Hickenlooper makes Pinnacol appointments

Gov. John Hickenlooper has signed Executive Orders to appoint John Plotkin and John Cevette to the Pinnacol Assurance Board of Directors.

Pinnacol, the quasi-public workers’ compensation insurance company has been under fire recently for abuses to the public trust, including having spent more than $300,000 to take board members and employees on a retreat to Pebble Beach, CA.

The new appointments must be confirmed by the Colorado Senate. Hickenlooper also asked the Senate to confirm the earlier appointment of Blair Richardson to the Board of Directors.

Hickenlooper alluded to those issues in a prepared statement announcing the appointments:

“These individuals are each uniquely qualified to provide the Pinnacol Board with expertise in business management, employment law governance and worker’s compensation insurance,” Hickenlooper said. “Clearly, some events in the past related to Pinnacol were inappropriate. We expect the addition of Blair Richardson, John Plotkin and John Cevette will help restore trust and accountability to the board.”

Richardson is Managing Partner of Bow River Capital Partners in Denver and has held executive positions in international sales and trading of public equity and debt securities for nearly 25 years. Before forming Bow River Capital Partners, Richardson was Managing Partner of B.E. Richardson Investments, which invested in a variety of industries throughout North America.

Previously, Richardson was with Morgan Stanley & Company from 1987 to 1995. During his time at Morgan Stanley, he served as President of Morgan Stanley Japan in Tokyo, Vice Chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia in Hong Kong, and Managing Director of the Equity and Fixed Income Department in New York.

Richardson was appointed to the Pinnacol Board of Directors last month by former Gov. Bill Ritter.

Plotkin is a member of the law firm Gregory & Plotkin LLC in Denver. He concentrates on business and commercial disputes and litigation in federal and state courts. His practice includes bankruptcy, real property valuation (including tax and condemnation), securities, corporate governance, construction, contract, general business and commercial disputes and litigation.

Cevette is Chief of Staff to the Colorado Senate Majority. He directs policy, communications, outreach and administration.

Cevette earlier worked as an attorney in private practice, as the chief executive officer of Colorado Corn, and served as chief of staff to former U.S. Sen. Floyd Haskell.