Former Hickenlooper aide named as new OEDIT director

DENVER — Gov. Jared Polis tapped Patrick Meyers as the next executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

Meyers was also given the secondary title of chief economic recovery officer along with his role as the top economic developer in the state, according to the announcement from Polis’ office Wednesday morning.

“I share Gov. Polis’ optimistic view of the bright economic opportunities ahead for Colorado and, along with the OEDIT team, I am committed to building back a strong and dynamic economy that serves all of Colorado,” Meyers said.

Meyers most recently led a group within the governor’s COVID Innovation Response Team to procure personal protective equipment and other medical supplies when those items soared in demand in the beginning of the pandemic.

He also was chief operating officer and a senior advisor in Sen. John Hickenlooper’s 2020 campaign, and was Hickenlooper’s chief of staff from 2017 to 2019 as Hickenlooper ended his time as governor.

On the private sector side, Meyers is a current partner at Smashburger, a national burger chain founded in Denver, and was a director at the holding company for sandwich chain Quizno’s from 1997 to 2012.

Meyers replaces Betsy Markey, a former congresswoman who stepped down last month after being appointed to the job in 2018. Markey said at the time that she was leaving the public sector.

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