Achieving Community Excellence (ACE) envisions a community that recognizes and capitalizes on the power that aligned principled relationships have to build and sustain community excellence.
As a trusted network of advisors and resource partners in the community, we work as a team on common goals to achieve community excellence. For ACE, relational excellence means bringing people together to address issues bigger than themselves. Our work has purpose that aligns with our intended outcomes. We believe our success will continue to result in a positive ripple effect throughout the rest of the community.
Our objective is to proactively address remaining gaps within our talent development ecosystem, which includes:
Achieving Community Excellence (ACE) was created by the Greeley City Council in 2012 to support its objective to improve Greeley’s Civic Infrastructure.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Terry serves as Academic Dean of Allied Health and Wellness at Aims Community College with a focus on healthcare Career and Technical Education (CTE) and physical education and recreation, and serves as Co-Chair of the college’s Council of Equity and Inclusion. With 12 years of professional experience in higher education, leading teams, student advocacy, and program development Terry Anderson has dedicated himself to creating an environment of inclusion and success.
Terry began his journey in Greeley at a student at UNC in 2006. After graduation, he began his professional career at UNC, and transitioned to Aims in 2015.
Terry finds his joy in the opportunity to influence systemic change that will empower others to succeed academically, professionally, and personally. Terry’s passion for student success drives him on a daily basis to be his best for the students, the institution, and the community he serves. Terry is happily married to his wife Javondai Anderson. Together they have three children, Alaya, Noelle, and Teejay.
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.Subscribe to the ACE e-newsletter and stay up-to-date on the latest news from Greeley’s ACE initiative.
The G. Town Promise impacts the lives of over 20,000 students in the Greeley Evans area every year. In the ACE spirit of relational excellence, humility, and love, we can accomplish unexpected outcomes together with unity and alignment. You can give money, volunteer time, or share your thoughts to fuel this meaningful community effort.
Greeley and Weld County Community Foundation Site
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