[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12804]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                        TRIBUTE TO DON CHILDEARS

 Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I would like to join the Colorado 
banking industry in saluting an outstanding member of the Colorado 
community, Don Childears, President/CEO of the Colorado Bankers 
Association. Mr. Childears, a native of Colorado, born in Saguache, 
received his undergraduate degree from Colorado State University and 
his Juris Doctor from the University of Denver, College of Law.
  For over 25 years, Mr. Childears has worked tirelessly building 
alliances between bankers, community leaders, and legislators. As the 
voice of commercial banking in Colorado, Don has effectively and 
faithfully championed the vital role of banking in our economy on both 
a national and state level.
  As a national leader in banking, Don chaired the American Bankers 
Association (ABA) State Association Division in 1991-1992; he assumed 
the post of Vice Chairman of this division the previous year. As 
Chairman, he guided the representation of all state bankers 
associations in the United States. Don was also Chairman of the ABA 
Regulatory Burden Task Force from 1992-1994 and was given the honor of 
addressing the General Session of the ABA's Annual Convention and 
Banking Industry Forum in Boston during 1992. Don was the only state 
association executive to have done this in 17 years. This year, Don was 
asked by the Governor of Colorado, Bill Owens, to serve on Colorado's 
Task Force on Y2K Preparedness.
  Don has served educational institutions as a Trustee for both the 
Graduate School of Banking at Colorado, University of Colorado, 
University of Colorado, Boulder, and the Graduate School of Banking, 
University of Wisconsin-Madison, since 1980. As a banking spokesman, 
Don has always made himself available to public speaking opportunities, 
which has included everything from teaching courses on government, 
political influence, and banking at the Graduate School of Banking at 
Colorado to addressing civic groups of all sizes and descriptions on a 
variety of topics. He has also been heavily involved in various 
charitable fund-raising and political campaign committees across the 
state.
  The recognitions and awards that have been bestowed upon Don are 
many, as you may have gathered. He is a leader in his community on many 
different levels. Beyond that, though, Don is an invaluable resource to 
the banks of our nation, and in particular in my state of Colorado. I 
am proud to call Don Childears my friend and to recognize his 
efforts.

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