Nominations for the Grand Island Senior High School Hall of Honor are accepted throughout each year. The Hall of Honor Committee will review all submitted nominations and honor inductees every other year. We are excited to announce the Hall of Honor Banquet & Celebration will be held again on Tuesday, March 12, 2024.
The Hall of Honor, inaugurated in 1983, recognizes Grand Island Senior High School alumni who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the betterment of society. Nominees must have graduated more than 20 years ago from the high school.
Nomination Form
Online nominations are encouraged using the online form below. Email foundation@gips.org with questions.
Nominations due November 1
Paper nominations also accepted using the PDF below. Paper nomination forms must be returned to the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation, Attn: Kari Hooker-Leep, 123 S. Webb Rd., PO Box 4904, Grand Island, NE 68802.
Ronald Lee Moore
Class of 1950
Hall of Honor 2009
A commitment to excellence and a desire to help others are just two of the qualities that made Ronald L. Moore a well-respected leader in the financial world and in his community. Mr. Moore was born in 1932 and graduated from Grand Island High School in 1950. He earned a four-year golf scholarship to the University of Denver, where he majored in finance and banking. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a pilot, rising to the rank of captain. Following his military service, Mr. Moore joined the Denver firm of Kirchner, Ormsbee and Wiesner as a municipal bond salesman. Five years later, he became President and CEO of Kirchner, Moore and Company.
In 1968 Moore acquired the First National Bank of Center, Colorado and in 1977 he acquired Guaranty Bank and Trust, becoming Chairman of the Board. The Guaranty Bank and Trust family of banks has assets of over $1.4 billion. Additionally from 1986 to 1994 Mr. Moore served as chairman of Affiliated Bank Shares of Colorado, a $2.8 billion group of 27 banks that in 1991 merged with Banc One Corp to create Colorado’s third largest bank holding company.
Mr. Moore was a major contributor to his community and strong advocate for education. He served as a University of Denver trustee from 1986 until 2003 and chaired its endowment committee. He also served on the Douglas County Education Foundation and was very active in supporting its “Read to Succeed” literacy programs. He generously supported numerous Colorado nonprofits. He always said with a smile “Helping people, it’s what we do…it’s a lot of fun and it makes the world a better place.”
In 2001, Mr. Moore received the prestigious Torch of Liberty Award, which recognizes individuals that exemplify democratic ideals and promote civil rights within their communities. In 2002, Mr. Moore received the Evans Award from the University of Denver, the highest honor the University bestows upon a distinguished alumnus for their lifetime of professional accomplishments and humanitarian service.
Mr. Moore was a lifelong and passionate golfer who was named to the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 1986 after winning all four of the state’s major amateur championships. He played golf with former president Gerald Ford and Jack Nicklaus. In 2002, he was inducted into the University of Denver Sports Hall of Fame. Mr. Moore developed and owned golf courses and was influential in bringing several major golf tournaments to Colorado. He served on the executive committee of the 1978 Open at Cherry Hills and chaired the 1985 PGA Championship. In addition, he was instrumental in reviving the men’s and women’s golf team program at University of Denver and ensured many golf scholarships through his membership in the TransMississippi Golf Association.
Ronald L. Moore passed away in 2003. He is survived by his wife of almost 50 years, Carol Miller (also a graduate of Grand Island High School); daughters Rhonda Hertel, Sandra Loeffler, Julia Mills, and son Martin Moore. He has five grandchildren.
