March 6, 2014 Jefferson County, Colorado | Volume 9, Issue 40 A publication of
arvadapress.com
MAN AND WOMAN OF THE YEAR
The 2013 Arvada Chamber of Commerce, Man of the Year, Mike Litzau, executive vice president of Corporate offices with Sooper Credit Union, sits happily in the credit union’s new branch. Photo by Crystal Anderson
Lisa Steven, executive director at Hope House was recently named the 2013 Arvada Chamber of Commerce’s Woman of the Year. Photo by Crystal Anderson
Volunteering is Steven following second nature maternal instinct Sooper Credit Union VP named Man of the Year By Crystal Anderson
canderson@ coloradocommunitymedia.com For nearly 39 years, a quiet, reserved Mike Litzau has been community driven. A Colorado native, Litzau (pronounced lit-zoo) has a deep passion for helping people succeed, a passion that has led him to a successful career working in and with credit unions, and actively volunteering throughout the community. The passion for giving back is one, he says, is hard to give up. “I think anyone has a responsibility to give back what we receive,” he said. “Once you do that, you start to like it, and I really do.” Litzau, who has worked with credit unions for the last 39 years, was recently named the 2013 Man of the Year by the Arvada Chamber of Commerce for his extensive involvement and work with the Arvada community. “For Mike, it’s the wide range of volunteer projects, he’s involved in,” Mark McGoff, a member of the award’s selection committee said. “He’s not just a member, but it’s the leadership he’s exhibited throughout his work with those activities.” Through his community work, Litzau
has been a part of numerous boards and associations, including several presidencies with the Arvada Economic Development Association (AEDA) and the Arvada Community Food Bank, as well as membership with the Arvada Sunrise Rotary Club. For Litzau’s colleagues, it’s apparent he is happiest when serving others. They describe Litzau as a humble, lighthearted individual who enjoys spending time with his family and helping others. “Mike Litzau is one of the most involved and giving individuals I have ever met in my life,” Sooper President and Chief Executive Officer Dan Kester said. “He will go out of his way to think of ways to help his community and those less fortunate. He is tireless in his efforts to be there for his fellow citizens and is happiest when he is helping someone.” Through his work on those boards and organizations in the community, Litzau has helped develop projects such as the food bank’s capital campaign for a new building; the Bridges to Opportunity program; a volunteer tax program; grant program review with AEDA; sponsorship of the Arvada Festival’s Commission; and backpack programs at area schools — anything he can to help the community. “I am going to continue what I’ve been doing,” Litzau said, “Which is support the community and be involved in the community. I don’t think it’s the end, but a milestone along the way.”
Hope House director named Woman of the Year By Crystal Anderson
canderson@ coloradocommunitymedia.com Ten years ago, Lisa Steven, executive director of Hope House Colorado, never dreamed she would own a business, especially one serving a community of young women dear to her heart. Today, Steven, along with a committed staff and group of community volunteers, operate Hope House, a nonprofit serving teen parents across the Arvada and Front Range communities. For her work and impact on the teen parenting community, Steven was named the 2013 Woman of the Year by the Arvada Chamber of Commerce. “For Lisa, here’s somebody who’s had a significant impact on the community and that would not be there without the program and drive of that person,” Mark McGoff, a member of the award’s selection committee said. A decade ago, Steven, along with few mothers from the original Colorado branch of Teen MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), dreamed up an idea for a nonprofit that would support and provide teenage mothers with needed resources during and after pregnancy. After much discussion with her family and planning, Steven decided to bring the nonprofit Hope House into the world. Once a teen parent herself, Steven said she understands the struggles the
girls in Hope House go through, and truly has a passion for serving them. “God had different plans (for me), this was a calling,” she said on the decision to begin Hope House. “I truly believe he (God) has a place in his heart for these girls, and if I would have said no, he would have someone else here.” Steven, a humble yet charismatic individual has worked over the last decade with teen parents, specifically mothers, to ensure they have the support and resources needed to be successful parents. Hope House began small, serving two mothers, to now helping more than 140 girls annually. Currently, the organization has developed a residential, mentor, and GED programs for parents, providing them with a safe place to stay if they are in need, a community, and a group of people committed to helping them become self-sufficient. Among these programs, Hope House is also building a new location in Arvada that will bring all of the nonprofit’s programs and services under one roof. “I love being a part of a community and love that Hope House isn’t this little isolated place in Arvada, but it’s a community and a model for other places,” Steven said. For more information on Hope House, visit www.hopehouseofcolorado.org.
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