health Community Behavioral Health Champion award in 2018.

2019 ACE Advisory Board Chair

Mike Trotter is the President of Front Range Roofing Systems, LLC and grew up in Englewood, CO. His wife, Jill, is a Greeley native. Jill and Mike met at the University of Northern Colorado and have been married for 30 years. They have a daughter and son in law, Paige and Jefferson Thomas, and a grandson Charlie. With almost 25 years in the Colorado commercial roofing industry, Mike is responsible for overseeing operations and sales for the company as well as being an active estimator and project manager. He has a demonstrated history of working in the construction industry, in new construction, re-roofing and service department. He is driven by the fact that over 80% of the company’s customers are repeat or referral. Mike currently serves on the board of the Western States Contractors Association, is the Chair the ACE (Achieving Community Excellence) Board for the City of Greeley, and was appointed to the Colorado Workforce Development Board for 2019. Mike has also served on the Colorado Roofing Association and United Way of Weld County Boards. He has strong business development skills having completed management and business training through the Kellogg School of Management in Chicago, Illinois, and a degree in Business from the University of Northern Colorado.

When ACE was first introduced, Mike was immediately drawn to the message and the vision of “Achieving Community Excellence.” As an active community member, Mike saw that there were untapped opportunities to better connect the community and leaders. Mike’s experience with United Way of Weld County and the local Jobs of Hope program has showed him what is possible when community stakeholders come together to solve problems. Mike hopes to help ACE forge and maintain strong connections between Business, Government, Education, and other organizations to achieve community excellence.

Rob Abernathy serves as Academic Dean for the Division of Public Safety, Transportation, and Workforce Development at Aims Community College with a focus on Career and Technical Education (CTE), corporate training solutions, and continuing education. He is a retired Senior Military Officer, having served 28 years in the United States Air Force. Just prior to retirement, he was Special Operations Chair to Air University and Professor of Leadership at the USAF Air War College. Some of his previous positions include Campus Provost for the Community College of the Air Force, Associate Dean of Aviation for Everett Community College, Washington, and CEO of a multi-campus technical training school.  He has commanded at the Squadron and Operations Group levels. With Master’s degrees in Aeronautical Science, National Security and Strategic Studies, Airpower Art and Science, and Strategic Studies, he believes in life-long learning. Rob and his wife, Sue, make their home in Loveland, Colorado.

Sandi Elder, born Sandi Garcia, is a Greeley/Weld County native. She recently served on Greeley City Council for eight years, as well as numerous boards and commissions, such as Employee Health Board, Police Pension Board, Human Relations, Down Town Development Authority, Latino Advisory to Congressman Ken Buck, Greeley-Weld Airport Authority, Weld County Prevention Partners, Jobs of Hope Board of Directors, Community Advisory to the Police Department, LiLi Initiative Commission, Global Refugee Board, Public Safety Oversight, and is a lifelong member Our Lady of Peace Parish in Greeley. She currently works as a medical student doctor coordinator at North Colorado Family Medicine and Rocky Vista University in Parker Colorado. Sandi is a community advocate, a public servant, chair of the Latino Advisory to the Police Chief, and has served on the ACE board since its inception.

Sandi and her husband, Willie, have been married for 37 years. Together they have two adult children that work as public servants and two grandchildren. Sandi recently received a lifesaving kidney transplant. She enjoys gardening in her greenhouse, theology, volunteering coaching youth sports, and watching her husband restore classic cars. 

Steve Bytnar moved to Greeley in 2002 and is the Vice President of Research and Quality for EnviroTech Services, Inc. where he is responsible for the development of products and technologies in the fields of highway de-icing, unpaved road stabilization and dust control. EnviroTech encourages community involvement and Steve has taken advantage of that company culture by serving on a number of boards including The Greeley Transitional House, The Greeley Chamber of Commerce, and Site Chair for the Cattle Barons Ball. In addition Steve spends time each year conducting science demonstrations for elementary and middle school students in our local schools as well as speaking to high school and college classes about sustainability, the environment, and careers in the field of science. He also hosts multiple high school and college students as interns in the lab each year.

Steve became very interested in ACE when he learned of the initiative to connect the students, local schools, universities, and industry. His interests lie in helping students see a bigger future for themselves, whether they go to college or not. The goals of ACE to tie the interests of all the parties together in order to build something bigger, something better, something that benefits every member of the community are aligned with his goals. Steve is happily married to his wife Kathy of 27 years. They have a son, Drake at CSU, and a daughter, Darian at UNC.

Steve Hall was born and raised in Fort Morgan, Colorado and has lived in Greeley since 2006. Steve spent 35 years in management, product development and business ownership within the Oil and Gas industry and Snap-On Tools Corporation including finishing his formal education at Carthage College of Racine Wisconsin. In 2013 Steve was elected to the Greeley-Evans District 6 School Board and currently serves as Vice President and board member. Community activities include serving previously on the Boards of The Resource Center and Victory Christian Fellowship Church in addition to being another proud member of Greeley’s original “Zoo Crew”. Prior to life in Greeley, he served on numerous boards focused on youth activities and athletics in Broomfield CO, Farmington, NM and Phoenix, AZ. Steve and his wife Becky have been married for 24 years and have 4 children and 8 precious grand-babies ranging in age from 1 to 9 years of age.

2019 ACE Advisory Board Treasurer

Steve LaForest is the Branch Manager for New American Funding in Greeley and has been in the mortgage business for 39 years. He serves on The Success Foundation Board, Chair of the Community Council on Education, the Northern Colorado Mortgage Lenders Advisory Committee and the Finance Council at Saint Mary Church. Steve is happily married to his wife Megan. Together they have three grown daughters, Courtney, Sarah and Hannah; two son-in-laws, Travis Kellner and Drew Costinett; and two grandchildren, Luke and Noah.