Changemaker: David “Dave” Barba

In his capacity as Colorado’s State Auditor, J. David “Dave” Barba served on CHFA’s Board from 1995 until his death in 2001. He was known by colleagues as a genuine and detail-oriented person who was passionate about CHFA’s mission and a dedicated public servant.

A Denver native, Dave received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Denver. In 1978, he began working as an entry-level auditor in Colorado’s Office of the State Auditor, an independent and nonpartisan agency tasked with conducting thorough assessments of state program operations as well as the use of taxpayer funds, and providing recommendations based on findings. He remained at the Office of the State Auditor his entire career, serving the agency in various capacities as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Throughout his career, he was a member of several professional organizations and associations related to his work as a CPA including the Colorado Society of CPAs, the American Institute of CPAs, and the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers.

Dave eventually worked his way up to a leadership role within the Auditor’s office upon his appointment to the position of State Auditor in January 1996. As the State Auditor, Dave oversaw all audits of state agencies, departments, quasi-governmental entities, and universities. During his tenure, the office was estimated to have saved Colorado taxpayers over $20 million as a result of recommendations made by auditors.

In his leadership as a member of CHFA’s Board of Directors, Dave cared deeply about CHFA’s work, mission, and its employees. While serving on the Board, Dave was integral in creating CHFA’s first retirement savings program. He strongly supported the proposal to adopt and implement a retirement plan, which CHFA had not previously offered as a benefit to employees. He had a vision for its importance in allowing CHFA employees to build wealth for their future. Dave insisted that the program include an incentive for participation in the form of a contribution from CHFA to boost retirement savings for CHFA employees. His passion for the establishment of the program was driven, in part, from his leadership on the board of trustees of Colorado’s Public Employee’s Retirement Association (PERA), on which he served from 1995 until 2001.

In addition to his work as a public servant, Dave was an avid golfer. He participated in golf outings with CHFA’s former long-serving Executive Director, David Herlinger, alongside other board members, and business partners. Dave was the first inspiration behind CHFA’s annual golf tournament, which was formally established after his death in 2001. Dave served on the board of The Ranch Country Club in Westminster, which became the site of CHFA’s golf tournament for many years. Because he was so highly regarded at The Ranch Country Club, a plaque was installed on the course after Dave’s death to commemorate his leadership to the Club and passion for the game of golf.

Dave served on the committee to identify CHFA’s next Executive Director upon the retirement of David Herlinger. Dave helped to identify Roy Alexander as the next Executive Director and was supportive of Roy’s vision to create an internal audit division at CHFA. Dave lent his expertise and knowledge of the field to develop this new function of CHFA’s internal operations, which has been in place ever since. He built trust with CHFA’s leadership team and staff while advising on the new division and supported the program with the integrity that he carried with him in his role as State Auditor.

Upon Dave’s unexpected passing in October 2001, he was remembered in CHFA’s Annual Report for his “personal integrity, commitment to efficiency, fiscal prudence, and willingness to unselfishly give of himself.” He led with a high degree of honesty, fairness, and level-headedness. He was also remembered by then-Senator Norma Anderson of Lakewood as “a detail man [who] never let anything go. He was so thorough.”

Because of his many years of service to the State of Colorado in his role at the Auditor’s office and in his leadership capacity as a board member, Dave was memorialized through a joint resolution from Colorado’s General Assembly that notes his long career in state government as “a man who served his state and its taxpayers well and faithfully.” The resolution declares that, upon his passing, “the people of the State of Colorado have lost an outstanding citizen and public servant.”