Denver memorial to honor former DU Chancellor Daniel Ritchie
A memorial at the University of Denver next week will honor the life of former Chancellor Daniel Ritchie, who died last week at age 93.
Ritchie served as DU's 16th chancellor from 1989 to 2005 and is credited with helping the university recover from financial difficulties. He led efforts to raise more than $400 million for new facilities and infrastructure.
DU has lost its greatest friend and champion. And all of us who knew Dan have lost a loyal friend, a wise counselor, and an unparalleled role model," current DU Chancellor Jeremy Haefner said in a statement last week.
An entrepreneur, Ritchie worked for years as vice president of MCA Inc. and, after moving to Colorado, served as CEO of Westinghouse Broadcasting, and as CEO of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, for which he received no salary. He also led the Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation and raised money for scholarships for prospective college students.
"Dan spent decades of his life working to make Colorado a better place," Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement. "Dan's leadership at and contributions to University of Denver also helped shape Colorado's higher education landscape and made DU into the powerhouse it is today, and his decades of service there impacted countless students and staff for the better."
The memorial, which is open to the public, will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 13 at the Magness Arena, 2250 E Jewell Ave.
