John W. Madden Jr.

The John Madden family, consisting of four generations, is proud of our patriarch, his achievements and particularly the entrepreneurial spirit. He is an emblematic maverick with a creative spirit that endured through decades of living life to the fullest. His imagination was the unwavering drive inspiring three pillars of development vision: commerce, arts-entertainment and fitness. Office building development was the first pillar serving as the foundation to the other two pillars and his legacy.

The second pillar, The Museum of Outdoor Arts, was co-founded in 1981 by my sister Cynthia and our father. The Museum of Outdoor Arts blossomed from an arts and education platform to being the owner of Colorado’s largest outdoor amphitheater, Fidder’s Green. For over 40 years, Fiddlers Green Amphitheater has hosted the biggest names in music in an unrivaled 17,000 seat venue featuring spectacular mountain views. In addition, Cynthia founded Marjorie Park, named after our beloved mother. Marjorie Park, adjacent to Fiddlers Green Amphitheater, is a beautiful walkable outdoor art and cultural garden providing a remarkable location for special events and live music.

I was fortunate to found the third pillar, Club Greenwood, which opened July 1, 1987. Club Greenwood is among the top performing full-service clubs in the country proudly serving as a true community hub for Greenwood Village residents and beyond.

John Madden’s vision created a lasting legacy to be enjoyed for decades to come.

–J Madden

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His grandfather and uncle owned an insurance company (Fell & Pinkerton) and John learned that business before starting his own. This writer can hardly be in a meeting or gathering without someone knowing John Madden or knowing of him. Recently, at a party, a gentleman told me his friend had interviewed for a job several decades ago with another well-known gentleman from Omaha named Warren Buffett. After comparing the lifestyle and ambiance of working space with that of John Madden, his friend chose to work with the fun-loving and charismatic Madden. Madden had always been interested in building as a kid. The insurance business helped him evaluate risks and find answers. He established a strong client base with independent companies and transportation companies, but mostly - construction companies. His creative and analytical brain convinced him he could fill a gap in the developer/builder industry. The John Madden Company, with the little house as a logo, took off in the 1960s. The Insurance Exchange Building was followed by Univac, Xerox and others in Omaha. The company grew with projects in Iowa, California and Michigan, but he had always loved Colorado. (a state as colorful as his personality!) The door to Denver opened when he presented a package to Johns-Manville that moved its world headquarters to what is referred to as the Triad in Greenwood Plaza. The office park concept was new and garnered headlines. In those days, the main competitor for office tenants in the suburbs was George Wallace’s Denver Tech Center (if businesses would even consider moving south of Hampden). Much of the land that John Madden purchased near Quebec and Orchard had been owned by farmers whom this writer actually interviewed for the John Madden Company newspaper. Later, a much-needed interchange would be built to Orchard Road from I-25. Hard to imagine now what it was like having to exit Belleview or Arapahoe before that critical connection was made to the rapid-growing business corridor.

In the 70s – where it began in Colorado – John and Marjorie Madden, VP Jim Sullivan and Public Relations Director Scottie Iverson driving the coach hired for the headline-grabbing Grand Opening of Greenwood Plaza. Iverson, who began in the leasing department of John Madden Company, coordinated the grand opening and published a newspaper for the complex called Greenwood Plaza Happenings. Exciting company news was distributed to tenants, surrounding business developments and adjacent communities. The three original buildings in the new office park were named the Triad (affectionately called the pink buildings) and formed a distinctive centerpiece. Courtesy of The Denver Post