The Distinguished Service Award was created in 1981 by the Barton Community College Foundation to recognize individuals who have shown genuine regard for, and have performed outstanding service to Barton Community College. The Barton Foundation Board of Directors selects the recipient from nominations received. The Foundation is pleased to announce Clarence A. Haak as the 2010 Distinguished Service Award recipient.

Clarence was born and raised on a farm near Great Bend. After farming with his dad and brother he began working for the Automotive Parts Company of Great Bend and then for Midlands Automotive out of Omaha, Nebraska as their regional manager in Great Bend.

 In 1954 he married his lifelong sweetheart, Jeanette, and in 1968 they moved to Denver, Colorado where Clarence continued to work in the automotive field. Even though residents of Denver, both Clarence and Jeanette were very pleased that Barton Community College was opened in 1969 and they continued to follow its growth from its modest beginnings to the outstanding community college it is today.

Clarence has many hobbies, he loves computers, travel, automobiles and sports; especially KU basketball and is an active member of the Central Christian Church Disciples in Christ in Denver.

Clarence comes home to Kansas several times a year and never misses a chance to visit our campus and his friends in the Foundation office.

Following Jeanette’s death in 2004, Clarence decided to establish an annually funded scholarship in her memory at Barton to benefit nursing students studying to become R.N’s. Clarence’s ties always remained strong to Great Bend and to Kansas. His commitment is further demonstrated by his bequest to Barton for the establishment of the Clarence and Jeanette Haak Scholarship Fund following his passing.

In addition to his gifts to Barton’s academic programs, he has also included his ANRI collection and other miscellaneous pieces of art and furniture to the Shafer Gallery. Clarence and Jeanette always spoke of their desire to find a way to do something tangible and lasting for the college and the idea of a scholarship just seemed to fit the bill. Instead of one, Clarence has found a way to fund two and has chosen the nursing department as the beneficiary of his generosity.

Barton Community College is grateful to Clarence for his vision and foresight and his desire to further the academic excellence of Barton’s nursing department. We are proud to honor Clarence A. Haak with this prestigious award and feel he is a most deserving recipient.

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