BEYOND A COINED PHRASE
Richard Lewis Recognized for Community Involvement
Denver, Colo., April 13, 2011- Richard Lewis, President and CEO of RTL Networks, Inc., was honored on April 12, 2011 as the 2011 9News Leader of the Year at the annual Colorado Leadership Alliance luncheon. In addition to operating one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States since 2002, Lewis has supported the local chambers of commerce as well as nonprofit organizations for many years. He was a 2006 graduate of Leadership Denver and he is a current participant in Leadership Aurora. Lewis is the Co-Founder of the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce‟s very successful leadership program called Chamber Connect and currently serves as the Chairman of the Board for the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce.
This year, the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, 9News, and the Colorado Leadership Alliance teamed up to recognize Lewis as one of the emerging leaders who has worked to better communities throughout Colorado. In addition to financially supporting over 40 non-profit and youth organizations over the years, Richard Lewis has received a number of awards, including the 2008 Colorado Small Business Administration Minority Small Business Person of the Year and 2011 Diversity Magazine Champion of Diversity.
Mr. Lewis said that there are a lot of people who worked to ensure that he received an education and opportunities so he encourages everyone to work together to overcome the challenges faced by our state and “keep moving Colorado forward.” When asked about his award, Lewis stated, “the title „Leader of the Year‟ is honorable, but true leadership extends beyond an awarded year – leadership is more than a coined phrase, it is a lifestyle that all of us should adopt in one way or another.”
Having received his education from the United States Air Force Academy and William and Mary‟s MBA program, Richard Lewis has over 20 years of corporate and military leadership experience. Before founding RTL Networks, Inc., Lewis served in senior management positions overseeing strategic plans and network consulting for Fortune 500 companies and national service providers.