Steve Sander Denver Internet marketing Leader Lifeless by Suicide

Steve Sander did not like to hug, but that failed to make any difference. When you observed him — regardless of whether it was just for a minute at a civic function or around a long dinner — you felt enveloped. He cared about almost everything about him. He cared about generating anything all-around him improved.

He died early on October 16 by suicide he was uncovered on the Wellshire Golfing Program.

Sander, as he was regarded to just about all people he met, was a internet marketing maven and a pillar in the Denver business enterprise neighborhood who served on innumerable civic boards I satisfied him when we were both equally on the board of the Denver Film Pageant extra than three decades ago. He was the city’s 1st strategic advertising director, appointed to that publish in 2007 by then-Mayor John Hickenlooper. By then, Sander presently experienced additional than thirty several years of knowledge doing the job on a assortment of economic development, advertising and marketing and small business initiatives. After he remaining his entire-time work with the metropolis in 2012, he ongoing to force assorted assignments to strengthen Denver. A bicycle advocate, he was a legitimate wheeler-dealer.

“There is basically no a person who has not been touched by Steve’s generosity, spirit and friendship,” says Kathy Hagan, co-president of Karsh Hagan Advertising and a longtime friend and company affiliate.

I can not recall what he utilized ahead of Budweiser manufactured the term popular, but when you saw him, Sander would generally talk to “Whasssup?” And he truly needed to know. I’d last encountered him leaving the Downtown Denver Partnership annual conference on September 27 we shared notes on techniques to support convey back again downtown. He was whole of them. But regrettably, we cannot bring again Sander.

Mates and spouse and children users have been sharing tears and Sander tales right now. And though suicide is usually not stated as a cause of loss of life in an obituary, they created the selection to share his result in of loss of life on LinkedIn in hopes that “this tragic decline serves as a stark reminder of the great importance of addressing psychological health troubles and providing assist to those people in need to have. We persuade community customers to get to out to their mates, spouse and children, and neighbors and present a listening ear, supporting hand, and compassionate coronary heart to those who might be struggling.”

Sander, a peerless communicator who cared about everybody and anything, is nonetheless providing a message.

There will be a memorial for Steve Sander from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, October 22, at the Greek Amphitheater in Civic Heart Park. In the meantime, we’re sharing additional stories about Sander beneath ship yours to [email protected].

Remembers Ann Ceccine-Williams, deputy executive director of the Division of Public Wellbeing & Natural environment:

Other than staying a amazing marketer, Steve was just an all-around form and generous soul. I would notify Steve all about my son’s adventures in large faculty, and when he last but not least graduated, I held a major celebration and invited Steve to arrive by for a consume. It was a everyday but huge celebration and Steve swung by…I considered he was just going to say congratulations, and many others. but he in fact brought a card with a $100 monthly bill in it. It was sudden – he unquestionably did not have to do that. But he did, and that was who he was. A large advocate for youthful people today trying to come across their way, he helped a great number of university grads community with us PR and promoting types to make connections and start off out in an business that can be difficult to split into without assist.

Professionally, what I try to remember most from my time operating with Steve at the City of Denver was adhering to the blizzards of 2006-07. I was with Public Is effective and we were trying to obtain approaches to talk with the common community about our system and priorities all over snow removal, and we have been wanting for ground breaking non-regular approaches to attain men and women. Steve brought me to a assembly of some McDonald’s franchise owners and we quickly experienced counter playing cards about snow removal in English and Spanish in Denver location McDonald’s…complete with a coupon for a free of charge McCafé for taking the card! Steve was just the most effective.

Recollects Wendy Aiello, longtime buddy:

I achieved Steve by way of my dearest close friend, Jackie Brown Griggs, and her then-boyfriend Tim Griggs. Steve had 4 flooring-seat tickets for a Denver Nuggets match. Extraordinary! We sat down and he went to say howdy to buddies. I didn’t see him again right until the fourth quarter. He knew everyone and everybody needed to say hello to him. He was the form of human being absolutely everyone wished to see.

