BOARD OF DIRECTORS

High Plains Bank

Garibay, who has an MBA in finance and accounting, started with High Plains Bank in December 2022, bringing with him 18 years of commercial banking experience with regional and national banks located primarily in Boulder County. His first position was as a credit analyst for Wells Fargo, where he later became senior vice president of commercial banking, serving the company for nearly seven years. He also helped a couple of banks start commercial offices in the Boulder County area.

“Given my background and network in the area, my focus is helping grow organizations on the commercial banking side that want to be in Boulder County,” Garibay said. “For me, it’s always been building relationships with the business community, really forming those relationships and getting to know different businesses and their needs.”

High Plains Bank, founded in 1908, has five locations in Longmont, Bennett, Flagler, Keenesburg and Wiggins and is opening an administrative office in Longmont with move-in expected by mid-December 2023. 

The bank is family-run, employee-owned and community-driven and puts value on small business owners and personal relationships, as stated on its website, hpbgo.com.

“We say family first, then community, then the bank,” the website states.

Garibay wants to understand Longmont’s challenges and find ways he can leverage the bank’s resources to meet the needs of the community and the businesses there, he said. He does this by connecting businesses with the bank’s loan programs and products and services, as well as with his network of contacts to help them establish and grow their businesses, he said.

“We have a little bit of an understanding of the market conditions and the local businesses we work with,” Garibay said. “It’s that shared vision everyone has here of that family-first bank.”

High Plains Bank is committed to serving Longmont by sponsoring and partnering with more than 200 nonprofits, plus hosts a variety of fundraisers, all of which help the bank be more visible in the community, Garibay said.

Michael Mercier is the Director of Talent Acquisition for Seagate Technology and is responsible for leading Seagate recruiting teams in the Americas and EMEA.

Michael earned an MS from Central Michigan University in 1992 and a BS from the US Air Force Academy in 1986. After graduation from the Academy, he served 20 years (Active Duty & Air Force Reserve) with assignments in Space, Missile Operations, and USAFA Admissions. Prior to joining Seagate, Michael was an Executive Senior Partner at an executive search firm for 27 years. At Seagate, Michael leads global recruiting teams that recruit and hire in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Europe, and the Middle East.

Michael, and his wife Susan, returned to Colorado in 2007 from Orange County, California. They raised their two children in Boulder County.

Pam Hora is the Operations Manager of the Longmont office of Tetra Tech.  Pam has worked for Tetra Tech (or its predecessor, Rocky Mountain Consultants) since 1994 where she has provided land use permitting consultant services to clients pursuing new projects in Longmont as well as other communities in Colorado and neighboring states.

Pam is a third generation Colorado native who was born in Greeley, lived in Albuquerque, NM for most of her formative years, and then returned to Colorado during high school where she graduated from Longmont High School.  She attended the University of Colorado, Boulder where she earned a Bachelor of Environmental Design with an emphasis in Planning.  Since 2000, Pam has been a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. 

Pam and her husband, Scott, have been married for 23 years, reside in Longmont, and have two daughters: Addysen, who graduated from Silver Creek High School in 2020 and is now living and working in Boulder; and, Ellery, a Junior at Silver Creek High School. Through the years, Pam has been actively involved in volunteering in her daughters’ schools and with their extracurricular activities, served as the President of her church’s Parish Council, and, for about the last 10 years, has led her Tetra Tech office team in volunteering for activities in support of Boulder County Parks and Open Space; Longmont Parks, Open Space, and Trails; and other local non-profit organizations. 

Pam is currently a member of the Design Advisory Committee responsible for reviewing sign variance requests submitted to the Longmont Downtown Development Authority.

With over two decades of leadership at VaporTech, our team has delivered leading-edge technology to a broad international business audience.

VaporTech is a technology leader offering innovative solutions for two distinct industrial needs. Our core business lies in physical vapor deposition (PVD) equipment. PVD is a technique used to create microscopically thin coatings that enhance a product’s properties, such as increasing its strength, conductivity, or wear resistance. VaporTech’s PVD equipment caters to a wide range of industries, from automotive manufacturers to medical device producers, ensuring they have the customized solutions needed for their specific application. Furthermore, VaporTech goes beyond PVD by offering equipment capable of creating diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings, known for their unmatched hardness. Notably, our systems can even apply both PVD and DLC coatings within a single chamber, providing a streamlined solution for companies seeking these advanced surface treatments. In essence, VaporTech serves a diverse clientele across numerous industries by offering cutting-edge technology for optimizing product performance.

As President, I embrace the values of integrity and collaboration, ensuring that our organization remains at the forefront of technology while serving the specific needs of our customers.

I began my career with FirstBank in 1994 and currently serve as Senior Vice President for the Longmont Market. I have extensive experience in residential and commercial real estate, construction, SBA and small business lending.

In addition, I also serve as Senior Vice President for FirstBank 1031 Corporation, a subsidiary of FirstBank. In this capacity since 2010, I have been involved in all facets of 1031 Corporation, with primary responsibility for corporate strategy, business development and personnel management.

FirstBank now has over $17 billion in assets and over 115 locations in Colorado, Arizona, and California. We’re still a growing company, but after 50 years, our commitment to our customers and to our communities has not changed.

