Colorado School of Mines Trustee Denise Burgess has been honored with the 2019 Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency.

The national award recognizes individuals who have achieved significant results by promoting diversity, expanding minority business enterprise and demonstrating exceptional leadership in the public or private sector.

Burgess, who joined the Mines Board of Trustees in January, is the president and CEO of Burgess Services Inc., a Denver construction management firm. In 2017, she became the first African American to chair the board of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and was also named CEO of the Year by Colorado Biz Magazine.

Burgess was recognized at the 2019 National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week Award Ceremony in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 9.

The award is named in honor of Ronald H. Brown, the first African American to serve as U.S. commerce secretary. During his time leading the Department of Commerce, Brown was a staunch advocate for diversity and business expansion.