United Way bids farewell to Walsworth

Tim Walsworth started his new job as executive director of the Durango Business Improvement District in January, but his old employer, United Way of Southwest Colorado, used the occasion of its end-of-campaign party Friday to offer an official farewell.

Lynn Urban, new president and CEO of United Way, said Walsworth helped the organization raise more than $6 million during his 10-year tenure.

“We were raising about $500,000 when I arrived,” Walsworth said. “We grew relatively quickly to about $750,000, about 50 percent, in five years. We dipped a little, back to $700,000 after the economic downturn, but it’s been picking back up.”

Walsworth’s final campaign in 2012 brought in about $738,000.

In addition to the phone call offering him the job, he has some favorite memories.

“I’ll never forget my first Radiothon in September 2003,” he said, “I remember the energy in the community around United Way and thinking ‘I’ve got a good job here. I’ve got something good I can work on to make it better.’”

Another major moment came when incoming Fort Lewis College President Brad Bartel agreed to be that year’s campaign chairman.

“We cornered him pretty quickly,” Walsworth said. “That really helped us step up in status in the community. It helped us achieve some good growth.”

Walsworth had worked for the United Way organizations in Austin, Texas, and Colorado Springs before coming to Durango.

“I knew and loved United Way to death,” he said, “I knew it from all sides except for leading one. I’m pretty dang lucky that the board took a chance on me.”

Walsorth is impressed by the people here.

“This area has got the feeling of a great community,” he said. “This area rallies around good causes and gets good things done by a relatively small group of people.”

Before ending up in Durango, he had been considering moving into the for-profit side of things.

“Now I don’t think of it that way,” he said. “Whether they’re nonprofit, for-profit or governmental agencies, they may have different missions, but at the end of the day, they all have to follow sound practices, financial, management, human resources, administrative.”

Walsworth calls his new job a quasi-governmental position.

“It’s a hybrid of a chamber of commerce and tourism office, making sure people have something to do when they visit and encouraging them to spend money in our stores,” he said. “In the end, what matters to me is: What does the job do? Does it make a difference in our community. And, of course, but this is not the most important part, baby does need a new pair of shoes.”

The latter is a literal statement, as Walsworth’s son, Harrison, turned 1 on Saturday.

“My life is the best it’s ever been,” he said. “‘Thank God, I didn’t get any of those jobs I was going for in the business sector.”

abutler@durangoherald.com

United Way campaign awards

United Way of Southwest Colorado announced its 2012 campaign awards at a gathering Friday evening at Ska Brewing Co. The campaign raised $738,000, the third-highest total in the organization’s history. La Plata and San Juan counties raised more than $558,000 of that total.

The award winners are:

Spirit Award – Southern Ute Indian Tribe, with $77,000 raised.

Silent Hero Award – BP ($61,700 raised).

Highest Average Gift from Employees – Southern Ute Tribe ($929).

Highest Percentage Increase in Giving since 2011 – Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort (255 percent).

Jim Child Volunteer of the Year – shared by Marcus Smith, Heath Stephenson and Kristin Hopper.

Leadership Award – Four Corners Broadcasting.

Special Recognition Awards – Mercury, The Payroll Department and The Durango Herald.

Eight organizations had 100 percent of employees donating – Axis Health Systems, Durango Adult Education Center, United Way of Southwest Colorado, Alternative Horizons, Manna Soup Kitchen, La Plata Youth Services and the Women’s Resource Center.