Spenceley named U of LAlumnus of the Year

A Lethbridge business leader has been named Alumnus of the Year at the University of Lethbridge.

Bill Spenceley, president of Flexahopper Plastics, will be honoured during fall convocation ceremonies Oct. 13. He’s been cited for his ongoing community and oncampus contributions, as well as for leadership in environmental initiatives.

“Bill is an excellent representation of how influential University of Lethbridge alumni are in our community, and in communities throughout the world,” says alumni relations manager Lyndsay Montina in a release.

“He is a very successful businessman who has made a huge difference in the plastics industry and beyond that, has continued to support the university through research partnerships and investments.”

A 1981 science graduate, Spenceley was enrolled in a pre-dentistry program at U of L when he discovered his interest in chemistry. While earning his degree in chemistry and biochemistry, he also studied chemical engineering through the University of Alberta.

With that, he joined Flexahopper as director of design engineering. Five years later he was named general manager as well, and then president in 1995.

During that time, Montina says, Flexahopper became one of the largest processors of rotational molding products in the Pacific northwest, and it now exports Lethbridge-made products around the world.

As a volunteer, she adds, Spenceley has served as a judge for the annual Chinook Research Symposium, and returned to the university to give undergraduate lectures. He’s also played a role in promoting greater use of solar panels to advance environmental sustainability.

And now Spenceley is working with university officials on a polymer characterization research project, leading to creation of a new plastics-related facility at the U of L.

“His company’s investment in the process helped secure the grant, and bring to life the U of L’s new polymer characterization laboratory,” she says. It “promises to have a profound impact on the plastics industry in years to come.”