Andre van Hall, the popular CEO and general manager of the Denver Athletic Club who lost most of his eyesight, was dismissed by the board of directors Tuesday.
“It had been long coming,” van Hall told me Thursday. “There is a group wanting to do things very differently, so they pushed me out the door.”
Van Hall, who knew most of the 2,000 club members by name, was hired to run the 128-year-old Denver institution 10 years ago. Nearly four years ago, van Hall was diagnosed with a degenerative disease that took most of the sight in his left eye. Then late last year, the disease attacked the other eye, rendering him legally blind.
I profiled van Hall’s journey into near darkness in this story for The Denver Post: http://www.denverpost.com/fitness/ci_19888681.
What struck me most at the time was not only his upbeat attitude, but his agility in getting around the massive building on Glenarm with all its stairs, narrow hallways and tricky turns.
When it was apparent that his eyesight was permanently impaired, the board of directors approved the purchase of special equipment van Hall needed to do his job. This equipment included a 32-inch monitor with a machine that enlarges letters to 3-inch type that he can still read.
When I spoke with him on Thursday, van Hall was at the club cleaning out his office. He called the experience “heartbreaking.”
“They’re such a great group of people in this club, it’s a shame that a smaller group wants to do things their way,” he said. In the end, van Hall and the board of directors couldn’t agree on the direction of the club.
“They wanted me to eliminate staff and I didn’t think we should. They wanted the club to be more exclusive. I’m told they made some hurtful comments about my disability and ability to run the club. I was being undermined every step of the way.”
David Hague, the acting general manager and comptroller, answered my request for comment by saying, “First, I want to assure you that in no way is Andre’s current situation related to his eyesight. The club is dedicated to the principles of equal opportunity employment, and we do not discriminate against anyone on the basis of age, race, sexual orientation, color, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, disability or any other status protected by state or local law.
“The DAC is making a change because, in the best judgment of the board of directors, it needs to do so in order to ensure its continued viability. In addition, the DAC and Andre are at an impasse regarding his rather onerous contract that was negotiated with Andre long before the current board and board president were involved.
“As we look to maintain the superior level of programs and services we offer our membership in the midst of a very difficult economic environment, it is essential that we evaluate every aspect of our budget. It is imperative to ensure that the DAC is being managed in a manner consistent with these goals. The board therefore voted to give Andre the 30-day notice required by his contract.
“It invited and expects ongoing discussion with Andre regarding either his ability to accept a revised contract that better suits the club’s current fiscal goals or if not, to receive a generous severance. Andre is currently on administrative leave while we continue to work through these details with him.
“Please know that we want what is best for our staff and our membership. We are proud of the community we have developed here at The Denver Athletic Club and need to constantly evaluate and make financial decisions to support our community. While Andre has been an important part of the club for the better part of a decade, the board hopes that it and Andre can work out the terms of a mutually agreeable arrangement.”
One long-time member, who asked not to be named, predicted a massive member exodus in the wake of van Hall’s firing.
“He’s one of the most popular GMs they’ve ever had,” the source said. “All of a sudden he loses his sight and they show him the door? That’s pretty bad.” The source added that there’s movement among the membership to potentially oust the board of directors.
But the future of the Denver Athletic Club is now out of van Hall’s hands. In his true fashion, the ousted CEO is staying positive about his future.
“I’m 58 and need to work another 10 or 12 years,” he said. “I’m very optimistic about the future and things are looking bright. I’m exploring a couple of opportunities.”
Sweet 16
Gene Tang, owner of 1515 Restaurant, has given himself the gift of a new executive chef as the celebrated LoDo restaurant turns 16 this month. Newly appointed executive chef Garren Teich has been in the 1515 Restaurant kitchen for two and a half years, starting on the line and working his way up to sous chef prior to accepting Tang’s offer of the executive chef position as of today – 11 days after the restaurant turned sweet 16.
“Garren Teich is one of the most innovative chefs I have ever worked with,” Tang said. “He knows molecular gastronomy. His dad is a farmer. He will be continuing our mission in serving classic cuisine with our own unique twist.”
Under Chef Garren’s direction, 1515 Restaurant will continue to serve approachable and innovative food with fresh, local ingredients. With its sous-vide certification and other cutting-edge kitchen technology, fans of 1515 Restaurant are accustomed to being wowed by presentation and flavors that come alive on the plate.
Chef Teich’s kitchen career began in Dresher, Pa., at the five-star Zagat restaurant Carambolas.
“My vision in the kitchen parallels Gene’s,” Teich said. “We believe in using whole, unprocessed food. I am very passionate about fresh ingredients, and through the tools we have in our kitchen, I can treat our guests to delicious fare with stunning presentations.”
Chef Teich is trained in the sous-vide process and touts the flavors that come from this precise process.
As a special thank you to 16 lucky guests “like” the 1515 Restaurant Facebook page and a winner will be picked for a complimentary appetizer every few days through Nov. 16. Keep checking back and liking. Go to www.1515restaurant.com to view the full menu and to make a reservation.
Linger at Linger
Everyone knows that Linger is a cool place and hard to get into. It’s usually closed on Mondays, but the 29th is different. Linger will be turned into Necro Noche to benefit The GrowHaus. More details here: https://www.blacktie-colorado.com/calendar/event-detail.cfm?id=24374 and registration at Blacktie of course.
Eavesdropping on a Facebook post about a misspelling on a Washington state ballot stating President/Vice President of the “Untied States”): “I have an issue with my ballot – Mitt Romney is listed as an option.”
Did you hear that I have a new column, “Mile High Life,” in Colorado Community Media’s 17 weekly newspapers circling Denver? Be sure to like my Facebook page! Also, here’s where you go to get my column emailed to you Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I’m now the social-media liaison for the Mile High Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association, so read my latest restaurant news there. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com.
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