Rose Marie Goetz Aus of Glendive. A Humanities Montana member during 1989-92, Aus has been one of the most effective advocates of the humanities in Eastern Montana for decades. She served as a member of the English/humanities faculty at Dawson Community College in Glendive for more than 25 years. In addition, both before and since her retirement from teaching, she has worked constantly as a reading and discussion leader for Humanities Montana’s OpenBook program, logging thousands of miles traveling between Glendive, Miles City, Baker, Plentywood, Prayer Lodge, Broadus and other towns. She also has been the driving force behind many other humanities programs in that area.

Marvin Granger of Billings. As the general manager and program director of Yellowstone Public Radio, a position he recently retired from after 22 years, Granger has created an array of programming that features public affairs, philosophy, history, sociology, music, literature and other humanities disciplines. In all he has worked in production and management positions at National Public Radio stations for a total of 40 years in Montana, Minnesota, New York, Michigan and Washington. He continues as a part-time program producer at YPR, creating the kind of radio he has made a staple in Montana -- in-depth looks with audience participation on issues of vital public concern that bring the humanities and civic discourse to the airwaves. He holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and religion from Valparaiso University and spent two additional years in graduate studies at the University of Minnesota.

Eve Palmer Malo of Dillon. This Professor Emeritus of The University of Montana-Western is also the author of a recently published book for young people entitled “Dynamite Women: The Ten Women Nobel Peace Laureates of the 20th Century.” Malo continues to teach Restorative Justice classes in Western’s social science department and serves as the state coordinator for Amnesty International. Over the years she has offered several Humanities Montana Speakers Bureau presentations, including a program based on her current book. She received a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Stanford, a master’s in cultural studies from Adams State College, Colorado, and a doctorate in education from the University of New Mexico.

William Marcus of Missoula. Director of UM’s Broadcast Media Center and the host of the television show “Backroads of Montana” since its premiere in 1991, Marcus has been the voice of public radio and television in Western Montana for many years. Throughout his many productions, Montana history, culture and humanities always have been central. He received his bachelor’s degree in radio-television journalism from UM in 1974 and has worked in public broadcasting ever since. He began as a production assistant at UM’s KUFM-FM in 1975, and after serving in a number of positions with the station was promoted to director of the Broadcast Media Center and station manager of KUFM-TV and KUFM Radio in 1996. His radio work has been heard on several NPR programs, including “Performance Today,” “All Things Considered,” “Morning Edition” and “Weekend Edition Sunday.”

Johnnie Lockett Thomas of Miles City. Born and raised in Tuskegee, Alabama, Thomas worked with the Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. Postal Service and Columbia University before retiring to Montana with her husband and beginning yet another rich career. Working many years with state historian Dave Walter, Thomas created vivid portraits of the history of the West -- specifically the contributions and experiences of African Americans in the West. Her presentations for the Humanities Montana Speakers Bureau include “The Forgotten Pioneers: Black Women of the Yellowstone” and “The Buffalo Soldiers.”