Several former and current employees of Denver cable investment banker
Daniels & Associates Inc. pledged $5 million to the Cable Center to rename
the great hall of the organization's headquarters in honor of their late founder
Bill Daniels and to establish an educational foundation in his name.
Daniels -- who died March 7, 2000, after a long illness -- was a pioneer in
the cable industry, first as a systems operator and later as a broker for some
of the biggest cable acquisitions in the industry.
Daniels executive vice president Robert Russo said in a prepared statement
that current and former employees at the company began looking for a fitting
tribute to their late boss almost immediately after his death.
Russo formed an organizing committee consisting of Daniels CEO Brian Deevy,
Medallion Enterprises chairman John Saeman, former Daniels executive Tony Acone
and former Daniels president and chief operating officer Tom Marinkovich, which
has secured donations and pledges of more than $2 million.
Another $2.5 million was received as a matching-challenge grant by an
anonymous group.
Through the pledge, the great hall of the newly completed Cable Center will
be renamed the Bill Daniels Great Hall.
In addition, portions of the funds will be contributed to the Cable Center's
building, construction and technology funds, as well as going toward
establishing the Bill Daniels Educational Endowment at the Cable Center.
The endowment fund will create and support evolving educational and training
opportunities within the industry.
