Media mogul Ted Turner honored at GSPA gala
Above, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, left, interviews Ted Turner. Below, former Sen. Tim Wirth and Turner speak with Governor-elect Bill Ritter.
Speaking to a dinner crowd of 350 in a casual, television talk-show format moderated by Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Ted Turner traced the evolution of his social activism and personal politics at the Nov. 15 Investment In Excellence dinner, sponsored by the Graduate School of Public Affairs.
“I started out as a conservative—suspicious of government and opposed to taxation,” the internationally recognized Cable News Network founder said. “Today, I’m convinced of the ability of government to serve as a catalyst for positive change in people’s lives and committed to international cooperation to conserve natural resources, promote development of renewable energy technologies, and reduce the release of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change. I get around in a hybrid car, and I will for the rest of my life.”
Other dignitaries attending the dinner-celebration included former U.S. senators Gary Hart, Tim Wirth and CU President Hank Brown, Colorado Governor-Elect Bill Ritter, and Denver City Council member Rosemary Rodriguez. The event was introduced by GSPA Dean Kathleen Beatty and closed by UCD Chancellor M. Roy Wilson.
In one of his first public appearances following the Nov. 7 elections, Ritter praised the work of GSPA and spoke of the need for federal-state-local cooperation to achieve energy independence and environmental sustainability. Brown introduced Turner with a brief review of the latter’s entrepreneurial and philanthropic accomplishments.
Proceeds from GSPA’s Investment in Excellence dinner help to fund student scholarships and support the Wirth Chair for Environmental and Community Development Policy, currently occupied by scholar in residence Hart.