Sam Leeper, Class of 1958, graduated from University of Illinois with a Bachelor in Engineering. Sam received many athletic and academic honors while attending Illinois on a basketball scholarship. He received his MBA from Indiana University and graduated from the Rutgers University Graduate School of Banking in 1977. Sam began his career with Eli Lilly and then worked in the Champaign National Bank. He continued his career with First National Bank of Greeley Colorado and became President of United Banks of Ft. Collins. He worked for EF Hutton as a stockbroker then continued his career in banking when he became the Senior Vice President of the Northern Colorado Region for Bank One of Colorado. Sam is currently the President and owner of Pawnee Leasing Company. Pawnee is one of the largest small equipment leasing companies that leases exclusively to small start-up businesses. Sam has served on numerous corporate boards including the Illini Economic Development Corporation and the Greeley Downtown Economic Development Corporation. Sam served as President of the Mckinley YMCA Board of Directors and Champaign County Fourth of July Freedom Celebration Board of Directors. He is an elder, High School Boys Youth leader and co-chaired the building fund drive for the First Presbyterian Church in Greeley, Colorado. Sam has taken short-term mission trips to the Casa Hogar Miscricordia Orphanage in Mexico.