Daniel L. Ritchie
Encyclopedia
Daniel L. Ritchie is the Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Denver
, a former CEO of major communication corporations, and a Harvard alumnus. He hails from China Grove, North Carolina
and has moved around the country from coast to coast before eventually settling in Denver, Colorado
.
in Boston, Massachusetts where he earned a bachelor’s degree and a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School
. After earning his degrees from Harvard, he briefly served in the Army
and then as a securities analyst in New York.
built for Elizabeth Taylor
and earned a large salary, but, according to Ritchie, Hollywood left him queasy, so he left what he termed the "grubby" and "heartless" business of Hollywood.
s industry as an entrepreneur and then spent eight years as CEO of Westinghouse Broadcasting
. Ritchie was reportedly especially proud that Westinghouse broke the AIDS story nationally while he was at its helm. As Ritchie recalled in a 2005 article honoring his legacy, an affiliate station in San Francisco came to him with solid reporting about a new plague that was terrifying the medical community. The story was so startling—and its ramifications so serious—that Ritchie said he knew it merited national attention. Ritchie and his team decided to cancel the corporation’s prime-time lineup in favor of a report chronicling the virus. “It cost us money not to have prime-time programming,” he explained, noting that no one wanted their products promoted during such an alarming program. Nonetheless, he said, he and his team made the decision to put public need ahead of the bottom line—a consideration, he said, that he doubted would be respected by today’s broadcasting leadership. “It used to be that we were expected to make good money, but we were also expected to be responsive to public need,” he noted.
This philosophy of putting the greater good as the top priority was carried into his work later on at the University of Denver
and through community organizations and boards. After holding helm of the multinational corporation of Westinghouse for many years, he retired at age 55 to the Grand River Ranch near Kremmling, Colorado
, where he planned to spend years, if not the rest of his life, raising cattle
and enjoying his ranch. The move to Colorado capped a career of nearly 30 years spent in executive positions with MCA, Inc. and Westinghouse.
, the oldest private university in the Rocky Mountain region,
, following Dwight Morrell Smith (January 1984-July 1989). He was nicknamed the first “cowboy chancellor” because of his philosophy of cowboy ethics and his background in ranching before living on campus. During his tenure, the University pioneered in the teaching of ethics at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Chancellor Ritchie collaborated with Bill Daniels to incorporate ethics, values and social responsibility in the business school curriculum. Shortly after his inauguration as the Chancellor, Ritchie appointed a task force to undertake a thorough review of international activities at the University. Based on that report, under Ritchie's direction the University began a transformation of the University's international programs. In the University's then-new strategic plan, Study Abroad and International Human Rights Advocacy figured prominently. The Cherrington Global Scholars initiative, which continues to provide opportunities for every junior at the University to be able to study abroad at no cost beyond that of tuition, is a continuing tribute to his leadership. Similarly, the International Human Rights Advocacy Center in the University's Office of Internationalization owes its existence to his vision. He served as the Chancellor without pay and has donated to the University most of his spacious Grand River Ranch, which over time has netted more than $50 million for various University projects. As he said of the gift in 1998, "The ranch has held a very special place in my heart for the last two decades. I love this land, but I love the University of Denver more."
In June 1994, Ritchie announced his first personal gift to the University of $15 million, to be achieved through sale of some 19600 acres (79.3 km²) of his ranch. Under Chancellor Ritchie's leadership, the University concluded the largest fundraising campaign in its history in 2001, topping the $200 million goal by nearly $74 million. The campus' skyline and culture changed with a multi-million dollar construction and renovation program begun under Ritchie's leadership. In 2005, also under Ritchie’s leadership, DU opened the new Center for Travel & Tourism, which serves as an academic research center.
Ritchie was also instrumental in developing DU as both a meeting and cultural destination. He played a role in securing the Frozen Four tournament for Denver in 2008, which was one of the city’s major sporting events. He served as the Chancellor for 15 years from 1989 to 2005.
In 2000, the University completed the Daniel L. Ritchie Center
, which houses the 17 Division 1 University of Denver varsity sports programs as well as the Coors Fitness Center.
Among its amenities, the Ritchie Center offers:
as demonstrated through his commitment toward supporting the building of the state of the art music and theater building on the University of Denver
's campus, the Newman Center for the Performing Arts. He increased his involvement with one of the nation’s largest cultural complexes, the Denver Center for Performing Arts in January 2007, becoming Chairman and CEO of the Denver Center. He succeeded Donald R. Seawell, who founded The Denver Center in 1972.
and the Ethical Leadership Award from the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
, a former CEO of major communication corporations, and a Harvard alumnus. He hails from China Grove, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and has moved around the country from coast to coast before eventually settling in Denver, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
Early life and education
Ritchie attended Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in Boston, Massachusetts where he earned a bachelor’s degree and a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
. After earning his degrees from Harvard, he briefly served in the Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
and then as a securities analyst in New York.
