Home / Interviews / Jim Thomas
Childlike Spirit, Dedicated Child Advocate
Jim Thomas, Director, Minor & Brown, P.C.
Leadership Denver Class of 2004
Not every respected attorney and community leader arrives for an interview in a casual nonprofit-logo shirt instead of a suit, bearing an official biography that leads with his prowess on the kazoo and at an annual rotten-tomato fight.
But then again, not every attorney is Jim Thomas.
Thomas exemplifies the nuanced professional who brings a multilayered personality to Leadership Denver. He is proud of the annual “tomato war” tradition he and his daughters have organized, but he is just as enthusiastic about his work as an attorney and consulting attorney, and as President of the Board of the internationally acclaimed Colorado Children’s Chorale.
Clearly, children are a high priority for Thomas — from his personal life to his community commitments to his belief that ”growing old is mandatory … growing up is overrated.” Prior to his work with the Colorado Children’s Chorale, he worked with Kempe Children’s Foundation, The Children’s Hospital Foundation, Stanley British Primary School, Washington Park Early Learning Center, and the Boy Scouts of America’s Denver Area Council.
In each of these engagements, Thomas stood up for children. For instance, during the normal budget and administrative discussions for the Children’s Chorale, Thomas recognized that one of the initiatives failed to consider the input of the children whom the chorale serves. To capture their opinions, he facilitated interviews with the children and asked them to draft a brief report on what was important to them.
At the Kempe Children’s Foundation, he was able to engage in interviews with children who had been badly abused. “It was very difficult to see and hear these stories, but it was really advantageous to be able to partake in the experience in more depth than just being a board member,” he observed.
Naturally, someone who works so closely with children would be concerned about the world those youth will inherit. To that end, Thomas is interested in sustainable socio-economic development—preserving our environment while enhancing the lives of our citizens.
“Also, retooling our approach to K-12 education is critical,” he added. “What we are doing now is not working for too many generally, and in the Hispanic and African-American communities it is that much worse. My belief is that the Leadership Denver community will lead by example. Solutions to such huge issues will come from folks who are willing to engage in constructive dialogue and then commit themselves to ownership of the issues.”
And if those leaders are young at heart and good on the kazoo — well, so much the better.
Interviewer: Ryan Chase, UMB Bank of Colorado, Leadership Denver Class of 2009
June 1st, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Jim,
Congratulations and I can’t think of anyone else from our class that better exemplifies commitment to community! You are nothing less than amazing, I’m so proud to call you “my friend”! Thanks for all you do to keep LD 2004 together!
Patrice