Interview Series: Ray Kogovsek
Mr. Ray
Kogovsek is a
native of
Pueblo, CO,
and Slovenian
Honorary
Consul in
Colorado. From
1979 to 1985,
Mr. Kogovsek served three
terms in the U.S. House of
Representatives. Before being
elected to the U. S. Congress,
he served a term in the
Colorado House of
Representatives and two
terms in the Colorado State
Senate. In Pueblo, he is the
president of Kogovsek &
Associates, Inc., a lobbying
firm that advocates water
issues in the west of the
United States on behalf of
Native Americans.
What is your connection to Slovenia?
I am very proud of my Slovenian roots on both sides of my family. My grandparents came to Pueblo to find a better life. My grandfather worked at the steel mill and my grandfather ran a boarding house for the people working at the mill.
What part of being an Honorary Consul of Slovenia in Colorado do you find most rewarding / challenging?
I find a lot of satisfaction in telling the people of Colorado of the success Slovenia has achieved in such a short time, its impressive economic performance and emergence as a tourist destination. On the other hand, it’s frustrating when so many people visit Milan, Venice, and Vienna and simply don’t realize that Slovenia, with so much to offer, is just a short ride away. There is a certain lack of knowledge about Eastern Europe, its history and geography. However, I notice that the country gets featured more and more in American travel magazines, so I hope it will soon get on the map.
Are there any particular connections between Colorado and Slovenia that you want to point out?
I am especially proud of the relationship between the Colorado National Guard and Slovenian Armed Forces that started just a few years after Slovenia gained independence and has been growing since. Many of the guardsmen that went to Slovenia are still excited about the country and want to go back at some point. About five years ago we started to build a deeper relationship between the cities of Pueblo and Maribor. Today, Maribor and Pueblo are sister cities and my goal is to establish links between our universities.
There is another important issue where, in my opinion, Colorado and Slovenia share values - and that is concern about the environment. When former Slovenian ambassador to the United States Samuel Žbogar visited Denver he had an opportunity to exchange views and policy measures with Colorado governor Bill Ritter. Under governor Ritter Colorado has become a leading state in the area of renewable energy.
