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1948-1973 William A. O'Neill

1948-1973 William A. O'Neill

Anchorage

William A. O’Neill moved to Cordova, ����ֱ����Ƶ, with his parents when he was just one year old. His father operated a mercantile business for the booming copper town. While a high school and college student, O’Neill worked for the mines near Kennecott. He graduated from the ����ֱ����Ƶ Agricultural College and School of Mines in 1934 with a degree in geology and mining, when he joined the Canadian operations of the McRae-Patty Mining Co.

O’Neill was a naval officer during World War II. He then worked as a consulting mining engineer and as an assistant project engineer in charge of maintenance and operations for 33 White Alice Communications sites in ����ֱ����Ƶ. He was building and construction engineer for the Anchorage Borough School District.

Among other accomplishments, he served on the University of ����ֱ����Ƶ Board of Regents for 25 years, serving as president from 1970 to 1974. The University of ����ֱ����Ƶ Alumni Association honored him as Alumnus of the Year in 1968.

O’Neill is credited with playing a major role in the development of the University of ����ֱ����Ƶ from a small, one-campus institution into the statewide system it is today and with making the University Alumni Association a stronger, larger organization. 

When he stepped down from the Board of Regents, the Governor proclaimed March 30, 1973, as "William A. O'Neill Day" in ����ֱ����Ƶ. Roy Madsen was appointed to take his place on the Board.

He died in October 1974 in a swimming accident in Liberia while on a geological expedition.

 

 

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UA Site named after William A. O'Neill:

O'Neill Building

Link:

Building to be named for O'Neill

Resolution of Appreciation to William A. O'Neill, Board of Regents

Sources:

William A. O'Neill Resources Building Dedication

“William A. O’Neill (1907-1974)” ����ֱ����Ƶ Alumnus Fall, 1974; “William A. O’Neill Resources Building Dedication” program, Facilities Services Web page, 2002-03 Construction Overview