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2003 Distinguished Alumni
2003
Luncheon Photos
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Laddie L. Livingston
Associate of Arts
Mesa College, 1961
Mr. Livingston's career in public education has spanned four
decades as teacher, coach, sponsor, principal, and for the
past 18 years Chief Executive Officer of Delta County Schools.
His lifelong commitment is rooted in the genuine belief that
the Republic in which we enjoy so many freedoms cannot survive,
much less prosper, without a strong system of public education
that offers all, regardless of race, creed, or economic status
a legitimate opportunity to be well educated.
"This journey started at Mesa College where professors
like Wallace Dobbins, Don MacKendrick, and Abbott Fay took
a personal interest in me that went far beyond what their
assignment required," stated Mr. Livingston. "I
learned from them that just doing the job was not enough."
In addition to an Associate Degree from Mesa College where
he was selected by the faculty as one of four outstanding
graduates, Mr. Livingston holds a B. A. from Western State
College and an M. A. from the University of Notre Dame where
he was one of 20 graduate fellows chosen from thousands of
applicants from all over the United States.
The creation of Centers for Applied Learning, children's
museums, a Vision school that supports real parent choice,
and a backpack program for young children have received international
recognition bringing over 9,000 visitors to Delta County from
all over the world. In 1993 Mr. Livingston received the Governor's
Award for Excellence in Education. In November of 2002 Delta
County voters demonstrated their support for public education
by passing a $25.5 million bond issue for school construction.
Mr. Livingston has been married to childhood sweetheart Judy
Abseck for 42 years; they have three children and six grandchildren.
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Ruth Y. Michels
Associate of Science
Mesa College, 1970
After graduating from Mesa State College in 1970, Ruth completed
her schooling and sat for the American Society of Clinical
Pathologist Board of Registry and the International Academy
of Cytology Registration. As a registered Cytotechnologist,
her career in cell biology spanned over 27 years as a Research
Cytotechnologist, Clinical Cytotechnologist, Supervisor for
a Cytology Laboratory, and Clinical Instructor of a Cytotechnology
Program for the University of Utah. Ruth retired, in 1999,
as Director of Operations for Saccamanno Research Institute
at St. Mary's Hospital & Medical Center in Grand Junction,
Colorado.
Ruth is a published author, with 30 scientific and numerous
other publications. She is also a presenter at both professional
and civic workshops and seminars, provides technical assistance
for text books, teaching documentaries and films. Ruth has
served on both state and national professional committees
and has consulted for numerous biotechnology and pharmaceutical
companies throughout her career. Ruth currently holds three
U.S. Patents.
Ruth is also active in her community. She has served for
over 32 years on the American Cancer Society Board of Directors
for the local, state and region units. She was the first Chairman
of the Board of Colorado Division from the Western Slope and
currently serves as a Stakeholder reviewer on the Peer Review
Grant Application Committee-Cell Cycle and Growth Section-for
the National Home Office of the ACS. Ruth volunteers her time
helping non-profits with grant writing as well as serving
in a leadership role for community coalitions whose mission
include youth and serves as a political advocate in legislative
issues concerning their wellbeing. She has received numerous
Honors and Awards including the Colorado Division ACS Award
for Volunteer of the Year, the National ACS Award St. George
Award for service, and the Bonnie Forquer Award Substance
Abuse Prevention.
Ruth enjoys reading, spending time with her husband Bob,
their two daughters and families, traveling and the outdoors.
In her spare time, Ruth writes creative fiction, non-fiction
and poetry and has published numerous articles.
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J.C. TIM SCATES
Attended
Mesa College, 1961-1963
Read
Acceptance Remarks
The late Tim Scates enjoyed every aspect of the private practice
of law, as he had for over 30 years in Denver. His practice
areas were finance, real estate, general corporate, commercial,
and non-profit organizations. For over 20 years he had been
rated an "a-v" attorney, the highest nationally
recognized general rating. He also was a co-founder and executive
in a Denver based search and recruiting business with operations
in Colorado and the Midwest.
Tim's values and education were first instilled while growing
up in and around Grand Junction, a son of a church planter
and seminary president, the late Erskine E. Scates. Tim attended
Mesa College (1961-63), where he was a faculty selection as
an Outstanding Student. There, he acquired an enhanced desire
for more education - encouraged and stimulated by faculty
and administration members, notably Morton Perry (Social Science),
Donald MacKendrick (Social Science), Esther Herr (English),
Wayne Nelson (Director of Athletics), and Jay Tolman (Dean
of Men).
His public school education was at G.J. Central H.S., where
he was influenced in debate, speech communications, and drama
by instructor and coach Madge Huffer, later a faculty member
of Mesa State College.
After Mesa, Tim earned a B.A. degree at the University of
Northern Colorado, where he was elected student government
president. He was then hired as a Legislative Aide to the
late Honorable Wayne N. Aspinall, Member of the U.S. House
of Representatives.
He served in the U.S. Army First Infantry Division in South
Vietnam near Cambodia along the Ho Chi Minh trails. Some 400
days later, he was combat decorated and returned to Congressman
Aspinall's staff.
