GALLERY: Click through the photos above.

GRAND JUNCTION ? Club 20, the 22-county coalition of Western Slope business, tribal, local and state government representatives, kicked off its 2019 conference here with a steak fry Friday evening that also included national recognition for state Sen. Don Coram, Republican of Montrose.

The award — 2019 Man of the Year — was handed out by Ward Leber of the California-based Child Safety Network. Coram was recognized for his efforts in improving school and school bus safety, particularly his sponsorship of legislation in 2018 to provide schools with access to first responders through interoperable radio communications. 

The conference continues on Saturday with remarks from U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez; U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner; Gov. Jared Polis;and an expected appearance from U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, whose Bureau of Land Management on Friday signed a lease for the relocation of top-level employees from Washington, D.C., to Grand Junction.

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