freeway in Denver and neighboring Aurora connecting Denver International Airport to Interstate 70, is named for him. As mayor of Denver, Peña led the effort to build the airport. In addition, Peña's vision ("Imagine a Great City") resulted in the revitalization of Denver economy with a new convention center, modernized Cherry Creek Shopping Center, neighborhood retail efforts, expanded library and performing arts center, and recruitment of the Colorado Rockies major league baseball team. Peña is the father of three children: Nelia, Cristina, and Ryan Peña. The divorce of Federico Peña and his first wife, Ellen Hart Peña, became final on September 10, 2001. Federico Peña married Cindy Velasquez on September 2, 2006. Cindy Velasquez is a former broadcast executive for Channel 7, KMGH-TV, and Channel 9, KUSA-TV, in Denver, Colorado and has a daughter, Pilar. Peña was a National Co-Chair of the COMPETE Coalition, an organization of energy stakeholders including large power generators, large retail power consumers and energy efficiency/smart grid groups. Today he serves on several corporate boards and is involved in several philanthropic organizations. On September 7, 2007, Peña announced that he would endorse Senator Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election, and also serve as Obama's National Campaign Co-chair. The move was notable in that Peña did not endorse Senator Hillary Clinton, the wife of the president under whom he served. On November 5, 2008, he was named to the advisory board of the Obama-Biden Transition Project. On October 26, 2011, Peña was elected to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of Wells Fargo. Peña was appointed to the University of Denver Board of Trustees in June 2015. References External links Membership at the Council on Foreign Relations |- |- |- 1947 births 20th-century American politicians American politicians of Mexican descent Clinton administration cabinet members Hispanic and Latino American mayors Hispanic and Latino American members of the Cabinet of the United States Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in Colorado Lawyers from Denver Living people Mayors of Denver Democratic Party members of the Colorado House of Representatives People from Laredo, Texas Saint Joseph Academy (Brownsville, Texas) alumni United States Secretaries of Energy United States Secretaries of Transportation University of Denver people University of Texas School of Law alumni