Steve is the founder and Principal Architect of BASIS Architecture and Design. Founded in 1999, the design firm has locations in Longmont and Estes Park, primarily serving commercial and multi-family clients along the Front Range. He received his Bachelor of Architecture from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. After moving from his native Massachusetts to Denver in 1993, he was involved with many of the first loft renovation projects in Lower Downtown, sparking his interest in revitalizing communities.

A Longmont resident since 2010, Steve currently serves on Longmont’s Historic Preservation Commission, completed the Chamber’s Leadership Longmont program in 2018, was a steering committee member for Longmont’s Downtown Master Plan update in 2016 and has served on various planning and building code adoption committees in the past. Additional volunteer efforts include working with Habitat for Humanity of the St Vrain Valley and as a former member of the Estes Valley Planning Commission. With thirty years of experience in the architectural field, Steve has deep knowledge of building and construction, development and municipal planning and code requirements for multiple municipalities.

Outside of work, Steve’s passions include getting outside, away from man-made structures; exploring culinary creativity; playing hockey; and spending time with family: his wife Amy, son Ian and daughter Morgan.

Ryan Rohman MSN, NMF is currently the President of Longs Peak and Broomfield Hospitals. Prior to this role, Ryan was the Chief Operating Officer for UCHealth’s Northern Colorado Region.

Ryan began his healthcare career in 2003 as a bedside nurse. Prior to the start of his executive career, Ryan acted as the regional senior director of perioperative services for both Medical Center of the Rockies (MCR) and Poudre Valley Hospital (PVH).

In 2015, Ryan was named chief nursing officer for MCR. During his tenure as CNO, MCR received its second Magnet designation and made US News and World Report’s Top 100 Hospital for the first time in 2017. At that time, Ryan took on the role of COO for the north region of UCHealth. He also served as the Incident Commander for the COVID pandemic response for the north region of UCHealth, assisted in achieving a level 1 trauma designation and started the interventional stroke program at MCR.

Ryan received a Bachelor of Science in nursing with honors and summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota School of Nursing and a Master of Science in nursing in health systems leadership from the University of Colorado School of Nursing in Aurora. Nationally, Ryan is an American Organization of Nurse Leaders Fellow (AONL); and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). He also served on the Colorado Organization of Nurse Leaders Board of Directors (CONL).

Within the community of Northern Colorado, Ryan serves on the Longmont Economic Development Planning Board, Harmony Surgery Center Board, is the acting President of the Loveland Chamber of Commerce Board and is a member of the Front Range Community College Presidential Area Advisory Board.

Ryan is married and has two children. He and his family spend a majority of their free time enjoying the Colorado outdoors. Additionally, Ryan is a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor and enjoys assisting and teaching others in learning this underwater adventure.

Jack Bestall is Founder of Bestall Collaborative – a consulting firm providing advisory services in real estate and development with offices in Evergreen and Longmont. Expert in formulating strategies the firm’s services include development feasibility, planning, representation and project management.

Jack is grateful of how welcoming Longmont is; and excited by the Envision Longmont plan – that outlines a practical path to community sustainability. Within that framework, the firm has focused on planning green and brown field projects that align with Envision Longmont Goals and Polices; in affiliation with Olive Grove Capital Partners.

A graduate of Arizona State University College of Architecture – Jack has experience in the public and private sectors; including: Development Director for The Meadows in Castle Rock and Grand Park in Fraser; Vice President of the Planning Center and P&D Technologies (AECOM) in Arizona; and Principal Planner for City of Scottsdale. A founder of the Grand Foundation in Grand County Jack served on its board, the Jefferson County Planning Commission, the Urban Land Institute Colorado Program Committee and the Downtown Denver Alliance.

Jack enjoys time with his wife Pam, daughters Kate and Kelsey; sons Keith and John; and grandson Michael; and exploring the outback on foot and in his OHV. 

Dr. Don Haddad is the Superintendent of St. Vrain Valley Schools and has been successfully involved in an educational career for 37 years. During this time, he has benefited from a broad range of experiences in several school districts while working in various teaching, coaching and administrative positions at every level, PK-12. Currently he participates in numerous professional organizations and educationally focused activities.

In St. Vrain, he has held the positions of Principal at Niwot High School, Executive Director of Secondary Instruction, Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services, and Deputy Superintendent. He assumed the position of Superintendent of Schools for the St. Vrain Valley School District in July 2009.

In addition to his work in education, Dr. Haddad has served on the Board of Directors for the Longmont Chamber of Commerce, the Carbon Valley Chamber of Commerce, and served on the Longmont Area Economic Council Board of Directors, as well as having memberships in various service-oriented organizations. He is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Colorado Business Roundtable. He has led the Longmont Chamber of Commerce Leadership Longmont program for nine years and has successfully spearheaded two mill levy overrides and two bond elections in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Dr. Haddad has been invited to speak at numerous education and business related events throughout Colorado and beyond.

Dr. Haddad has been honored with the 2010 Communicator of the Year Award from the Colorado School Public Relations Association and the 2011 Technology Administrator of the Year Award from the Colorado Association of Leaders in Educational Technology. He was also featured in the Fall 2011 Education Executive Magazine, a national publication, was named the 2013 Superintendent of the Year by the National Association of School Superintendents (NASS), and has served as the Chair of the NASS Executive Committee.

Dr. Haddad was one of 100 superintendents nation-wide invited to participate in the Future Ready Superintendent Summit at the White House in November 2014 and was selected as one of the 16 “2015 Leaders To Learn From” by Education Week, a prominent national publication.