(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The El Pomar Foundation’s Elevating Leadership Development (ELD) program annually honors people of color from Southern Colorado for their leadership and legacy during the Milton E. Proby Cultural Heritage Room Induction Ceremony. This year, El Pomar recognized Gene A. Keluche on Friday, Aug. 16.

Keluche, a leader from the Native American community was honored for the legacy he left behind in Colorado Springs. He is perhaps best known locally as the founder and CEO of International Conference Resorts, Inc. and part owner of the Cheyenne Mountain Conference Resort. He passed away in 2022 at the age of 89 years old.

“I think I have a lot of mixed feelings. Gene died two and a half years ago, and when we had a celebration of life, it was so soon after his death that that was new,” said Freita Keluche, widow of Gene Keluche. “And to be very honest, I’ve had a lot of sadness today because this just seems to make it more real, on one level. And yet there’s a tremendous amount of joy and just an honoring of Gene and the man that he was, my husband for 40 years, their father. So it’s just very special.”