MSU-Northern Honors Three
By Amber Gilge
Summer 2005

(L to R) Roger Barber, Joe Marino (who accepted the award for Wilbur Hensler) and Lou Lucke proudly display their Founder's Excellence Awards

MSU-Northern Founders' Excellence Awards were presented to Lou Lucke, Wilbur J. Hensler and Roger Barber during the Founders' Excellence Dinner Friday, May 6th, 2005 in the Student Union Building Dining Room at 7:00 p.m. They have received outstanding recognition within their own professional fields and/or contributed to the growth and development of the campus. The evening was topped off by a drawing of the 75th Anniversary quilt which was won by Mary Bradley of Havre. Mary graciously gifted the quilt back to Northern were it will be placed on display for everyone to enjoy.

Lou Lucke
Lou Lucke was born on May 21, 1931 in Havre, Montana to Jeannette and Alvin Jack Lucke. He graduated from Havre High School in 1949. The Lucke family has always played an important part in the history of Havre. The Lucke Mercantile was one of the first stores in town and was owned by Lou's grandfather.

Lou graduated from Northern in 1952 with a two year diploma in chemistry. He transferred to Bozeman where he earned a Bachelor's degree in engineering physics in 1954. In 1976 he completed a second Bachelor's degree in earth sciences and geology.

Lou has an impressive list of occupational accomplishments, which include being a Systems Engineer for IBM, a Programmer for North American Aviation, an Executive Advisor and Senior Research Engineer for McDonnell Douglass and a Director of ITS and Instructor for MSU-Bozeman and MSU-Northern.

His community service reaches far and wide with interest in the preservation of historical buildings including the Heritage Center and old Fort Assinniboine. He has worked on every election for decades in compiling the votes as an election judge.

He has been a member of numerous committees and clubs which include: B.P.O. Elks Lodge #1201 since 1952 and was Exalted Ruler from 2003-04. He has been a member of the Montana Land and Mineral Owners Association since 1987. Was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Clack Museum Foundation for seven years and the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Hill County Clack Museum for three years.

He was instrumental in the publication of the "Northern Reflections" history of NMC/MSUN providing invaluable knowledge and research on the buildings, programs, and personnel over the many years he has been associated with Northern as a student and employee. Lou is enjoying retirement in Havre and continues to run a computer consulting company.

Wilbur I Hensler
Wilbur J. Hensler was born in Comertown, Montana to Arthur and Anna Hensler. Wilbur attended the Comertown school system and graduated from Comertown High School. After graduation Wilbur served in the Army and was located in the South Pacific.

From 1946-1948 he attended Northern Montana College. While attending Northern, Wilbur worked in sales in the automotive industry. In 1953 Wilbur got into the propane and fertilizer business in Havre. In 1955 Wilbur married Ila Keough. They had four children, three daughters Teri, Holly and Linda and one son, Steve, who was killed in an auto crash in 1978.

Shortly after their marriage they established the Wagner Tractor Company in Havre. Together they expanded the business and created Northern Manufacturing where they designed and built Big Bud Tractors. In 1970 Ila and Wilbur ventured into cattle and ranching in Blaine and Phillips counties. In 1974 they moved to the Bitterroot Valley and purchased land for the purpose of setting up subdivisions.

In 1982, Ila and Wilbur bought holdings on the island of Hawaii next to the famous Parker Ranch. The land was leased for grazing cattle and growing and harvesting Koa wood. The Koa wood was shipped to Singapore where it was made into furniture at the Hensler furniture plant and warehouse then shipped back to Hawaii for marketing and distribution. In 1994 the Hawaiian enterprises were sold to a Japanese firm. In 1995 the Henslers purchased a major farm in Colorado and property in Arizona.

Roger Barber
Roger Barber was raised on a wheat farm in Central Montana. After his graduation from Denton High School, he went to The University of Montana in Missoula, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism. He returned to U of M two more times and completed a master's degree in business administration and a Juris Doctorate degree in law.

Roger came to Northern in 1978 as a part time professor, became a full time tenure track assistant professor in 1980 and received full professorship in 1990. While at Northern he taught courses in business law, business finance, human resource management, ethics and introduction to business.

He has held a variety of administrative positions at Northern, including Chair of the Business Department, acting Dean of the College of Technology, and Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor. Roger also chaired several important committees during his years at Northern, including general education, admissions and standards and two search committees to select a new chancellor for the institution. He also organized the planning group for the 75th anniversary celebration of Northern.

In addition to his academic service, Roger and his spouse, Mary Van Buskirk, have participated actively in the arts, sports and fund raising efforts of the institution. Roger appeared in five plays on the Northern stage, "adopted" several Skylight women's basketball team members, took an active role in the development of the We Love Northern Ball, and established two endowed scholarships in honor of his and Mary's parents.

Although Roger has never practiced law, he has a special interest in the legal rights of women. He has been a member of the Women's Law Section of the State Bar for over 20 years, and assisted that group in writing a speaker's manual on the Equal Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution. Because of that effort, the Women's Law Section gave him its annual award as the Montana citizen who has done the most to advance the legal status of women in the state.

Roger currently serves as Deputy Commissioner for Academic and Student Affairs in the Office of Commissioner of Higher Education for the State of Montana, a position he has held since September 2003.
 

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