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Rotarians to honor Barry

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Contributed by: John Eisel/YourHub.com on 3/4/2008

Sitting in his Coldwell Banker office, just a few blocks from Denver's Manual High School, Odell Barry asked for a copy of his resume from his assistant, LaChun Ellison.

He's most remembered for being a former returner for the Denver Broncos and the Northglenn mayor from 1980 to 1982, but he thumbed through pages of political affiliations, nonprofit organizations and local government groups he's belonged to over the past 45 years.

Click here to buy tickets to the Roast of Odell Barry

"I didn't realize it was that much until she gave it to me," said Barry.

He'll add one more notable event on April 4, when he will be roasted by the Northglenn-Thornton Rotary (which he helped create) and the Denver Metro North Rotary 6 p.m. in the Stonebrook Manor, 650 E. 124th Ave. in Thornton.

But rather than focusing on the honor, Barry seemed more interested in the benefactor of the evening - the Butterfly Pavilion of Westminster, where Barry now lives. Barry has always been more focused on others.

"If I was out there, just making a living, not giving back to the community, I would be miserable," he said.

Raised by his mother and grandmother in the inner-city of Toledo, Ohio, Barry was directed to sports by family and mentors in the community - baseball, track and football.

"I had individuals that got involved with my life," he said. "It actually changed my life."

He wasn't very big, only reaching about 165 pounds by the time he was a high school senior, but he had lightning in his legs that coaches from Findlay College, and eventually the Denver Broncos, couldn't ignore.

After a few seasons with the Broncos, he was forced to quit after needing his kidney removed. He said he had 25 job offers, but decided to take a job as the recreation superintendent for the Northglenn Metropolitan Recreation District in 1966.

"I told them I would stay for a year, start up a football program," he said. "I wound up staying."

He moved up the ranks of the Northglenn political system, from planning commissioner, to city councilman to mayor.

Afterwards, he became a successful real estate agent, bringing money from international investors to Northglenn and the north metro area.

All the while, his time was spread out amongst dozens of groups.

Athletically, he helped bring Denver a Major League Baseball team and decide where Invesco Field at Mile High now stands. He's also a member of the Denver Bronco Alumni Association.

Around the community, he served as a Northglenn City Councilman for eight years in addition to being on the planning commission, where he helped approve the building of the Northglenn Community Center. He organized the Multiple Sclerosis Dinner of Champions from 1972 to 1989, which brought together sports stars to raise money against the disease.

He's now focused on being the chairman of the board of directors for the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce.

If all these accomplishments sound daunting, they were intimidating to Barry, as well.

"I didn't go in thinking I was going to hit a home run," he said.
Speaking of his first Northglenn City Council meeting, Barry said, "I was like, 'I hope they don't call on me.'"

But Barry always turned the situation in his favor by connecting with the people around him, no matter the race.

"I've always felt that I was a human being and that I could engage and talk - and I think that was why I was accepted," he said.

Growing up, Barry found a comfort zone in white and African-American, poor and wealthy environments, so when he was asked to play football and run track at tiny Findlay College in Findlay, Ohio, he didn't bat an eyelash at being one of the few African-Americans at the college.

A few years later, he became the mayor of predominately-white Northglenn.

"I even had African-Americans asking, 'How did you do that?'" Barry said.

Barry said Northglenn will always be home for him. He helped give birth to the city when it incorporated in 1969. With his wife Glenda, he raised his sons, Jay and Damon, there. When he visits, people still call him "mayor," even though that was 25 years ago.

"I'll always be in Northglenn, even if I don't live in the city limits," he said.

And of all his activities in the the metro area, his most cherished was his first - running the summer football camps in Northglenn.

A sampling of Odell Barry's resume
Chairman of the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce
Vice President of the Denver Hyatt Convention Hotel Authority
Vice Chair of Site Selection for Democratic National Convention 1996
Appointed by Chairman David Whilhelm (Site Selected-Chicago)
Democratic National Committee At-Large, 1989-1993
Appointed by Chairman Ron Brown
Co-chaired two Colorado Jefferson-Jackson Dinners
Precinct Committeeman - Adams County
Served on the State Central and Executive Committees
Co-chaired 2nd Congressional District for Jesse Jackson's Presidential Campaign
Former Vice President of National Black Caucus for Local Elected Officials (NBCLEO)
Chair of Site Selection Committee for Denver Bronco Stadium - Invesco Field at Mile High
(Name on plaque at Invesco Field)
Colorado Baseball Commissioner (Name on plaque at Coors Field)
Former Member and Chair of Colorado Economic Development Commission
Appointed by Governor Roy Romer
Former Mayor and City Councilman of Northglenn
President of the Denver Broncos Alumni Charities (2006 to Present)
Former Denver Bronco, President of Alumni Association (2005-2007)
President, Barry & Associates, Inc. - Real Estate
Former Chair, University of Northern Colorado Foundation Board of Directors
Board of Trustees, University of Findlay

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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

John Eisel

Denver , COLORADO

John Eisel has posted 2865 stories and 12 comments since joining on 9/14/2005. John Eisel's average story rating is 4.39.

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