Jonathan Rubini, chairman and chief executive officer of JL Properties, has been honored by the U.S. Air Force with the Robert B. Atwood Award. The award, presented Dec. 10 in Anchorage, recognizes civilians for outstanding contributions supporting Alaskan military forces and the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska. Rubini was recognized for his support of the Heroes Home Program that opened on Elmendorf AFB in August 2007. The Heroes Home Program offers cost-free temporary housing to the families of wounded or injured service members during the length of the rehabilitation and recovery process. Rubini donated the use of three on-base housing units to support families in a time of need. Other outstanding Alaskans who have received this award include Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska; Floyd Gori, Larry Landry, Bill Tobin, Barb Andrews-Mee, Roger Graves, Augie Hiebert, Tom Morgan, Larry Cash, Rich Owens, Mort Plumb and Pam Beale.

Sarah Henning has joined the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center as public relations coordinator. Henning, a former journalist, won a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship for arts writing in 2006. She holds a bachelor's degree in mass communications and English from Minnesota State University Moorhead, and also has studied British art and history at Oxford University.

Lindsey Ketchel is the new executive director of the Southeast Alaska Conservation, filling the seat vacated by Russell Heath, outgoing executive director of charge. She is charged with overseeing SEACC's day to day operations and implementation of its policy initiatives. Ketchel has held leadership roles in non-profit, business and government organizations such as Heifer International, the Intervale Center and the Vermont Department of Agriculture. During her career, Ketchel has had success fundraising, developing coalitions of diverse stakeholders, and managing legislative and advocacy campaigns. Heath, who is leaving to pursue other projects, will remain on board at SEACC until mid-January to smoothly transition responsibilities to Ketchel.

Christina “Chris” Bergman has been appointed as Northern lights branch manager for First National Bank Alaska. Bergman moved to Northern Lights from the bank's Sitka branch, where she was the operations supervisor. Bergman has worked in the banking industry in Alaska for more than 15 years, the last seven of which have been at First National. While in Sitka, Bergman served on the boards for the Center for Community and Sitka Prevention and Treatment Services, and as president of the Sitka chapter of Soroptimist International. First National is Alaska's largest Alaskan-owned and operated bank, with ATMs and 30 branches in 18 communities throughout Alaska.

John Eckels, senior director of finance at Northern Air Cargo, has been promoted to vice president of business development and administration, effective Jan. 1. He will also continue to oversee all postal affairs, and key administrative functions for the company. Eckels, a lifelong Alaskan, has been employed by Northern Air Cargo for five years.

Michele Jaeger, Gloria Kelly, Ella Morris, Charlene Stern, and Margaret Hoffman have joined the staff of the Rural Alaska Community Action Program Inc., also known as RurAL CAP.; and Amber Petersen and Jolene Firmin have been promoted within the agency. Jaeger will oversee parents as Teachers, the early childhood parent education program serving 19 communities. She was recently the director of professional development for Child Care Connection. She has a bachelor's degree in child development from Western Washington university and a master's in education from the University of Alaska-Anchorage. Kelly , the new budget coordinator, has an associate's degree in accounting from the University of Alaska-Anchorage, and extensive experience in accounting. Morris, the new wellness coordinator, has a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Pacific University. Stern, the new rural planning coordinator, will focus mainly on RurAL Cap's village planning and development initiative, which provides technical planning assistance to 10 rural communities. She has a bachelor's degree in American cultural studies from Western Washington university and a master's in community and regional planning from the University of New Mexico. Hoffman is the new coordinator for the building initiatives for rural community health AmeriCorps members in rural Alaska. She holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Willamette University. Petersen, a family services coordinator, was promoted to the post of Yukon-Kuskokwim regional manager for child development. She holds a bachelor's degree in family and human development from Utah State University and a Family Development Credential from University of Alaska Fairbanks-Cornell University. Firmin, an administrative technician, was promoted to parents as teachers coordinator. She has a bachelor's degree in social work from the University of Alaska-Anchorage.

Joseph H. Flack has joined the Anchorage office of Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot, which also has an office in Washington, D.C. Flack recently graduated magna cum laude from the University of Florida College of Law. He received his undergraduate degree from Emory University in Atlanta. He will be practicing in the areas of real estate and commercial transactions.

Joy Green-Armstrong was appointed as vice president and legal counsel for First National Bank Alaska. Green-Armstrong was most recently as assistant district attorney for the state of Alaska. She also has extensive experience in the banking business, including two years as the vice president of escrow for a local title company. She holds bachelor's degrees in marketing and real estate from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Green-Armstrong earned her master's degree in business administration as a university fellow and a law degree from Rutgers University-Newark. She is president of the M. Ashley Dickerson National Bar Association and a member of Xi Psi Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Sally Clampitt is the new executive director of the Alaska Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Clampitt served as interim executive director for the past 3 months, and prior to that served on the board of directors for several years. She has 16 years previous experience in various capacities with Alaska Equine Rescue, and has been a long-time animal enthusiast and advocate. The Ak SPCA operates a large thrift shop , an adoption center and a low-cost spay-neuter clinic, and a 10-acre pet cemetery in Willow. The full range of Alaska SPCA's services can be found at www.alaskaspca.org, or by visiting its facilities at 7309N Arctic Boulevard in Anchorage.

Col. Charles E. “Chuck” Foster, commander of the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Wing, was to receive his general's star insignia and flag in ceremonies Dec. 18 in Anchorage. A former rescue helicopter pilot, Foster assumed command of the 1,300-member 176th Wing in July 2008. He is responsible for the well-being of the wing members and the successful execution of the wing's missions of combat search-and-rescue, tactical and strategic airlift, air control and rescue coordination. The 176th Wing is the largest component of the Alaska Air National Guard, and one of the largest and most active wings in the entire Air National Guard.