Anchorage Daily News

Gov. Sarah Palin has appointed a former crab fisherman and fisheries corporation manager from Dutch Harbor/Unalaska as her new rural affairs adviser. John Moller, 47, started work Friday, according to the governor's office. He said he's planning a trip to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta next week to visit Emmonak, Kotlik and possibly other villages.

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John Moller

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"I believe I can help rural Alaska be heard in the governor's office and also go the other direction, in terms of anything that the governor would like to convey to rural Alaska," he said.

According to his resume, Moller worked more than 10 years as a crab fisherman and as a general manager of the fisheries corporation Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association, and in 2007 and 2008 served as a vice president at Adak Fisheries.

Moller will make $89,000 a year as Palin's principal liaison to rural communities and chief adviser on issues affecting rural Alaska.

Palin's previous rural adviser, KTUU Channel 2 reporter Rhonda McBride, left the job in October. Some Native leaders have criticized Palin in the past for not appointing an Alaska Native to the post.

Moller said his family is Russian, Aleut and Norwegian and describes himself as Alaska Native.

"I think (Palin's) positions on many things are parallel with mine and I agree with the policy that I've seen her make thus far," Moller said. "For those reasons, I just wanted to work with her."

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