MOSCOW, Idaho — May 11, 2023 — The University of Idaho Alumni Association has inducted three Vandals into its Alumni Hall of Fame.
Alumni Hall of Fame inductees were recognized at a Friday, May 12, luncheon and will be at U of I Commencement on Saturday, May 13, in Moscow. The honored alumni are: Chalotte Hill ’76, ’77; Leah Frye ’79; and Randy Luten ’83. Read their full bios at the Hall of Fame.
Charlotte Hill ’76, ‘77
After earning her bachelor’s degrees in bacteriology and chemistry at U of I, Charlotte Hill led a successful career in chemistry that included earning the Excellence Award at IBM for her contributions to improving hard drive disk assemblies and more and retired after serving as president and CEO for Georg Fischer Signet. Her 15-year-long leadership saw company revenues more than triple to $35 million. As a committed Vandal, Hill co-sponsored the Charlotte Hill and Carol Lisek Science Excellence Endowment for undergraduate students and serves on the College of Science Advisory Board. Hill was inducted into the College of Science Academy of Distinguished Alumni in 2019 and earned the Silver and Gold Award in 2013.
Leah Frye ’79
A chemist who established her roots at U of I, Leah Frye is being recognized for her distinguished career accomplishments and leadership in improving the well-being of society through drug discovery research. Frye earned her B.S. in chemistry at U of I in 1979, soon receiving a doctorate in organic chemistry at Johns Hopkins University. As an affiliate professor in the Oregon Health and Science University and a former researcher at Schrödinger, Frye holds 20 U.S. patents and has an extensive record of research and publications. She has served as a member of the U of I College of Science Advisory Board since 2019 and is married to fellow Vandal Alumni Hall of Fame Inductee Daniel Frye ’79. The couple established the Daniel and Leah Frye Chemistry and Physics Scholarship in 2012.
Randy Luten ‘83
Randy Luten was honored for serving his community, country, profession, and alma mater with distinction. He retired from the military as a U.S. Army Major after a 35-year career, later joining the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Special Operations Section to develop advanced intelligence collection systems. At U of I, Luten majored in general studies, played football and joined the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. Luten remained a dedicated Vandal after graduation, serving as a member on the advisory council for U of I’s Operation Education for Veteran Students and on the Vandal Nation Scholarship Foundation. He joined the U of I Alumni Association board of directors in 2011. As president of the board starting in 2020, he initiated a move for board members to donate a $500,000 investment to what would become the Idaho Central Credit Union Arena, giving the board the rights to name a space in the arena, the Alumni Club Room, for members of the Vandal Family to gather and connect. His daughter, Christine Luten, is majoring in public relations U of I.