RIM Architects announced that Leit Downing was licensed as a professional architect in the state of Alaska. He has also been promoted to associate within the firm. Downing has more than six years of architectural experience and holds a master's degree in architecture from Savannah College of Art & Design.
GeoNorth LLC principal Mark Pearson was inducted into the Alaska Surveying and Mapping Hall of Fame. Pearson holds a degree in civil engineering from Northeastern University in Boston. He previously worked as a construction engineer with the Indian Health Service. He transferred to Alaska in 1985. Pearson developed a PC-based land survey/mapping application that read electronic field books, performed traverse adjustments, and produced CAD files to be used for mapping, one of the first such programs available on the PC. He also assisted in the implementation of one of the world's first GIS-based storm water analysis systems used by the municipality of Anchorage to apply for federal storm water permits. He co-founded GeoNorth in 1994. The Hall of Fame award is given annually for contributions in the surveying and mapping professions.
Scott G. Harper, a design engineer with EHS-Alaska Inc. has been certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a lead risk assessor and lead inspector. This certification allows him to conduct sampling pursuant to EPA's new lead-based paint renovation, repair and painting program rule. Harper joined EHS-Alaska in May 2009. He holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Boise State University, Idaho. As a design engineer and project manager, Harper conducts HazMat surveys and provides hazardous building materials abatement design contract documents. EHS-Alaska Inc. is an employee-owned environmental engineering and consulting firm specializing in hazardous materials design.
Director of the Division of Wildlife Conservation Doug Larsen will return to his previous duties as regional supervisor for the Southeast Region. The new division director will be Corey Rossi, who has served the department for the past year as assistant commissioner. Rossi will be based in the Alaska Department of Fish and Game office in Anchorage.
The Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau announced the results of its 2010 board of directors' election. The seven elected members are: Scott Habberstad, Alaska Airlines manager regional sales – Alaska; Ernie Hall, Anchorage Fur Rendezvous board president; Denise Hanson, CIRI Alaska Tourism Corp. revenue control manager; Josh Howes, Premier Alaska Tours Inc. vice president of safety and operations; Tim Melican, Magic Bus president; Steve Silverstein, Alaska Railroad Corp. vice president marketing, sales and service; and Toni Walker, Logistics, LLC, president. Four other members were appointed to the 2010 board. They are: Nancy Harbour, Alaska Center for the Performing Arts president; Susan Kaer, Ramada Anchorage Downtown general manager/owner; Keith Sopp, General Communications Inc. director of media sales and marketing; and John Woodbury, owner/publisher Coast Magazine/AK Adventure Media. ACVB's 2010 board officers are: Randy Becker, captain of the Seward Fishing Club, is chairman; Maggie Kelly, director of Alaska operations for Royal Celebrity Tours, is vice chairman; Habberstad is treasurer; Woodbury is secretary; Howes is immediate past chairman. ACVB President and CEO Julie Saupe serves as a non-voting member.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Management was to honor Bernie Karl as business leader of the year during a banquet March 19 at the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge. This is the 34th year UAF has given the award. Recipients are selected for their leadership, business excellence, educational support and community service. Karl has been a diesel mechanic, gold miner, hotel owner and recycling entrepreneur. His current business ventures include Chena Hot Springs Resort and K&K Recycling. Karl is known for his work using geothermal technology to make his resort more environmentally friendly. Geothermal energy powers three greenhouses at Chena Hot Springs, which grow fresh produce year-round for the resort's restaurant.
Dirk Tordoff, head of the Alaska Film Archives at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Rasmuson Library, has been selected as the 2010 recipient of the University of Alaska Foundation's Edith R. Bullock Prize for Excellence. Tordoff has worked to transform the University's film archives to a world-class collection. Tordoff received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He started as a student assistant working with the film collection on a small grant. He has obtained a variety of grants to support the collection. Both the Alaska Film Archives and his position are now permanent parts of the Rasmuson Library. The Bullock Prize for Excellence includes a $20,000 cash award and is the largest single award made annually by the University of Alaska Foundation's board of trustees. The award was established by the late Edith R. Bullock, who served the university for 30 years as a member of the UA board of regents and the foundation's board of trustees.
Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, was appointed to a vacant seat on the Senate Budget Committee. During his first year in office, Begich supported the Senate's adoption of "Pay-Go" rules, efforts to establish a federal debt commission, a presidential suspension of discretionary spending, and numerous initiatives promoting transparency and efficiency in government spending. He fills the seat of Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J. The 23 member Budget Committee is responsible for drafting Congress' annual budget plan and monitoring action on the budget for the federal government. The committee also has jurisdiction over the operation of the Congressional Budget Office, the non-partisan office of Congress that estimates the effects of legislation and government policy. Begich also serves on the Armed Services; Budget; Commerce, Science and Transportation; and the Veterans' Affairs committees.
Sally Smith will serve as Alaska Sen. Mark Begich's field representative for northern Southeast Alaska. Smith has served as the mayor of the city and borough of Juneau, and as a state representative for Fairbanks. Trained as a teacher, Smith also has worked in private business, developed programs for nonprofit agencies, and directed two state divisions. Smith replaces retiring Chris Ashenbrenner. Begich also named Janelle Perry as a new staff assistant in his Fairbanks office. She is a graduate of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Perry most recently worked as program director for the North Star Youth Court, coordinating court proceedings between youth bar association members and juvenile offenders and their parents. She will assist regional director Tom Moyer with administrative and casework duties. Perry replaces Jocelyn Hambright, who moved out of state.
