UND Aerospace Hall of Fame Inductees Recognized During Homecoming Week

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – On October 22, 2021, the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences recognized seven distinguished alumni as the latest inductees in the UND Aerospace Hall of Fame. The group represented both the 2020 and 2021 classes of inductees, the third and fourth classes since the UND Aerospace Hall of Fame’s establishment in 2018. Robert Kraus, Dean of UND Aerospace, said the Hall of Fame is the college’s way of recognizing the significant accomplishments and contributions of UND’s outstanding aerospace alumni.

“This year, we were happy to induct the Hall of Fame classes of 2020 and 2021,” Kraus said. “Reading through the nomination packages was a true pleasure. They highlighted the foundation that the University of North Dakota, the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences and its predecessors laid for lifetime success.”

The 2020 inductees into the UND Aerospace Hall of Fame are as follows:

Donald Dubuque '81

From 1979 through 2018, Dubuque’s roles at the University of North Dakota included Chief Flight Instructor, Assistant Director of Flight Operations and Director of Extension Programs. He helped establish eight extension sites on behalf of the UND Aerospace Foundation to provide flight training, which included partnerships with the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, as well as Cirrus Aircraft. Currently, the Phoenix extension site flies more than 45,000 flight hours annually.

Dubuque is also credited with buying and selling more than 300 aircraft for the university, and his strategy of owning rather than leasing aircraft saved millions of dollars for UND.

Larry Martin '71

Serving as Chairman of the Board for the UND Aerospace Foundation since 2008, Martin spent many years of his career in airline leadership positions. In 1980, he joined the team that founded People Express Airlines, where he served as Managing Officer and helped lead the airline to $1 billion in revenue, 5,000 employees and 130 aircraft in just five years.

After merging with Continental Airlines and acquiring Frontier Airlines in 1986, Martin would go on to serve as President for Frontier and later as Regional Vice-President for Continental. He is also credited with establishing the first university pilot bridge program between an airline and UND in the early 1980s.

While at UND, Martin was the first student president of the Student Aviation Advisory Council in 1969 and was on the first UND Flying Team to compete in the annual NIFA SAFECON competition.

Lamar Haugaard '85

Since his graduation in 1985, Haugaard has served as a Captain, Director of Pilot Hiring and System Chief Pilot for Horizon Air. Before finishing at UND, Haugaard also worked as a flight instructor and charter pilot for Northern Airway.

UND Aerospace recognized Haugaard for his role in bringing more than 500 UND alumni to fly for Horizon Air via a university partnership valuing academic experiences for aspiring pilots. He’s credited with mentoring many professionals in the industry, as well as serving as an Industry Trustee on the Board of Directors of the Aviation Accreditation Board International for 12 years.

Jeff Boerboon '92

Boerboon is perhaps best known as an airshow performer, having flown in more than 100 events and creating the one-of-a-kind Yak 110 – a combination of two Yak 55 aircraft with a jet engine. Since 1999, Boerboon has flown for Delta Air Lines as an Airbus 320 captain.

Before joining Delta, he flew for Grand Canyon Air Tours and American Eagle Airlines between 1992 and 1999. Boerboon won the U.S. National Aerobatic Championship in 2003 and 2007 in the Advanced Category, as well as in 2010 in the Unlimited Category. He has been a member of both the U.S. Advanced and Unlimited Aerobatic teams, having flown in multiple World Aerobatic Championships, receiving numerous awards and accolades.

While at UND, Boerboon was an aerobatic flight instructor and a member of the 1989 and 1990 NIFA National Championship teams.