Ken Montera

Ken Montera

Republican Party

University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5

Tenure

2022 - Present

Term ends

2031

Years in position

3

Predecessor

Chance Hill

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 5, 2024

Appointed

December 20, 2021

Education

High school

Pueblo East High School

Bachelor's

University of Colorado, Boulder, 1979

Personal

Birthplace

Pueblo, Colo.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Chief operating officer

Contact

Official website

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

Personal Twitter

Personal Instagram

Personal LinkedIn

Ken Montera (Republican Party) is a member of the University of Colorado Board of Regents, representing District 5. He assumed office on January 5, 2022. His current term ends in 2031.

Montera (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the University of Colorado Board of Regents to represent District 5. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Montera completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Montera was appointed to the University of Colorado Board of Regents on December 20, 2021, by Gov. Jared Polis to replace Chance Hill.

Biography

Ken Montera was born in Pueblo, Colorado. He graduated from Pueblo East High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from Colorado University, Leeds School of Business, in 1979. His professional experience includes being the chief stores officer and executive vice president of retail operations for Limited Brands. Montera retired in 2014. He has been affiliated with the El Pomar Foundation, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Salvation Army.

Elections

2024

See also: Colorado State Board of Regents election, 2024

General election

General election for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5

Incumbent Ken Montera defeated Axel Brown in the general election for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ken Montera (R)	58.8	203,772
		Axel Brown (D)	41.2	142,538

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 346,310
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Janet Turner (L)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5

Axel Brown advanced from the Democratic primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5 on June 25, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Axel Brown	100.0	36,516

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 36,516
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5

Incumbent Ken Montera advanced from the Republican primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5 on June 25, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ken Montera	100.0	66,228

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 66,228
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Montera in this election.

2022

See also: Colorado State Board of Regents election, 2022

General election

Special general election for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5

Incumbent Ken Montera defeated Ron Casados in the special general election for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ken Montera (R)	60.4	160,715
	Submit photo	Ron Casados (D)	39.6	105,404

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 266,119
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Special Democratic primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5

Ron Casados advanced from the special Democratic primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5 on June 28, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Ron Casados	100.0	43,341

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 43,341
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Special Republican primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5

Incumbent Ken Montera advanced from the special Republican primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5 on June 28, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ken Montera	100.0	78,837

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 78,837
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2018

See also: Colorado State Board of Regents election, 2018

General election

General election for University of Colorado Board of Regents At-large District

Lesley Smith defeated Ken Montera, James Treibert, and Christopher Otwell in the general election for University of Colorado Board of Regents At-large District on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lesley Smith (D)	52.0	1,246,318
		Ken Montera (R)	43.0	1,031,993
		James Treibert (L)	3.8	91,586
	Submit photo	Christopher Otwell (Unity Party)	1.2	29,128

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,399,025
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents At-large District

Lesley Smith advanced from the Democratic primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents At-large District on June 26, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lesley Smith	100.0	499,264

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 499,264
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents At-large District

Ken Montera advanced from the Republican primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents At-large District on June 26, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ken Montera	100.0	404,372

