City's new economic development chief a 'private-sector guy'

David Milstead, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 4, 2007 at midnight

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André Pettigrew, the former chief operating officer of Denver Public Schools, is the new head of economic development for the city of Denver.

Pettigrew replaces John Huggins, who left earlier this year.

Pettigrew ended six years as DPS' chief operating officer in early May. In that job, he managed its business and non-instructional operations.

He also has a private-sector background, with time spent as vice president of marketing for the iBelay Venture Capital Fund, a $100 million private-equity fund targeted at investing in early-stage Internet startup companies.

"I've always fashioned myself as a private-sector guy working in the public sector," Pettigrew said. "I've learned the public sector is a place you can have great impact, macro impact, on what goes on in society."

The city's eco-devo chief need not spend a lot of time fashioning tax incentives or recruiting new employers. True to that, Pettigrew plans to focus on encouraging entrepreneurship.

"The vitality of a community is really linked to the vitality of its entrepreneur community."

Pettigrew has previous experience at the Boulder Development Commission from 1992 to 1994.

He also served more than four years in former Gov. Roy Romer's Cabinet as the executive director of the Colorado Department of Personnel/General Support Services.

Pettigrew's salary will be $129,240 a year.

In announcing the appointment, Mayor John Hickenlooper said "André's experience as a senior executive in entrepreneurial and large organizational environments - both in the private and public sectors - will be a great addition. . . . He understands the relationship between economic health and every issue our community faces and is eager to help us expand new opportunities throughout the city."

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