Dille and McLaughlin named 2009 Legacy Leaders

The Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce of Fargo Moorhead has selected Dr. Roland Dille, former president of MSU Moorhead, and James R. McLaughlin as recipients of the Chamber’s 2009 Legacy Leader Award. The Legacy Leader Award recognizes and emphasizes the important role and contributions of long-time local leaders in both shaping and serving the Chamber, our metropolitan community and region. This is the third year for this Chamber award.

Dille and McLaughlin will be presented their awards by the Chamber at its Twelfth Annual Meeting the evening of November 12.

rolland-dille-in-officeBorn near Dassel, Minnesota, Dr. Roland Dille, Ph.D., is most well-known as Minnesota State University Moorhead’s seventh and longest serving president.

After serving as an infantryman in Europe during World War II, Dille received a B.A. summa cum laude and a Ph. D. in English from the University of Minnesota. He has taught at the University of Minnesota, St. Olaf College, and Minnesota State University Moorhead, where in 1968 he became its president. Before retiring in 1994, Dr. Dille co-founded Tri-College University, served as president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, was a member of the National Council of the Humanities, and was acting chancellor of the Minnesota State University System.

President Emeritus Dille has been honored several times for his contributions to Moorhead State. Named in his honor are MSUM’s Roland Dille Center for the Arts, the Roland and Beth Dille Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Award and the Dille Fund for Excellence, a permanent endowment established by the MSUM Alumni Foundation.

As a contributor to our community, Dille is a past board chair of the former Moorhead Area Chamber of Commerce, where he also served on the Education Committee. Dille served as a member of the boards of several historical societies, including the Minnesota Historical Society. He has also been a long-time member of the Moorhead Rotary Club, steward and historian for Solomon G. Comstock House, and presenter at the Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival.

Dille has published numerous articles on literature, education and local history. He is the author of Four Romantic Poets: Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelley, Keats. Currently Dr. Dille is enjoying his retirement while writing about the history of Dassel, Minnesota.

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