History of the JCI Senate
History of the Colorado JCI Senate
Past Presidents of the Colorado JCI Senate
The grain of an idea for the JCI Senate program was begun in 1951 when JCI President Phil Pugsley and John Armbruster were talking about “The Log”, a publication that Mr. Armbruster was sending out to past officers and directors of the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce (a.k.a. Jaycees). “The Log” had played an important role in sustaining friendships that had been formed through the Jaycees. President Pugsley was interested in a similar publication for the alumni of the Junior Chamber International and asked that Mr. Armbruster be the publisher.
"The Elder Statesman” was sent to JCI alumni throughout the world and served as a continuing conduit of friendship to former members. Many of these elder statesmen were becoming mentors to younger JCI members and also serving in a large role as leaders in their respective countries.
However, many past members were getting less involved with the Jaycee movement as there were no ties to the organization. In New York, in 1952, JCI Representative to the United Nations, Sid Boxer, met with Phil Pugsley, where they discussed what could bring former members back to the fold. One idea was a special “honor” that could be presented to former members. Many local chapters were honoring their past members with gifts. Why couldn’t that same money be spent through Junior Chamber International and be put to work for a cause that the former and current members all believed in?
Boxer and Pugsley came up with the idea of a group of “honored” members that, once formed, could be used to help spread the concept of the Junior Chamber and its mission throughout the world. Membership in this group would also help strengthen Junior Chamber International by giving its former members a lifelong tie to the organization.
The “JCI Senate“ idea was voted on at the 7th JCI World Congress in Melbourne, Australia in September 1952 and included in the JCI Bylaws as a category of membership. Since then, Junior Chamber members in over 90 countries have been honored.
Today, a Senatorship has become a coveted honor that recognizes outstanding contribution and service to JCI and its member organizations. By providing Life membership, there is a link with an organization that continues to bring the Junior Chamber vision to thousands of young adults the world over. Fees paid for a Senatorship are used to provide for the continuing growth and opportunity of JCI to more and more young people.
The Colorado JCI Senate began in June of 1974 when LeRoy Nitsch #16406, attended the National Convention in Atlanta, Georgia and cast a vote in the US JCI Senate Presidential election as a Colorado Senator.
Upon returning home, LeRoy sent letters to all known Senators in Colorado in the hopes of starting a Senate organization. In October of that year, a group of Colorado Senators met to plan the start of the Colorado JCI Senate.
The first organizational meeting of the Colorado Senate was held on February 15, 1975 in Pueblo, where LeRoy was elected President. He had two priorities that he wanted to accomplish:
- Update the roster of all Colorado Senators
- Establish the Senate as a social and functional group for “old timers” and not a “political” group.
The constitution and by-laws were accepted by the newly formed organization at State Convention in 1975 and approved by the Colorado Jaycees in 1976. During Summer Conference in 1975, LeRoy was re-elected to serve as President. To mark the Senate’s 20th Anniversary in 1995, LeRoy was honored by being elected President for a third time.
Over the years, Senators have served as judges for the “Spoke”, “Sparkplug”, and “Speak Up” competitions at State Conferences. The Senate currently hosts the OYC/OYF honorees reception and provides financial assistance to the Colorado Jaycees in running this program. Senators have helped as trainers and mentors to individual Jaycee chapters and have run Local Officer Training School for the Colorado Jaycees.
Colorado Senators continue to work hard at keeping the Jaycee presence in their hometowns and in establishing new Jaycee chapters.
Today, the Colorado JCI Senate has a membership of over 200 and at the start of the new millennium, we are working to keep the Jaycee spirit alive and well.
| Feb 1975 - May 1975 | LeRoy Nitsch #16406 | |
| May 1975 - April 1976 | LeRoy Nitsch #16406 | |
| 1976-1977 | Larry Stults #18888 | |
| 1977-1978 | Ken Rickard #11347 | |
| 1978-1979 | Roger Oberhelman #18861 | |
| 1979-1980 | George Ingram #25926 | |
| 1980-1982 | John Berg #27353 | |
| 1982-1983 | Jim Swails #27196 | |
| 1983-1984 | Leonard Pruett #29181 | |
| 1984-1985 | LaDene Vance III #34970 | |
| 1985-1986 | Dave Hoyt #29156 | |
| 1986-1987 | Thomas Chesher #35231 | |
| 1987-1988 | Barry Walsh #34495 | |
| 1988-1989 | Dennis Johnson #30823 | |
| 1989-1990 | Larry “Buck” Batman #38836 | |
| 1990-1991 | Linn Jones #41419 | |
| 1991-1992 | Ardis Walsh #44123 (deceased) | |
| 1992-1993 | Jerry Gooding #32436 | |
| 1993-1994 | LeRoy Nitsch #16406 | |
| 1994-1995 | Mary Patrick #45301 | |
| 1995-1996 | Dave Tyson #48439 | |
| 1996-1997 | Mitch Moore #44412 | |
| 1997-1998 | Jim Cheevers #30596 (deceased) | |
| 1997-1998 | Chuck Reilly #45217 | |
| 1998-1999 | Bob Arakawa #44056 | |
| 1999-2000 | Linn Jones #41419 | |
| 2000-2001 | George Nowell #33085 | |
| 2001-2002 | John Yelenick #43598 | |
| 2002-2003 | Judy Jones #60795 | |
| 2003-2004 | Ron Holzer #56549 | |
| 2004-2005 | Mark Pyms #59861 | |
| 2005-2006 | Jeff Cannon #46213 | |
| 2006-2007 | Mark Cooper #64150 |
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