Bandy, Baker selected for Founders awards

Havre businessman Tom Baker and Northern Montana College's first football coach, the late-George Bandy, will receive the Montana State University-Northern's Founders Award at the annual dinner May 6.

Jim Bennett, executive director of the Montana State University-Northern Foundation, said the committee that makes the choices for the award praised the two for their contributions to Northern over the years. It was felt that honoring these two is long overdue, Bennett said.

Baker, a Havre native and graduate of St. Jude Thaddeus School and Havre Central High School, is a Northern graduate.

He now serves on the Northern Athletic Scholarship Foundation Board and is a devoted Lights and Skylights fan.

Baker's business, Baker Amusement Inc., was founded in 1977. He and his partner Ken Myers went on to form K&T Partnership, and through the years the partnership has acquired various businesses and real estate.

He is active in a variety of community organizations, including the Elks, Eagles, Havre and Chinook Chambers of Commerce and the national and state associations representing coin operators.

He and his wife, Debbie, have two children. Their daughter Christy Mayer and her husband, Kenda, live in Billings with their two sons, Kody and Carsen. Their son, D.J. Baker and his wife, Tamra, live in Havre with their two sons, Evan and Ty.

Bandy began his career at Northern as a physical education teacher, and ended up as acting president, before assuming the presidency at Western Montana College in Dillon, now the University of Montana-Western, and concluding his career as deputy state commissioner of higher education.

Along the way, he was the college's first football coach.

He was also a science teacher, director of athletics, chairman of health and physical education, coordinator of secondary education and supervisor of secondary student teachers.

In 1965, he took a leave of absence to obtain his doctorate from the University of Montana. Upon returning, he became the acting dean of the Division of Teacher Education and eventually the chairman of the Division of Teacher Education.

He eventually accepted the position of academic vice president and director of graduate studies. In 1975, he was acting president of Northern, and later moved to Dillon to assume the presidency of Western before becoming the number two person in the education commissioner's office.

Bennett said the Founders Dinner at which the awards will be presented usually attracts a large crowd. It is held the night before graduation, and also includes the induction ceremony for new members of the athletes hall of fame.

People who are interested in attending can call the foundation office at 265-3711 for reservations.