The Colorado State University Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Awards program recognizes CSU alumni and friends who have distinguished themselves professionally, brought honor to the University, and have made significant contributions of time and/or philanthropy to the university or their community.
Award winners were announced on Thursday, October 11 – two of whom have ties to the College of Health and Human Sciences.
Kim Jordan | Recipient of William E. Morgan Alumni Achievement Award
Kim Jordan embodies the characteristics cherished at Colorado State University: hardworking, innovative, and dedicated to making the world a better place. That’s why she was an easy choice to win the William E. Morgan Alumni Achievement Award.
Jordan, co-founder of New Belgium Brewing in Fort Collins, is the most successful woman in American craft brewing. Since she, along with former husband Jeff Lebesch, launched the company from her basement in 1991, Jordan has vaulted New Belgium into the craft brewing stratosphere: NBB is the fourth-largest craft brewer in the nation and ranks 11th overall among American brewers in total sales.
Under her leadership, NBB has created some of the country’s most iconic beers, including Fat Tire, Voodoo Ranger, Trippel, and Dayblazer. In 2017, NBB partnered with CSU to create Old Aggie Superior Lager, which has become tremendously popular despite being sold only in Colorado.
But while Jordan has enjoyed enormous success, it was her unique style of ownership that set her apart from other entrepreneurs. From the beginning, NBB has been dedicated to environmentally friendly and sustainable business practices. And unlike pretty much every other major brewer, NBB is 100-percent employee-owned.
Jordan, though, didn’t stop there. She is a dedicated philanthropist and, in 2013, she launched the New Belgium Family Foundation with her two sons as a way to continue to express their commitment to social and environmental impact through mission-aligned investing and philanthropy. And she is a passionate supporter of her alma mater, making significant contributions to CSU’s fermentation science program and to athletics. The New Belgium Porch at Canvas Stadium is an enormously popular gathering spot for CSU fans on Game Days and other campus occasions.
Jordan stepped down as NBB CEO in 2015 but remains chair of the board and oversees long-term strategy. She serves as secretary on CSU’s Board of Governors.
Danette Reagan (B.S., nutrition and food science, ’87) | Recipient of College of Health and Human Sciences Honor Alumna Award
Danette Reagan worked as a registered clinical dietitian at Exempla St. Joseph Hospital in Denver from the moment she graduated until her recent retirement. She is a dedicated alumna who has served on Colorado State University’s Campaign Leadership Council, the College of Health and Human Sciences Executive Leadership Council, the Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center board, and the Denver Athletic Advisory Board. Her generosity has helped grow the Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center, which provides service-learning opportunities and training for students in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, while enhancing community health through nutrition outreach, collaboration, and research. Reagan has been a longtime Rams fan and supporter of CSU Athletics. She and her husband, Monty, are proud members of the 1870 Club and the Lory Society, and they have a brick on the Colorado State University Oval.
The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and the School of Social Work are part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.
