Meet Our Members
All our Club members are special and unique. From their experience and background, to their talents, expertise, and enthusiasm in serving their community. Whether they're employed or retired, young or old, we all have one thing in common -- the desire To Serve.
We hope you enjoy getting to know us, and will discover that you, too, would like to become a member of our family.
Neil Atkinson
June 2012
Neil was born on April 29, 1950, in Columbus, Kansas. He graduated from Kansas State College (now Pittsburg State University) in 1972 and moved to Juneau. He is a Charter member of the Mendenhall Flying Lions (MFLC).
Neil has served as VP, Director, Tail twister/Lion Tamer, Membership Chair, Secretary, and numerous committee chairs while a member in the MFLC. He has held the following positions:
First served as club president 1995-96
MFLC Lion of the Year 1987, 1988, 1989
First served as Zone 7 Chair 1993-1995
Region 2 Chair 1995-1996
District Governor 49A 1997-1998
49A Secretary of the Year 2000-2001
MD 49 Council Chair 2001-2002
Neil has attended International Conventions in Philadelphia; Birmingham, England; Denver; Indianapolis, and Osaka, Japan; and USA/Canada Lions Forums in Syracuse, Forth Worth, Reno, Milwaukee (2 times), Portland, and Anchorage.
Neil first heard of Lions in 1959 when his brothers and him "won" money for clothes from the Columbus Lions Club for school following their dad's death from diabetes. As a paperboy, the Lions treated all paperboys to a Christmas dinner and a gift. In 1967, Neil represented the Lions Club in the Lions band at their State Convention. Neil says, "my service here is to pay back a little of what that club did for me and my family."
As of May 17, 2012, Neil will have lived in Juneau for 40 years, except for 18 months while living in Ketchikan working on projects. Neil retired from the State of Alaska, Department of Transportation & Public Facilities in August 2002 with just over 30 years of service.
Neil is a partner in G.W. Teal since it opened in 1988. He has two daughters and one granddaughter. The youngest daughter, Rachel, lives in Juneau and works in human resources for the State. His oldest daughter, Tracy, and her daughter Kelci, live in Columbus. Tracy is an inspector in a turkey processing plant. Neil is married to Cari, who is a project coordinator for Greens Creek Mining.
Before finding the Taku, Neil was heavily involved with softball and has played in Whitehorse, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Valdez, Sitka, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Hawaii, and Kansas. In the 80’s, he represented Juneau on the State Amateur Softball Association and also served as State Deputy Commissioner of ASA. Besides the Lions, Neil enjoys the Taku River, Baja Mexico, baseball, and all that Alaska has to offer.
