Aspen Bella Sera Raises $365,000 for National Jewish Health, Nation’s Leading Respiratory Hospital

Event Honored Community Leaders Kristen and Marc Holtzman and Featured Performance by Randy Newman

More than 170 Aspenites came together to raise over $365,000 for National Jewish Health and honor Kristen and Marc Holtzman at the 11^th Annual Bella Sera, presented by Nancy and Richard Rogers on Aug. 6, 2017, at Belly Up Aspen. Award-winning musician Randy Newman also performed at the intimate music venue. 
 

Kristen and Marc Holtzman, long-time community leaders in Colorado and National Jewish Health National Trustees, received the National Jewish Health Humanitarian Award. The award recognizes individuals across the country who have made significant civic and charitable contributions.

“Our honorees tonight are truly deserving of this honor,” said Stuart Bernstein, a past recipient of the Humanitarian Award and former U.S. ambassador to Denmark. “Kristen and Marc Holtzman are known in Colorado and worldwide for their generosity to community and active involvement in finance and public service.”

Marc Holtzman serves as chairman of KazKommertsBank, Kazakhstan’s largest financial institution as well as chairman of Bank of Kigali, Rwanda’s largest financial institution. He previously served as vice chairman of Barclays Capital and ABN Amro Bank.

Colorado has been an important part of both Kristen’s and Marc’s professional and personal lives for many years – Marc Holtzman as president of the University of Denver and Colorado’s first secretary of technology under former Governor Bill Owens and Kristen Holtzman as deputy press secretary for Governor Owens and communications director for former Colorado Attorney General John Suthers.

Randy Newman, three-time Emmy winner, six-time Grammy winner and two-time Oscar winner, played a variety of songs spanning his nearly 50-year career, including “Sail Away,” “Short People,” “You Can Leave Your Hat On,” “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” and “Putin.” Kristen Holtzman and the Holtzman’s 8-year-old daughter, Ava, partnered with Bella Sera Host Committee Member and Newman’s cousin Deborah Newman Sharpe to introduce the performance during one of the most touching moments of the night.

National Jewish Health, recently named as the #1 respiratory hospital in the nation by U.S. News and World Report for the 16^th year, has partnered with the Aspen Valley medical community to provide care to patients for over 20 years. Since 2007, Bella Sera has raised more than $2.4 million for the hospital.

“If you need more than National Jewish Health can provide through its clinics here, you are just a few hours away from the main campus in Denver, where the world’s experts in respiratory and immune-related diseases are discovering new treatments and setting care guidelines for health care professionals and their patients worldwide,” National Jewish Health Board Chair Blair Richardson told guests that evening.

Co-chairs of the event were Wilma and Stuart Bernstein, Golda and National Trustee Shelly Friedstein, Louise and National Trustee David Gitlitz, and National Trustee Madeleine Larson. Host Committee members were Judi and Dr. Alan Altman, Peggy and Shlomo Ben-Hamoo, Elaine and Harris Cahn, Lauren Rosen and David Chazen, National Trustees Denise and Warren Cohen, Pamela Levy and Rick Crandall, Yoly and Mark Davis, Billie and Greg Erwin, Debbie and Board Member Michael Feiner, Darlynn and Tom Fellman, National Trustees Barbara and Aaron Fleck, Barbara and Board Member Jerry Glauser, Barbara and Gerald D. Hines, Jameen and Jon Jacoby, Dorothy and Sidney Kohl, Nancy Snell and Rodney Knutson, Paula and Monty Loud, Patty and Robert Mack, Paul MacCaskill, Amy and Richie Pearlstone, Lexie and Robert Potamkin, Elaine and Marvin Rosenberg, National Trustees Linda and David Stein, Eveline Hoffman and Joel Strumph, Deborah Newman Sharpe and Bob Sharpe, Dorothy and Hal Thau, Lenny Weinglass, and Lorrie and Larry Winnerman.

Presenting Sponsors were Nancy and Richard Rogers and the Entertainment Sponsor was Lenny Weinglass. Other sponsors included Bella Platinum Sponsors Iris and National Trustee Michael Smith; Bella Gold Sponsors The Azeez Foundation, Laurie Michaels and David Bonderman, National Trustees Denise and Warren Cohen, Golda and National Trustee Shelly Friedstein, Gitlitz Family Foundation, National Trustees Kristen and Marc Holtzman, National Trustee Madeleine Larson, Warren Lichtenstein, Paul MacCaskill, Elaine and Marvin Rosenberg, Deborah Newman Sharpe and Bob Sharpe, and National Trustees Linda and David Stein; and Bella Silver Sponsors Judi and Dr. Alan Altman, Pamela Levy and Rick Crandall, Darlynn and Tom Fellman, National Trustees Barbara and Aaron Fleck, Dorothy and Sidney Kohl, Paula and Monty Loud, and Lexie and Robert Potamkin.