Bill Sheffield, 1928-2022
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
Bill Sheffield, Alaska Railroad Corporation Board of Directors Chairman Emeritus, died Nov. 4. (According to ARRC, this Board photograph was the last official one taken in 2018.)
William “Bill” Jennings Sheffield Jr., who, as Alaska Governor in 1984, brokered the deal to purchase Alaska Railroad from the federal government, died Nov. 4 in Anchorage. He was 94.
The Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) reported that for 40 years, Sheffield championed the progress of Alaska Railroad, which will celebrate its centennial in 2023. He served most recently as Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Directors.
The policies and projects Sheffield undertook during his tenure as Alaska’s fifth governor (1982-86) made a lasting impact on the state, especially in the transportation sector, according to ARRC, which noted that the $22.271 million purchase of Alaska Railroad from the federal government made the railroad a state asset and saved it from being shut down (see picture, left). Sheffield also pushed for and signed into law a bill that moved Alaska into one time zone, where the state had previously been split in four.
Once Sheffield’s term as governor ended, he continued to support the railroad on the Board of Directors from 1995-97 and as President and CEO from 1997-2001. “During this time, he helped establish the railroad’s eligibility for federal funding, facilitating tremendous investments in infrastructure and facilities,” ARRC said. Sheffield returned to the Board of Directors in 2004.
Sheffield was also President of the Alaska Chamber and the Alaska Visitors Association (now the Alaska Travel Industry Association); trustee for Alaska Pacific University; member of the ENSTAR Natural Gas Advisory Board; and charter member of Commonwealth North.
“There are just no words to encompass all that Bill Sheffield meant to our organization,” said Bill O’Leary, who has served as ARRC President and CEO since 2013. “Alaska lost a great man, one who always put the state first and did what he believed was best for Alaskans. Bill set the example, and we will honor his contributions for many, many years to come.”
“Over the years, Bill brought invaluable leadership and stewardship to the ARRC,” said ARRC Board Chair John Shively, who noted that Sheffield “worked tirelessly to make sure the railroad was successful.”
