Alaska Communications has a new top executive. The Anchorage-based telecom hired Paul Fenaroli as CEO and President. This leadership transition follows the departure of former CEO Matthew McConnell, who completed a one-year tenure. Prior to joining Alaska Communications, Fenaroli served as chairman and CEO at Kansas-based healthcare data provider Examinetics. Before that, he was managing director of Verus Strategic Advisors, a partner in the Boston Consulting Group, and an accountant with Ernst & Young. Fenaroli earned a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. He holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was named a Russell Palmer Scholar.

To lead its new Alaska endeavors, Hawai’i-based commercial furniture and storage dealership Systemcenter promoted Aukai Allen as Alaska Market General Manager. In that position, Allen oversees operations across Alaska’s commercial, military, federal, state, and local government markets by setting strategic priorities, fostering community relationships, and developing the brand statewide. Originally from Honolulu, Allen’s journey with Systemcenter began at an early age, learning the business under the guidance of President Stephan Edwards. He later honed his skills as a project manager supporting Systemcenter’s North America operations, and he played a key role in establishing the Anchorage showroom in 2024.

The retirement of President and Principal Engineer Jim Campbell after nearly a decade in charge at PND Engineers brings leadership changes for the firm.

Effective January 1, 2025, PND Senior Vice President and Principal Engineer Dempsey Thieman became the firm’s fifth President. Thieman was hired in 1995 (five months after Campbell, incidentally) and has managed hundreds of projects at PND from the Aleutian Islands to the North Slope. A professionally licensed civil and structural engineer, Thieman has overseen several large waterfront and expansive civil infrastructure developments.

To serve as the company’s next Senior Vice President, PND’s board of directors elected Principal Engineer Bryan Hudson. Hudson has two decades of professional experience at PND, specializing in bridge engineering and waterfront infrastructure design. Like Thieman, Hudson works from PND’s Anchorage headquarters.

Nebraska-based architecture, engineering, and construction firm HDR appointed Anna Kohl, a twenty-year veteran of the company, as its new Alaska Operations Manager. Kohl takes over for Matt Stone, an engineer in HDR’s Anchorage office who was recently promoted to Global Highways Director. Main focuses of her role are to support and elevate technical excellence and client relationships. Kohl is a certified environmental professional and has led dozens of successful projects for public and private sector clients through permitting and regulatory processes. A born and raised Alaskan, Kohl chairs the board of the Alaska Association of Environmental Professionals and in 2024 she was added to the board of directors of the Resource Development Council of Alaska.

Coffman Engineers added James Wiseman to the project management team as Senior Project Manager. In that position, Wiseman works on oil and gas and alternative energy projects. Wiseman earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil and environmental engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to joining Coffman, he was the capital project lead for Tesla’s first lithium refinery engineering, procurement, and construction project. Before his role with Tesla, he served as Santos’ senior vice president and project director, leading the Pikka project on the North Slope.

A scientist with experience in public administration joins the leadership team at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward. Brad Ryan has been hired as Executive Vice President/Deputy Director. In this new position, Ryan supports Wei Ying Wong, who became the center’s president and CEO a year ago. Originally from Oregon, Ryan pursued a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences and earned a PhD in environmental science and resources. His specialty was bird predation of juvenile salmon. Ryan spent a decade as a research scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. After selling his house and touring Africa, South America, and Central America by motorcycle, he settled in Haines, where he served as director of public facilities and later as borough manager.

A promotion and two new hires at Credit Union 1 (CU1) add to the leadership team as part of the financial cooperative’s commitment to exceptional experience for employees and member-customers.

In his new role as Vice President of Member Experience, Tyler Hasbrouck oversees Account Services, the Member Service Center, and all branch and eServices operations. Hasbrouck joined CU1 in 2003 as a teller, and his career has spanned various roles, including loan officer, assistant manager, Member Service Center manager, and several vice president positions. Hasbrouck is a graduate of Coastal Carolina University, and he further honed his leadership skills as a 2017 graduate of the Western CUNA Management School. He is finishing an MBA from Boise State University.

Karri Wiggers joins the leadership team as Vice President of Human Resources. With more than eighteen years of experience, Wiggers has honed her skills in various aspects of human resources, including recruitment, labor and employee relations, and organizational development. Her deep understanding of HR practices and her commitment to fostering a positive workplace culture make her an invaluable addition to the CU1 team.

Nicole Boswell is an influential leader in employee development, currently steering the future of workplace growth and enjoyment as the Assistant Vice President of Employee Experience at CU1. After eight years specializing in training management for financial institutions, she ventured into entrepreneurship, founding two training consultancy firms that design tailored solutions for global clients across various industries.