Early career
Ritchie came to Colorado to run Columbia Savings and Loan in the 1960s. After working with Columbia Savings and Loan, Ritchie moved to Hollywood, where he served as executive vice president of MCA Inc.. He lived in the house that actor Michael WildingMichael Wilding
Michael Wilding may refer to:*Michael Wilding , English actor*Michael Wilding...
built for Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age...
and earned a large salary, but, according to Ritchie, Hollywood left him queasy, so he left what he termed the "grubby" and "heartless" business of Hollywood.
Westinghouse
After his years in Hollywood, Ritchie entered the organic foodOrganic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
s industry as an entrepreneur and then spent eight years as CEO of Westinghouse Broadcasting
Westinghouse Broadcasting
The Westinghouse Broadcasting Company, also known as Group W, was the broadcasting division of Westinghouse Electric Corporation. It owned several radio and television stations across the United States and distributed television shows for syndication....
. Ritchie was reportedly especially proud that Westinghouse broke the AIDS story nationally while he was at its helm. As Ritchie recalled in a 2005 article honoring his legacy, an affiliate station in San Francisco came to him with solid reporting about a new plague that was terrifying the medical community. The story was so startling—and its ramifications so serious—that Ritchie said he knew it merited national attention. Ritchie and his team decided to cancel the corporation’s prime-time lineup in favor of a report chronicling the virus. “It cost us money not to have prime-time programming,” he explained, noting that no one wanted their products promoted during such an alarming program. Nonetheless, he said, he and his team made the decision to put public need ahead of the bottom line—a consideration, he said, that he doubted would be respected by today’s broadcasting leadership. “It used to be that we were expected to make good money, but we were also expected to be responsive to public need,” he noted.
This philosophy of putting the greater good as the top priority was carried into his work later on at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
and through community organizations and boards. After holding helm of the multinational corporation of Westinghouse for many years, he retired at age 55 to the Grand River Ranch near Kremmling, Colorado
Kremmling, Colorado
Kremmling is a Statutory Town in Grand County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,578 at the 2000 census. The town sits along the upper Colorado River in the lower arid section of Middle Park between Byers Canyon and Gore Canyon...
, where he planned to spend years, if not the rest of his life, raising cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
and enjoying his ranch. The move to Colorado capped a career of nearly 30 years spent in executive positions with MCA, Inc. and Westinghouse.
University of Denver
Ritchie was invited to become involved in the University of Denver during a time when that University was suffering from the financial downturn that had engulfed the Denver area in the 1980s. In a retrospective that interviewed Ritchie about his contributions to the University, Ritchie recalled borrowing money to make payroll, noting that the success of the university was by no means secured. Yet with its rich history of contributing to the state’s economic and cultural life, Ritchie noted, DU struck him as well worth rejuvenating. He served as vice chairman of the board and chaired the development committee before becoming Chancellor.Chancellor
Daniel L. Ritchie was named the 16th chancellor of the University of DenverUniversity of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
, the oldest private university in the Rocky Mountain region,
, following Dwight Morrell Smith (January 1984-July 1989). He was nicknamed the first “cowboy chancellor” because of his philosophy of cowboy ethics and his background in ranching before living on campus. During his tenure, the University pioneered in the teaching of ethics at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Chancellor Ritchie collaborated with Bill Daniels to incorporate ethics, values and social responsibility in the business school curriculum. Shortly after his inauguration as the Chancellor, Ritchie appointed a task force to undertake a thorough review of international activities at the University. Based on that report, under Ritchie's direction the University began a transformation of the University's international programs. In the University's then-new strategic plan, Study Abroad and International Human Rights Advocacy figured prominently. The Cherrington Global Scholars initiative, which continues to provide opportunities for every junior at the University to be able to study abroad at no cost beyond that of tuition, is a continuing tribute to his leadership. Similarly, the International Human Rights Advocacy Center in the University's Office of Internationalization owes its existence to his vision. He served as the Chancellor without pay and has donated to the University most of his spacious Grand River Ranch, which over time has netted more than $50 million for various University projects. As he said of the gift in 1998, "The ranch has held a very special place in my heart for the last two decades. I love this land, but I love the University of Denver more."
In June 1994, Ritchie announced his first personal gift to the University of $15 million, to be achieved through sale of some 19600 acres (79.3 km²) of his ranch. Under Chancellor Ritchie's leadership, the University concluded the largest fundraising campaign in its history in 2001, topping the $200 million goal by nearly $74 million. The campus' skyline and culture changed with a multi-million dollar construction and renovation program begun under Ritchie's leadership. In 2005, also under Ritchie’s leadership, DU opened the new Center for Travel & Tourism, which serves as an academic research center.
