Denver International Airport spent more than $466 per person on party; Ethics Board says spending "inappropriate"

Denver International Airport spent more than $21,000 on a retirement party attended by just 45 people -- more than $466 for every person who actually showed up.

The party was for the airport's longtime Senior Vice President of Operations Greg Hegarty and was held Jan. 13, 2026, at the Westin Denver International Airport.

The Denver Board of Ethics has now weighed in on the spending, and while it cleared a Denver International Airport executive accused of violating the city's ethics code, the board delivered a blunt assessment of the party and the way it was paid for.

The board said the use of more than $20,000 in public money for a retirement party was "inappropriate," particularly at a time when Denver was cutting its budget. And it said using an airport vendor to pay for alcohol at the party was "improper because it rises to the level of an appearance of impropriety, if not an actual violation of the Code of Ethics."

The board concluded there was not clear and convincing evidence that the airport's Vice President of Operations Tegan Kissane violated the city's ethics code by helping organize the party.

But the decision went well beyond simply clearing Kissane.

"The Board of Ethics looks to all officers, officials, and employees -- and particularly its leaders -- to be role models in upholding integrity in decision-making," the board wrote.

"While a violation of the Denver Code of Ethics is not proven by clear and convincing evidence, the Board believes that the conduct here falls short of the Board's basic expectations and erodes the confidence of the citizens of the City and County of Denver that persons in positions of public power are acting for the benefit of the city."

More than $466 per guest

The Ethics Board's decision says 100 people were invited to the retirement celebration, but only 45 attended.

The party cost more than $21,000. Invoices obtained by CBS Colorado show nearly $3,000 was spent on a "cheese and sausage display," about $1,000 on "Colorado lamb lollipops" and $864 on "seared beef tenderloin."

The Ethics Board's criticism of the spending was unmistakable.

The board said that, in its experience, retirement parties for Denver employees are "generally paid for by the participants" and "do not near the cost of over $20,000.00."

"The Board of Ethics believes that using city funds in this way is inappropriate, especially in this time of constrained budgets," the decision says.

Denver International Airport responds

Denver International Airport told CBS Colorado on Wednesday it respects the Ethics Board's findings and is already reviewing how it handles employee recognition and retirement events.

"We appreciate the thorough review conducted by the Board of Ethics (BOE) and respect its findings," airport spokesperson Stacey Stegman said.

Stegman noted that DEN operates with a separate budget that is not supported by local tax dollars, but said the airport nonetheless recognizes that public money must be handled carefully. Denver International Airport's revenues come from landing fees, concessions, parking revenues, rental car fees and leases.

"We recognize that all public funds must be managed responsibly and with transparency," Stegman said.

"Maintaining public trust is a core value at DEN, and Interim CEO Dave LaPorte takes these concerns seriously," according to the airport statement.

Stegman said LaPorte has directed airport leadership to review and strengthen its practices involving employee recognition and retirement events.

"In response to the issues raised, Mr. LaPorte has directed airport leadership to review and strengthen practices related to employee recognition and retirement events to ensure spending is appropriate, fiscally responsible, and aligned with public expectations," she said.

"The Board's decision reinforces the importance of balancing employee recognition with prudent stewardship of airport resources, and those considerations will guide future decisions."

DEN also offered an explanation for why Hegarty's retirement party was held at the Westin Hotel rather than at the airport.

Stegman said only a few retirement events had been held at hotel conference facilities, resulting in higher costs.

"During that period, DEN's primary large-capacity conference space was unavailable due to construction," she said.

"Since DEN now has a conference facility again, retirement events are once again being hosted in a DEN conference space, significantly reducing costs and eliminating the need for outside venues," she said.

The vendor-funded bar

Kissane told the board that she arranged the Westin venue and food.

Marsh -- the airport's insurance broker -- said it volunteered the money to cover alcohol at the party, estimated to have cost $3,000, according to the Ethics Board.

"I made this agreement on behalf of Marsh," said Jacob Lorenz, a senior vice president with the insurance broker. "The funds were volunteered by me to help celebrate Greg and his retirement."

Lorenz said he had worked with Hegarty for many years and wanted to fund that part of the celebration.

The Ethics Board nonetheless found the arrangement troubling.

"Using vendors to skirt rules regarding alcohol is improper because it rises to the level of an appearance of impropriety, if not an actual violation of the Code of Ethics," the board wrote.

The board specifically noted that Marsh had contracts with the airport.

History of spending questions at Denver's airport

The retirement party investigation is the second time in a year and a half that the Ethics Board has dealt with allegations involving excessive or inappropriate spending by Denver International Airport employees.

The board itself pointed to an earlier case involving the airport's spending on travel to Madrid for an international airport conference.

That case followed CBS Colorado reporting from May 2025 that Denver International Airport sent a group of nine senior executives to Madrid, with all the executives traveling in business or first class at costs running into the five figures. They were attending a three-day conference. One round-trip airfare cost more than $19,000, while another was more than $15,000. The spending prompted an Ethics Board investigation and ultimately changes to the airport's travel policies.

The Ethics Board specifically referenced that case in its new decision, saying this was the "second time in less than a year" that Denver International Airport employees had been the subject of complaints involving "excessive spending and/or inappropriate spending and potential violations of city fiscal and ethics rules."

A warning about public money

The Ethics Board's decision repeatedly returned to the issue of public trust.

Denver's fiscal rules require city expenditures to be for official city business, in the city's best interest, necessary and reasonable, and not provide -- or create the appearance of providing -- a personal benefit to an employee.

The board also noted Denver's recent budget problems, including layoffs and furloughs.

"Employees lost their jobs based on the dire state of the city's budget, and the citizens also suffered as the services provided were cut back," the board wrote.

"This is the fiscal backdrop behind the decisions made surrounding spending levels for this party," the board said.

The board concluded that "neither the Denver Code of Ethics, nor the Fiscal Accountability Rules were heeded in the planning or execution of this event."

City officials, the board said, have a responsibility to act as "stewards of public funds" and ensure public dollars are dedicated to serving the public -- "and not to the employees, themselves."