Founders History

Having spent decades at the helm of Hensel–Phelps Construction Co., building structures all over the state of Colorado, Bob Tointon decided to translate some of his most valuable leadership experiences to building leaders in local schools. “You know, from the very beginning, the focus has been on leadership…” Tointon said, referring to an annual training program started under his leadership at Hensel-Phelps. Every year the six top managers of the company took 20 assistant construction superintendents to Estes Park for a week of intimate, hands-on leadership training that empowered their employees to perform at a higher level.

“Principals are just like construction superintendents in many ways. A principal is in charge of building young minds while a construction superintendent is just in charge of building a building,” Tointon said. He thought the success they experienced through the Hensel-Phelps’ beginning superintendents’ seminar could easily translate to schools. And he was right. Thus, the Tointon Institute was born, created through a gift to UNC from Bob and Betty Tointon of Greeley. Well-known at UNC and throughout Northern Colorado, Bob was a past chairman of the UNC Board of Trustees and the recipient of an honorary doctorate from UNC. Before Betty’s passing, she was a local business owner and came from a family of educators.