About the Foundation
Establishment
The Alaska Mining Hall of Fame Foundation (AMHF) was incorporated as an Alaskan Non-Profit Organization on April 27th, 1997. On September 17th, 2003, the IRS confirmed the 501(c)(3) status of the AMHFF, and further categorized the organization under codes 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(6).
Mission Statement
The Alaska Mining Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. was founded to honor outstanding individuals that have played important roles in the development of Alaska's mineral industry. These mining pioneers include a wide variety of individuals active since the mid-19th Century, including prospectors, miners, mine entrepreneurs, professional geologists and engineers, educators, government employees, aviators and even those in the legal profession. These individuals must be known, understood, and appreciated for their contributions to the development of the Territory and subsequently State of Alaska. The AMHF interprets and disseminates knowledge concerning the lives of the AMHF inductees, and encourages others in historical fields to gather additional biographical information. The AMHF believes that honoring those mining pioneers helps tell the story of mineral resource development in Alaska as well as providing a better understanding of other important events in Alaska's history.
Since 1997, more than ninety pioneers have been inducted into the AMHF. Because many qualify for induction into the organization, the board determined that, at least for now, AMHF inductees must be deceased for at least two years in order to be eligible for the AMHF.
Structure
The foundation is a non-profit corporation that depends on services provided by its officers and directors, others interested in Alaska mining history, on donations and grants, and other sources of income. There are currently ten members of the Board of Directors, with rotations and re-elections occurring every three years for each seat. The most current list of the Board of Directors is:
Officers
- President: Thomas K. Bundtzen
- Acting Secretary: Curtis J. Freeman
- Treasurer: Karl Hanneman
- Chair Facilities Committee: Mary Nordale
Directors
- Bill Tweet
- Thomas K. Bundtzen
- Curtis J. Freeman
- Karl Hanneman
- Travis Hudson
- Sandra Miscovich
- Mary A. Nordale
- June McAtee
- Mike Satre
The organization publishes a newsletter, Paystreak, which provides biographic sketches with photographs and graphics of each inductee, and noteworthy news related to the organization.
Normally the AMHF has two major annual inductions, one in Anchorage and alternative venues in Fairbanks, Juneau, and Nome. The AMHF frequently conducts induction ceremonies in concert with History Night, a function organized by Alaska Miners Association (AMA) conventions. The AMHF also holds induction ceremonies during other events, including Golden Days in Fairbanks (usually in July of each year), and other mining history events in Juneau and Nome. In addition to the AMA, the AMHF has co-hosted induction ceremonies with the Alaska Historical Society, the Tanana-Yukon Historical Society, the U.S. National Park Service, Doyon Limited, and the Alaska Bar Association.
Membership Organization
The AMHF has one type of voting membership and two types of non-voting membership. Members of the Board of Directors constitutes the voting member component of the organization. Two non-voting memberships have been established. The first category of non-voting membership are those persons that have contributed $1,000 to the 98ers Fund. The other type of no-voting membership is the Contributing Member, which includes not just those making a financial contribution but also those helping the AMHF to complete its mission. For further information on membership, please contact:
Tom Bundtzen, President
Alaska Mining Hall of Fame Foundation
P.O. Box 81108
Fairbanks, Alaska 99708
Email: Bundtzen | at | mosquitonet | dot | com