Sirangelo Appointed as Colorado’s New Chief Innovation Officer

Mark Sirangelo (Credit: SNC)

Via Office of John Hickenlooper

Gov. John Hickenlooper announced on Aug. 29, 2013 the appointment of Mark Sirangelo, head of Sierra Nevada Corporation Space Systems, as the Chairman of the Colorado Innovation Network (COIN) and as the state’s new Chief Innovation Officer. He will begin work Aug. 30.

“Mark’s experience in aerospace, a heavily innovative and important industry in Colorado, will serve him well as he leads the state’s efforts to increase our innovative competitiveness,” Hickenlooper said. “He is a well respected business executive and understands the necessity of collaboration in building this type of ecosystem. We are proud he is joining our team.”

Sirangelo will oversee COIN, which was created to provide a roadmap for making Colorado the best state for innovation. The initiative is promoting a business environment that supports innovative practices through collaboration among government, business and civil society, with the ultimate goal of job creation and growth of the Colorado economy.

“There is a great opportunity for us to advance Colorado through innovation and new ideas. Coming from the private sector, I am grateful to be able to volunteer to help serve the people of Colorado in this capacity,” Sirangelo said. “I look forward to continuing the work with the other members of the COIN board and our state leadership to enable a brighter future for Colorado.”

Sirangelo will replace Colorado State University’s College of Business Dean Ajay Menon, whose term expires today. Menon, who joined the Governor’s Cabinet in September 2012, laid the foundation for the mission of making Colorado the most innovative state in the nation.

Currently, Sirangelo is the head of Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Space Systems (SNC), a producer of satellites, space transportation systems and advanced electronics. During its 25-year history, SNC Space Systems has been engaged in more than 400 space missions ranging from earth orbit to planetary missions including the Mars Science Laboratory, Curiosity. Under a public-private partnership with NASA, SNC is currently developing Dream Chaser ®, an orbital space plane designed as a cost effective replacement for the Space Shuttle. SNC has been named as one of the top five companies to work for in the Denver area by the Denver Business Journal.

As a proud Colorado resident, Sirangelo is a champion for advancing innovation in Colorado through his participation as a founding member of the Colorado Innovation Network and through his co-chairmanship of Colorado Competes, a statewide initiative to advance the State in key sectors such as bioscience, renewable energy and aerospace. He is also the founder and current Chairman of eSpace, The Center for Space Entrepreneurship, a Colorado-based non-profit which targets the development of science, education, jobs, and technology start-ups.

Sirangelo is a well-known technologist and business leader with corporate and personal recognitions including being named to Defense Industry’s Fast Track 50, Deloitte’s Fast Track 500, Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year, Inc. Magazine’s top 200 companies and the Space Foundation’s Technology Hall of Fame. Apart from industry, he also serves as a board member and trustee of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and is a founder, Vice Chairman and Treasurer of the International Centre for Children.

About the Colorado Innovation Network

The Colorado Innovation Network (COIN) was launched by Gov. John Hickenlooper with the mission to make Colorado the most innovative state in the nation and is a public-private partnership housed in the Colorado Office of Economic Development. COIN acts as a convener for leaders in our innovation ecosystem. To learn more about COIN, visit www.coloradoinnovationnetwork.com.

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