Donna Lynne, Colorado’s new lieutenant governor, took the oath of office Thursday morning in an upbeat ceremony at the Capitol crowded with state officials who celebrated her strong qualifications and the great expectations she brings to the office.

In a casual speech marked with natural punch lines, Lynne thanked members of the administration who have welcomed her into the government and who she said have worked to introduce her to the office. She also thanked lawmakers.

“To the members of the legislature, thank you for your bipartisan support and for opening up about the important issues you face in your work,” she said. “One of the senators did say to me yesterday, ‘OK, the honeymoon is now over,’ and I’m prepared for that — but I think through listening and collaboration we’ll accomplish a lot in the next 971 days. I’m so honored that you all supported me on this journey.”

Lynne was sworn in by Colorado Chief Justice Nancy Rice.

“You know I’m a little more tense than usual,” said Gov. John Hickenlooper, who introduced Lynne. “This is one of the more important moments in the life of the state, when you recognize that you are really putting a mark in the ground to say this is the beginning of a new future.”

He praised Lynne’s achievement as an executive and project manager.

“I’m very grateful that Donna Lynne agreed to take on this formidable challenge,” he said. “You hear stories about her again and again, and it’s always that she takes on a challenge and does more than what’s expected.

“I got into this business because, you know in the tavern business, I saw that so many people hated government and didn’t believe in it. I thought some of us needed to go back in and make the best effort we could to bring common sense and logic to how government functions. Donna Lynne gets that better than anybody, that this was a noble enterprise, there has to be nobility in it to get people to believe in government — and you only have to look at the presidential primary campaigns to see how important that has become — people have to believe again in government or they make reckless decisions — is that a political statement?” he added sharply, and the crowd laughed.

Lynne, a top-level executive for Kaiser Permanente who served in three mayoral administrations in New York City, was nominated by Hickenlooper in March. Lawmakers confirmed the nomination by wide margins, praising her background in the public and private sectors and her goal to ratchet up efficiency in state government. The Republican-controlled Senate voted unanimously for the Democratic governor’s nominee.

In Denver, as vice president of the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, Lynne directed an $8 billion budget and oversaw 16,000 employees. In New York, she served in the administrations of Republican and Democratic mayors. Her positions included deputy commissioner of the Office of Labor Relations, director of the Mayor’s Office of Operations and senior vice president of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.

Lynne replaces Joe Garcia, who acted as lieutenant governor as well as executive director for the Colorado Department of Higher Education. Lynne will act as lieutenant governor and the state’s chief operating officer.  

Terry Knight, a spiritual leader for the Ute Mountain Ute tribe, kicked off proceedings with a “prayer to the Creator,” as he put it, “for the new lieutenant governor, so she can lead us — all of us in Colorado — in a good way and to the best of her abilities, and that she might gain more knowledge from all of us.”

Knight began praying in his native tongue, his long braids nodding. In the middle of the prayer, the cellphone in his jacket pocket rang. He stopped praying and lifted out the phone. The incongruity of the moment drew howls of laughter.

Later, Lynne told the crowd that being part of a political ticket made her glad she changed her maiden name. “Schleinkofer-Hickenlooper has a different ring,” she said.

She wrapped up her marks smiling. “Thank you all very much. We do have cake, I hear.”

— john@coloradostatesman.com