Remembers Jenny Schiavone, main electronic officer for the Town and County of Denver:

An individual on social media referred to men and women-pleaser Sander as a “golden retriever” and, like the most unique golden retrievers, he had an affinity for cats. Sander and I bonded for life above our enjoy for the kitties, sharing standard Caturday pics and stories of feline antics (ours, Instagram’s, and the kinds that produced key time national news), hugging every single other tightly when our fur infants inevitably “went to school,” and celebrating every single other’s existence options when new kittens arrived property to roost, bringing a new season of unconditional passion and true like.

Recollects Maggie Thompson, Denver Office of Transportation and Infrastructure, BikeDenver, Bicycle Colorado:

After introducing me to the entire world of major-celebration arranging in Denver via his aid to make the initially Viva Streets occasions occur, Steve went to bat for me when I necessary a career. He activated his networks and the up coming factor I understood I was operating on the Biennial of the Americas. I will under no circumstances overlook standing on the back again patio of McNichols all through an remarkable interactive artwork and dance demonstrate and managing into Steve, who was hanging out with John Hickenlooper, the governor at the time. John looked at me and claimed, “I hear you worked really tricky to make this transpire,” got down on a person knee and kissed my hand. Steve never ever stopped hyping up Denver or hyping up the folks he cared about, and there ended up so quite a few folks.

Just a few months back Steve and I last but not least bought collectively to have a espresso. We brainstormed mad ideas and laughed and shared memories. His gravelly voice and pure strength will be with me permanently. We shared swift hellos through the new iteration of Viva Streets, and I’m so satisfied he was capable to meet my son. Denver would not be what it is now devoid of Steve. Neither would I.

Recollects Brian Gansmann, founder of Gate2Plate:

When I ultimately designed the determination to leave the Chicago advertising and marketing scene, I was connected with Steve right before my transfer to Denver. As we were networking, he reported “We are in the ultimate pitch for Swift & Corporation. Do you know something about meat?”

He practically fell off of his chair when I explained “I was on the team that arrived up with Pork, The Other White Meat.” Needless to say, we had been on our activity during our very first collaboration.

I am going to skip Steve.

Recollects Alby Segall, government director of the Denver Press Club:

Sander was a person of a form.

He would vanish with no warning, leaving me not figuring out where by he was going or when he would return. I rely dozens of people tales on our trips to Jazz Fest, New York Town, Vail and other travels with Sander.

When I required someone’s contact data, I went to Sander. Every time I wanted some within data, I went to Sander. And any time I was seeking for route myself, I went to Sander. I under no circumstances could comprehend how he understood so substantially.

I occasionally ask who were the “characters” in Denver. Individuals who stood out, seasoned our city deeply and were not shy about expressing their thoughts. Sander was among the the ideal of those people characters.

And he could take a joke. I wouldn’t permit him fail to remember that he claimed the Elvis movie “changed the globe.” That he managed to hold on to employment, sports activities teams and more close friends than doable shocked me (and most of us). We in no way allow him forget about the intensive argument he had with a bunch of us at Small Ollie’s watching some sporting function about the difference in between a spring roll and an egg roll. He engaged all people in the location to just take a stand.

All of us will overlook him.

Recollects Doug Backman of DB Advertising:

I commenced my marketing company more than a decade and a half ago when Steve was working for then-Mayor Hickenlooper. I attained out to him out of the blue about finding with each other for a cup of coffee to discuss internet marketing. I could not believe that that the marketing and advertising director for the Metropolis of Denver basically agreed and took the time to meet up with with me. Denver is a tough town to begin and sustain a thriving marketing and advertising organization with smaller sized common advertising revenues. The simple fact that Steve Sander took that time to talk with me and share his experiences intended a whole lot. I don’t forget how passionately he assumed about unique tips and approaches to aid. I’m positive his clientele would say the exact same for what he brought to their firms.