Lisa Welch, American Cancer Society 2001 Rookie of the Year

Ryan Haas, Lisa Welch’s older brother, says after he became a Realtor and his sister saw how much he loved the work, she figured, “If my brother can do this, it ought to be a slam-dunk for me.” Lisa’s personal philosophy is the golden rule, in her words, treat other people the way I want to be treated. In 2001, the American Cancer Society honored her as its Rookie of the Year for having organized her family and friends to run a marathon to raise money to fight cancer, independent of the organization’s support. She repeated the effort in 2002, organizing the group as the Denver Treadburners, which ran the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C.

Her top advice for anyone wanting to buy or sell real estate is, “Don’t be afraid to ask questions—the only dumb question is the one not asked. Surround yourself with knowledgeable people who can help educate you along the way.” A core belief that sustains her in life comes from her dad, Phil Haas. “He’s full of many great sayings that I’ve grown up with,” says Lisa, “including, ‘All days are good, it’s just that some are better than others.’”

A perfect Colorado day for Lisa is hiking in the mountains under blue skies and warm weather with a picnic lunch packed and her family by her side.