Anchorage Daily News

• Col. Thomas W. Bergeson assumed command of the 3rd Wing during a recent command ceremony at Elmendorf Air Force Base. Col. Bergeson was recently deployed as the Chief of Aviation Division of Multi-National Forces Iraq from May 2007 to May 2008. Col. Richard Walberg became the 3rd Wing commander following the death of Brig. Gen. Thomas Tinsley. After the assumption of command, Col. Walberg will serve as the vice commander of the 3rd Wing. Col. Bergeson is a command pilot with more than 3,100 hours of flight time. He received his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1985. He has served as an instructor pilot at the U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nev., and squadron and group commander at Langley AFB, Va.

• Tim Carroll has joined The Growth Co. as senior associate and the leadership division director. He served 28 years in the U.S. Air Force, most recently as the senior enlisted leader of 5,000 and primary personnel adviser to the commander of Elmendorf Air Force Base. Carroll ran the Air Force's premier leadership development school at Elmendorf before becoming the base's top enlisted leader. He is a distinguished graduate of all levels of Air Force professional education and graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage in 2007 with a bachelor's in History.

• Four new officers have joined Northrim Bank: Stephen Ponto, Chris McGee, Amber Smith and Daewon Kim. Ponto is vice president, commercial loan officer, and is responsible for managing and growing a portfolio of commercial clients. He comes to Northrim from Key Bank, where he worked for 18 years as a business banking relationship manager and credit analyst. McGee is a vice president, commercial loan officer, and returns to Northrim after serving in the Peace Corps involved with business development in Macedonia. He is responsible for managing a commercial loan portfolio and developing new business opportunities. Smith is vice president, internal audit manager and is responsible for organizing, planning and completing the bank's internal compliance, organizational, and functional audits as well as monitoring Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. Kim is the vice president, core system project manager and is responsible for managing and implementing the core system for Northrim Bank through management of the Bank Operations Department. He has 12 years of experience in information technology, data processing, application programming, business analysis and IT project management.

• SRK Consulting Inc. has hired longtime Alaskan Bill Jeffress as principal consultant. He will oversee the Alaska operations. Jeffress has more than 35 years of experience in natural resource management and development with over 20 of those years in the mining industry. SRK has opened an Alaska office at 4710 Business Park Blvd., Suite F-40 in Anchorage. SRK provides advice and solutions for the earth and water resource industries. For mining projects, SRK offers services from exploration through feasibility, mine planning and production to mine closure.

• Dawn Hurst is the new Elmendorf Branch manager for First National Bank Alaska. She has more than 14 years banking experience in Alaska, most recently as operations supervisor at the Dimond Branch. Hurst, who has lived in Alaska for nearly 20 years, has been involved with Junior Achievement and has volunteered her time at Fairview Elementary School teaching children about saving money.

• Bristol Bay resident Mary Hiratsuka has joined North Star Group as a management associate overseeing the Washington, D.C., operations. Hiratsuka, who is of Yupik and Japanese descent, grew up in Dillingham and graduated from Dillingham High School. She recently completed her Bachelor's of Arts degree at Dartmouth College with a major in Native American Studies. Her interest in issues affecting rural Alaska is part of what attracted her to the opportunity of working with the North Star Group, which serves Alaska interests and communities both in the 49th state and in the nation's capital.

• The Alaska Club recently hired Deborah Fachko as corporate sales director, Denise Brown Robinson as director of marketing and public relations and Doug Herron as director for the Athletes in Motion program. Fachko has experience in corporate sales, marketing and public relations. Fachko manages membership sales for the Downtown Club, corporate sales, digital advertising and special events. Brown Robinson oversees the development and implementation of statewide marketing strategies, communications and community relations. Brown Robinson was the marketing director for the Anchorage Concert Association and was sole proprietor of a consulting business, Brown Robinson Marketing & PR. Herron was a 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials track and field semi-finalist and an NCAA All-American. Herron oversees the development of various performance-based training groups as well as multi-sport Master and Middle/High School conditioning programs. Herron will provide coaching for people who are interested in improving their conditioning and technique.

• Sherri Martin was promoted to process improvement coordinator/collections with Blood Bank of Alaska. She has served as a phlebotomist, as a team leader for mobile blood drives and as a training specialist, overseeing phlebotomy training for new and existing staff. Martin is certified in phlebotomy through the American Society of Clinical Pathology. She will conduct internal audits of donation and manufacturing processes to ensure safety and efficiency.

• Preferred Mortgage will open a Valley branch in Wasilla at 892 E. USA Circle, Suite 101, in September. Cris Skinner, formerly president and owner of Kelstar Alaska Mortgage, is the branch manager. She has 18 years in the finance industry with 12 of those years in mortgage lending. Tauna Clegg and Regin Dervaes will serve as mortgage loan officers. Clegg has three years experience in the mortgage lending industry. She spent two years as delegate council member on the board of directors for Alaska Association of Mortgage Brokers. Dervaes' background is in sales, management and marketing. She is a member of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers and Alaska Association of Mortgage Brokers.

• Graham Smith was recently named communications and membership coordinator, and Alicia Egan has been promoted to development and events director at the Alaska Support Industry Alliance. Smith has joined the Alliance from the Alaska Journal of Commerce, where he was an account executive. Egan joined the Alliance in 2007 as events coordinator. In his new position, Smith is responsible for membership programs and communications functions, including the organization's newsletter and annual oil and gas directory. In her new position, Egan manages business development, leads fundraising efforts and the planning and execution of all Alliance events.

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