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University of Colorado Regent Ken Montera was appointed by Governor Jared Polis in December 2021. He was elected in 2022 and was unanimously elected Vice Chair of the board within six months and has been asked to stay in that role for the next 18 months. He also chaired the search committee for a new treasurer and co-chairs the University Affairs and Finance committees.
Ken is a third generation Coloradan and the first in his family to attend a major university, graduating from CU’s Leeds School of Business in 1979. He received the Presidents Leadership Class scholarship allowing him to attend CU Boulder. His education and time at CU built the foundation that launched a very successful corporate career for more than 30 years as a senior executive in four Fortune 200 companies leading strategy, multi-billion-dollar budgets, and direct responsibility for over 40,000 associates, including Johnson & Johnson, Baxter Healthcare, PepsiCo, and Limited Brands.
While at Pepsi he was one of the youngest officers to be made VP at 28 years old. As Chief Retail Officer for Limited Brands he had responsibility for Victorias Secret, Bath&Body Works, Express, and Limited stores, overseeing approximately 5,000 retail locations in addition to sales, marketing, education, strategy, and brand delivery. While there the organization achieved record sales and profit growth, and also received the ICSC award for best service experience among large corporations. His ability to establish and lead collaborative cultures, and foster diverse and high-performing teams, resulted in consistent high performance throughout his career at the C-suite and Executive Committee levels.
After living in 10 different cities and having responsibilities for U.S. operations and Canada, Ken retired in 2014 and moved back to his home state of Colorado. He is active in the community serving as Vice Chairman of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra, serving on the board of the Salvation Army and a number of other start-up businesses. He consults for the retail/manufacturing/supply chain industry on brand strategy, leadership, and new product development.
Ken has three children and two grandsons and lives in Colorado Springs with his fiancé, Theresa.