While continuing as a Legislative Aide, he attended law school
where he was an American Jurisprudence Award scholar. Tim
earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Washington College of
Law, American University, Washington, D.C. After graduation,
Tim and his wife Lynne returned to Denver, he passed his bar
exams, and he commenced a life in the private practice of
law, both as a transactional and litigation attorney.
In addition to representing corporate and institutional business
and banking clients, Tim developed an expertise in church
financing. For more than a decade he has been counsel to Cherry
Hills Community Church, Highlands Ranch, Colorado, developing
a 66-acre campus with facilities for over 7,000 adults and
children. It is one project of over 130 church financing and
construction projects in 30 states by Tim for his clients.
Tim is survived by wife Lynne and two adult daughters, Julie
and Jll. He has served on bar, community, church, and college
committees and boards. Tim was an avid golfer and his golf
service included youth golf mentor and middle school golf
coach. Since 1995, Tim was a survivor of Myasthenia Gravis
and, since 2002, fought pancreatic and liver cancer. In July
of 2004 Tim lost his battle with cancer.
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Tim W. Schultz
Associate of Arts
Mesa College, 1969
Tim was born and raised in Grand Junction. After graduating
from Mesa College in 1969, Tim completed his undergraduate
education at Colorado State University, graduating in 1972
with a B.A. in political science and business. Following college,
Tim married Sally Lou Johnson of Meeker and started his career
in Grand Junction at Mesa United Bank. Tim and Sally moved
to Meeker in 1976 to work on the Johnson Family Ranch. During
his time in Meeker, Tim served on the Rio Blanco County School
District RE1 board, and two terms as a Rio Blanco County Commissioner.
During this tenure as a Commissioner, Tim was active with
Colorado Counties, Inc. He was appointed chairman of the National
Association of Counties Public Lands Steering Committee and
was recognized as Colorado County Commissioner of the Year.
While living in Meeker, Tim worked with the First National
Bank of Meeker as Chairman of the Board and served on numerous
state boards including the Colorado Wildlife Commission which
he chaired for two years.
In 1983 Tim and Sally moved to Denver where Tim joined the
Governor's staff as Commissioner of Agriculture. In 1987 he
assumed his second cabinet position as Executive Director
of the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. Tim instigated
a program of community development for Colorado's small towns
and served as founding Chairman of the Colorado Economic Development
Commission.
After his work for the State of Colorado, Tim spent three
years as a consultant for the law firm of Arnold & Porter,
where he worked closely with Colorado Open Lands (COL), ultimately
becoming its President and Chairman of the Board. COL is a
not-for-profit land preservation corporation.
Since 1996, Mr. Schultz has been President and Executive
Director of the Boettcher Foundation, a Colorado not-for-profit,
charitable foundation, located in Denver, which has distributed
over $200 million in grants throughout the state since its
inception in 1937. In addition to grants, the Foundation gives
40 merit based scholarships per year to outstanding Colorado
high school seniors. Tim currently serves on the board of
Compass Banks of Colorado.
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Rep. Matt Smith
Assoicate of Arts, Bachelor of Arts
Mesa College, 1978, 1980
Matt serves as State Representative for Colorado House District
#54, located in western Mesa and Delta Counties. He currently
serves on the Judiciary and Local Government Committees and
the Joint Legal Services Committee. Matt serves as Chairman
of the Energy Committee for the National Conference of State
Legislators (NCSL) and as Chairman of the Uranium Mill Tailings
Oversight Committee. Matt represents Colorado on the Energy
Council, a national organization of state legislators from
the ten largest energy producing states, and the Center for
Legislative Environmental and Energy Research
Matt previously served as Chairman of the Energy Council,
Vice-Chairman of the National Resource Committee for NCSL,
Chairman of the House Local Government Committee, Chairman
of the Joint Legal Services Committee, Commissioner for the
National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws,
the Colorado Local, State an Federal Forum, the Privacy Task
Force, and the Supreme Court's Blue Ribbon Commission on Family
Courts. Representative Smith has served on four interim study
committees while in the legislature, including water, term
limits, oil and gas, and as Chairman of the Commuter Air Service
Committee. In 1998, Matt was selected as a delegate for the
international legislative exchange program to Japan by the
American Council of Young Political Leaders.
During his tenure in the legislature, Representative Smith
has sponsored legislation concerning water and groundwater,
management of federal lands in Colorado, air service safety
and timely performance of air service, limitations on municipal
annexations, numerous local growth measures, mass transit,
consumer protection for purchasers of manufactured homes,
higher education, recycling, juvenile justice, agriculture
marketing, game damage, mine reclamations, mineral impact
fees, Public Employee Retirement Accounts, absentee elections,
privacy, open access to public records, drunk driving, beer
keg identification, the uniform commercial code, the uniform
parentage act, the uniform child support collection act and
uniform probate code.
In the off-session, Matt works as an attorney in the firm
of Traylor, Tompkins, Black & Gaty, P.C., in Grand Junction.
He previously worked as an attorney for Morrison Knudsen Corporation
working on water and natural resource projects throughout
the western United States and with the commercial law firm
of Connolly & Phillips, P.C. in Glenwood Springs. He received
his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Wyoming College
of Law in 1984.
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2003
Luncheon Photos
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