Josh Laipply named Denver's chief projects officer

Josh Laipply will be Denver's next chief projects officer, the pick of Mayor Michael Hancock to succeed Diane Barrett.

Barrett, who has been with Hancock since he took office in 2011, is retiring.

“For the past eight years, Diane has done a phenomenal job providing oversight and shepherding these projects to completion," Hancock said in a statement. "I have no doubt that Josh, with his decades of expertise in managing major projects, will continue Denver’s success in delivering these critical infrastructure improvements and enhancements.”

Laipply has been the chief engineer for the Colorado Department of Transportation since July 2014, the mayor's office said.

The mayor said in a press release that public projects help residents and neighborhoods, but infrastructure also is the bedrock of the local economy.

The chief projects officer has a role in all major public and private work, as well as working with city partners and advising the mayor and City Council. Laipply starts Sept. 30.

“I know how important it is for a city to ensure that public infrastructure is delivered to the level that the public expects and requires, and that’s the standard I’ve held myself to my entire career,” Laipply said in the statement.