Ray Kogovsek (1941-2017)

Former Congressman Ray Kogovsek passed away peacefully Sunday night (April 30, 2017) at his home in Pueblo, Colo. He was 75. A native of Pueblo, he served in the U.S. Congress, representing Colorado’s Third Congressional District from 1979 to 1985. A mass celebrating his life was Thursday, May 4, 2017. This is a tribute by Rep. Scott Tipton on April 27 in the House of Representatives.

Ray

Ray Kogovsek was born in Pueblo, Colorado, and remains a proud resident of his home town. He graduated from Pueblo Catholic High School, attended Pueblo Junior College and graduated from Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado, with a degree in business administration.

Not long after he completed his education, Ray began his lengthy political career as a deputy county clerk. He was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives and then to the Colorado State Senate two years later. He served two terms, including several years as Senate minority leader, before being elected to Colorado’s Third Congressional District in 1978.

Ray served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and decided not to seek re-election in 1984. He returned to his home state and established Kogovsek & Associates, Inc. He continues to serve as president of the firm.

During his Washington tenure, Ray served on the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs (now the Natural Resources Committee), which was very important to the expansive Third District, which includes many federal lands and natural resource challenges. The Interior Committee also had jurisdiction of American Indian issues, which were important to the two federally recognized Colorado Ute tribes in his district.

"My young man's dream was to hold office and serve the community. I was fortunate to have the people's support to do that for 16 years. But providing affordable, effective support as a lobbyist is, in my mind, a public service as well. I know 'lobbyist' doesn't read that way to some, but I do believe we work and achieve for the public benefit."

It was on the Interior Committee that Ray learned to work across political party lines to establish consensus on issues that had little to do with partisanship and much to do with stewardship of the people’s lands and resources. He focused his efforts on balancing responsible development and conservation, and on the relationship of the federal government as trustee to the nation’s Native Americans.

Ray also served on the Education and Labor Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Both assignments led to work that benefited public schools, small businesses and the transportation system that was so important to the rural Third District.

Ray was appointed to the U.S.-Mexico Interparliamentary Commission and participated in numerous congressional caucuses related to Colorado, including tourism, steel, agriculture and more. He was an officer in his class and served in the Majority Leader’s whip system, representing the Rocky Mountain Region.

Commitment to his community and state remain high priorities to Ray. He belongs and contributes to numerous civic organizations in Pueblo and has been named to the Pueblo Hall of Fame and 2014 Citizen of the Year by the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the Colorado Water Congress, the Colorado River Water Users’ Association and the National Water Resources Association. He has been awarded the esteemed Wayne Aspinall Water Leader of the Year Award by the Colorado Water Congress for his decades of work in this policy area.

Ray is married to Linda and has two daughters, Lisa and ToniRae. He is the proud grandfather of Reece Raymond.

Christine Arbogast

Christine Arbogast is a native Coloradan, born in Pueblo and a graduate of Southern Colorado State College, now Colorado State University at Pueblo. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in both journalism and political science.

That educational focus has carried forward in Christine's professional life. Following graduation, she was a reporter and editor in Canon City, Colorado, and then as a news and feature writer for the Durango Herald in the southwestern corner of the state. It was there that her interest in Native American issues and water resources began, and she was fortunate to be able to transfer that interest to a new career path in politics and government.

"Accomplishing a client's goal is always rewarding, even though doing so can take a long time. But in our natural resources-based firm, fulfillment is even greater when the result is so very tangible — being able to dip your hand into a clear, cold reservoir and know you had a part in its creation."

Christine began work with Congressman Ray Kogovsek in 1979, when he was elected to represent Colorado's sprawling Third District, which included nearly half of the state and reflected its diverse interests. She served as his press secretary and concentrated on legislative issues including Native American affairs, water, agriculture and local government.

She remained in Washington until July of 1984, and returned to Colorado to work as a special projects administrator for the Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture at the time the department was establishing its Always Buy Colorado program, now known as Colorado Proud.

In 1985, Christine returned to work for Ray Kogovsek, who had chosen not to run for re-election to Congress. Since then, the small firm has worked primarily in the Western states on resource and tribal issues as well as local government concerns, capital construction projects and health care.

Christine serves on the board of directors of the Colorado Water Congress and serves on the communications and federal affairs committees. She also is an active member of the National Water Resources Association and has twice received the Presiden's Award for her work as chair of its federal affairs committee, and is a member of the Colorado River Water Users' Association and the National Congress of American Indians.

She resides in Centennial, Colorado.