DENVER METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 

Denver 

News: With a capacity crowd of 1,400, a waiting list of 120 and an after-party attended by 600, it wasn’t a stretch for Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce President/CEO J.J. Ament to describe the 2026 Boots ‘n Business Luncheon as “Something very special.” 

Attendance aside, Ament noted, this event that had its start in 1995 is noteworthy because it is an occasion where politicians, lobbyists, ranchers, farmers and “every business leader you can imagine” can come together to celebrate Colorado’s agricultural roots while raising money for young people associated with the National Western Stock Show. 

Boots ‘n Business 2026 was held Jan. 9 at the National Western Events Center. US Bank was the Presenting Sponsor. Coors Brewing Company was the Innovations in Agriculture Sponsor; Hensel Phelps sponsored the entertainment; Intermountain Health hosted the networking reception that preceded lunch, and Cigna was the after-party host.  

Anyone wishing to attend needs to act quickly, Ament said, because the dress Western event, as always, “Sold out months ago. It literally was the hardest ticket in town to get.” 

U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper were there, along with Gov. Jared Polis, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston;30-plus local elected officials and representatives from companies that included 1^st Bank, Comcast, Denver International Airport, Lockton, Alpine Motors, Suncor, Sky Blue Builders and JE Dunn Construction. 

The Stock Show’s new president and chief executive officer, Wes Allison, and his wife, Jennifer, made their entrance on a horse-drawn buckboard as the narrator of an introductory video noted that Allison had “hit the ground running” upon his arrival in Denver on May 5, 2025. He had previously served as president/CEO of the Heart O’Texas Fair and Rodeo. 

Luncheon proceeds go to the National Western Scholarship Trust, where this year’s class of 120 students at 13 Colorado and Wyoming colleges and universities will receive scholarships ranging from $2,500 to $15,000 each to be put toward their pursuit of degrees in agriculture, veterinary science and rural medicine. 

Money raised at the after-party, held this year in The Legacy building, will be used by the chamber to purchase animals at the Stock Show’s annual Auction of Junior Livestock Champions. The youngsters who raise the animals sold at the auction use their share of the money to further their education or to fund the acquisition and care of future livestock champions. 

Luncheon guests included: 

• David Coors, chairman of the Molson Coors Beverage Company and Rahul Goyal, the company’s president and chief executive officer; 

• Pat Grant, the Stock Show’s former chief executive; 

• Doug Jones, chairman of the National Western board of directors and the founder and first presenting sponsor of the Boots ‘n Business Luncheon; 

• Denver City Council President Amanda Sandoval; 

• Sage Hospitality’s Walter Isenberg; 

• Barry Hirschfeld; 

• Janice Sinden, who heads Denver Center for the Performing Arts; 

• Ernest House, former executive director for the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs and current senior policy director for the Keystone Policy Center; 

• Robin Wise, president/CEO of Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain; 

• Joan Slaughter, co-founder and executive director of the Morgan Adams Foundation; and 

• Kristen Blessman, executive vice president of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and president of its Leadership Foundation. 

About the organization: The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization formed to empower businesses to grow, lead and influence change. 

Website: denverchamber.org 

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