With sadness, the Arizona Hydrological Society (AHS) learned that past member, Cortney Brand, of Castle Pines, Colorado passed away at the age of 54 on November 13, 2025, while in hospice.
Cortney received a B.S. in Geology from Lafayette College (1993), an M.S. in Geology from Arizona State University (1995), and an MBA from University of Colorado Leeds School of Business (2007) and held Professional Geologist licenses in Arizona and Wyoming. Throughout his thirty-year career in Colorado, Arizona, and California, Cortney was wholeheartedly committed to advancing water resources and contributed to a higher level of technical excellence and public service across the profession.
Cortney built his career on a deep passion for geology and the application of geochemistry, geophysics, and related techniques to support water supply development and management. He began as a Hydrogeologist/Project Manager with MWH Global in 1995. He later served as Water Resource Group Leader at URS, directing projects across multiple western states. In 2003, Cortney became a Senior Project Engineer with Colorado Springs Utilities and also served as a Board Member for the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District (2008). Returning to consulting in 2007, he held leadership roles including Practice Leader of Water & Utilities at R.W. Beck (2012), Associate at Brown and Caldwell (2014), President/CEO at LRE Water (2024), and most recently Director of Growth and M&A at Spheros Environmental.
His service to professional societies reflected his broad influence, including involvement in the Arizona Hydrological Society (AHS) as Phoenix Chapter Secretary (1997), National Groundwater Association (NGWA), American Water Works Association (AWWA), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Colorado Water Conservation Board’s Metro Basin Roundtable, and Vistage. He co-authored the 2020 Standard Guidelines for Managed Aquifer Recharge through ASCE and authored the 2022 paper Evaluating the Economics of Managed Aquifer Recharge Systems, published in Groundwater by the NGWA. In 2020, Cortney accepted the Denver Business Journal Small Business Award on behalf of LRE Water, which was recognized for its outstanding achievements in community involvement, financial health, company culture, and contributions to the water industry. In 2022, he was co-recipient of the NGWA Outstanding Groundwater Project of the Year Award in recognition of the Terry Ranch Project located in Greeley, Colorado.
He was an extraordinary professional who paired executive leadership with a strong sense of civic responsibility. He was instrumental in pushing the water industry forward through his work on storing safe and reliable drinking water supplies in subsurface aquifers to protect communities during droughts and helped municipalities build sustainable water resource portfolios across the Western United States.
Most of all, people will remember Cortney for the way he elevated everyone around him. He set a tone of optimism, led with consistent excellence, and inspired teams to excel. He paired vision with humility, pushing teams forward while listening, collaborating, and sharing humor that brought balance and warmth.
His approach to life and work is best captured in the advice he gave to geology students at Lafayette College on August 1, 2018, “Be bold and take chances. Growth and comfort do not coexist. Take advantage of opportunities to move, lead, take on new challenges and responsibilities, solve problems that have no existing solution, and step outside your comfort zone. You may fail along the way, but that’s part of the ‘success iceberg’ and you’ll grow significantly from those experiences.” He embodied Lafayette’s motto, Cur Non (“Why not?”). This philosophy shaped his career and the many people he motivated and mentored. His legacy will continue to shine and influence future generations.
Cortney is survived by his spouse of 29 years Mira and their three children Carter (23), Dylan (22), and Skylar (17). A Celebration of Life will be held at St. Andrew United Methodist Church, 9203 S. University Blvd, Highlands Ranch, CO on May 16, 2026 at 10:30 am.
Per his request, donations may be made in his honor to the following:
- Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (pancan.org),
- Skylar’s and Dylan’s: 529 Education Fund Contributions may be mailed to Mira Brand 310 Shoreham Circle, Castle Pines, CO 80108 or via Venmo @Mira-Brand,
- A future memorial scholarship at Lafayette College supporting students pursuing hydrogeology or cancer research. Contributions may be mailed to Mira Brand 310 Shoreham Circle, Castle Pines, CO 80108 or via Venmo @Mira-Brand
Obituary Contributors: Gary Gin, Carolyn Nobel, Mary Presecan, Mike Block, and Anne Gin