To replace the late Bill Bishop as President and CEO, the board of Alaska Communications chose Matthew McConnell, a tech executive from Colorado. McConnell’s leadership roles include serving as CEO of tech company MediaKind, COO and board advisor at self-service commerce provider Cantaloupe, and senior vice president and general manager at Comcast NBCUniversal. McConnell also teaches graduate-level courses in leadership, ethics, and strategy at the University of Denver.

Dan Graham, the interim President and CEO of Bering Straits Native Corporation (BSNC), has been named as its CEO, while Cindy Towarak Massie takes on the role of President. “This structure provides significant oversight of company management to better prepare for growth while simultaneously focusing on BSNC’s mission to improve the quality of life of our people,” says Board Chair Roy Ashenfelter.

Graham earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Villanova University. He is a certified professional engineer and project management professional. He joined BSNC in 2014.

Massie has been a member of the BSNC board since 2019 and was previously its chair. She maintains her board position. Massie grew up in Unalakleet and graduated from Covenant High School. She attended Seattle Pacific University. Massie co-founded multimedia company Outdoor Channel Holdings and is also a former owner of Winnercom Inc., a production company honored by thirteen Emmy Awards, and Skycam, which developed a cable-suspended camera system for sports coverage.

Upon the retirement of Sophie Minich, Cook Inlet Region Incorporated (CIRI) split the President and CEO role in two, promoting one of its own while reaching to the edge of space for a new hire.

The board tapped Sarah Lukin, previously Chief Strategy Officer, to become the new President. Lukin, originally from Port Lions, had served on the board of Afognak Native Corporation and was Chief Administration Officer at NANA Regional Corporation before co-founding a fishing lure company, All Rigged, with her father. Lukin earned a bachelor’s degree in history and Alaska Native studies from UAA and a master’s degree in rural development and indigenous organizations management from UAF.

The new CEO is Swami Iyer, most recently the president of aerospace systems at Virgin Galactic, operator of an air-launched suborbital spaceship for tourists. Iyer earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan and went to US Air Force Test Pilot School to earn a master’s degree in flight test engineering. He was the school’s director of operations after flying B-52 bombers in the Air Force.

While Chugach Alaska Corporation searches for a new president, the Alaska Native corporation for the Prince William Sound region selected a new CEO, and other executive team members take on new positions.

Incoming CEO Jonathan Dalrymple was most recently vice president of strategy, business development, and program services for VSE Corporation, a Virginia-based supply chain management company. A US Navy veteran, Dalrymple earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from the University of Georgia and an MBA from SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan, Italy.

To assist the transition, Katherine Carlton was promoted to Vice President of ANCSA and Community Affairs, which encompasses many of the outgoing president’s former responsibilities. A Chugach Alaska shareholder, Carlton had recently become vice president of operations for Chugach Commercial Holdings (CCH). Carlton earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting at UAA, a master’s degree in executive leadership from Alaska Pacific University, and she attended the advanced management program at Harvard Business School.

Stepping in as Vice President of Operations at CCH is Gwen Welch. Serving as the finance leader of CCH for the last three years, Welch has risen through the ranks of Chugach Alaska over the last twenty years. Welch earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from UAA and an MBA degree from Jack Welch Management Institute (founded by the late former CEO of General Electric, no relation).

Northrim Bank promoted an executive and two managers and hired four more.

Joe Gelione is promoted to Senior Vice President, Commercial Lending Manager. Gelione began his career at Northrim in 2017 and has more than thirty years of financial industry experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration finance from Stockton University. Gelione received the Northrim Bank President’s Award in 2018.

Nicole Johnson becomes Assistant Branch Manager at the Fairbanks West Community Branch. Johnson joined Northrim in 2016 and has more than thirteen years of customer service experience. She volunteers with Junior Achievement of Alaska, Money Camp at UAF Summer Sessions, and local elementary schools.

Peng Thao is now Assistant Branch Manager at the Seventh Avenue Branch in Anchorage. Thao has been with Northrim for four years. He has more than ten years of customer service and sales experience and holds an Alaska Insurance License. A long-time Alaskan, Thao has volunteered at McKinnell House.

New to Northrim, Greg Deal comes aboard as Senior Vice President, Regional Market Manager. Deal has thirty-five years of experience in banking statewide. He attended UAA and graduated with honors from Pacific Coast Banking School. Deal is on the boards of United Way of Anchorage, the Foraker Group, Alaska Children’s Trust, and the Alaska Bankers Association.

Bill Bailey joined Northrim in October as Vice President, Business Development Officer. Bailey spent the last nine years working in the oil and gas sector. A life-long Alaskan, he holds a bachelor’s degree from UAF. Bailey is a member of the Alaska Airlines Advisory Board and the Alaska Command Civilian Advisory Board, 11th Air Force.

Jessica Freauff started at Northrim in August as Assistant Branch Manager at the Eastside Community Branch in Anchorage. Freauff has nine years of experience in the financial industry in Alaska and Oregon. She has held positions in retail banking, operations, client experience, and audit. Freauff volunteers with various pet rescue organizations.

Marc Tucker joined Northrim last May as Vice President, Systems and Network Manager. Tucker has twenty years of information technology experience with the US Air Force. He holds a bachelor’s degree in IT management from Trident University International. Tucker volunteers with youth athletics and veteran communities.

Thompson & Co. Public Relations (T&C) expanded its team with some strategic hires.

New to T&C is Jared Mazurek as a Multimedia Manager. Mazurek is a seasoned professional with experience in news, photojournalism, and film, covering stories around Alaska for seventeen years. His experience contributes to the agency’s ability to create authentic and compelling video content for its clients.

Sophie Gross was hired as a Junior Digital Strategist, with a focus on content creation and influencer relations. Gross holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Washington State University and previously worked in Los Angeles, providing content creation assistance to a popular TikToker. Her experience provides a creative perspective to the digital team.

Emily Garlock, a new Account Coordinator, brings a unique perspective with her bachelor’s degree in history and cognitive science from Minerva University in San Francisco. Her experience in copywriting and event coordination, along with her global view and international experience shaped from her degree, complement the varied work of this role.