Shannon Lund chosen as FVCC trustee

Flathead Valley Community College trustees chose Shannon Lund from a field of six candidates vying to fill the trustee slot vacated when John Engebretson resigned.

At a special meeting Monday, board chairman Bob Nystuen said the person selected to fill the vacancy will serve only until the school election on the first Tuesday in May. Voters then will choose a replacement for the remaining two years of Engebretson’s term.

Lund, a medical technologist, was born and raised in Southeast Montana and graduated from Montana State University. She has lived in several communities in Montana and Wyoming and has worked at a variety of jobs.

She’s also been an active volunteer. In the Flathead, she has volunteered in various capacities for Intermountain Children’s Home, CASA, North Valley Hospital and Flathead High School. She has two grown daughters.

Before voting by secret ballot, trustees gave each candidate a chance to make a statement and answer questions.

Other candidates included Richard “Grif” Griffin, account manager for CenturyLink’s Rocky Mountain region; Stephen Luckey, who had a dual career as a 747 captain for Northwest Airlines and as a counter-terrorism consultant to the government and private sector; Michael Mower, an engineer with a long career in the oil industry who is now a business consultant, co-owns Northwest Drywall & Building Supply and raises Highland cattle; Don Rich, a financial planner with his own business; and Harriet “Suzi” Williams, a member of the community college foundation.

After the interviews, trustees voiced their gratitude for such high-quality candidates and encouraged them to consider filing for the board in the May election.

 “I think we could all step aside and we wouldn’t miss a beat,” Trustee John Phelps said with a laugh.

Their first balloting narrowed the field to Mower and Lund before the last selected Williams.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.