Mr. Hugh Short
(Public Member)
Appointed: 02/07/2011
Expires: 06/30/2013
Elected Chair: 04/20/2011

Member. Chair.
Hugh Short was appointed to the Board in February 2011. Mr. Short is currently the CEO for Alaska Growth Capital, an ASRC company.  He is a lifelong Alaskan has served as the VP for Support Services at the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation, as well as owner of small businesses in rural Alaska.  Additionally, he has served as the Mayor of Bethel from 2002 to 2004, and the Yuut Elitnaurviat Board of Directors in Bethel, Alaska.  Hugh currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Alaska Humanities Forum as Treasurer, Pacific Northern Academy as Treasurer, Rural Energy Enterprises, and United Utilities, Inc.

Hugh was born and raised in Bethel, Alaska and is a Calista Corporation shareholder.  He is a 1997 graduate of the University of Alaska Anchorage with a B.A in Political Science.

President & CEO
Alaska Growth Capital
3900 C Street, #302
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
hughshort@gmail.com
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Ms. Susan Bell
Commissioner
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
Appointed: 07/12/2010
Elected Vice-Chair: 04/20/2011

Member. Vice-Chair.
Susan Bell was appointed Commissioner of the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development on July 12, 2010, by Governor Sean Parnell.

Most recently, she served as a Special Assistant to the Governor, working closely with the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. During the 2010 legislative session, she contributed to several initiatives intended to strengthen Alaska’s economy and communities, including enhanced business financing, increased funding for marketing of Alaska’s industries, and tax relief. Bell has an extensive background in community development, economic development and transportation infrastructure projects. She has held numerous senior-level business management and marketing positions and understands the challenges faced by communities and small businesses in this state.

Bell has successfully collaborated with Alaska community leaders, private residents, nonprofit organizations, ANCSA corporations and other tribal entities, and state and federal agencies. She has also served as a steering committee member for Alaska Forward, a statewide economic development initiative that includes representatives from the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce, the University of Alaska, U.S. Economic Development Administration and regional economic development associations.

Born in Nome and raised in Fairbanks, Bell has been a resident of Southeast Alaska since 1987. She is a shareholder of Bering Straits Native Corporation and Sitnasuak Native Corporation, and served as a vice president for Goldbelt Incorporated, with responsibility for the marketing and management of nearly a dozen separate business ventures.

Bell received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alaska. In her spare time, she volunteers for Big Brothers Big Sisters and enjoys spending time outdoors.

P.O. Box 110800
Juneau, AK 99811-0800
9th Floor State Office Building
susan.bell@alaska.gov
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Mr. Bryan Butcher
Commissioner
Department of Revenue
Appointed: 12/06/2010

Member.
Commissioner Bryan Butcher was appointed to this position beginning in January, 2011 by Governor Sean Parnell.  Mr. Butcher was the Director of Governmental Relations and Public Affairs for the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) for the last eight years and in a dual role was also Vice President of the recently formed Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) since 2010.   In 2009 Mr. Butcher served as a Special Assistant working on Economic Development issues for Governor Parnell.  Mr. Butcher also served as a member of former Governor Sarah Palin’s gasline team through the AGIA process.

Before joining AHFC in 2003, Mr. Butcher previously worked for the Alaska State Legislature as a Finance Committee Aide for the House and Senate Finance Committees for 12 years.

Mr. Butcher is also currently serving as the coordinator for Governor Sean Parnell’s statewide transition team.

A lifelong Alaskan born and raised in Anchorage, Mr. Butcher holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Communications from the University of Oregon.

9th Floor State Office Building
P.O. Box 110800
Juneau, AK 99811-0800
bryan.butcher@alaska.gov
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Member.
Ron Arvin was appointed to the Board on February 7, 2011.
Arvin, of Wasilla, is currently the president of RA Environmental Inc., providing international trade services, design/build contracting and other business development services. He also serves as a member of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly and is the deputy mayor of the borough. Arvin has been a member of the Taiwan-Alaska Trade Investment Cooperation Council since 2004 and is a former commissioner of Port MacKenzie. Arvin was named to the Alaska Journal of Commerce Top Forty Under 40 and is appointed to a seat reserved for the private sector."

Assembly Member, Deputy Mayor
Matanuska-Susitna Borough
189 East Nelson #136
Wasilla, Alaska 99654
ron@ronarvin.com
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Mr. Wilson Hughes
(Public Member)
Appointed: 07/07/2011
Expires: 06/30/2012

Member.
Wilson Hughes was appointed to the Board on July 7, 2011. Mr. Hughes was named Chief Operating Officer of GCI in June 1991 and is currently the Executive Vice President and General Manager. He has more than 35 years of experience as an executive, engineer and project manager in the communications, engineering and construction industries in Alaska. He is past chairman of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation and is past chairman of the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority. Prior to joining GCI, Hughes was president of Northern Air Cargo of Anchorage, Alaska. He has also served as president of Enserch Alaska Services Inc., an Alaska construction company and Frank Moolin & Associates, Inc., an Anchorage engineering firm.

He received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Missouri at Rolla and a master's in science and engineering management from the University of Alaska.

Executive Vice President and General Manager
GCI
2550 Denali Street, Ste 1000
Anchorage, AK 99503
whughes@gci.com
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Mr. Robert Sheldon
(Public Member)
Appointed: 10/29/2010
Expires: 06/30/2012

Member.
Robert Sheldon was appointed to the Board on October 29, 2010. Mr. Sheldon has extensive business development and indepth financial and project management experience. Mr. Sheldon, of Anchorage, is a third-generation Alaskan and a principal and founder of Arbor Capital Management, Inc. He has served as a director for the Reeve Corporation, a partner in FirstAnco, and general partner of the Power Fund Management, LLC. He also worked as a trust officer for First National Bank Alaska. Mr. Sheldon is a commissioner for the Commission on Judicial Conduct and has served on several trade efforts for the State of Alaska.

Mr. Sheldon received his B.S. in Business Administration (Finance) and a Minor B.A. in Economics from Colorado State University in 1993.

Principal and Founder
Arbor Capital Management
1400 West Benson Blvd. Suite 575
Anchorage, AK 99503
rsheldon@acminc.com
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Mr. Gary Wilken
(Public Member)
Appointed: 12/01/2010
Expires: 06/03/2012

Member.
Mr. Wilken was appointed to the Board on December 1, 2010.  In 1996, 2000, 2002 and 2004, Mr. Wilken served as a Senator for the State of Alaska representing Fairbanks and Ft. Wainwright . He is a retired small business owner.

Mr. Wilken received his B.S. in Business and Technology with a minor in Petroleum Geology and a Master in Business Administration from Oregon State University in 1968.

Retired Small Businessman
State Senator representing Fairbanks (1996-2008)
Fairbanks, Alaska 99709
garywilken@me.com

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