James P. Lucas of Miles City, former Miles Community College Board of Trustee and founder and member of the MCC Endowment Board, has been chosen as the recipient of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) 2008 Western Regional Trustee Leadership award. Jim Lucas was nominated by the current MCC Board of Trustees as an "exemplary mentor to many trustees and college presidents over the decades." As the Western Region Trustee Leadership award recipient, Mr. Lucas is the sole regional nominee and one of five regional award recipients for the prestigious M. Dale Ensign Trustee Leadership Award to be presented at the ACCT Annual Community College Leadership Congress in New York City. Eligible regions for the regional and annual awards are Pacific, Western, Central, Northeast, and Southern.

Jim began his education at Miles Community College and completed post-secondary degrees in business administration and law from the University of Montana. He has been a practicing attorney in Miles City for over 50 years. He has been an active trustee/adviser to Miles Community College for over 40 years, a member of the College Athletic Booster Club, and has been a member and served as president a number of times of the College Board of Trustees, and the College Endowment Board since its inception. As well, he served as a charter member and appointee of FIPSE (National Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education) and as Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives. Mr. Lucas has been involved in numerous community and state boards, committees and projects such as: Kiwanis, Chair of the committee creating and funding the MCC Centra, Range Rider Museum Board, five terms as County Attorney, Montana Ambassadors, and board of director positions on Mountain States Legal Foundation (Denver), Montana Chamber of Commerce, University of Montana Foundation (Missoula), and Burton K. Wheeler Center (MSU-Bozeman), etc. Jim has also received numerous community and state honors as an outstanding citizen and for outstanding service.

The ACCT Trustee Leadership award recognizes the tremendous contributions made by college trustees.