We had the opportunity to hea
r Luis Benitez speak at an Outdoor Industry Club event on Monday, October 30, 2017. Benitez has summited Everest six times; his first and most notable summit was with blind athlete Erik Weihenmayer in 2001. Aside from being an incredibly inspirational speaker with a fascinating life story, Luis currently serves as the first Director for the Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry for the state of Colorado; this role is quickly expanding and gaining momentum in states across the country. Governor John Hickenlooper created this position in 2015 to foster a partnership between the outdoor industry and the Colorado government. Hickenlooper understands the value of the outdoor industry—this role facilitates the overall goal to move the state’s economy forward. The Colorado outdoor recreation industry accounted for $28 billion according to a report provided by the Outdoor Industry Association.
Many of us relocated to Colorado to take advantage of the amazing outdoor opportunities that we have available to us here. Colorado is a key state for employment in the outdoor industry, credited for 229,000 direct jobs. The recent relocation of the Outdoor Retailer (OR) trade show to Denver is further evidence of Colorado’s commitment to the outdoor industry. Held in Salt Lake City for 21 years, OR’s organizers chose to move the trade show in protest over Utah elected official’s stance on public lands. 
Colorado has demonstrated a more progressive approach to public lands, an attractive business climate, and obviously offers an amazing destination for a variety of outdoor activities. Benitez is credited for his role in the negotiations that brought the show to Colorado; per an Outside Online article “Those who witnessed his work say that has been tireless in his diligence to bring OR to Colorado.” We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to meet Luis, get inspired by his story, and learn more about what Colorado is doing to promote and protect our state’s land.
