What role do you play in the convention? “I am on the fall AMA convention committee and organize the Prospect’s Tent and Core Shack exhibits with Varina Zinno.” — Miles Macdonald “I started out a while back as a member of the Fairbanks Biennial Convention committee. My participation morphed and expanded into also helping with the annual meeting and all the associated events. I have chaired the Advanced Exploration Projects technical session for some years now. I really enjoy working with the convention committee because they are so dynamic and enthusiastic.” — David Szumigala “I play a small role; this year I am assisting in networking events. We are introducing a couple of new events to the fall convention. The first Annual Rock Fight (I promise no one will be throwing rocks at each other) and Shark Tank which we are adding as another element to the now popular Young Professionals Night.” — Vanessa Larimer “I have been the chair of the Geoscience Technical Session for the past 10 years. I recently turned that role over to Doug Kreiner who I know will do a great job.” — Joe Kurtak “I am chair of the short course committee and try very hard to find the most qualified experts to provide state of the art instruction on current topics that will benefit the mining community. Note: I am open year-round to feedback and suggestions for future short courses. I am co-chair of the convention posters committee with Eric Cannon. Eric leads the committee and manages the student posters; I manage the professional posters. We hope the student posters will introduce students to the mining community and future employers. I like to help the convention committee brainstorm on various aspects of the convention and how to help it be informative for exploration and mining in Alaska from every angle, with enjoyable activities for networking.” — Sue Karl “I have sort of a special role these days. In the early 1980s I went through the gamut as a speaker, a session chair, the program chair, and the convention chair in ensuing years. I chaired sessions and even substituted as the banquet emcee one year when the scheduled emcee got stuck in Juneau by poor weather. Since the early 1980s I’ve probably given two or three dozen technical talks at AMA conventions and other mining meetings in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and bush Alaska, mostly on various prospects I’ve worked on. “These days I view my role as the committee’s institutional memory. I remember the first modern AMA convention (to me) at the old Anchorage Westward when the association appointed Chuck Hawley to be its first Executive Director in the late 1970s or earliest 1980s. Sometimes I’m sort of the curmudgeon on the committee, but I’m a really big supporter of the AMA’s annual meetings. The AMA has managed to combine a trade association’s annual convention with a consistently strong technical program and a very successful trade fair.” — Dave Hedderly-Smith What is your favorite part of the annual convention? “My favorite part is bouncing between technical talks and the Trade Show floor. I love hearing updates to the great work going on, and then talking and planning with our great vendors who keep our operations moving forward.” — Dave Larimer “Choosing a single part that is my favorite is a tough one! Each year I learn something new and get to apply that to my position, but I guess that is the benefit of attending. I suppose my favorite part is getting to see familiar faces and hear how projects are advancing, see where careers are taking everyone. I started out as Dave Larimer’s wife attending the conference and now, I work in mining. It’s a great place to be!!!” — Vanessa Larimer “I enjoy the short courses as it’s a chance to update my knowledge of mineral deposits and new trends in mineral exploration. I also like the exhibitor’s hall as it’s a great way to network with others in the Alaskan mineral exploration and mining community. The technical sessions are a good way to feel the heartbeat of the mineral industry in Alaska.” — Joe Kurtak www.AlaskaMiners.org 17 CONTINUED on PAGE 18
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