The Midnight Sun Council, BSA salutes,

Jo and Steve Heckman

The Council held its 36th Annual Distinguished Citizen Banquet on December 12, celebrating the accomplishments of Steve and Jo Heckman.

Each year the past honorees are invited to choose a new recipient. Although they don't need to be involved in our Scouting Community, they often are. Jo and Steve are involved in our Scouting Community and it showed throughout the dinner.

They chose Camp Scholarships as their special project and raised over $28,000. Jo and Steve are hoping their project will assist getting Scouts to camp for many years to come.  

Jo Heckman came to Alaska as a 17-year-old in 1975. Jo is a proud alumna of University of Alaska Fairbanks. She obtained her BBA degree in 1979 and her MBA in 1985. She started her banking career immediately after graduating from UAF in 1979. In 1986, she and a small group helped start the locally owned community bank, Denali State Bank, where she spent the next 26 years. Jo was the first female bank president in the state of Alaska. She guided her team for eight years as its CEO and President, from 2003 to 2011, retiring in December 2011. Jo currently is President of her own consulting company, DAS & Associates and serves as a regent on the UA Board of Regents.

Steve was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1947. He grew up in Kearney, Nebraska, spending time in local scouting programs. He came to Fairbanks in 1968 to attend the University of Alaska and graduated with an undergraduate degree in education in 1971. Upon graduation, he served in the U.S. Army for two years and came back to teach in Anderson. Steve joined the Alaska State Troopers in 1974, and served for 25 years. Upon retirement, he went back to teaching. He taught for a total of 17 years, beginning at Old Main Junior High in Fairbanks. Later, he taught at Anderson Village State Operated School and finally, at Monroe Catholic Jr/Sr High. He also taught as an adjunct for the University of Alaska. Since retiring in 2012, Steve has been busy as a volunteer on various non-profit boards. In his spare time, he performs musically with a number of small local groups: Dry Cabin String Band, The Warblers, and North Star Strings. In May of this year, Steve was recognized by the Office of the Mayor of the North Star Borough as "Outstanding Senior Volunteer".

Jo and Steve first met while both were on the job, Jyotsna working in a bank and Steve visiting the bank on official Trooper business. A year later in 1983 they married. Their personal and professional lives have allowed time for them to raise two boys, Daniel and Andrew, both of whom were involved in Scouting programs in Fairbanks. Daniel continues to serve on the Executive Board for the Midnight Sun Council. Steve was an Assistant Scoutmaster during the years that Andrew was a Boy Scout.

Thank you to everyone who donated to Jo and Steve's Camp Scholarship Fund project.

Here are the Businesses and Individuals whom donated to the Camp Scholarship Fund at the $1,000 level.

We are still accepting donations to this project.

Cold Spot Feed, Inc.
Fuller and Christmas Cowell
Jim and Mary Waymiller
Dan Gavora
Keith and Kjersten Bartusch
Fairbanks Cancer Care Physicians, P.C.
Jim and Mary Johnson
Tom and Janet Bartels
Dr. Greg and Sue Johnson
Tim Jones
Bert and Becky Bell
Bob and Barbara Schuhmann
Bernie Karl and Connie Parks-Karl

A big Thank you to our Sponsors!!

Click  here to download the sponsorship letter 

Click here to download the sponsorship response card

 Past Recipients: