K-Stater got connected to Colorado area alumni with a push from his mentor
When Nick Hartline ’11 moved to Colorado for his job, he found a mentor in Jim Johnson ’84.
Both work in construction. Both are business owners. Both are K-Staters.
“He really pushed me hard on getting involved in things way too early, when I was way too young and couldn’t afford anything,” Hartline said with a chuckle. “He pushed me just to donate to pretty much anything that has helped me along the way.”
Johnson invited Hartline to attend the Wabash CannonBall Colorado, a black-tie gala which raises money for area students to attend K-State.
Hartline said he enjoys the connections the gala provides, getting updates from deans and the university president. He initially started as a guest, then purchased a table and is now a Wildcat Sponsor of the event.
“Michelle Elkins ’87 does a great job running the Wabash,” Hartline said.
Additionally, Hartline began participating in the Colorado Cats annual golf tournament, which also raises money for area students to attend K-State.
“I used to just buy a foursome in the early days,” Hartline said. “What's a better opportunity to take clients out golfing and support K-State at the same time.”
As time went on, Hartline had 16 players participating in the golf tournament as his guests. Hartline said nearly 70% of his participants in the tournament have a K-State affiliation, his guests are mostly clients and vendors, but this year he’ll even have a KU grad as a guest supporting K-State through the tournament. Though he joked that his guest will likely be wearing a Jayhawk shirt.
In 2024, Hartline and fellow K-Stater Lee Webb, who works for Hartline’s company ICI, began coordinating the annual golf tournament and have worked hard to elevate the tournament, bring on additional sponsors and increase the number of participants.
Even with all the changes, Hartline said the golf tournament remains the same at its core.
“I like that we all get together,” he said. "I only go back for football games. So just getting a bunch of purple people all gathered together is a good feeling. We do a have a big presence here. K-State has been a huge part of my success.”
Following in Johnson’s footsteps, Hartline has chosen to bring his interns to this year’s tournament.
“I've always felt good about getting a big group together of new graduates, old graduates, I think K-State has a huge networking value, whether it's in the construction industry or elsewhere,” he said. “So that's why I've always been supportive of K-State through various avenues like the Ahearn Fund, engineering alumni and getting scholarships for students from Colorado to go to K-State is a big help.”
Hartline also enjoys attending the Colorado Cats Alumni Club watch parties at Highland Tap.
“On Saturdays, it's really funny to watch the bar be all purple and see some OU fan or someone else walk in and be confused as hell why everybody is in K-State stuff,” he said.