Retiring teacher, coach urges Colony grads to ‘find their 68’
By Jeremiah Bartz Frontiersman.com A football coach using a hockey reference as the centerpiece for his keynote address may
1 min read
WASILLA — The Iditarod Trail Committee’s Board of Directors recently named Wilson Hughes as the 2024 Honorary Musher for the 2024 Iditarod race.
According to a press release, Wilson has served the Iditarod in numerous ways over the years in addition to his role as a sponsorship family representative. He started serving on the Iditarod Trail Committee Board of Directors as its Treasurer from 1994 through 1997.
“In the realm of mentorship, where guidance and inspiration shape the futures of many, there are exceptional individuals who go above and beyond, leaving an indelible mark on the lives they touch. Wilson Hughes not only embodies these characteristics but does so with a magic twinkle in his eye. As the Honorary Musher, we celebrate the essence of Wilson: a beacon of wisdom, a paragon of mentorship and smooth as a single malt. I have had the good fortune of receiving a cornerstone of support from Wilson, invaluable advice and ‘feel-good’ inspiration,” Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach stated in the press release.
Wilson has also served on the Nominating Committee since 2005 and continues that role to this day.
Wilson recently became a Iditarod Trail Race Foundation trustee. He currently leads the organization as its President.
Former Iditarod ED/CEO (1995-2017) Stan Hooley reflected on the first time he met Wilson: “My first opportunity to get to know Wilson was at a time when the ITC found itself at a critical fork in the road, a time when most of the larger national brands were making an exit from their Iditarod involvement. He wanted to meet, to see what opportunities there might be to get involved to preserve and protect Alaska's legacy event. It was his leadership that paved the way for the partnership with GCI more than 30 years ago. When you have a Wilson Hughes in your corner, your opportunities for success increase in measurable ways.”
For more information, visit iditarod.com.
Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com
Read next
Going home sore and soggy
By Kyle Wilkinson Kyle in the outside Our spring bear hunt was bittersweet this year. We’re heading home without
Valley athletes earn region track and field titles
Frontiersman.com Valley athletes earned titles during the Region III Championships track and field meet last week at Colony High
Athletes of the week
Leila Petersen Palmer Moose Leila Petersen, a member of the Palmer track and field team, has been named a Frontiersman
The end of an era
By Jeremiah Bartz J’s World August would have been the start of my 25th year as an editor at