Historic gathering of all of Colorado’s living Governors, in celebration of Governor Roy Romer
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Contact:
Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy:
Scott Fisher, scott.fisher@evidence-based.org, c 303-434-0411
Governors laud the extraordinary legacy of Governor Romer, the work of the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy, and donation of Romer papers to MSU Denver
DENVER - The Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy, in collaboration with Metropolitan State University of Denver, hosted last Thursday evening at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science a remarkable gathering of all of Colorado’s living Governors spanning four decades of gubernatorial leadership - former Governors Roy Romer, Bill Owens, and Bill Ritter; U.S. Senator (and former Governor) John Hickenlooper; and Governor Jared Polis. The event celebrated Governor Romer and the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy, and donation of the Romer papers to the Metropolitan State University of Denver, a higher ed institution that owes its existence to then-State Senator Romer’s visionary leadership.
In a special, bipartisan moment in Colorado’s political history, each of the Governors offered tributes to Governor Romer and his extraordinary career with compelling insights, recollections and humor, honoring his legacy and the work that continues in his name by the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy. Also offering a tribute was Ambassador Ken Salazar, who began his public service career as Governor Romer’s chief legal counsel.
The evening culminated with personal reflections by Governor Romer.
The event also included opening remarks by George Sparks, CEO of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (and founding board vice chair of the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy); Janine Davidson, President of MSU Denver; Jerry Glick, chair of the MSU Board of Trustees; Balan Nair, board chair of the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy; and Shepard Nevel, CEO of the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy.
See the remarks by
See the entire program with all speakers here. And photographs here.
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Excerpted remarks from “An Evening in Celebration of Governor Roy Romer,” Denver Museum of Nature & Science, September 3, 2026
The Five Governors and Ambassador Salazar
“Roy and I come from different political parties, but over the years we found plenty to agree on. And what we also found was that while we could disagree and debate, we could do so in an honorable way, while continuing to work together on those issues where we agreed…We could argue vigorously about policy without assuming the person on the other side of the debate was acting in bad faith. And when Colorado’s interest required us to work together, we did…Roy and I never confused bipartisanship with abandoning our principles. But we also understood that the purpose of politics is not to simply defeat the other side. The purpose of governing is to leave the people and place you serve better than you find them. And that principle seems especially important today for both parties to realize. Roy Romer and I had our differences. We never lacked for arguments. But when Colorado needed us to come together, we could and did. And I just hope that the next generation of leaders will rediscover this habit. Not agreement for agreement’s sake but cooperating when cooperation serves the people. That would be a fitting way to honor Roy Romer, and would be a very good result for Colorado.”
- Bill Owens, former Governor of Colorado
“Governor Romer, it’s such an honor to be here. For those of you who know anything about my own political career, it would not exist without Governor Roy Romer. I so appreciate that you gave me that start in political life…The day I took office [as Denver District Attorney], June 4, 1993, was the beginning of the Summer of Violence. And so, in reflecting on Governor Romer and his leadership, and the principle of primacy, what’s the first thing you’re dealing with, I remember the leadership response that Governor Roy lent to the summer of violence…He made decisions before a policy institute was called evidence-based. He cared a great deal about all stakeholders coming to him, and lending their own subject matter expertise in very much an evidence-based way…Your thoughtfulness, the way you brought stakeholders in and listened to them is exactly the way leadership should be… You have lived a long and a great life. You’re such an important person to the State of Colorado. You have a legacy that’s incomparable in so many respects, and this evidence-based policy institute that you’re establishing is something that we need so badly in this state and in this country.”
- Bill Ritter, former Governor of Colorado
“We talk about empathy, and I think using evidence-based policy is so powerful, but not without empathy…Roy was in high school when World War II broke out. Camp Amache was in Prowers County, right outside Granada. As a high school football player, Roy Romer and his team went to play the kids who were interned in the detention facility. Everybody’s geared up. They want to win. After the first quarter, Roy could see the conditions in which they lived, what their life was like. And, as he told me, ‘We weren’t any less competitive. But we could see that these kids needed a win more than we did.’ And so, the team let the Japanese kids win. I think of his empathy at that early age...He is a reservoir of wisdom and experience, and I think his partnership with [the Romer Institute] is going to be amazing…Roy, thank you for all you’ve done for all of us.”
- U.S. Senator (and former Governor) John Hickenlooper
“There’s a reason that you have governors and mayors in the room. Leaders turn to data. Much of the research or data being generated is self-serving, meaning certain funders for a certain agenda. All you really need to know is who’s funding it and the name of the organization putting it out, and you barely even need to read it. Because you know before they even conduct the work what it’s going to be. And that is the void that the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy is jumping into, to help address…Roy really moved Colorado forward on education, on economic strength, protecting our great outdoors, our way of life…You’re a generous friend, you’re a force of nature, an inspiring voice for our state. Thank you for honoring your service and the service of so many others by establishing the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy, which will pay dividends for all of us. Because of the data and the evidence-based policy that emerges from this important, incredible, critical work…Thank you to everybody here to help make sure that this is a success. Thank you, and congratulations. It’s a challenge to all of us to carry it forward, and make sure that the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy can truly pay it forward, and provide powerful and compelling evidence-based policy to governors, to state legislators, to mayors, to councils and commissioners.”
