When Janine Davidson, Ph.D., president of Metropolitan State University of Denver, first met Navin Dimond, she wasn’t yet in charge of the University. She was a candidate, interviewing for the role, and Dimond was part of the search committee. That initial encounter, followed by a thoughtful interview held in one of Dimond’s hotels, left a lasting impression.
“He really cares about this community,” Davidson said. “And he really wants to make sure that we bring out the best in Denver.”
That same commitment has earned Dimond the 2025 Marathon Award, which recognizes individuals whose transformative contributions have made a lasting impact on the University. As the founder and chairman of Stonebridge Companies, a national hotel-ownership and -management firm, Dimond is a celebrated figure in the hospitality industry. But for the Roadrunner community, he’s something more: a mentor, a benefactor and a believer in what MSU Denver stands for.
