ACE (Achieving Community Excellence)

2021 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 son 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.

2021 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Scott currently serves as a Weld County Commissioner and is Chair Pro Tem. He is a fourth generation Colorado native reared in LaSalle; a community his great grandfather and great-great grandfather helped found. Scott, his wife, Julie, and son, Jack, reside in Johnstown, where he served for nearly 20-years as Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission, Member of Town Council, and Mayor. Scott is also a familiar face and voice to two generations of Coloradans. A 36-year award-winning radio personality, Scott delights in serving his community. Through his many non-profit and philanthropic endeavors, James has helped raise over $2 million for Northern Colorado charities. A graduate of Northeastern Junior College, Aims Community College, and Colorado State University, Scott is active at Rez.Church, serves on the Weld Food Bank Board of Directors, and passionately endeavors to shave a stroke or two off his double-digit golf handicap.

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.

Matt serves as Executive Director of the High Plains Library District Board. He has a wealth of knowledge and over nineteen years of progressive experience in public libraries working at all levels in Nevada, California and Colorado. He holds a Master’s Degree in Library Science from the University of North Texas and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Public Affairs from The University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He continues to build upon the services the District already offers and to work to ensure that everyone continues to see the HPLD as the first and best resource for learning, making the District an even more vital community asset.

Dan serves as chief of staff on University of Northern Colorado President Andy Feinstein’s cabinet. As chief of staff, Maxey is the president’s primary liaison with the campus community and UNC stakeholders. He also oversees executive communication and development and implementation of legislative strategy. An accomplished university administrator and scholar with more than 12 years of leadership experience in higher education, Dan arrived in Greeley after serving as special assistant to the provost for strategic initiatives at the University of Wyoming. The former UW chief of staff to the president also has held leadership positions at Santa Clara University, the University of Southern California, and The College of William and Mary in Virginia. In addition, his background includes government relations positions in Virginia and Washington, D.C. 

Weld County, Deputy Director of Employment Services

President & CEO, Greeley Chamber of Commerce

Growing up in a small farm town in Nebraska, Jaime was drawn to Greeley’s long-time connection to agriculture and its history mixed with its potential for growth captured her attention right from the start.

Moving here only a year and a half ago, she is already making great strides for the community. Henning represents over 700 investors as wells as Visit Greeley, promoting tourism and small businesses. Henning connects with businesses and brings them together to ensure the betterment of the community.  In these trying times, the Greeley Area Chamber Foundation helped over almost 300 businesses through recovery funds. “

Greeley has so many big-hearted people. Anyone will invest time in you, champion you, and shepherd you in your process,” Henning said. The Chamber of Commerce offers both networking and advocacy opportunities to build better connections within our community. Collaboration is much more important than competition and we thrive on working with other organizations in the community.

Tom is married to Kay Norton the past president of the University of Northern Colorado. After a marriage of 40+ years they have five children, six grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Tom grew up in Wyoming playing cowboy through high school then worked on many jobs from running a drilling rig to running a manufacturing plant for plastics all while attending Colorado State University. Tom has degrees in civil engineering, BSCE and environmental engineering, MS.

Tom has more than 30 years of experience in General Civil  engineering completing projects in water, waste water and community development. Concentration in the transportation industry in both the private and public sector earned him national recognition as an effective and visionary leader. As founder of one and partner in two engineering consulting firms in Greeley, he gained valuable experience that, in part, led to his appointment by Governor Bill Owens as the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Transportation in 1999. Offices held at the state level included election as a State Representative from 1986-1987 and then as a State Senator from 1987-1998, six years of which were as Senate President. Tom served as Greeley’s mayor from 2009-2017 concentrating on infrastructure improvements for Greeley‘s ever increasing population. After completing his mayors tenure he has concentrated on giving back to his community through volunteerism as a member of many community efforts including United Way Of Weld County.

Roy is a Graduate of Greeley West High School.  He also graduated with a Political Science Degree from Colorado State University and a Master of Public Administration Degree from the University of South Florida.  After starting is career in Florida, he returned to Greeley to serve as Assistant City Manager.  In 2005, he was promoted to serve as City Manager.

City of Greeley, Director - Department of Economic Health and Housing

Alex Hollen serves as the Project & Process Manager as well as Executive Assistant to Mike Trotter at Front Range Roofing Systems, LLC where she runs several behind the scenes operations and assists in project development from start to finish.  As a Florida native who graduated with degrees in Economics and Business from Florida State University, she is excited to bring any insight or assistance to the ACE Board through her position as Ex-Officio Administrator.