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 404,372
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Ken Montera completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Montera's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m a third generation Coloradan and a first generation college graduate from CU Boulder. I was raised in a blue collar family from Pueblo with a working mother and father. I received the Presidents Leadership Class scholarship which allowed me to attend CU. I completed my business degree in marketing and International business which set the foundation for a 30 plus year career as a C suite executive in 3 Fortune 200 companies. My last responsibilities included being the Chief Retail Officer for Limited Brands the parent company of Bath&Body Works, Victorias Secret, Limited Stores 3 other brands. There I was responsible for a $12billion revenue budget and $3 billion expense budget including over 40,000 employees. Previous to that I was Sr VP at PepsiCo for 10 years and a Sr Director at Baxter Healthcare for 9 years. Since retiring from the corporate world I have been Vice Chair of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and have been made a Trustee of the board for the El Pomar foundation. After being appointed to the CURegent Board by Governor Polis in 2021 I was elected in 2022. I have been unanimously elected Vice Chair 3 times, made chair of the Investment Advisory committee and Vice Chair of both Academic Affairs and Finance committees. Through my entire career I have demonstrated a collaborative leadership style that has driven outstanding results both in the private public sectors. My time atCU has provided me the opportunity to give back to the state and school I love.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I have fostered a collaborative process and culture that has led to a highly functioning board that focuses on the betterment of the University with a prioritization of our students, faculty and staff. This has included the unanimous hiring of President Saliman, two chancellors and our system treasurer. I have supported and received full support in bringing an aerospace engineering bachelors degree to UCCS 2 years ago and a masters this year, only the second of its kind in the state. I also approved the capital project of the Anschutz engineering center at UCCS that was opened last spring. I am extremely proud of CU breaking a record in research funding of over $1.7 billion last year of which over $900million will be used for medical.
• We need to reach ALL of Colorado as we look to our future leaders. In doing so we need to make sure that all prospective Colorado students know that we have a place for them. It doesn't matter if you are from the front range the San Louis Valley the urban areas of Denver or the eastern plains, CU has a campus that will welcome you and help you achieve your goals. We have done this by traveling the state to meet students and families and helping them understand how together we can help their children acheive their dreams. We have don 14 of these trips in my tenure and plan on continue to do more to support our future students and their families.
• As Vice Chair of the Finance and Academic Affairs Committees I am directly involved in new degree programs and the over $6 billion dollar operating budget for our system. This gives me the opportunity to ask difficult questions and review the business case behind major expenditures and capital projects. My experience as a business executive uniquely qualifies me to help make prudent financial decisions that directly impact the cost of a CU education. But without true leadership experience and understanding the value of diverse thinking it would be very difficult to strategically set a course for our success as a university, I bring that to this board.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Higher education is facing one of its most challenging times. People are questioning the value of a degree and on top of that we will see a significant decline in High School graduates over the next five years based on demographic shifts. In Colorado Hispanic and first generation students will be a larger part of those graduates. Being a first generation graduate myself I know how a college education can change the trajectory of an entire family for generations. We as leaders of CU have to help families understand the truly generational impact that a college education can provide. I am committed to leading the strategies and tactics that will change lives for generations.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My grandfather, he was an Italian immigrant with a sixth grade education who gave up everything to come to this country. Although poorly educated and a laborer at a steel mill his wisdom was deep and profound. He instilled a philosophy in me that you never look up to, or down upon another person. You look at them straight in the eye because no person is better than another. His proudest day was the day he received his citizenship.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I believe the basis for success in a dynamic world that is changing at a pace never seen is intellectual curiosity. I f you don't remain curious, open minded you will miss what’s happening around you and eventually obsolete. AI is changing how we think, work and perform at speeds we’ve never seen before. I believe a great book that frames this nicely is “CO-Intelligence” by Ethan Mollick.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, sincerity and a desire to serve. We have too many politicians that are more focused on reelection than doing the job. A Regent is not paid so I am doing this for one reason, to provide an education to anyone in Colorado that seeks to better themselves. 42% of all bachelors degree in Colorado came from a CU campus and over 70% of all advanced degrees. We are not just educating we are creating the future for our state, country and world. I am not a politician but a sound leader with a significant background with one priority…The University of Colorado!

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Honesty and a belief that all people matter whether you agree with them or not. We have to keep talking to each other and do it with respect.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A level of experience that warrants their service. As a Regent you have a fiduciary responsibility for a $6.3 billion dollar organization across four campuses that are very different and complicated, if you’ve had no experience leading that size of an organization or something close to it, it may be very difficult to focus on the key priorities that will drive success. Our board has to be strategic, it has think about the long term health of four campuses while still being able to oversee success in the short term.

What legacy would you like to leave?

That I helped many children/students achieve their goals. That I was a role model for someone who didn't believe they could achieve their dreams.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Although I was very young at the time, the assassinations of three people John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and MLK. I remember being sent home from school early, coming home and seeing my mother crying uncontrollably and wondering why did this happen.And then it happened again not long after to two prominent leaders that my family believed could change the world. It seemed like the world had gone crazy, that there wasn’t a safe place left anymore. Watching the riots on TV and feeling like a dark clouded covered the country and it wouldn’t lift.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I washed dishes at a Mexican restaurant, I had it for an entire summer so I could save enough money to buy a season pass for the Colorado State Fair, the high point of the summer for every Pueblo kid.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Bible. It has the answer to so many questions.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Spiderman

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Rocky Mountain High…Colrado

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Balancing a very demanding career with being a good Father and husband. The time it takes to do both can be a real challenge and what seems important at 25 is very different at 45.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Mayor Suthers, Senator Gardner, Congresswoman Pugliese, most of the CU Board of Regents, Mike Edmonds past Colorado College President, One Colorado, Bill and Kyle Hybl past and present Presidents of El Pomar foundation, District Attorney Mike Allen, Senator Barb Kirkmeyer, County Commissioners Longinos Gonzales and Stan Wanderwerf, Erik Estrada attorney and El Pomar board member, Pam Shockley Zalabeck Chair Colorado Springs Philharmonic past chancellor UCCS.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

In a public university like CU it is not only important but mandatory. Every major financial decision we make is done in a public session. We are required to vote in public sessions and there is a record that is available to the public that records those decisions by regent.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2022

Ken Montera did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Ken Montera campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5	Won general	$11,775	$17,022
2022	University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5	Won general	$17,458	$12,188
Grand total			$29,233	$29,210
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Chance Hill (R)	University of Colorado Board of Regents District 5 2022-Present	Succeeded by -