Lenhart J.H. Grothe Resources Award
The Lenhart J.H. Grothe Resources Award is given
posthumously to an alumnus who made significant
contributions in the resource, mining or agricultural
fields. The award was named after alumnus, tin miner
and our first recipient Lenhart Grothe. Grothe was a
talented businessman who enjoyed sharing his wisdom
with others. He started the Northern Exploration and
Equipment Co. as a Fairbanks college student and
graduated at the top of his class with a bachelor of science
degree in mining engineering in 1957. Grothe, with his
partner Tom Pearson, started Lost River Mining in Tin
City and Nome, Alaska. Their mine in Tin City was the
only operating tin mine in Alaska and the United States at
the time. Grothe always said, "It doesn't matter what you
do, just do what you do and do it well"; and "Nothing is
more valuable than your reputation as an honest person."
