Tomorrow's Business Leader - Spring 2020 - 7

Meet J.J. Ament 2020 PBL NLE Keynote Speake

CEO, Metro Denver Economic
Development Corporation
Former FBLA National President
@jjament

J. J. Ament is the Chief Executive Officer of the Metro Denver
Economic Development Corporation - the largest privately
funded and governed economic development organization in
Colorado. The EDC leads efforts to recruit and retain companies,
talented workers, and capital investment in the Metro Denver
region of Colorado.
For three years running, U.S. News and World Report has named
Colorado's Economy as #1 in the United States. With experience
in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, J. J. brings a unique
combination of expertise to his role. A fifth-generation Colorado
native, he grew up on his family's farm and cattle ranch. J. J.'s primary career was in investment banking, where he participated
in more than $15 billion of transactions for projects throughout
the United States.
A year after leaving Wall Street, he was named CEO of the Metro
Denver EDC, serving an area that represents two thirds of Colorado's population and 75% of its GDP. Since his appointment,
the Metro Denver EDC has helped facilitate the creation of more
than 14,000 new jobs and over $800 million of capital investment in the region. He has worked with companies like Amazon,
VF Corporation, Slack, Smuckers, United and Southwest Airlines,
Lockheed Martin, Google, and many others. He has led multiple
international trade missions on four continents - and has flown
over 1 million miles on United Airlines alone.
He has been married to his wife Nicole for 25 years, and together
they have a college-bound 18-year old and high school sophomore twins.

7 Tomorrow's Business Leader | Spring 2020

FBLA: This year's FBLA theme is "A World of Opportunity".
Considering your own journey, what does theme mean to
you?
J.J.: I grew up on a farm and cattle ranch in rural Colorado - now
I literally travel the world to visit with companies and executives
about why living and doing business in Colorado is so amazing.
There is nothing at all out of reach for any of us. It was FBLA-PBL
that got me started expanding my horizons beyond my wonderful rural roots into interacting in a truly global way.
FBLA: You are a CEO with experience in private, public, and
nonprofit sectors. In what ways have business skills played
a part in your professional and personal growth?

http://www.twitter.com/jjament

Tomorrow's Business Leader - Spring 2020

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