The Alaska Native village corporation for Angoon announced a new president and CEO this week.
Deborah J. Atuk has joined Kootznoowoo Inc. as its new president and CEO, the corporation said in a news release.
“We are so pleased that Debbie has agreed to take on this important and challenging role,” said Kootznoowoo Board Chair Melissa Kookesh in the release.. “The board was impressed with her strong background in business development and solid leadership skills. We are confident that as Kootznoowoo continues to grow our businesses and work to increase opportunities for our shareholders, Debbie’s experience will be a key asset to the Corporation.”
Atuk replaces Hal Dreyer who came to Kootznoowoo in April of 2017 as a consultant tasked with evaluating the organization’s strengths and weaknesses, according to Kootznoowoo Inc. He began serving as the corporation’s interim president and CEO in April 2018.
Atuk was officially appointed to the position in January, according to the corporation. Dreyer will continue to work with the Corporation in a consulting role during the executive transition and to further the development of the Thayer Creek Hydro project.
Prior to joining Kootznoowoo, since 2016, Atuk served as a portfolio specialist and institutional relationship manager for SkyView Investment Advisors LLC in New York City. Originally from Nome, Alaska, Atuk is Iñupiaq, according to the corporation. She earned an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Chicago and a Master of Business Administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.
“I am both honored and excited by the opportunity to lead Kootznoowoo,” Atuk said in the release. “Under the leadership of Hal and the board, the corporation has come a long way in just a few short years. I look forward to continuing the board’s mission of building a strong and profitable corporation for Kootznoowoo’s shareholders.”
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