Jon Kruljac and Dr. Andrew Sirotnak will receive Kempe Awards during April’s Kempe Takes Hong Kong gala for their roles in improving the quality of life for abused and neglected children.

DENVER—Two outstanding advocates for the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect will be honored April 21 by The Kempe Foundation at its annual gala at the Denver Marriott City Center. Jon Kruljac will receive the 2012 Kempe Community Award and Dr. Andrew Sirotnak will receive the 2012 Kempe Professional Award.

“Hundreds of abused and neglected children have received top-level treatment thanks to the work of these advocates,” said Patricia Peterson, President and CEO of The Kempe Foundation. “Everyone at Kempe is grateful for their commitment. With Mr. Kruljac’s support with fundraising and advocacy and Dr. Sirotnak’s expertise in treatment and research, children in Colorado and around the country are getting the care they need to grow up healthy and strong.”

The Kempe Takes Hong Kong gala will celebrate the melding of ancient traditions with modern tastes in Asia’s “World City.” Proceeds from the evening benefit The Kempe Foundation, which supports the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect at the 40-year-old Kempe Center. Guests will enjoy classic cocktails and dim sum beginning at 5:30 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. dinner featuring haute cuisine with a touch of East meets West. “The Silhouettes,” a Denver-based dance group, will perform their iconic shadow dancing following dinner.

The event is part of the month-long Child Abuse Prevention Month awareness campaign. The campaign promotes the role that everyone can help play in keeping Colorado’s children safe. Additional event information and tickets are available at www.kempe.org.

About the Kempe Awards
The Kempe Awards began in 1985 to recognize individuals who have improved the quality of life for abused and neglected children. A few years later, the Kempe Board of Directors established two categories, a Professional Honoree and a Community Honoree, to recognize that the vision will only be accomplished with a collaborative effort between professionals and community members.

About Jon Kruljac
Jon has been a Kempe supporter for more than 20 years. He served as Chair of the Strategic Planning Task Force in 2003 and is a past Chair of the Kempe Foundation Board. Jon also served on the Advisory Committee for the Nurse Family Partnership and is a long-time supporter of Invest In Kids, in addition to supporting numerous other child and faith-based charities in Colorado. A 27-year veteran of the investment banking industry, Jon is currently President of GVC Advisors, specializing in working with small cap energy and life sciences companies. Prior to GVC, Jon worked with Bankers Trust Securities, Hanifen Imhoff, Inc., and Oppenheimer & Co., covering west coast and Asian institutional investors. He is married to Teri and has two children; Claire is attending the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and Charlie is a freshman at Ponderosa High School. Jon is an avid mountain biker, and passionate about tailgating with The Rig Crew at CU football games. He also enjoys poetry and skiing with his family. He graduated with a degree in Oriental Studies from the University of Arizona.

About Andrew Sirotnak, MD, FAAP
Dr. Sirotnak is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Since 1996, he has been Department Head for Child Abuse and Neglect, Director of the Child Protection Team, Children’s Hospital Colorado. He is the Director of the Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship Program.

A Pennsylvania native, he graduated in 1989 from Jefferson Medical College and completed a pediatric residency at the Medical Center of Delaware and Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE. He was Chief Resident in Pediatrics 1992 at University of Colorado School of Medicine and completed a fellowship in Child Abuse and Neglect in 1994. He was previously the Medical Director for the Denver Health Medical Center Family Crisis Center Clinic. He served as Interim Executive Director of the Kempe Center from 2009 through July 2011.

He has maintained an active faculty and pediatric career as a respected clinician and committed teacher and lectures extensively about child abuse and neglect to a wide range of audiences. Dr. Sirotnak has been qualified as an expert witness in pediatrics and child abuse by civil, criminal, and federal courts in the Rocky Mountain region.

Dr. Sirotnak has had many service and administrative commitments at Children’s Hospital Colorado, the University and within the community. He serves on the Pediatrics Residency Selection Committee, is completing his leadership role as President of TCH Medical Staff and a four year term on the Children’s Hospital Board of Directors this year. He previously served on the Board of Directors of Denver CASA for five consecutive terms. In addition to several past community child advocacy agencies’ recognitions, he was presented the Champions in Healthcare Award, by the Denver Business Journal in 2007 for “professionals excelling through innovation, professional accomplishments and community leadership.” For three years in a row he has been voted as one of the Top Doctors by 5280 Magazine.

The Kempe Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1976, provides the education, advocacy and fundraising support for the work of The Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect.

Headquartered in Colorado, The Kempe Center is recognized as a world leader in child abuse treatment programs and for more than 40 years has been at the forefront in the fight against child abuse. For more information, visit www.kempe.org.