Ritchie was also instrumental in developing DU as both a meeting and cultural destination. He played a role in securing the Frozen Four tournament for Denver in 2008, which was one of the city’s major sporting events. He served as the Chancellor for 15 years from 1989 to 2005.
In 2000, the University completed the Daniel L. Ritchie Center
Daniel L. Ritchie Center
The Daniel L. Ritchie Center is the home of athletics for the University of Denver in Denver, Colorado, United States. There are 17 athletic programs for the Denver Pioneers which run out of the Ritchie Center. The building cost $84 million to construct...
, which houses the 17 Division 1 University of Denver varsity sports programs as well as the Coors Fitness Center.
Among its amenities, the Ritchie Center offers:
- A 14500 square feet (1,347.1 m²) work out area
- A squash court and two racquetball courts
- Seven personal training studios
- Six outdoor lighted tennis courts
- A two-story climbing wall
- An Olympic-size pool
Chairman of the Board: University of Denver
After serving as the Chancellor of the University for 15 years, Ritchie stepped down, but not away. He continued to stay involved in the University by becoming chairman of the Board of Trustees from 2007 to 2009.Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Ritchie had always been interested in the performing artsPerforming arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
as demonstrated through his commitment toward supporting the building of the state of the art music and theater building on the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
's campus, the Newman Center for the Performing Arts. He increased his involvement with one of the nation’s largest cultural complexes, the Denver Center for Performing Arts in January 2007, becoming Chairman and CEO of the Denver Center. He succeeded Donald R. Seawell, who founded The Denver Center in 1972.
Boards and Organizations
In addition to serving as The Denver Center’s Chairman, Ritchie currently serves as President of the Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation which focuses on early childhood education and development. He serves on the Boards of the Daniels Fund, which supports programs that encourage personal responsibility and achievement by funding college scholarships and community programs, and the Denver Art Museum Foundation, on the Executive Committee of Colorado Concern, and is Chairman Emeritus and Honorary Member of the Board of the Central City Opera House Association. President of the Independent Higher Education of Colorado Fund. Ritchie has also served as chair of the Education Committee of the National Park System Advisory Board. In 2010, Gov. Bill Ritter congratulated Daniel L. Ritchie on his appointment as the new chairman of Colorado Concern, one of the state's top business organizations, and thanked departing chair Walter Isenberg for his leadership.Awards
- The Citizen of the West Award, given by the National Western Stock Show to an individual who exemplifies the spirit and determination of the Western pioneer (1998)
- the National Samaritan Institute Award
- the Gold Medal Award of the Poor Richard Club
- Outstanding Philanthropist at National Philanthropy Day
- the National Human Relations Award from the American Jewish Committee
- the Community Cultural Enrichment Award from the Mizel Museum of Judaica
and the Ethical Leadership Award from the University of Denver
- He is a Laureate member of the Colorado Business Hall of Fame
- Honorary Professor at Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, India.(2000) (5) Tourism Hall of Fame Inductee (2005)
- the Ethical Leadership Award from the University of Denver
See also
- University of DenverUniversity of DenverThe University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
- Robert CoombeRobert CoombeRobert Coombe is a chemist and an educator. He has been a faculty member at the University of Denver since 1981. In 2005 he became the chancellor of the university.-Education and Work Background:...
- ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- Denver BooneDenver BooneDenver Boone was the official mascot of the University of Denver from 1968 to 1998. He was designed by a Walt Disney artist and named by a DU student. Despite being retired and replaced by the DU administration in 1998, he was revived by independent members of the DU student and alumni community in...
- Daniels College of BusinessDaniels College of BusinessThe Daniels College of Business is one of twelve graduate programs at the University of Denver. Founded in 1908, the Daniels College of Business is the eighth oldest business school in the United States...
- Sturm College of LawSturm College of LawThe University of Denver Sturm College of Law is one of two law schools in the state of Colorado, and the only law school in the Denver metro area. Founded in 1892, the Sturm College of Law is one of the first in America's Mountain West...
- Josef Korbel School of International StudiesJosef Korbel School of International StudiesThe Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver is a professional school in international affairs offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral opportunities. It is a full member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs , a grouping of...
- Denver Center for the Performing ArtsDenver Center for the Performing ArtsThe Denver Center for the Performing Arts ' is an organization in Denver, Colorado which provides a showcase for live theatre, a nurturing ground for new plays, a preferred stop on the Broadway touring circuit, a graduate-level training school for actors, acting classes for the community and rental...
- Magness ArenaMagness ArenaMagness Arena is a 7,200-seat multi-purpose collegiate sports arena in Denver, Colorado. It was built from 1997 to 1999 as part of the Daniel L. Ritchie Center for Sports & Wellness, a $84 million, sports complex at the University of Denver. It is home to the University of Denver Pioneers ice...