Alaska News

Business people

Pedro Bay Corp., a Native village corporation, has hired Robert M. McKown as president and chief executive, and Trudy Bonnette as office manager. The company also recently opened an office at 1500 W. 33rd Ave., Suite 220.

"Our company is faced with many opportunities and issues that led us to seek full-time professional management. We have been shareholder-managed since inception, and this is a big step forward for us," said John A. Adcox, chairman.

McKown comes to Anchorage from North Carolina with more than 30 years of experience in commercial banking, venture capital, real estate and investment banking. He previously was a senior vice president with First Union National Bank of North Carolina and senior vice president and partner with Raymond James & Associates. McKown holds a MBA from Harvard Business School.

Bonnette is a long-time Alaskan with 15 years of experience in office management and accounting.

The United Fishermen of Alaska announced the election of two new at-large representatives to its board, and two new committee chairs to its executive committee. Ninilchik setnetter Cheryl Sutton and Gerry Merrigan of Petersburg join incumbent at-large directors Bruce Wallace of Juneau and Bruce Schactler of Kodiak. The four were elected to two-year terms. Bob Thorstenson Jr., representing Southeast Alaska Seiners, was elected as marketing chairman. Paul Shadura of Kenai represents Kenai Peninsula Fishermen's Association and was elected membership chairman. UFA's officers were each re-elected, with Joe Childers as president, Chip Treinen as vice president and Rich Davis as secretary.

Three attorneys from Perkins Coie's Anchorage law office have been recognized by Chambers & Partners, publishers of "Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business." Eric Fjelstad, the Anchorage managing partner, was ranked for his environment and natural resources practice; Thomas Daniel for labor and employment; and Michael Kreger for construction litigation. Perkins Coie was also named a top law firm in the U.S. The firm was recognized in the annual directory as a leader in the environment, natural resources and regulated industries and labor and employment practice areas in Alaska.

Col. Reinhard W. Koenig has assumed command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District. Col. Kevin J. Wilson, the outgoing Alaska District commander, will head a new district office at Kandahar, Afghanistan. Koenig comes to Alaska after attending the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. He served as the chief of the operations branch for the Office of the Chief of Engineers at the Pentagon from August 2007-2008. He served as the division G-3 for the Corps' Gulf Region Division in Iraq in 2006-2007.

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John Tindall, managing partner of Anchorage law firm Tindall Bennett & Shoup, was named in the 2009 edition of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business. Tindall was named by Chambers to "Band 1" -- the highest individual ranking -- in its real estate law listing, and denominated a "Leader in his Field." Tindall was also named by Chambers to "Band 2" in its corporate mergers and acquisitions listing.

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