Clair A. “Bus” Bacon Award
Founded 1974
Presented annually to the outgoing President of the Association and is awarded in grateful recognition of the efforts and commitment it takes to serve as President of the Colorado Mortgage Lenders Association.

Mortgage Bankers Association of America National President 1968

Mr. Bacon was born in Nebraska in 1917. Later his family moved to Leadville and ultimately to Denver. He was a graduate of East High School and the University of Denver. He played football and was All Conference and team captain. He is remembered for putting two hard tackles on Byron “Whizzer” White in the annual match with CU. The future Rhodes Scholar and Supreme Court Justice was stopped cold both times and lost the ball on downs. Bus and Mr. Justice White remained lifelong friends and fishing companions.

Mr. Bacon began his mortgage career at Columbia Savings. He later moved on to be a loan originator for The Title Guaranty Company. In 1953 Axel Nielsen separated the mortgage operation from the title operation and founded The Mortgage Investment Company. Mr. Bacon moved over to head this new company.

He served as the first elected president of Denver Mortgage Bankers Association in 1956. In addition he served on the Board of Governors of the Mortgage Bankers Association, the Executive Committee and a member of the Mortgage Bankers Legion and honorary fraternity of MBA leaders.

In the community he co chaired the Community Chest/ United Way Campaign with Governor Stephen McNichols. He was active alumni with the University of Denver and founded the Pioneer Club, an organization devoted to providing financial help and support to deserving students.

Award Recipients
Year Name
2022 T.J. Lile
2021 Tara Healy
2020 Mathew Schulz
2019 Tom Kimball
2018 Kim Federspiel
2017 Tom Donnegan
2016 Tom Harder
2015 Erik Anderson
2014 Jim C. Hunter
2013 T.J. Kennedy
2012 Jerra Ryan
2011 Peter H. Lansing
2010 Jay Garten
2009 Julie Piepho, CMB
2008 Stacey Harding
2007 Jim Lewis
2006 Debi Taylor, CMB
2005 William Armstrong, III
2004 J. Greg Osborne
2003 Jay Wilson
2002 Anne M. Koentges
2001 Bill Woodman
2000 Bruce Hernandez
1999 Cathy Stroud
1998 Al Killeen
1997 William T. Newell
1996 Kim R. Starley
1995 Debra Collins
1994 Tom D. Kennedy
1993 Peter H. Lansing
1992 Kevin Iverson
1991 Richard L. Solheim
1990 C.W. "Chuck" Lent, Jr.
1989 David C. Harder
1988 D.L. "Dutch" Franz
1987 Lee Heinz
1986 E. Michael Rosser
1985 Stephen G. Wagner
1984 Michael W. Lubchenco
1983 M.C. Iverson
1982 A. Bruce Bowler
1981 Robin Benight
1980 Robert B. Ferguson, Jr.
1979 T.K. Jones
1978 Donald E. Crossland
1977 Alvin M. Krutsch
1976 Zelie Berenbaum
1975 W. Dean Goodman
1974 W. Dean Goodman