Before co-founding New Belgium Brewing and redefining purpose-driven, people-first entrepreneurship, Kim Jordan was a CSU student balancing social work classes, driving a school bus, and carving out a vision for her future. On this episode of The Next 150, President Amy Parsons sits down with Kim during her return to campus to receive an honorary doctorate degree during CSU’s commencement ceremony at Canvas Stadium. They explore how her unconventional journey shaped one of the largest and most respected craft beer companies in the country, and Kim shares powerful insights on leadership, sustainability, employee ownership, and the value of building a life that is interesting, not linear.
A trailblazer by every measure, Kim has received widespread recognition. She has been honored with the Colorado Governor’s Citizenship Medal for Growth and Innovation, the Brewers Association Recognition Award, and the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Conservation Achievement Award. In February, Kim was inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame.
She was named CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences Honor Alumna in 2017 and received the William E. Morgan Alumni Achievement Award in 2018.
Kim has also served on numerous national and regional boards and committees, including the Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority, the Brewers Association Board, and the Governor’s Renewable Energy Authority. In December of 2024, Kim concluded an eight-year term on the CSU System Board of Governors, where she served two years as Chair. In 2013, Kim and her family launched the Mighty Arrow Family Foundation to champion social and environmental change through mission-driven philanthropy and impact investing.