For Immediate Release
Contacts:
Hilarie Portell, Lowry Redevelopment Authority, 303-326-7123, Pager 888-399-5772
LOWRY DIRECTOR NAMED BASE REDEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT
2005 Closure Round Biggest Yet; Conference Comes to Denver
Denver—Tom Markham, executive director of the Lowry Redevelopment Authority,
has been named president of the national association representing communities
with active and closed military bases. The membership of NAID, An Association
of Defense Communities (NAID/ADC) elected Markham at their annual conference
in Monterey, Calif., Aug. 8.
“This is a critical time for all defense communities,” said Tim Ford, executive
director of NAID/ADC. “Tom’s proven leadership, experience and strong connections
in Washington and around the nation can only help to advance NAID/ADC’s mission.
As communities face the prospect of being impacted by base closures, there
are few places that can demonstrate there’s ‘life after closure’ as effectively
as the Denver region.”
The Department of Defense (DoD), as part of a restructuring to address post
Cold War threats, will announce a major round of base closures next May. Lowry
will host NAID/ADC’s 2005 Annual Conference in Denver June 4-7.
For 30 years, NAID/ADC has been supporting America’s defense communities through
four rounds of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) and with the enduring issues
facing communities with active military installations. Working with its federal
partners, NAID/ADC members have directed the largest transfer of federal land
in 150 years — 550,000 acres has been conveyed to 212 communities since the
first BRAC round in 1988. NAID/ADC members with active military installations
work as partners in transforming how the military uses its infrastructure by
supporting the missions of their local base.
Markham’s first initiative is to provide DOD with lessons learned over 30 years
of base redevelopment.
“Base closure can present real economic opportunity to local communities, but
it also poses enormous challenges,” said Markham. “Over the years, communities
have learned what works and what doesn’t. Improvements can and should be made
to the federal process to expedite economic development while protecting the
interests of local communities.”
Key industry issues include:
• Expediting the property disposal process to ensure economic redevelopment
occurs quickly and new jobs are created to replace those that were lost.
• Streamlining environmental cleanup by removing cumbersome procedures and
using new models of environmental cleanup such as early transfer and environmental
insurance.
• Supporting communities impacted by the 2005 BRAC list through the expertise
and knowledge of NAID/ADC members.
• Advocating for communities with active installations to build new partnerships
that can enhance the military mission and provide benefits to local communities.
Markham has directed the Lowry redevelopment since December 1997. Under his
leadership, the development has created a $4 billion gross economic impact
for the Denver metro area and state of Colorado. More than 100 employers are
located at Lowry, bringing 6,000 jobs. Nearly 6,500 people live in 2,800 new
homes and apartments. The redevelopment is now 70 percent complete and is a
national industry model.
During his tenure at Lowry, the project has won numerous awards, including the
1995 and 1998 Governor’s Award for Smart Growth and Development, the National
Association of Installation Developers’ Facility of the Year Award in 1997, the
1999 Home Builders Association award for Community of the Year, and a 1999 White
House award for Sustainable Development.
Markham has a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Management from the United
States Air Force Academy and a Master of Science degree in Organizational Management
from the University of Colorado.
NAID is managed by the International Economic Development Council.
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