3 to be Inducted into Pueblo Hall of Fame on February 22

An orchestra conductor and educator, community leader, and Colorado State Fair administrator will be the next inductees to the Pueblo Hall of Fame (PHOF), located on the Pueblo Community College campus. Jacob Chi, Barbara Vidmar, and Gerald “Jerry” Robbe will be honored as the 2020 inductees to the Pueblo Hall of Fame on Feb. 22, 2020 in the Pueblo Community College Fortino Ballroom.

Jacob Chi was nominated for his contributions to enriching the arts and education communities for nearly 30 years. Chi has served as music director and conductor of the Pueblo Symphony since he moved to Pueblo in 1991. In that role, he has made the Symphony more accessible to a larger audience through public events like the Summer Music Fest (1995-2003), Rolling on the Riverwalk (since 2004), and free July 4 concerts in Memorial Hall.   He has exposed our community to a diverse group of artists representing every musical genre through his invitations to artists across the globe.

At age 17, he became the youngest concertmaster of the Beijing (China) Opera Company and its conductor and composer at age 23. He earned a master’s degree in violin performance from the University of Michigan and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestra Conducting from Michigan State University. Throughout his career, he has participated and conducted national and international workshops and master classes from Tanglewood to Mexico, China, and Bulgaria and expanded musical offerings for Pueblo’s youth.  Since 2002, he and the Pueblo Symphony have engaged thousands of children through free concerts for all District 60 and 70 fourth graders. As a tenured music professor at Colorado State University-Pueblo, Dr. Chi has influenced the next generation of musicians through courses in music history and conducting.

As a talented violinist, he has performed at numerous benefits in the community, ranging from programs at local nursing homes to fundraisers for important causes. He also has been an active participant with Pueblo’s Sister City Commission, serving a two-year sabbatical as artistic and musical director of the Chihuahua philharmonic.

“Jacob Chi truly demonstrates why he is being inducted into the Pueblo Hall of Fame,” explains PHOF Chairwoman Barbara Fortino.  “The Pueblo Hall of Fame was established to honor those individuals who – by their extraordinary efforts – have contributed to the betterment and       enhancement of Pueblo and Jacob’s commitment to our community and beyond exemplifies the true values for which the Hall of Fame was established to celebrate.”

For nearly 40 years, Barbara Vidmar has made her mark as a pioneer in the automotive industry and a champion for our community both from the board room to the gardens of Pueblo’s public spaces. She is highly respected and fearless in her dedication to Pueblo. She served on Pueblo City Council from 2006 to 2009, leading the council as president in 2008. As co-owner of Vidmar Motors, she served on the American International Automobile Dealers Association, being named the first woman chairman of an international automobile trade organization in 2000.

An extraordinary volunteer, Barbara embraces the entire community and goes where she can be of most benefit. Her service and leadership on community boards has spanned from the PEDCO Board to Parkview Medical Center as well as the YMCA, HARP Foundation, Pueblo Urban Renewal, St. John Neumann Catholic School, CSU-Pueblo, and the United Way.

She is not content with just attending a board meeting, but is always the first to step forward when difficult tasks need to be accomplished. A perfect example is her tireless service to keeping Pueblo beautiful through her work with the Wednesday Morning Club, which grows and maintains flower beds throughout the community.

“Barbara Vidmar has touched so many areas of our community by volunteering to roll up her sleeves and jump right in,” stressed Fortino.  “Whether in the board room or out in the community’s flower beds, Barbara does not shy away from a challenge and does whatever is needed to make Pueblo a better place to live.”

Pueblo native Gerald “Jerry” Robbe (to be inducted posthumously) brought his expertise in the agricultural industry as a cattle breeder and rancher first to the Colorado State Fair Commission Board and later to the Colorado State Fair itself as general manager.

He was an ambassador for the City and County of Pueblo his entire life, but especially in his roles with the Colorado State Fair. Under his leadership in the 1980s and 1990s, he constantly put Pueblo first, bringing the economic benefits of the National Little Britches Rodeo to town. He also organized bus trips for Denver and Colorado Springs business leaders to attend the Junior Livestock Sale, which resulted in increased awareness and unheard of prices for the livestock projects of Colorado’s 4-H and FFA participants.

In 1988, he championed a $2.3 million construction project for the fairgrounds, funded by a revenue-bond issue. The funding covered building renovations and other improvements, which enabled the Fair to become one of the best in the nation at the time. For these efforts among others, he was named Citizen of the Year by the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce in 1988.

He also served the beef industry as President of the Colorado Cattle Feeder’s Association and the Colorado Beef Council. In addition, he helped run Angel Tree camps and Youth Christian camps for many years.

“During his lifetime, Jerry Robbe enhanced the lives of many and particularly the lives of young men and women who were involved with agriculture,” explained Fortino.  “His leadership of the Colorado State Fair served to enhance not only the institution but lead the way to preserve and expand on its historic site which continues to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors to our community each year.”

Proceeds from the annual PHOF benefit the PCC Foundation and its efforts to support students scholarships and programs of academic excellence at Pueblo Community College.

Tickets to the Hall of Fame event are $100 per person. Event sponsorships ranging from $500 to $5,000 also are available.  The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail hour followed by dinner and the induction program beginning at 7 p.m.

For tickets or sponsorship information, contact the Pueblo Community College Foundation at 544-0677 or Martha.simmons@pueblocc.edu.