FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Denver Film Media Contacts:
Marty Schechter: marty@schechterpr.com, 303-882-4585
DENVER – April 4, 2024 – Denver Film, the membership-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural institution that produces film events throughout the year, including the award-winning Denver Film Festival and the popular summertime series Film on the Rocks, as well as operates the Sie FilmCenter, announced today the addition of four new members to its Board of Directors. In addition, the Denver Film Board elected its Executive Committee for the coming year.
Anthony Aragon, Jeff Calhoon, Mike Ferrufino and Youngdon Yun were each appointed to a three-year term by the existing board members with the opportunity to serve a consecutive three-year term.
“We’re incredibly grateful to be able to add these outstanding business and community leaders to our board,” said Denver Film Board Chair, Amanda Blaurock. “This is a very talented, experienced group of new leaders that will add to the core of our leadership and help guide our collective vision for the organization in the years ahead.”
The new board members deliver a diverse range of experience and expertise:
Anthony Aragon – Director of Community Engagement & Government Affairs with the National Western Center Authority, Aragon works with community members who represent various interests, including (but not limited to) residents, business and property owners and operators, registered neighborhood organizations (RNOs), schools, faith-based groups, community-based alliances, community leaders and non-profit organizations. A Denver native who previously served as a Mayoral appointee in the office of Mayor Michael B. Hancock & Mayor John Hickenlooper, he is a proud and active member of Denver’s LGBTQ community for over 30 years.
Jeff Calhoon – A CPA with Crowe LLP, a public accounting, consulting, and technology firm, Calhoon has more than 10 years of audit, assurance and consulting experience working with both public and private companies, many with international operations across Europe and Asia. Colorado has been his homebase for more than 20 years, outside of two short stints living in Sydney, Australia and Florida. Calhoon has been working with nonprofits in the Denver community for nearly 10 years and enjoys spending time with his family, traveling and exploring the outdoors.
Mike Ferrufino – As President and CEO of the Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,
Ferrufino plays a vital leadership role in the organization advocating for more than 130,000 plus Hispanic-owned businesses in Colorado, a state that ranks as the 8th most populated by Hispanic/Latino/a residents in the United States. His commitment goes beyond advocacy; he uses his extensive experience in Spanish language media, entertainment, and entrepreneurship, coupled with a deep understanding of the diversity of the National and local Hispanic markets, to develop effective strategies that address the community’s needs and aspirations.
Youngdon Yun – An entrepreneur, devoted family man, and philanthropist with a heart for making a difference in the world, Yun was born in Seoul, South Korea and immigrated to the states in 1977. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado, he embarked on an entrepreneurial path, founding Premier Group Insurance, Inc. (PGI). With more than 600 agents in 45 states, he has dedicated himself to building a company that not only excels in the insurance industry but also gives back to society in meaningful ways.
The new board members bring the Denver Film board to 19 directors led by the recently elected executive committee consisting of:
Chair, Amanda Blaurock, co-founder/executive director, Village Exchange Center;
Vice Chair, Tom Downey, attorney and shareholder with Ireland Stapleton;
Treasurer, Jessica Johnson, senior director, national senior housing and care, BOK Financial; and
Secretary, Elena Lippincott, partner with AOR, Inc.
About Denver Film
Founded in 1978, Denver Film is a membership-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural institution that produces film events throughout the year, including the award-winning Denver Film Festival and the popular summertime series Film on the Rocks. With a vision to cultivate community and transform lives through film, Denver Film provides opportunities for diverse audiences to discover film through creative, thought-provoking experiences.
The permanent home of Denver Film is the Sie FilmCenter, Denver’s only year-round cinematheque, presenting a weekly-changing calendar of first-run exclusives and arthouse revivals both domestic and foreign, narrative and documentary – over 600 per year, all shown in their original language and format. Denver Film’s one-of-a-kind programs reach more than 200,000 film lovers and film lovers-in-training annually.
