Charter Day honors given

When UM celebrated its 115th birthday on Feb. 15, it recognized several exemplary campus and community members with Charter Day Awards. This year’s outstanding winners are:

Rich Bridges, a UM Department of Biomedical Sciences professor and researcher, who received a George M. Dennison Presidential Faculty Award. Bridges earned a doctorate in biochemistry from Cornell Medical College in 1984 and did postdoctoral work at the University of California, Irvine before joining UM in 1993. He is a founding member of the Montana Neuroscience Institute, a collaborative effort between UM and St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center.

Casey Charles, a UM English professor, who landed the Robert T. Pantzer Presidential Humanitarian Award­. He earned a doctorate in literature from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a law degree from the University of California. He came to UM in 1994 and chairs the UM English department, is vice president of the UM Faculty Association and helped found UM’s Outfield Alliance and Western Montana Gay and Lesbian Community Center.

Sean Gibbons, a UM senior majoring in cellular and molecular biology, microbiology and French, who earned the Associated Students of UM Service Award. A 2002 graduate of Sentinel High School, he has long been involved in social justice and environmental sustainability movements. He is president of UM Students for Peace and Justice and on the board of Missoula’s Jeannette Rankin Peace Center.

Jeffrey Greene, a UM political science professor, who took home the Montana Faculty Service Award. He earned a political science doctorate from the University of South Carolina in 1992 and joined the UM faculty in 1993. He is the author of “Cities and Privatization: Prospects for the New Century” and “Public Administration: A Concise Introduction.”

Linda McCarthy, executive director of the Missoula Downtown Association, who received the Montana Alumni Award from the UM Alumni Association. She earned a master’s in public administration from UM in 1999 and joined campus as a student worker in 1985. She served as UM assistant director of sports information 1989-99. During her nine-year tenure with MDA, the organization has nearly tripled its membership and now produces 40 public events a year.

Terry Payne, a Missoula businessman, who landed the Neil S. Bucklew Presidential Service Award. He is the founder and principal of Terry Payne and Co., an independent insurance agency established in 1972. He also is president and chairman of the company’s board, as well as chairman of the Payne Financial Group board. In addition, he is a director of Washington Corporations and other Washington companies, and a director of First Interstate BancSystem Inc. He has served on the steering committee for the last two UM Foundation campaigns and received UM’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2006.

Steve Running, UM Regents Professor of Ecology and a forestry faculty member, who received a George M. Dennison Presidential Faculty Award. Running received a forestry doctorate from Colorado State University and joined the UM faculty in 1979. He is a team member with NASA’s Earth Observing System, and he earned a share of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize by serving on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.