- Governor Jared Polis
“When Roy Romer was elected Governor in 1986, it was a tough time in Colorado [with] high unemployment. What did Roy Romer do? He didn’t despair. He said, ‘we’re going to do this together.’ As Governor Owens mentioned, it was a time when Republicans controlled both the Senate and the House, by big numbers. But it didn’t stop him from doing great things. One of those was Great Outdoors Colorado. He envisioned it. He said, ‘we can do both. We can create jobs in Colorado and have economic prosperity, so everybody has a job. But we can also protect our environment.’ This Democratic governor brought the state together. It was a Republican state at the time, and almost 60% of the vote that adopted Great Outdoors Colorado. And today, it is the premier land conservation organization in America. And it would not have happened without Roy Romer…So that’s part of his living legacy, but it all came together by bringing people together…The architecture that was created, that he gave to the other governors, that he’s given to the people of the state of Colorado, is an architecture that is defining Colorado…You ask a question about which is his favorite place in Colorado. I would say Colorado is his favorite place because he carries us in his heart.”
- Former Ambassador Ken Salazar
“I want to thank all of you, because you’re my best friends. You worked with me for a long while, and I want to thank you all for that joint effort. The remarks I want to make to close is to connect this research institute with the life I lived. All my life I have been searching for what is true. In Holly, Colorado, you get a certain view of the world. I was 10 miles from the relocation center in World War II. And I know my government was lying to me about what the Japanese-American mentality was. They were our friends. We farmed with them. We worked with them. And so, I learned early that you need to be questioning in life and keep searching for truth. The next big truth I learned was over the Vietnam War. I paid a lot of attention to Indochina in history. In 1965, I flew as one person and spent time there, to learn about the war. And it was an incident in which we were just terribly wrong. I have great honor for the troops who fought that war, but the policy people who brought it on, I was embarrassed by. The main story I’m trying to tell you here is, I kept finding that my view, the truth, was only partial, and I had to listen carefully to people who differed with me, to see what truth I did not have. The biggest illustration of this is gay issues. I was 60 years of age, governor of Colorado, and had no understanding of gay issues. But I saw in my church community a family of five who had a teenage boy who was gay. That family had such love ad shared respect with each other, and it was phenomenal. I went to them just as an individual and said, ‘You’ve got something I don’t have. Will you teach me?’ And they said, ‘yes, come with us to a PFLAG meeting. I went for eight months, sat in the back of the room, to try to learn about my error of judgment. And then I began to invite them to the mansion, and I began to know them as couples. Then, in 1992, I became a defender when their rights were attacked by a constitutional amendment. But I share that with you simply because it indicates all of us have got to stay open to the truth we don’t know yet. And I want to confess my error on that issue. But I learned by listening, listening, listening. Let me say, I think this institute which is based upon research and evidence is a continuation of that search. And so, I have great commitment to what this future may be, and I thank you for coming today.”
- Governor Roy Romer
Additional Remarks
“This is one of those historic evenings that happens every decade or so at the museum…Welcome to an evening like no other. Governor Romer, you are one of the most important people in the 125 years of this museum…On May 22, 1987, you signed the bill creating the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District. And since then, more than 60 million people have come through this building. Last year, the SCFD distributed $85 million to 330 organizations…Denver’s a different place because of you.”
- George Sparks, CEO, Denver Museum of Nature & Science (and founding Board member, Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy)
“A new generation of Roadrunners will have the opportunity to dig into [Governor Romer’s] papers that will be housed with us, and be able to learn from Governor Romer’s remarkable career. And apply those lessons to the challenges that lie ahead. For our students, these papers are much more than just a record of history. Combined with the case studies and oral history work being developed through this partnership, they will create a remarkable learning laboratory…His leadership examples, I believe, are exactly what the country needs right now.”
- Janine Davidson, President, MSU Denver
“It’s not an exaggeration to say that but for Governor Romer, MSU Denver would not be celebrating its 61st birthday this year. He led the effort to charter MSU, as you heard Janine say, and in his efforts to convince his colleagues in the legislature are what made the difference. “
- Jerry Glick, Chair, MSU Denver Board of Trustees
“We are proud to be here among leaders who exemplify good governance, strong ethics, economic growth, and policies that benefit our citizens. This is exactly why the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy exists. To provide an unbiased view and points that help decision makers in bringing good governance to the state. And give them data points that provides a viewpoint perhaps different than what they’ve held before.”
- Balan Nair, Chair, Board of Directors, Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy
“Doris Kearns Goodwin was once asked, ‘if you could describe a central quality of Abraham Lincoln’s leadership, in one word, what would it be?’ And she said, ‘empathy.” And I think that’s a good word to describe Governor Romer as well. We are so proud to partner with you…and so honored to be the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy.”
- Shepard Nevel, CEO, Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy
About the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy
The Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy is a Colorado-based nonpartisan nonprofit research organization committed to unbiased, evidence-based research adhering to the highest standards to support executive decision makers in the public and private sector. The Institute operates with a commitment to being reliable, unbiased, entrepreneurial, highly customized, and timely. The Institute was founded in November 2023 as the Institute of Evidence-based Policymaking, and renamed the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy in May 2026. Learn more at evidence-based.org.
About Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metropolitan State University of Denver is Colorado’s student-centered public university—offering affordable, flexible degree- and career-focused programs in the heart of downtown Denver. MSU Denver connects learners of all backgrounds to exceptional teaching, real-world experience and meaningful opportunities in Colorado’s economy.
For additional background information, see the announcement last May and Q&A about the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy and donation of the Romer papers to MSU Denver.