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Holly Arnold Kinney
ColoradoBiz Staff //July 29, 2025//
Holly Arnold Kinney is a celebrated entrepreneur, cultural advocate and historian whose leadership has preserved Colorado’s western heritage for more than two decades. As sole owner of The Fort, a landmark restaurant founded by her father, Kinney has kept the legacy of the “new foods of the old West” alive while transforming the venue into one of the nation’s most unique culinary and cultural destinations. The Fort has hosted presidents, world leaders and culinary icons, including Bill Clinton’s Summit of the Eight and Julia Child.
Kinney is also an award-winning cookbook author. Her book Shinin’ Times at The Fort was a finalist for the Colorado Humanities Book of the Year Award. She was inducted into the Colorado Foodservice Hall of Fame and honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Colorado Restaurant Association in 2023 for her dedication to the industry.
In 1999, Kinney founded the Tesoro Cultural Center, a nonprofit that protects and celebrates the artistic and cultural treasures of the Southwest. Her leadership secured educational programming now required for all fourth-grade students in Colorado. In the past year, she retired as director of Tesoro after 20 years and launched The Fort Heritage Program to continue offering workshops, historic lectures and artist showcases that connect the community to its rich past.
Kinney’s service includes appointments to the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, the Governor’s Commission for the Sand Creek Massacre Memorial and multiple boards focused on culinary and historical preservation. Through her passion and dedication, Kinney keeps Colorado’s diverse history alive for future generations.
