Every season is a busy season, and this fall has been no different!
First, I’m thrilled to announce Adam Eckman as CMA’s new President and CEO. Adam will join CMA on Monday, December 11 and will bring industry, policy, and Colorado experience to his leadership of the organization. I am certain he will be an effective and enthusiastic advocate for Colorado’s mining industry. Please join me in welcoming Adam to CMA!
I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize the ongoing work of several of our board members, especially Kelly Ward, Michael Morris, and Poppy Staub, volunteer Marie Patterson, and CMA’s Administrative and Membership Coordinator Susan Raplee. Their dedication and willingness to take on “other duties as assigned” has been instrumental in the daily operations of the organization during this season of transition. Thanks, too, to our committee chairs who have kept the business of the business going – Chantel Johnson, Jim Sanderson, and Miguel Hamarat. Their leadership has ensured we have not missed a beat as the issues keep coming!
Thanksgiving is around the corner and in this season of thanks, CMA is grateful for the generosity of our fellow miners at the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME). In addition to being a valued partner for the Denver-based National Western Mining Conference hosted in conjunction with the SME Mine Exchange, they have generously donated office and warehouse space this fall for CMA to archive records, store supplies, and have a central location from which to work. We are entering into a formal lease agreement and will become official tenants of SME on an ongoing basis. Watch for notification of our upcoming new address.
In other news, I was honored to participate in Women in Mining Denver and CSM Chapters’ panel discussion this fall to discuss demystifying and promoting our industry. Judy Colgan, Amanda Adams, and I had a great time talking about how to talk about mining. But there is a clear challenge: mining has an image issue with no clear owner to take responsibility for changing it. There is no direct-to-consumer marketing about commodities. Students are still being taught with an anti-development curriculum, with a lens that only looks back in time. Too often the people making decisions about our future believe we are still operating as miners did 150 years ago.
As Julie Lucas, Executive Director of our sister organization, Mining Minnesota eloquently says “Today’s mining doesn’t look like yesterday’s, thanks to our scientists, engineers, and operators. However, the fears of the general public are built upon our industry’s history and unfortunately, there are too many examples of times when the side effects of mining weren’t managed and mitigated. We know better now, so we DO better now.” But we also need to do a better job telling our story. In Colorado we lead the world in employing cutting edge technology to mine cleanly, safely, and efficiently. This is a message that needs to be shared far and wide.
Colorado Gives Day is December 5 this year and all donations made between now and Giving Day are eligible for a boost. Participating nonprofits receive a percentage of the available incentive fund equal to the percentage they raise for Colorado Gives Day. What’s that got to do with mining, you ask? When you support the Colorado Mining Association Education Foundation, our best shot at protecting the future of mining in Colorado, through Colorado Gives, you can amplify the impact and change the narrative! I challenge you to support CMAEF both through your business and as an individual donor. Join me and donate here: Colorado Mining Association Education Foundation | Colorado Gives 365
Each year on December 6, we celebrate National Miners Day to recognize and applaud the skill, dedication and hard work miners put into providing many of the products essential to fulfilling America’s most vital needs. As you prepare for the upcoming holidays, don’t forget to thank a Colorado miner! And I want to thank you for the privilege to serve CMA as Board Chair and remind you not to overlook safety as you celebrate.
Lorna Shaw
Chair, Board of Directors
Colorado Mining Association
