Doug Price, left, with Mayor John Suthers (Photo courtesy city of Colorado Springs)
Noting Doug Price’s dozen years at the helm of Visit Colorado Springs, among other contributions, Mayor John Suthers bestowed the Spirit of the Springs Celebration Award today (March 22) during a surprise presentation at the agency’s annual business meeting.
Price was a founding member of the Olympic City USA Task Force and played an integral role in launching the city’s Olympic City USA brand in 2015.
Suthers also acknowledged Price for focusing on “creating sustained economic growth and enhancing civic pride,” the city said in a release.
Price, for example, was an advocate for the City for Champions projects, which include Weidner Field, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, the Hybl Sports Medicine Center at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Robson Arena at Colorado College, and the relocation and expansion of the U.S. Air Force Academy Gateway Visitor Center.
“Doug’s visionary leadership has helped bolster a tourism ecosystem that ranks Colorado Springs as a top travel destination,” Suthers said of Price in a release, “and his steadfast support and advocacy for Olympic City USA and the successful City for Champions projects has helped create positive momentum for the city.”
Price has served as Visit Colorado Springs’s CEO since 2011. Before that, he was senior vice president for professional development at Destinations International and had an 18-year career with Marriott.
“With more than 35 years of leadership experience in sales and professional development, Price is well known for bringing together key stakeholders and decision makers on initiatives that promote and sustain the Pikes Peak Region, and through his professional and volunteer efforts he has helped to foster an internationally recognized sports industry in Colorado Springs,” the city’s release said.
The Spirit of the Springs awards, inaugurated by former Mayor Steve Bach and continued by Suthers, recognize exceptional contributions or outstanding achievements.
Past winners:
2023
Doug Price – Celebration Award
John Register – Inspirational Leader Award
2022
Heba Abdelaal – Celebration Award
Michelle and David Fein – Celebration Award
Cathy Matthews-Kane – Celebration Award
Dewey Reinhard – Celebration Award
Richard Skorman – Celebration Award
COS I Love You – inaugural Keep it Clean Spirit of the Springs winner
Lyda Hill – Lifetime Achievement
2021
Jen Furda – Celebration Award
Shirley Martinez – Celebration Award
Carol & John O’Donnell – Celebration Award
Michael Pach – Celebration Award
Deborah Thornton – Celebration Award
Sherry VonRiesen – Celebration Award
Mary Lou Makepeace – Lifetime Achievement
2020
Robin Johnson – Celebration Award
Dr. Leon Kelly – Celebration Award
Susan Wheelan – Celebration Award
Bill Hybl – Lifetime Achievement
2019
Chris Barnhart – Celebration Award
Sharon Milito – Celebration Award
Kathy Loo – Lifetime Achievement
2018
Maile Gray – Celebration Award
Dave Munger – Inspirational Leader Award
Chuck Murphy – Lifetime Achievement
2017
Cathy Post – Celebration Award
Ralph Routon – Celebration Award
Mary Ellen McNally – Lifetime Achievement
2016
Dr. Derek Hurst
Michael Hagiwara
Kelly Hayes
Cathy Stark
Bridget Holisky & Carmella Vega
Harry Hoth – Lifetime Achievement
2015
George Fellows – Lifetime Achievement