For Immediate Release
August 12, 2011

University of Alaska President Pat Gamble announced today his intention to appoint long-time Fairbanks attorney Mike Hostina to the position of General Counsel for the University of Alaska System. Hostina will replace retiring General Counsel Roger Brunner in October.

“Finding an attorney and advisor of Roger’s caliber was shaping up to be a very tough task. I’m really pleased that Mike agreed to step into this important role as advisor to the Board of Regents, the Chancellors and to me,” Gamble said. “The fine work that I’ve seen from Mike over the last year leaves no doubt about his strong capability to serve UA well as our legal team leader.”

Hostina has been associate general counsel for the University of Alaska since 2002. He served as the university’s director of labor relations from 1998 to 2002, and as regional director and legal counsel for the State of Alaska Ombudsman’s Office in Fairbanks from 1989 to 1995. He is a 1983 graduate of Temple University Law School.

Hostina said, “It has been a rare pleasure and privilege to work with skilled and dedicated colleagues for an institution that serves such critical human and state needs.» I look forward to working more closely with the Board of Regents and President Gamble as they strive to meet the diverse needs of this far-flung state under ever more challenging conditions. ”»

Hostina is married to local artist Barbara Santora, who teaches at Lathrop High School.» They have two children, Caity, a 2008 graduate of UAF, and Morgan, a Justice major at UAF.»

The General Counsel serves as the chief legal officer of the Board of Regents, the Statewide Administration and the campuses throughout the university system.

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For more information, contact Kate Wattum at 907-450-8104.

For a high-resolution photo of Hostina, go to http://www.alaska.edu/opa/files/Hostina.jpg.

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