About Me
I’d like to introduce myself and tell you a little bit about who I am, where I’ve been, and why I’m here.
Serving the Community
Currently, I am an elected assembly member on the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly, serving since 2020. As an assembly member I co-chair the Assembly/School Board Liaison Committee as well as serve on the University of Alaska Southeast Ketchikan Campus Advisory Council.
Growing Up
I understand what it means to be a part of a small community and experience industry changes that can affect rural families and businesses. I grew up in rural Oregon, spending my teenage years in the small logging town of Roseburg, where the timber industry was a way of life. By the time I graduated high school, timber jobs were on the decline. This encouraged me to consider alternate career paths, which led me to join the U.S. Air Force in 1995. This would set me on a unique journey that would eventually lead me to Ketchikan.
Military Service
The U.S. Air Force is where my career in energy began; I served as a power generation specialist, first working in power plants and then in mobile generation for combat communication.
I gained operations experience during the Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo wars, and in Africa while supporting humanitarian missions. I served nearly six years including time stationed in Europe. My military experience stimulated my desire to continue my education and sparked my interest in the energy field.
I left active-duty military service to pursue a degree in electrical engineering from Portland State University. While in college I served in the Air National Guard, briefly returning to active duty after 9/11, and ultimately finishing my engineering degree in 2005.
Engineering Career
After graduating from Portland State, I started my civilian service career as an engineer with the Hydroelectric Design Center, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Center for Expertise in hydroelectric engineering.
During my time with the Corps of Engineers, I worked in hydropower across the U.S. and abroad, to include civil support missions in Afghanistan.
In 2010, I earned my Professional Engineer (PE) license in electrical engineering, this led me to work as a Senior Engineer with instructor duties in hydropower and ultimately as a Design Manager with responsibilities in the South Atlantic Division.
Alaska is Home
Over 13 years ago, I began spending summers in Ketchikan and felt right at home, falling in love with the people, beauty, and culture of the community. In 2016, a professional opportunity at the local utility became available and I jumped at the chance to make Southeast Alaska my permanent home.
I’m currently working as the Electric Division Manager with Ketchikan Public Utilities. Away from work, I enjoy officiating high school basketball games, and love the unique culture and atmosphere of Southeast Alaska Basketball.
Ketchikan is where I met my wife, Carolyn Henry. We both love our community and everything about island life in Southeast. We enjoy spending time on the water, exploring the beauty of Southeast, and attending the wonderful community events throughout the year. You can also find us working on house projects as we work to restore our historic home and volunteering with various community organizations. I’m not originally from Alaska, but this is home and I’m here to stay.