Denver Botanic Gardens mourns death of CEO Brian Vogt

CBS News

25-03-2025

Brian Vogt, the CEO of the Denver Botanic Gardens, has died the gardens' board of trustees said on Tuesday. He was 66.
A University of Colorado graduate who's been involved in several public and civil organizations in the state, Vogt has served as CEO of the Botanic Gardens since 2007. Those who knew him remember him as someone who helped expand access to the botanic gardens and knowledge about plant life and nature.
"Brian's influence on Denver Botanic Gardens was deep and lasting, shaping its growth and beauty for nearly two decades. His legacy will continue to inspire all who walk these paths. 'Onward' was more than just one of his favorite sayings -- it was a testament to his spirit and optimism. That spirit will be carried forward in all the Gardens does," Botanic Gardens Board of Trustees Chair Mary Lee Chin said in a statement.
Under his leadership, the gardens
completed
the Frayer-Newman Center for Science, Art and Education, which housed classrooms, galleries, laboratories, a library, and a space for plants.
"We do a lot of conservation work all throughout the Rocky Mountain West and actually worldwide," Vogt said at the time. "So, (there will be an) expanded lab, expanded ability to provocate plants, new classrooms, the demand on education is extremely high."
And in 2014, the Denver Botanic Gardens saw
more attendance than any other public garden in the country
, including the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., which usually boasts that.
At the time, Vogt credited a glass art exhibit and a growing number of Denver-area residents seeking to find and grow fresh produce in urban areas.
"The environment's on everyone's mind," Vogt he told the Associated Press at the time.
He went on to say that a growing number of volunteers and outreach programs helped the Botanic Gardens reach more Denver residents and visitors, which he said brought more visitors to the gardens.
"When we're out in the community, people say, 'OK, I should probably check that out,'" he said.
In an
alumni profile
of Vogt for the University of Colorado, Vogt was described as someone whose life has been enriched by a love for the humanities and classical studies, having studied Latin, philosophy, and political thought and spent a year studying in England.
The son of public officials, he ran a series of youth volunteer programs in Washington, D.C. His father, Roy, was Arapahoe County sheriff in the 1960s, and his mother, Dorothy, was the county treasurer in the early 1980s.
Vogt would go on to serve in three cabinet-level positions under former Colorado Gov. Bill Owens. In that time, he served as director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and president of the South Metro Chamber of Commerce.
The Botanic Gardens' Board of Trustees appointed Jennifer Riley-Chetwynd, director of marketing and social responsibility, as interim CEO.
"Brian will be profoundly missed," she said. "We will strive to maintain the standard of excellence he has built, working in partnership with the Gardens' board and staff."
A spokesman for the Denver Botanic Gardens said there aren't yet plans for a public memorial, but that they'll share those in the future when they become available.