• ‘UW is a small school in terms of enrollment but big in attitude.’

Randall Luthi of Star Valley was among four University of Wyoming graduates honored for their professional achievements and support of the university. The honor came at a Homecoming activities alumni dinner, Sept. 27 in Laramie.

During his comments, Luthi emphasized the influence that UW can have despite it’s size.

“UW is a small school in terms of enrollment but big in attitude,” Luthi said. “We’ve always said UW can do more for less.”

Despite a changing athletic picture at the university level, Luthi warned about accepting meritocracy.

“Our university is facing unprecedented and sobering challenges, he noted and then warned, “If we slouch towards meritocracy in athletics our academic programs will soon follow.”

He spoke of the challenges associated with transfer portals and NIL (Name Image and Likeness) rules, making it difficult for a smaller school to maintain competitive athletic programs.

“It will start with donations, a committed board of trustees and finding the best coaches,” he said. “It takes commitment.”

Acknowledging the loss of some student athletes, he advised, “If it takes funding with NLI , then it may cost us. “

Luthi also pointed to the challenges associated with recent athletic conference changes with several key teams leaving the Mountain West Conference.

“We were angered, dismayed and shocked, but what do we do?” he questioned and answered. “We do have a choice; we can  give up and accept that less is OK or we can dig in and make a difference…”

He continued, “We cannot just let it go. We can change this course. I challenge each of us to expect more from our university but as we are willing to expect more we should be willing to give more.”

He called on the Legislature and others to help.

“We need to reach out to those making those decisions” he said. “Tell them what UW meant to you. Tell them what UW means to our communities, what UW means to our future!”

Luthi emphasized. “Let them know how important this institution is.

He added, “UW means energy, UW means agriculture, UW means nursing, UW means a lot of things.”

Luthi said the university should not be hindered by smaller student populations.

“We don’t have the numbers other universities have but we will and can have the heart.”

Luthi called on alumni to work with and hire UW graduates.

“It also means we support our students. Alumni have an opportunity to mentor students and they have an opportunity to hire students,” advised Luthi. “We have an opportunity and an obligation to help our students to get along in life.”

Luthi asked, “Who has not benefited from a UW Alum?”

He asked the school’s alumni to be involved, “Can we succeed? I think we can. But we won’t succeed if we don’t try. Can we compete? Can we challenge? Can we win? Again, we won’t, if we don’t try,” Luthi concluded. “We and the world need more Cowboys. Let’s show them what we Cowboys can do.”

Randall Luthi
UW Institutional Communications

Luthi grew up on the family farm and ranch in Freedom. At UW, he majored in administration of justice and went on to law school.

Luthi’s first job was as a legislative assistant to U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson. He also served as an attorney in the Department of the Interior Office of the Solicitor and as a senior counselor for environmental regulations in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of General Counsel.

“My law degree from UW gave me the opportunity to work on federal issues concerning management of natural resources,” Luthi says. “Wyoming was always a ground truthing to see how federal policies affect those who actually work, recreate and live in a state where almost 50 percent of the surface and 67 percent of the minerals are managed by the federal government.”

After a few years in Washington, D.C., Luthi returned to Wyoming to run the family ranch. He also established a law practice and ran for the Wyoming Legislature. Joining the House of Representatives in 1995, he went on to become speaker of the House in 2005-06. As majority leader and speaker, he was instrumental in the formulation of state budgets and served as a legislative member of the Energy Council.

Luthi then returned to Washington to work for the second George W. Bush administration. He served as deputy director of the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service before being named director of the Minerals Management Service. Under his leadership, the service conducted the largest Gulf of Mexico outer continental shelf and Arctic outer continental shelf oil and gas lease sales in history.

He also oversaw the highest mineral revenue collections and distributions in history and the creation of a renewable energy office. He went on to serve as president of the National Ocean Industries Association, a national trade association representing over 250 companies involved in the exploration and development of offshore energy.

In 2019, Luthi returned to Wyoming to work for Gov. Mark Gordon as an energy adviser, and he is now his policy director. He also serves as managing partner of the Luthi Ranch and sits on UW’s Energy Resources Council.