Mayor Yemi presented the Spirit of the Springs Lifetime Achievement Award to former Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers during the State of the City event on Thursday, Sept. 14 at The Broadmoor.
“John Suthers has served our city and our state through dedicated public service for 35 years,” said Mayor Yemi. “It is my honor to present him with the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his remarkable career and positive impact on our city. This award is an affirmation that he is a good ancestor.”
John Suthers, 71, was born in Denver and adopted as a baby. A lifelong resident of Colorado Springs, he attended grade school here and graduated from St. Mary’s High School. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame, and in the top quarter of his law school class at the University of Colorado. After graduation he returned home and became a Deputy District Attorney in Colorado Springs before spending ten years at a private law firm.
In 1988, he was elected District Attorney of the 4th Judicial District, which includes El Paso and Teller Counties. During that time, he also served as president of the Colorado District Attorney’s Association and president of the El Paso Country Bar Association. He was named by President George W. Bush in 2001 to be United States Attorney for Colorado and he was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. In 1999, Suthers was appointed by Governor Bill Owens as executive director of the Colorado Department of Corrections. Suthers served as Attorney General of Colorado from 2005 to 2014. He was elected the 41st mayor of Colorado Springs by an overwhelming majority on May 19, 2015 and served two terms. Suthers is currently working for a private law firm and serving as board chair of the Daniels Fund. He and his wife Janet have two accomplished daughters and two beautiful grandchildren.
“As mayor, he came into office at a moment of huge transition for the City of Colorado Springs. We were growing extraordinarily rapidly. We had gone through the fire, we had gone through the great recession, and Colorado Springs, largely due to his leadership, developed a new sense of self confidence,” said Matt Mayberry, Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum Director. “His time in office was transformative for the community and I think he will always be connected with that transformation.”
Video Tribute to John Suthers
Mayor Yemi's Comments
It is my great honor to recognize my predecessor, John Suthers, with the annual Spirit of the Springs Lifetime Achievement Award. Prior to serving as our city’s mayor for eight years, John was Attorney General of Colorado. He was named by President George W. Bush in 2001 to be the United States Attorney for Colorado and was appointed by Colorado Governor Bill Owens to serve as the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Corrections.
His first elected office was as District Attorney of the 4th Judicial District. John, I know I am joined by so many in this city and across the state in gratitude for your service and lifelong dedication to being a good ancestor.
I made this decision a year ago, sitting at John Suthers last State of the City, listening to him talk about 35 years of faithful public service. The light bulb went off in my head, this award belongs to John. And it is my joy to present him the Spirit of the Springs Lifetime Achievement Award.