U.S. Congresswoman Betsy Markey to Deliver OJC’s Commencement Address

LA JUNTA — U.S. Congresswoman Betsy Markey (left) will be the commencement speaker at Otero Junior College’s 68th Commencement, to be held at 10 a.m. on May 1 in the McDivitt Center Gymnasium.

Representative Betsy Markey is currently serving Colorado’s Fourth Congressional District. She was elected to Congress on November 4th, 2008 and has represented the people of the Fourth Congressional District since January 6th, 2009. Over the past year Rep. Markey has been focused on rebuilding America’s economy, creating and restoring jobs in Colorado, strengthening Colorado’s transportation systems and infrastructure, creating a lasting energy plan for the country, reforming the health care system, and keeping Colorado’s farming and ranching heritage strong.

Prior to her election Rep. Markey served for over two years as U.S. Senator Ken Salazar’s Regional Director for northern and eastern Colorado. She worked closely with businesses, agricultural groups, elected leaders, non-profits and individual constituents to represent their interests.

Earlier in her career, she worked for U.S. Congressman Herb Harris as a legislative aide for the Subcommittee on Post Office and Civil Service. After completing a master’s degree in Public Administration in 1983, she was appointed a Presidential Management Fellow. She earned assignments in the Treasury Department that included a budget and program analyst, a human resources specialist, and a staff assistant to the Deputy Commissioner of the Customs Service.

The U.S. Department of State recruited Rep. Markey in 1984 to develop computer security policies for the newly-formed Office of Information Systems Security. She held a top secret security clearance and traveled extensively to U.S. embassies and consulates. She received the State Department’s Meritorious Honor Award for creating their first computer security training program.

Rep. Markey is an active community volunteer. She served as President of the Board of Directors of the Food Bank for Larimer County and has volunteered in the Poudre R-1 School District. On the political scene, she founded the Northern Colorado Democratic Business Coalition to encourage small business owners to voice their opinions. In 2002, she was elected to Chair the Larimer County Democratic Party, a position she held until January 2005.

Rep. Markey is co-founder of Syscom Services, Inc., an Internet consulting and web site development firm. She helped lead the firm to a #99 ranking in the Inc. 500 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies. Syscom currently employs a workforce of over 40 people. She is also a former owner of Huckleberry’s, a popular and successful coffee and ice cream shop in Old Town Fort Collins.

She and her husband, Jim, have been married for 24 years. They are the parent of three children.

The Commencement ceremony at Otero Junior College will begin at 10 a.m. on May 1. A total of 538 students will be awarded associate degrees and/or career and technical education certificates.