Michael Dawe

A fifth generation Central Albertan, Michael Dawe received a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Alberta in 1976. In 1979, he became the first full-time archivist with the Red Deer and District Archives and served as City Archivist until 2009.

Michael Dawe

Michael was one of the founding members of the Alberta Society of Archivists. He was elected to the Interim Executive in the position of Member-At-Large at the founding meeting in Edmonton on March 29, 1981, and continued to serve in this position on the first Formal Executive elected April 4, 1982.

Michael served on the executive as Member-At-Large from 1982-1984; then again from 1988-1992. In 1994 he became Vice President for one year. From 1996-1999, he was Chair of the Public Awareness and Advocacy committee.

Over the years, Michael has served as a member on a number of ASA committees, including the AAC/ASA Amalgamation Committee, was an instructor for the ASA Education Program, consulted on various ASA strategic and education plans, and hosted and assisted in organizing several meetings, workshops, and conferences held in Red Deer. Michael’s involvement in and commitment to the Alberta archives community also extended to ASA’s sister organization, the Alberta Archives Council, during its lifetime.  He became an ASA honourary member in 2006.

In terms of his community involvement in Red Deer, he was named native son for the Central Alberta Pioneers Association in 1986 and Alberta Citizen of the Year by the Council on School Administration of the Alberta Teachers’ Association for his historical work with local schools. He has written numerous articles for magazines, newspapers, and local history books over the past twenty years and is the author of Red Deer: An Illustrated History (1989 and 1996), Rock of Our Ages (1993) and co-author with Judith Hazlett of One Hundred Years of Progress (1991),

Michael’s dedication and commitment to Alberta’s archival community has been outstanding over the years.