Dennis Handles Club's Business
1971 Goldpanners Yearbook
Don Dennis is the man behind the financial operations of the Alaska Goldpanners baseball program. Dennis, the club's general manager, is in his fourth year with the organization. Dennis came to Fairbanks following the disastrous flood of August 1967 and has been the overseer of the off-field phases of the team since that time. The general manager has a 11-year background in non-professional baseball, which began in 1960 as an advisor to the highly successful Grand Junction, Colo., Eagles baseball team. Following four years with the Grand Junction team Dennis went to Pueblo, Colo., where he founded the non-professional Pueblo Diablos - a team that was born on May 1 and played a double-header against the defending national champion Boulder, Colo., Collegians on June 5 for its first action. The Diablos made a swift rise to success and today rate behind only Grand Junction and Boulder in Colorado's fast non-professional circles. Dennis is executive editor for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and also serves as sports information director fo the University of Alaska in addition to his duties with the Goldpanners. Bernard Kopf, owner of Far North Sanitation and Checker Cab Co., is assistant general manager and is chiefly responsible for the tedious task of preparing Growden Memorial Park each year for the arrival of the Goldpanners. The Goldpanner organization is comprised of 35 of the city's top business and civic leader and Bill Stroecker, president of the First National Bank, has served six years as president of the community-sponsored Goldpanners. Tom Miklautsch, owner of Professional Pharmacy; Ken C. Haycraft of the law firm of Call, Haycraft & Fenton, and Edward Merdes of the law firm of Merdes, Schaible, Staley & DeLisio are vice-presidents of the non-profit corporation. Dennis serves a secretary of the corporation while Dr. James C. Beckley, operator of Fairbanks Veterinary Hospital, is treasurer. 1971 GOLDPANNERS YEARBOOK & STATISTICAL RECORD | 
