Gov. Frank Murkowski honored longtime Fairbanks resident Dennis Wise with the governor's "Spirit of the Great Land" award for his donations to the community. Wise, a developer who came to Alaska in 1951, built and donated the building for the Interior Center for Non-Violent Living, which will open this spring. The center will also house the Resource Center for Parents and Children. Wise also donated to other organizations including the Fairbanks Community Food Bank and to the Fairbanks Rescue Mission. In giving the award, Murkowski noted that Wise's philanthropic efforts have provided food and shelter to countless people in the Fairbanks area.

Attorney Stephen Rose has joined Preston Gates & Ellis LLP as a health care partner in its business law practice. An experienced health care attorney, Rose's practice has focused on health care law and reimbursement issues over his 23-year legal career. His experience includes designing and implementing corporate compliance plans, assisting clients to comply with federal fraud and abuse statutes, and addressing contracting issues to ensure compliance with federal anti-kickback and Stark laws. Rose joins Preston Gates from the Rose Health Law Group PLLC, which he founded in 2002. Prior to starting his own firm, Rose practiced for 15 years with Inslee, Best, Doezie & Ryder in Bellevue, Wash. Rose is a member in the American Health Lawyers Association and the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Rhodes

Credit Union 1 in Anchorage has hired Mark Rhodes as vice president of IT Services. Rhodes returns to Credit Union 1 after spending four years as electronic delivery systems manager at Alaska USA Federal Credit Union, where he was responsible for developing the institution's online banking and document management systems. Rhodes previously worked for Credit Union 1 from 1993-2001. As vice president of IT Services, Rhodes will manage a variety of technology projects and upgrades. Credit Union 1 is Alaska's second largest financial cooperative, with 13 branches, more than 50,000 members and $500 million in assets.

Douglas Causey, vice provost for research and graduate studies at the University of Alaska Anchorage, has received a recognition medal from the Civilian Research & Development Foundation. The foundation was formed after the breakup of the former Soviet Union to connect scientific minds in the East and West. Causey, an ecologist and evolutionary biologist, is fluent in Russian and played a key role in CRDF's efforts to increase higher education opportunities and support research in Russia.

Lundfelt

Geoff Lundfelt has been promoted to the position of sales and business development manager of Alaska USA Federal Credit Union with responsibilities for direct and indirect sales initiatives, including branch sales activities, Alaska USA's field of membership, private label credit card program, and business depository services. Lundfelt has worked at Alaska USA since 1998 and has in-depth knowledge of Alaska USA branches, with experience in direct sales and sales management. Most recently he held the position of membership development manager. He has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Conley

Shannon Conley has joined Alaska USA as branch sales manager. In this role he will be responsible for implementing sales initiatives throughout the credit union's branch network in Alaska and Washington. Conley has 10 years sales leadership experience, most recently with Denali Alaska Federal Credit Union. He has a bachelor's degree in finance from University of Alaska Anchorage, and has received extensive training from International Banking Technologies, an industry leader in financial services retail sales training.

Wells Fargo has named Diana Powers its first business payroll services

Powers

specialist based in Alaska. Powers will provide payroll management solutions for small to mid-size businesses throughout Alaska. Her office is in Anchorage at 301 W. Northern Lights Boulevard on the first floor. Powers was most recently a sales representative for pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb for five years. She earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Emporia State University in Kansas. Wells Fargo is Alaska's top financial services employer with more than 1,100 team members serving customers through a network of 70 banking, mortgage, consumer lending, insurance and investment offices, 120 ATMs and online.

Van Etten

Countrywide Home Loans has hired Doug Van Etten as a team home loan consultant to work in their Midtown Anchorage office. With 13 years experience in the real estate industry, Van Etten brings knowledge of the local home market and the home buying process that will be immediately valuable and beneficial to both Realtors and home buyers. In addition to many years of selling real estate, Van Etten has recently served on the Anchorage Assembly. Van Etten will be able to offer new home loans to buyers as well as second mortgages, refinancing and home equity lines of credit to those who already have a home loan. Van Etten will specialize in handling home loans both in person and electronically so you will be able to apply for a loan in the office, at your office or home, or on-line.