• Citizen of the Century Winner
• About the Program
• Time Frame
• Nomination/Eligibility Criteria
• Publications
• Awards
• Biographies of Nominees
• Finalists

Citizen of the Century Winner

On October 31, 1999, Samuel Knight was announced as the Wyoming Citizen of the Century.

About the Program

The University of Wyoming American Heritage Center (AHC) has established the Wyoming Citizen of the Century program, designed to recognize outstanding Wyoming citizens whose accomplishments shaped twentieth-century Wyoming.

Individuals who have made significant contributions in a specific field of endeavor are nominated in the following categories:

• Agriculture
• Business
• Education
• Fine and Performing Arts
• Government & Public Service/Law/Volunteerism
• Healthcare, Science & Technology
• Minerals, Oil & Gas
• Military
• Religion
• Sports

Honorary co-chairmen of the Wyoming Citizen of the Century program are Wyoming Governor Jim Geringer and former Wyoming U.S. Senator Al Simpson. The Council, chaired by Win Hickey, is comprised of Reverend Carl Beavers, Marlene Brodrick, Judy Catchpole, Bill Dubois, Don Hunton, Lisa Kinney, Gordon Mickelson, John Ostlund, Mary Ostlund, Paul Roach, Terry Roark, Peg Shreve, Tom Stroock, Jane Sullivan , Lili Turnell, and Charles Wing. One representative each from the Wyoming Senate and House of Representatives also serve rotating terms on the Council.

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Time Frame

Each of the ten committees will review the nominees in their category, selecting ten semi-finalists for the consideration of the Wyoming Citizen of the Century Council. The Council will then select one finalist from each category. The names of the ten finalists will be made public in January of 1999. Wyoming's Citizen of the Century, chosen from among the finalists, was announced at an awards banquet on October 30, 1999.

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Nomination/Eligibility Criteria

The candidates were nominated based on the following considerations:

• Candidate must have lived in the state during the 20th century, but need not have been born in Wyoming.
• Candidate may be living or deceased at the time of the nomination.
• Candidate must have made a significant, lasting, and positive contribution benefiting the state of Wyoming.
• Candidate may be nominated in more than one category, if appropriate.
• Candidate's nomination must include as complete a biography as possible.

The nominations of the one hundred semi-finalists will be fact checked by student volunteers from Phi Alpha Theta, the history honorary society. These students are working to ensure the accuracy of each of the biographies.

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Publications

The Citizen of the Century Program has contracted with Heritage Media Corporation to publish a book, entitled Wyoming: A Twentieth Century History of Its People, Institutions & Businesses. Proceeds from the sale of the book will help to finance the Citizen of the Century Program.

Awards

The Citizen of the Century Program has selected Rich Haines, a sculptor from Cheyenne, to design our awards. The awards will be a bronze of a buffalo - which is the programs symbol. Replicas of the buffalo bronzes will be made available for sale to the public to finance the cost of the awards.

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Biographies of Nominees

• Business
  • James C. "J.C." Penney
• Fine & Performing Arts
  • William F. Cody
  • Caroline Lockhart
• Government, Law, Public Service/Volunteer
  • Nellie Tayloe Ross
• Minerals, Oil & Gas
  • Cyrus Iba
• Religion
  • Sherman Coolidge

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Finalists

The finalists for Wyoming's Citizen of the Century Program, sponsored by the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming have been chosen. Conceived of as a way for Wyoming to celebrate the millennium, almost 200 nominations were received from the public. Nominations were accepted in ten categories: Agriculture, Business, Education, Fine & Performing Arts, Government & Community Service, Healthcare, Science & Technology, Minerals, Oil & Gas, Military, Religion and Sports. Committees, made up of volunteers from across the state, reviewed all of the nominations and selected the finalists and winners in each category. Win Hickey, chair of the Citizen of the Century Council, notes "It is a honor to even be nominated." All of the nominees are people who brought honor to the state of Wyoming and those who were selected as finalists should feel especially proud of their accomplishments. Voting closed on February 25, 1999 and the winner was announced at an awards banquet on October 30, 1999.

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