Tointon named 2019 Citizen of the West

GREELEY – Greeley resident Bob Tointon has been named the 2019 Citizen of the West, the top honor awarded by the National Western Stock Show.

The prestigious annual award recognizes those who embody the spirit and determination of the Western pioneer and perpetuate the West’s agriculture heritage and ideals. A committee of community leaders selects the recipients.

Tointon is a well-known and much-respected business leader, rancher and philanthropist. He will receive the award at a dinner on Jan. 14, 2019, at the National Western Events Center. Proceeds from the event support 100 scholarships awarded annually to colleges and universities in Colorado and Wyoming by the National Western Scholarship Trust.

Tointon was born into a farming family in Smith County, Kan. The oldest of the three boys, he was the first in his family to graduate from college, earning a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Kansas State University. A member of the Advanced ROTC program at K-State, he entered pilot training in the U.S. Air Force upon graduating and spent three years on active duty.

A respected leader in Colorado’s business community, Tointon played a key role in the growth of Hensel Phelps Construction Co. for nearly three decades while working in numerous roles for the company, and serving as its chief executive officer for 14 years.  During his tenure Hensel Phelps’ revenues grew from $6 million to $600 million. In 1989 a new venture — Phelps-Tointon Inc. — was formed and Tointon served as president and CEO until 2017 when he became chairman.

With a nod to his roots, Tointon purchased an operating ranch west of Walden in the late 1990s. At present the ranch is home to 900 cow/calf pairs and produces 3,600 tons of hay annually.

Tointon’s community participation is wide-ranging. He is a member of the Greeley Rotary Club and the Colorado Forum. He is a past trustee of the Longs Peak Council of the Boy Scouts (1975 – 2015), former chairman of the Greeley Downtown Development Authority (1998 – 2015), and past chair of the University of Northern Colorado Trustees.  He and his wife Betty also provided funds to establish the Tointon Institute for Educational Change at the University of Northern Colorado. The Institute provides high-quality leadership training to school administrators and teacher leaders throughout Colorado.

He received the United Way Humanitarian Award in 1990, was named the Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen in 1992, was inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame in 2003 and received the Bonfils Stanton Community Service Award in 2012.

“Bob Tointon has been an admired leader of the Colorado Forum for nearly 30 years. Bob makes important public policy opportunities happen by identifying key areas of need, working with others to identify the best solutions, and sticking with the problem for months and even many years to accomplish a successful resolution. He is smart, collaborative, tenacious, and resourceful. Bob gives his time, his financial support, and his remarkable intellect to make Colorado a better place for all of us. We are so fortunate to have him as a true Citizen of the West,” said Gail Klapper, president of Colorado Forum.

Bob and Betty have been married for more than 60 years. They have two sons, four grandchildren and one great grandchild.