UAF Fairbanks Tall Timbers Series 2024: An Evening with Roger Brunner

Fairbanks Tall Timbers Series: Roger Brunner The Fairbanks Tall Timber Series honors those who have served the Fairbanks community well. Join veteran newsman Robert Hannon as he interviews Roger Brunner. Roger Brunner grew up moving with his family from site to site as Nuclear Power came online in the 1950s and 1960s. He graduated from Michigan State with a BS in Computer Science with a minor in Math and then hitchhiked around Europe. He traveled the US working as a DJ and doing day labor. After working in a bottle factory, he decided to go to Notre Dame Law School, chosen because it had the most overseas programs. That worked out when he met Niesje Steinkruger in Tokyo. They married, came north in 1975, and worked for Julian Rice and Lloyd Hoppner. After a decade with the firm, Roger had his own law practice for 19 years and then served as Vice-President and General Counsel for the University. He has been active in Fairbanks Rotary and the Rotary Youth Exchange. While President of his club, he set up the “Books for Babies” program. Roger has judged Science Fairs, participated in “Guys Read,” and coached students for the math competition “Mathcounts.” Roger loves being on the floor with his grandkids, whom he taught to call him “Cool Guy.” He worked on the “Lost Alaskans” project and has spent a decade copying and digitizing early Alaska State court case recordings from the 1960s.