Three Honored as Distinguished Citizens at DSC’s Commencement Ceremony

Dixie State College of Utah honored three Washington County residents during the college’s 98th Annual Commencement Exercises Friday, May 1, in the Avenna Center Burns Arena. Mrs. Alice Evans Allred, Washington County Commissioner Alan Gardner, and Utah State Representative Brad Last, were recognized as Distinguished Citizens for their exemplary service to DSC and community. 
 
Alice Evans Allred’s life has been devoted to education and service. Since her arrival to the St. George area in 1996, opportunities for service have been abundant for Allred to immerse herself in this community, and she has held a wide variety of jobs since her arrival. Following a bout with health issues, she showed her appreciation to those that kept her “glued together” by volunteering in the Dixie Regional Medical Center’s information center. In addition, she keeps in touch with what goes on in Dixie by working as a volunteer in the St. George Chamber of Commerce and has spent time as a docent at the St. George Art Museum.
 
However, Allred will tell you that the love of her service life has been as a member of the Dixie State College Scholarship Associates, who raise money for needy students to attend DSC. The time she spends interviewing and getting to know students as part of the Associates, along with helping the students realize their academic dreams is, in her words, an exciting and exhilarating experience.

All of these jobs add much to her happy life and allow her the ability to keep busy and pay it forward for all that she has been blessed with. Her philosophy is “One day we will all run out of tomorrows, so make the best possible use of each today.”
 
DSC alumnus Alan Gardner will tell you that his Dixie roots run deep as a fifth-generation Washington County resident. Gardner graduated from Dixie High School, attended Dixie College, and after an LDS Mission to Florida, graduated with a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University. He has had a life-long involvement with all phases of the cattle business, from ranching to retail meat sales.
 
Gardner is no stranger to service. He is the past president of the Washington County Diabetes Association, the Washington County Cattleman's Association, and the Dixie Jr. Livestock Show, and has served in a variety of leadership positions in his church. In 1994, he was chosen “Republican Man of the Year” for Washington County. The Utah Association of Counties also honored him as outstanding Commissioner of the Year and outstanding Elected Official of the Year. He was also the recipient of the Dale Sowards Award, a national recognition awarded to the county commissioner who has done the most for public lands over a three-year period at the national, state and local levels.
 
Gardner was elected to the Washington County Commission in 1996 and was recently re-elected to his fourth term. As a commissioner he has served as a liaison with Federal and State Public Land Agencies. He has been the lead commissioner dealing with desert tortoise and other endangered species issues in the county. In addition, he currently serves as the Immediate Past President of the Western Interstate Region, the fifteen western states of the National Association of Counties (NACo). He is also serving in his fourth year as  Chairman of the Public Lands Management Subcommittee for NACo. Gardner, along with the other commissioners, have worked hard to keep Washington County one of the most fiscally responsible counties in Utah; and in his opinion “the very best place to live in the world.” 
 
Fellow DSC alumnus Brad Last is also a southern Utah native, having been raised in Hurricane, and is a graduate of Hurricane High School.  He attended Dixie College in 1976-77, and following an LDS mission, he completed work on his bachelor’s degree and an MBA at the University of Utah. Following his formal schooling, he worked as an instructor and writer for Wall Street Training Institute, and in the investment and insurance industry for several years. 
 
Last returned to southern Utah in 1991 to help manage Southern Utah Home Care and Hospice, a company that was started by his late father, Dr. Garth Last, M.D., and Betty McDonald, RN. He was instrumental in establishing Home Care and Hospice operations in Las Vegas and Prescott, AZ, and he is currently the President and CEO of Home Health Services, Inc., the parent company of this small family of Home Care and Hospice companies.
 
Last also serves as president of the Garth B. Last Charitable Foundation, a non-profit company that was created by the McDonald family to honor a beloved friend and business partner. The Foundation provides educational opportunities and helps with health care and related costs for individuals or families without resources.
 
He is a firm believer in the value of education and wanted to get involved in the community. To satisfy this urge he ran for a seat on the Washington County Board of Education in 1994. He served on the Board through 2002 and was the president of the Board in 1999 and 2000. He truly enjoyed the association with administrators, teachers and staff of the Washington County School District and came to appreciate their dedication to students. He remains convinced that it is the best school district in the state. 
 
Last was elected to the Utah House of Representatives in 2002 and is now serving his fourth term in the House. During his legislative tenure, he has served as the chair of the Health and Human Services Standing and Appropriations Committees and the Public Education Appropriations Committee. In addition, he is now the vice-chair of the House Executive Appropriations Committee, which places him squarely in the middle of the current budget challenges.
 
The Last family loves and is deeply involved with Dixie State College. His wife, Jan, is currently pursuing an elementary education degree, while daughter Sara completed an associate degree last December and daughter Rachel will complete the DSC registered nursing program this December.

For more information, call Steve Johnson, Director of Public Relations, at 435-652-7544.