William Kittredge is a renowned novelist and master essayist of the American West. He grew up on his family's huge cattle ranch in Oregon and was a farmer until he was 35 years old. Weary of raising cattle, he gave in to a creative urge he knew none of his fellow Oregon ranchers would understand. Kittredge retired and made a clean break from ranching and enrolled in the University of Iowa writer's workshop and then held a Wallace Stegner Fellowship at Stanford. He went on to become a distinguished Professor of English and taught creative writing at the University of Montana, where he was a mentor to young writers struggling to find their literary voice. Bill Kittredge emerged as a distinctive literary voice of the Western experience with his 1987 collection of essays "Owning It All." He followed with the best-selling books "Hole in the Sky: A Memoir" and "The Last Best Place: A Montana Anthology." His book "The Nature of Generosity" provided fresh insights and wisdom on sustainability and civilization. He also co-produced the movie "A River Runs Through It." Professor Kittredge addressed the student delegates about his life and career at the 1993 Achievement Summit in majestic Glacier National Park near his hometown of Missoula, Montana.