Bill Sheffield

Infobox Governor


name = William Jennings Sheffield
order = 6th
office = Governor of Alaska
term_start = December 6, 1982
term_end = December 1, 1986
lieutenant = Stephen McAlpine
predecessor = Jay Hammond
successor = Steve Cowper
birth_date = birth date and age|1928|6|26
birth_place = Spokane, Washington
death_date =
death_place =
party = Democrat
spouse =
profession =
religion =

William Jennings Sheffield (born June 26, 1928 in Spokane, Washington)cite web|url=http://www.nndb.com/people/818/000121455/|title=Bill Sheffield|work=NNDB|publisher=Soylent Communications|year=2008|accessdate=2008-02-28| ] is an American Democratic politician who was Governor of Alaska from 1982 to 1986. Sheffield's term in the governor's mansion was marked by controversy including attempts to have him impeached. [cite news|url=http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/i/impeachment/index.html?s=oldest&query=GOVERNORS%20(US)&field=des&match=exact|title=Impeachment|publisher=New York Times|year=1985|accessdate=2008-02-28| ]

While governor, Sheffield pushed an unpopular bill through the state legislature to consolidate Alaska's time zones. Prior to the passage of this bill, Alaska was spread over four time zones (Pacific, Yukon, Alaska-Hawaii, and Bering). Sheffield's bill placed virtually the entire state (with the sole exception of the Aleutians, starting just west of Dutch Harbor) into the Yukon Time Zone (which was then renamed the Alaska Time Zone). [http://www.library.state.ak.us/is/FAQ/FARQtimezone.html] Initially, this was poorly received; those in the panhandle lost their sense of unity with the west coast of the United States, and those in the heartland of the state were placed, in effect, in a perpetual daylight savings time. More than twenty years later, the state legislature was still debating the issue, with some members wanting to return the panhandle and capital to Seattle time, and with others claiming that Sheffield broke his promise to revisit the change after a one-year trial period. [http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_single_minute.asp?session=24&beg_line=00493&end_line=00942&time=0935&date=20050423&comm=STA&house=H]

After leaving the position of Governor, Sheffield served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Alaska Railroad from 1985 to 1997. In 1997 he was promoted to President and CEO of the railroad, where he served until 2001. [cite web|url=http://alaskarailroad.com/arrc119.html|title=Alaska Railroad - History|publisher=Alaska Railroad|accessdate=2008-02-28| ] As of 2008, he remains on the railroad's Board of Directors as Vice Chairman. [cite web|url=http://alaskarailroad.com/pdf/PR_2335%20ARRC%20Press%20kit%20final.pdf|title=Press Kit|publisher=Alaska Railroad|format=PDF|accessdate=2008-02-28| ]

References

Persondata
NAME= Sheffield, William Jennings
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Sheffield, Bill
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Governor of Alaska
DATE OF BIRTH= June 26, 1928
PLACE OF BIRTH= Spokane, Washington
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=