RIGHT MOVES

Alaska Business

This magazine upgraded its digital staff with a couple of recent hires. Carter Damaska is the new Social Media Manager. Originally from Michigan, he earned a degree in history and classical studies from Hope Damaska College. He made a living as an events photographer, branching out into videography and web design, skills that help him engage with the Alaska Business audience via social media platforms. He would rather have pursued a career as an auto mechanic, being able to identify makes and models at a glance, but underneath the hood, he says, he’s lost beyond checking the oil. Taylor Sanders, the new Web Manager, studied in Paris to become a pastry chef and event coordinator. After ten years on that career path, she Sanders pivoted from pastry to pixels. She was certified as a web developer after a year-long coding boot camp at the University of Washington and is now pursuing a degree in computer science at UAA. Her responsibilities include juggling all the content on the Alaska Business website and compiling the weekly Monitor e-newsletter. Born and raised in South Carolina, her native accent only emerges when she’s been around her family.

Alaska Department of Commerce

Governor Mike Dunleavy named Julie Sande as his choice to lead the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. She replaces Julie Anderson, who announced her retirement as Commissioner after the new year. Sande was most recently executive director of the Ketchikan Pioneer Home. She earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Montana and a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of Southern California. She is also a lifelong Alaskan who was primarily raised in remote logging camps of Southeast Alaska.

Sande

Providence Alaska

Upon retiring as the first Black chief of the Anchorage Police Department, Kenneth D. McCoy marks another first. Providence Alaska hired McCoy him as its first Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer. In that role, McCoy is responsible for coordinating efforts to promote culturally competent, patient-centered care as well as diversity and inclusion within the Providence Alaska workforce. McCoy earned a bachelor’s degree in justice from UAA and a certificate in criminal justice from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. After twentyseven years in law enforcement, McCoy was named chief of police in 2021, and then in December he announced his retirement. “After serving the public for nearly three decades,” McCoy says, “it was important for me to continue to make an impact in our community.”

Wilson Albers

Wilson Albers, an affiliate of human resources management firm Alera Group, has a new Managing Partner for the first time in twenty-six years. Jennifer Bundy-Cobb takes over for Lon Wilson, who co-founded the partnership in 1995. Bundy-Cobb has also been with the firm since the beginning, most recently as the director of employee benefits. Wilson is transitioning his leadership responsibilities over the coming months and supporting Alera Group as needed in the region.

Bundy-Cobb

HDR

The Anchorage office of architecture and engineering firm HDR brought in Matt Stone as Alaska Area Manager. He oversees a staff of more Stone than 100 engineers, scientists, and other technical professionals working to responsibly develop critical infrastructure for Alaska. Stone brings more than twenty years of experience in Alaska civil design and is a dedicated leader who fosters positive collaboration and teamwork among his staff. He is a registered professional engineer in both civil and environmental design.

Sourdough Express

One of Alaska’s oldest transportation companies made some internal changes for 2022. Debbie Norum and Josh Norum are now Norum the sole Co-Owners of Sourdough Express and Sourdough Transfer, established in 1898 with locations in Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Kenai. Josh Norum is President of both organizations,

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Keeping Alaska Open for Business

the fifth generation of his family to serve in that role. The current president, Jeff Gregory, is shifting to a consulting position and Norum retains ownership of the real estate segment of the organization. Debbie Norum retains her position as Vice President of Finance and majority stakeholder.

MTA

Matanuska Telephone Association (MTA) promoted Gary Enloe to VP of Product Development and Commercial Solutions. In his new role, Enloe Enloe oversees all product development efforts, encompassing consumer, enterprise, and wholesale. Enloe has been with MTA for more than twenty-four years, starting in 1997 as a CO installation and repairman. In 2001, he moved up to network maintenance engineer, and by 2017 Enloe moved into the product development manager position. He helped launch MTA’s Managed Wifi solution—total WiFi—in that position.

Northrim Bank

Northrim Bank added to its talent pool. Doug Ladenburger is now Vice President, Director of Treasury Management Services. He joins Northrim with twenty-five years of experience in leadership, most recently as an executive vice president and head of payables consulting and account management at Wells Fargo. Ladenburger holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Minnesota State University Mankato. Chellaney Middlemas came to Northrim as Assistant Branch Manager, Float Pool, after eight years of experience in the financial industry. She earned a bachelor’s degree in professional photography from the University of Central Missouri. Ruth Regan, Assistant Branch Manager at the Seventh Avenue branch, joins Northrim with more than eight years of experience in the financial industry. She holds an associate degree in computer technology from Lyceum of the Philippines University.

Ladenburger Middlemas Regan

Tlingit & Haida

 The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska hired a new manager in the president’s office. Ralphenia Dybdahl is the Office of the President Manager, returning to the tribal government after working as executive assistant at Sealaska Heritage.

Dybdahl began working for Tlingit & Haida in 2006 as administrative clerk in the finance department, then later as accounting technician and administrative assistant in public safety. Dybdahl In her new role, Dybdahl provides direct and indirect administrative support to the president.

Dybdahl is Wooshkeetaan from Hoonah. She holds a bachelor of liberal arts degree from UAS.

Richmond & Quinn

A partner of the Anchorage law firm of Richmond & Quinn, Kenneth Gutsch, accepted an invitation to join the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC), a global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests. Gutsch practices in the areas of personal injury/ premises liability, product liability, construction defect, professional malpractice, and insurance coverage litigation. Gutsch received his JD from the University of Illinois College of Law and his bachelor’s degree in the Russian language from Knox College. He also is a past president of Special Olympics Alaska.

Gutsch

Corps of Engineers

Krystle Burns assumed duties as the Chief of Workforce Management for the US Army Corps of Engineers–Alaska District Burns in November 2021. Burns is now responsible for advising the district leadership and executive staff on substantive procedural and policy matters for civilian workforce management functions. Burns is a native of Savannah, Georgia. She earned her bachelor’s degree in health science from South University and a master’s degree in healthcare administration from Kaplan University.

Great Alaskan Holidays

Great Alaskan Holidays started preparing for the 2022 visitor season early by hiring a new RV Technician, Nate Solomon. Solomon Prior to his arrival at Great Alaskan Holidays, Solomon was an RV technician with Arctic RV in Fairbanks and a production foreman with Bulletproof Trailers, also in Fairbanks. Solomon was also a volunteer firefighter in both Fairbanks and Delta Junction and has additional experience in the construction and farming industries. Born and raised in a military family in Aurora, Colorado, Solomon now calls Alaska his home.

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