Gov. Mike Dunleavy has reappointed Ethan Schutt to a public seat on the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp.’s board of directors, a little over two weeks after Schutt’s prior term expired.

The six-member board directs the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp., which controls the $81.8 billion invested by the Alaska Permanent Fund.

Schutt’s status on the board has been in question since a leaked email from fellow board member Ellie Rubenstein, who said that she had spoken to Dunleavy and he did not intend to reappoint Schutt.

Schutt said on Thursday that he hadn’t been sure if he would be reappointed, but he wanted to be back.

“I think I provide value to the APFC board and therefore to the people of Alaska, and it’s a heavy burden and serious obligation, but I’m happy to do it because I live here and I believe in Alaska, and I want it to be good for my generation and my kids’ generation and everyone after that, too,” he said when asked why he reapplied to the seat.

Schutt, vice president and general counsel of Bristol Bay Native Corp., was appointed by Dunleavy to the board in 2020 for a four-year term and has been the board’s chair for the past two years.

He said he was told of his reappointment on Wednesday, and that the governor didn’t explain his reasoning beyond a formal letter announcing the decision.

Schutt said he’s honored by the governor’s decision and appreciates his confidence in Schutt’s ability to be on the board. Schutt said he will attend the board’s next quarterly meeting, which will take place next week in Fairbanks.

• James Brooks is a longtime Alaska reporter, having previously worked at the Anchorage Daily News, Juneau Empire, Kodiak Mirror and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. This article originally appeared online at alaskabeacon.com. Alaska Beacon, an affiliate of States Newsroom, is an independent, nonpartisan news organization focused on connecting Alaskans to their state government.