The Paton Award is given in honor of Dr. William Paton, MD an Orthopedic surgeon with the Alaska Native Tribal Consortium. In 2022, AHHA established a new category of recognition in his honor, the Paton Award. This award will recognize physicians with 40 years or greater of medical service to Alaska residents.
Dr. Alexander B. Russell, Jr. receives the Paton Award for his lifelong dedication, exceptional medical service, and profound impact on the health and well-being of Alaskan communities, particularly on the Kenai Peninsula.
Dr. Russell's medical career began after he earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in 1964. He served his country and advanced his medical expertise in the US Navy for three years, followed by a pediatrics residency at Emory University in Atlanta. In 1971, Dr. Russell relocated to Anchorage where he began practicing pediatrics at The Children’s Clinic. This move marked the start of a long and impactful career dedicated to the health of Alaskan children and families. In 1976, he moved to Soldotna on the Kenai Peninsula, where he has since provided exceptional healthcare.
Dr. Russell’s collaboration with pioneering physicians Dr. Isaak and Dr. Gaede was instrumental in the construction and development of local medical facilities, ensuring high-quality medical care was accessible to the residents of the Kenai Peninsula. He worked in private practice from the time he moved to the Kenai Peninsula until he semi-retired in 2014. He currently sees patients two days a week at Central Peninsula Family Practice & Pediatrics in Soldotna.
Dr. Russell has cared for three generations of Alaskans, demonstrating a rare and profound continuity of care. This multi-generational impact highlights not only his professional longevity but also his ability to build trust and lasting relationships with his patients.
Beyond his medical practice, Dr. Russell is an active community member.
He has served on the board of the Missionary Aviation Repair Center (MARC) for over 40 years, currently serving as board secretary. He continues to contribute his expertise as a flight instructor and has made countless missionary flights across the state. He was recently awarded the FAA’s Wright Brother’s Award for 50 years of safe flying. His involvement with MARC underscores his dedication to serving the broader Alaskan community, providing critical support and services to remote areas.
Dr. Allison Smith, a longtime colleague of Dr. Russell, shares that “it has been a distinct privilege to work alongside Dr Alex Russell. He has cared for generations of families, starting at a time when he flew expectant mothers to the hospital in Seward to deliver, before flying them back home. He has seen the founding and growth of our local hospital and continues to champion care for children and their families. He has been an ongoing inspiration to my practice of medicine through his willingness to share stories and anecdotes, answer questions, and demonstrate a commitment to the art of practicing medicine. I can think of no one better suited for the Paton Award than Dr Russell, a physician who has spent his life dedicated to the health and wellbeing of children on the Kenai Peninsula.”
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