The OPEN DOORS Leadership Development Program, presented by the Southeast Weld County Chamber, kicks off February 6 with a dynamic panel discussion exploring the realities and challenges of leadership in both rural and urban settings.
The session will be led by Marc Arnusch, owner of Marc Arnusch Farms LLC, who will moderate a conversation with a group of regional powerhouse leaders bringing diverse perspectives from government, infrastructure, economic development, and planning.
Joining the panel are Scott James, Weld County Commissioner; Sam Taylor, Senior Program Manager with CLIMBER; Brad Wind, Manager with the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District; and Eric Sakotas, Senior Planner with Strata Design & Planning.
Together, the panel will examine how leaders navigate growth, resource constraints, collaboration, and long-term planning across different communities—setting the tone for a leadership program focused on insight, connection, and real-world impact.
Registration is now open.
Business owners, emerging leaders, and community-minded professionals are encouraged to secure their spot in the OPEN DOORS Leadership Development Program and be part of the conversations shaping the future of our region. Space is limited—register today to open doors to new perspectives, meaningful connections, and leadership growth that extends far beyond the room. You’ll find more information on pages 6 & 7 along with a QR code on page 7 that takes you directly to the registration page.
Scott James
Weld County Commissioner Scott James is a fourth generation Colorado native reared in LaSalle, Colorado; a community his great grandfather and great-great grandfather helped found. Scott, his wife, Julie, and son, Jack, reside in Johnstown, Colorado, where he served for nearly 20-years as Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission, Member of Town Council, and Mayor.
Appointed to the Planning and Zoning Commission in 1999 and elected to Town Council in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and as Mayor in 2016, Scott’s leadership accomplishments have made a significant impact in Johnstown and Northern Colorado
James is a familiar face and voice to two generations of Coloradans. A 36-year award-winning radio personality, Scott delights in serving his community. Through his many non-profit and philanthropic endeavors, James has helped raise over $2 million for Northern Colorado charities.
James is a graduate of Northeastern Junior College, Aims Community College, and Colorado State University.
Sam Taylor
Sam currently holds the position of Senior Program Manager of the CLIMBER Loan Program after serving as the Program Director for close to 2 years. Prior to accepting that position with the Colorado department of the Treasury, Sam led the Broomfield Chamber of Commerce as its President and CEO. Sam is a leader at heart as is evidenced by his many years spent serving the residents of Broomfield as a City Council member for the City and County of Broomfield. He is a former business owner with a demonstrated history of working with other business owners and professionals at all levels. Sam is a strong community and social services professional who is skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Budgeting, Government, Sales Management, and IT Service Management. Sam resides in Broomfield with his wife Sara and is father to Bethany and Benjamin.
Brad Wind
Northern Colorado Water Conservancy Manager Brad Wind of Berthoud, Colorado  was promoted to general manager in 2018, the sixth general manager in the history of Northern Water. He has worked at Northern Water since 1994 serving as an engineer and deputy manager of operations. Wind has several degrees from Colorado State University – a bachelor’s in civil engineering and agricultural engineering, and a master’s in business administration. He also has a master’s degree in agricultural engineering from the University of California at Davis. Northern Water is a Conservancy District situated in northeastern Colorado that encompasses 640,000 irrigable acres and is home to nearly 980,000 Coloradans.
Eric Sakotas
Eric Sakotas is a Senior Planner with over 25 years of experience in both the private and public sectors. Mr. Sakotas specializes in the design and entitlement of large-scale mixed-use and residential master-planned communities. Eric has international experience and has traveled throughout the world to design communities in China, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, and Guam. His international exposure allowed him to experience diverse design approaches and problem-solving techniques that he applies to all his projects today. Eric has facilitated public workshops and design charrettes to work with community members and clients to provide a vision and foundation for the communities he designs.
