Sampson to be named 2008 distinguished alumnus
Sampson to be named 2008 distinguished alumnus
Submitted by Marmian Grimes
Phone: 907-474-7902
09/19/08
The University of ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Fairbanks Alumni Association will honor former ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Commissioner of Labor and two-term Fairbanks North Star Borough Mayor Jim Sampson with the 2008 Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Sampson will receive the award at a Sept. 26 luncheon at the Princess Riverside Lodge. The event is part of the alumni association’s annual reunion, scheduled for Sept. 25 - 27.
Sampson came to ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ in 1952. He is the oldest of eight children and the first in his family to attend college. He graduated from the University of ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ at Fairbanks in 1973 with an associate degree in police administration. Sampson has held a variety of public service positions in ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ, beginning with his involvement with Laborers Local 942. He served as ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Commissioner of Labor from 1986 to 1990 and was twice elected mayor of the Fairbanks North Star Borough, serving from 1991 to 1997.
In 2003, Jim took the reins of AFL-CIO, ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ’s largest labor organization. In addition to leading the organization, he has worked to attract support for an ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ natural gas pipeline, urging Congress to pass a tax incentive package to advance the project. Sampson retired from his position at the AFL-CIO in 2006. This year, he was inducted into the ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Business Monthly Junior Achievement Hall of Fame.
The Distinguished Alumnus Award was first given in 1962 and recognizes service to ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ, business or professional accomplishment, and distinguished human service. The association will also honor 10 other alumni during the awards luncheon.
The 2008 Alumni Achievement Awards for Business and Professional Excellence will go to Pat Cole, ’72, chief of staff for multiple City of Fairbanks mayors; former state representative Kay Wallis, ’73; and Lorena Hegdahl, ’77, engineering director for Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.
The Alumni Achievement Award for University Support will go to Mike Sfraga ’84, ’97, founding director of the University of ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ’s geography program.
Merritt "Mitch" Mitchell, ’50, former ÃÛÌÒÓ°ÏñAA board president, Marie Matsuno Nash, ’67, former staffer for U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, and Richard "Tark" Tarkianen, ’72, a former teacher and coach who helped develop local high school hockey programs, will each receive an Alumni Achievement Award for Community Support.
Don Jamieson ’87 and Scott Keyes ’95 who helped form the ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ hockey alumni chapter are this year’s winners of the William R. Cashen Service Award. The award recognizes outstanding service to the alumni association.
Ernest "Ernie" Wolff, ’41, former head of the ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ School of Mines will be the recipient of the Lenhart J.H. Grothe Resource Award. The Grothe posthumously honors an alumnus for contributions in the resource, mining or agricultural fields.
The awards luncheon is just one of many activities scheduled as part of the 2008 alumni reunion. Other events include an information fair in the Wood Center, a tour of the Cold Climate Housing Research Center, a book signing by alumni authors, alumni night at The Pub and lighting of the Starvation Gulch bonfires. For a full schedule and to register, or to purchase luncheon tickets, visit or call 907-474-7081. The deadline to reserve a seat at the luncheon is Monday, Sept. 22 at 5 p.m.
CONTACT: Joe Hayes, ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Alumni Association director, at 907-474-7081 or via e-mail at fyalum@uaf.edu. Marmian Grimes, ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ public information officer, at 907-474-7902 or via e-mail at marmian.grimes@uaf.edu.
ON THE WEB:
MLG/9-19-08/036-09