Leland Rich

Retired

Pending

Jim Williams

Municipal Manager, Government Administration 
B.S. Computer Science – Master of  Business Administration (MBA)

I moved to Fairbanks in January 1989 from Texas, during my first enlistment in the Air Force. I met Sheila during that time and we married shortly before reassignment back to the lower 48 in 1991. As a newlywed couple with already strong ties to Fairbanks, we always knew we would come back to our home-town and raise our family. In 2003, I was fortunate to be assigned to Fort Wainwright, and in 2007 I retired from active duty. My first encounter with FYA was in the 2012-ish time frame. I was on Session at First Presbyterian Church and I received a letter from FYA requesting assistance with setting up a shelter for homeless youth – it was an easy ‘yes’ for our church and we got busy getting the Door’s temporary shelter set up in the basement. When I was approached to serve FYA again in 2019, it was an easy ‘yes’.

It has truly been an honor to serve the FYA organization – whether it was in the capacity of just getting the ball rolling in the basement of a church, or now, serving on the board. My hope is that the gifts that I have been blessed with can be used to help FYA meet its mission but help FYA to be a model of hope, compassion, and justice for our beloved Fairbanks community.