Former Mayor to speak at annual Martin Luther King breakfast

PUEBLO – The Diversity Resource Center at Colorado State University-Pueblo again will host  the annual Martin Luther King breakfast on Monday, Jan. 18. The event will feature former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb. Webb will discuss Dr. King's legacy while motivating you to  give back to your community as part of the breakfast beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, January 18 in the Occhiato University Center Ballroom. The breakfast is free to attendees. The program will begin at 8:30 a.m. Webb spent 12 years as the leader of Denver's Mile High City, and helped pull it out of the economic doldrums of 1991 to an investment of $7 billion in infrastructure when he left office in 2003. In October 2003, he founded Webb Group International, a firm that works with businesses and cities on economic development projects, public relations and other consulting areas. 

As mayor, he oversaw the completion of $4 billion Denver International Airport and redevelopment of the former Stapleton Airport into a thriving residential and business area. He also helped convince voters to approve a $300 million addition to the Colorado Convention Center, which opened December 2004, and pushed through difficult negotiations for a nearby privately-publicly funded Hyatt Convention Center hotel, which opened in 2005.

As a statesman, Webb hosted Pope John Paul II and nearly 200,000 people worldwide for World Youth Day in 1993. Four years later, he welcomed President Clinton and eight world leaders at the Denver Summit of the Eight, the annual local economic summit. His numerous recognitions include, the U.S. Conference of Mayors highest honor, the Distinguished Public Service award in ; The Americans for the Arts Government Leadership in the Arts; The National Wildlife Federation's Achievement Award; The National Trust for Historic Preservation's ''Outstanding Achievement in Public Policy'' award; and by the country of France the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (Chevalier of the Legion Honor). Webb is the only Mayor in U.S. history to serve as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, President of the National Conference of Black Mayors, and President of the National Conference of Democratic Mayors. 

Prior to being elected mayor, he served in the Colorado State Legislature; was appointed a Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under President Jimmy Carter; was appointed Executive Director of Colorado's Department of Regulatory Agencies under Governor Richard Lamm; and was elected Denver's city Auditor.  His first career was as a faculty member for the University of Colorado and Colorado State University. Wellington Webb is married to former six-term State Representative Wilma J. Webb. They have four grown children; Keith, Stephanie, Anthony and Allen.

For more information or to make a reservation for the breakfast, contact the Diversity Resource Center at diversityresourcecenter@csupueblo.edu or 719-549-2627.