Portraits

He is an American Actor, known for his roles in the films Beverly Hills Cop, Beverly Hills Cop II, and Midnight Run. He currently resides in Fort Collins, Colorado, and is co-host of the Ashton and Davis Show on 870 ESPN radio.

Dr. Thomas Sutherland, a Colorado State University professor who was teaching in Beirut when he was taken hostage and held in darkness for more than six years. He was the second-longest-held American hostage. He was released in 1991 and spent the remainder of his years in Fort Collins. Thomas is pictured with his wife, Kaye.

“Sonny” Lubick is a retired American football coach. He was the 15th head football coach at Colorado State University from 1993 to 2007. Lubick won or shared six Western Athletic Conference or Mountain West Conference titles, guided the program to nine bowl games, and was named National Coach of the Year by Sports Illustrated in 1994. He opened Sonny Lubick’s Steakhouse, and the new Canvas Stadium is called the Sonny Lubick Field.

Kim Jordan co-founded New Belgium Brewing after a trip to Belgium with her partner, Jeff Lebesch, sparked the idea of bringing Belgian-style beer to the U.S. From the start, Kim wore every hat — bottler, sales rep, distributor, marketer, financial planner, and eventually CEO. Under her leadership, New Belgium became the first employee-owned brewery in 2013 and grew into one of the most successful craft breweries in the nation.

Lee arrived in Fort Collins in 1906. Born to Gallegos’ parents in the Walsenburg area in 1889, Lee was adopted and raised by Nestor and Santana Martinez, who relocated the family to Northern Colorado when Lee was a teenager. In 1924, Lee and his wife Eva married on Lee’s 35th birthday. In 1942, Lee and his family scraped up the money to purchase 728 Sycamore St. Lee, who was self-employed for almost his entire life, made a living through various carpentry, construction, tree trimming, and farm jobs. When Lee wasn’t working, he was typically off on some political endeavor. A strong supporter of the Democratic Party, Eva said Lee would always come home with new flyers or party literature. He was a strong voice for minorities and their right to vote. Lee died in his home on April 11, 1970. He was 80 years old. The city named the park in 1975, and it opened to the masses in 1977, with a final dedication ceremony on July 20, 1985.

Hattie McDaniel made history as the first African American to win an Academy Award for her role in Gone With the Wind. She was also the first Black woman to attend the Oscars as a guest. Over her career, she appeared in more than 300 films, became the first Black woman to sing on U.S. radio, and later earned two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her Fort Collins home is now a historic landmark, honoring a life of trailblazing firsts.

Jon Heder is an actor and producer who was born in Fort Collins. His feature film debut came in 2004 as the title character of the comedy film Napoleon Dynamite. He has also acted in the films The Benchwarmers, School for Scoundrels, Blades of Glory, Mama’s Boy, When in Rome, and Walt Before Mickey as Roy Disney, and provided voice talents in the animated films Monster House, Surf’s Up, and Pinocchio, as well as the Napoleon Dynamite animated series.

Dr. Grandin became a prominent author and speaker on both autism and animal behavior. She is currently a professor of Animal Science at CSU. Due to Temple’s efforts, she invented a stress-free treatment for cattle going for slaughter. A 2010 movie based on her life won 7 Emmys, including Best Actress for Claire Danes. Temple has also won a Peabody Award for her film biography.

Known as “Uncle Ben,” he opened the first drug store in town. He was also the first mayor of Fort Collins, 1873-1879.

The Founder and Chairman of Otter Box in 1998. The company has expanded beyond iPhone cases to offer a range of active lifestyle amenities.

Sister Mary is a pioneer of services to neighbors in need. For decades, she worked as an advocate for the homeless. She spearheaded numerous outreach programs- everything from soup kitchens to affordable housing. The Sister Mary Alice Murphy Center for Hope is a resource center for families and individuals who are at risk.

She is an American former competitive swimmer, Olympic champion, former world record-holder, and national radio sports talk show co-host. She won six Olympic gold medals in her career, four of which she won at the 1996 Summer Olympics, making her the first American woman to accomplish such a feat and the most successful athlete at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Oreo Armstrong graced the halls of The Armstrong since it reopened in 2004. A true ambassador of the hotel, she brought happiness and comfort to many of our guests. Once having been catnapped and magically returned a few days later, Oreo made national news. The community rallied around her and has loved her dearly ever since.

Andrew Armstrong opened his home to travelers in the early 1900s as Fort Collins began its growth, and people were traveling through on their way to Rocky Mountain National Park. His homestead is precisely where the Armstrong Hotel now sits. His daughter, Carolyn, and husband, Charles Mantz, opened the Armstrong Hotel in 1923 and named it in honor of Andrew.

Charlene Tresner, Fort Collins Public Librarian, started the Local History Archives Department and wrote “Streets of Fort Collins” about the history of the town. Charlene Tresner was the first Local History Librarian and conducted many of the oral histories, collecting hundreds of historic photographs that remain part of the Archive today.

Ace was a passionate businessman involved in many hospitality ventures in addition to owning and operating the Armstrong Hotel. He once opened a coffee shop in the old Northern Hotel, and then he took ownership of the Northern Hotel. He purchased the Armstrong from Mr. Chandler Post. When the Levingers built Ace Gillett’s speakeasy lounge in the basement of the Armstrong, they knew Ace would have loved it as it incorporated his ideals of excellent service, love of music, and classic cocktails.

An American lawyer and professional American football player who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He played college football at the University of Colorado, finishing as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. In 1962, President Kennedy successfully nominated White to the Supreme Court, making White the first Supreme Court Justice from Colorado.

Electrical engineer Jeff Lebesch, a home brewer from Fort Collins, went on a mountain-bike tour through Belgium in 1988 and fell in love with the country’s beer. After Lebesch met Kim Jordan, the couple traveled to Belgium and decided to open a brewery, the first in the U.S. to make Belgian-style beer. In 2013, it became employee-owned.

Major philanthropists in Fort Collins, Dave and Paula, have been community-driven for over 40 years. They have both served in leadership capacities on numerous non-profit boards. They have given to CSU in a myriad of ways, including funding the Liberal Arts Faculty Development Fund. They donated their family home on Magnolia in 2015.

Local Entrepreneurs Steve and Missy Levinger saw potential in the historic building. They purchased it in November 2002, and renovation began shortly after. The Levingers preserved and restored as much of the building’s historic fabric and character as possible.

He was the first African American athlete at CSU in 1906 (wrestling and football). He was CSU’s Student Body Vice President and, later, CSU established the “John Mosley Leadership Program”. John was inducted into the CSU Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. He was the first African American to earn an athletic letter in the history of CSU football. John was a member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American pilots to fly in combat during World War II.