Stan VanderWerf serves District 3 on the Board of County Commissioners. His district encompasses central and western El Paso County, including the Town of Green Mountain Falls, the City of Manitou Springs, the Towns of Palmer Lake and Monument, the Westside and downtown areas of Colorado Springs, and unincorporated western areas of the County including Ute Pass and areas south of Cheyenne Mountain State Park.
Commissioner VanderWerf is founder of several small businesses and previously served 28 years in the US Air Force. Stan has 40 years of experience in scientific, program director, engineering, contracting, plant manager, and C-level positions in industry and public agencies. In these positions he engaged in research and development, manufacturing, and sustainment of a wide variety of products from space systems and airplanes to electronics. He is the founding CEO of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Colorado, Advanced Capitol LLC (aerospace defense consulting), and CEM-TEK USA (computer aided design and 3-D printing) and the Freedom Center of the Rockies. He is active in the community providing award-winning expertise to many local and national non-profits. He has extensive public budgeting, public policy, and public disaster planning and recovery experience. Hobbies include mountain climbing, skiing, and flying.
He is married to Betsy and has two children, Erik and Carolyn.
Among his professional achievements, VanderWerf received the Industry Cluster Team Award from the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and the El Pomar Institute. He is a Bronze Star awardee for his service in Iraq and a Legion of Merit awardee for his military service. Stan has National Team Performance and National Leadership Awards from the Defense Contract Management Agency and is a former National Aviation Speed Record Holder from the National Aeronautic Association. Stan is a Distinguished Graduate from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces achieving a Masters Degree in public policy and budgeting. He is also a National Newsletter Editor Award winner and is a multiple award-winning author with over 100 published professional and community interest articles.
Commissioner VanderWerf has been assigned around the world having served in Korea, Iraq, and Germany. He served in NORAD NORTHCOM at Peterson Space Force Base, at Schriever Space Force Base, is a former director of the Air Force’s C-130 E/H program office, and served in the acquisition directorate of Special Operations Command.
Commissioner VanderWerf took the oath of office for his second four-year term on January 12, 2021.
Boards and Committees:
- Airport Advisory Commission
- Defense Mission Taskforce
- State Board of Health
- State Homeland Security Advisory Committee
- Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (Co-Member with Commissioners Bremer and Williams)
- National Association of Counties – Community, Economic Development, and Workforce Board
- Colorado Springs Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Partnership Committee
- El Paso County Transportation Impact Fee Advisory Committee (Co-Member with Commissioner Williams)
- Fountain Creek Watershed District Board (With Commissioner Gonzalez as Alternate)
- Pikes Peak Small Business Development Advisory Committee
- Pikes Peak Workforce Consortium Executive Board Committee
Liaison To:
- Colorado Springs Public Art Commission
- El Paso County Board of Retirement (Co-Member with Commissioner Williams)
- Government Affairs Liaison – Federal Agencies and Legislation
- El Paso County Park Advisory Board
- El Paso County Park Advisory Board Fee Committee
- El Paso County Planning Commission