Joe García | |
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48th Lieutenant Governor of Colorado | |
In office January 11, 2011 – May 12, 2016 |
|
Governor | John Hickenlooper |
Preceded by | Barbara O'Brien |
Succeeded by | Donna Lynne |
Executive Director of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education | |
In office January 12, 2011 – May 12, 2016 |
|
Governor | John Hickenlooper |
Preceded by | Rico Munn |
Succeeded by | TBD |
President of Colorado State University, Pueblo | |
In office June 30, 2006 – August 6, 2010 |
|
Preceded by | Ron Applbaum |
Succeeded by | Leslie Di Mare |
Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies | |
In office 1993 – January 11, 1999 |
|
Preceded by | ??? |
Succeeded by | Michael Cooke |
Personal details | |
Born |
Lafayette, Indiana, U.S. |
March 21, 1957
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) | Claire Ferguson |
Alma mater |
University of Colorado, Boulder Harvard University |
Joseph A. "Joe" García (born March 21, 1957), was the 48th Lieutenant Governor of Colorado, serving from January 2011 to May 2016.
Joseph A. Garcia was born on March 21, 1957, in Lafayette, Indiana. He attended Austin E. Lathrop High School in Fairbanks, Alaska from 1973 to 1974 and graduated from T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia in 1975. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1979 where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business. Joe then graduated from Harvard Law School in 1983.
After law school, Garcia took a job with the firm of Holme Roberts & Owen, going on to become their first Hispanic partner. Garcia worked with the firm from 1983 to 1993. Garcia was appointed by Governor Romer as the Executive Director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies in 1993. In 1999 Garcia was appointed by the White House as the Regional Director of the Rocky Mountain States for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
García was appointed by Gov. Ritter to serve as one of three Commissioners from Colorado on the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education and he was reappointed by Gov. Hickenlooper. He served as Chair of the Commission in 2012. He also served as a member of the board of trustees for the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and was previously on the Governmental Affairs Committee for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.
From 2001-2006, he served as President of Pikes Peak Community College. As President, Garcia was responsible for leading and managing the second largest community college in the state and its 750 employees in servicing the community’s diverse education, business, and industry needs. He developed and maintained relationships with Colorado Legislature, other elected officials, and industry leaders in order to affect legislation, policy changes and funding that impacted the college and the Community Colleges of Colorado system. He also represented the college through active participation in business and civic organizations, and devised sustainable education programs and partnerships relevant to students and community needs. While at PPCC, Garcia was twice named Community College President of the Year by the Community College student government association.