Economic development director moves on

PALMER — Dave Hanson has a relatively succinct summation of more than five years working for the Mat-Su Borough.

“It’s just been a great five-and-a-half years and I really appreciate the caliber of employee that’s here,” he said. “It’s a group of very hard-working and caring employees.”

The borough is a relatively unique place in that few other borough or county governments in the nation are doing things like building a port or a rail spur or putting up a new school every 18 months to two years. That the borough can accomplish that, he said, is remarkable.

Hanson is the borough’s director of Economic Development. He said he’s leaving now because, essentially, the money funding his department has run out. The borough assembly during last year’s budget process cut the Economic Development Department. What was left runs out at the end of the day today.

“At this point, until they decide what, if anything, they do with the position in the next budget they’re essentially losing an economic development director,” Hanson said. “I’m actively looking for work and following some leads, just feeling very good about what I’ve been able to do at the borough and just feel so great about the people and the business people of the borough that it’s just made this job and this career a joy.”

Hanson has said in the past that his job was essentially one of finding, generating and distributing information.

He worked for quite some time putting together an economic development plan for the borough. That would be an example of generating information. He did it by bringing together 100 or more businesses over multiple months. The resulting document is more than 100 pages long and includes more than 80 pieces of advice to spur economic development growth.

Distribution of information comes in when he’s looking for ways to help local businesses expand. He seeks them out and provides information on how to overcome roadblocks to their expansion plans.

Through it all, Hanson has said, he strived to be as neutral as possible in presenting information. He would put facts on the table and let the decisionmakers do with them what they would.

Part of economic development is also to forge relationships. Hanson is very proud that the borough was able to work with Mat-Su College to create a paramedic school.

“Otherwise, they’d have to go to Kenai or Fairbanks for training,” he said.

Another part of the job looks a lot like others at the borough — pulling together funds to get a major project off the ground. Hanson was in charge of the expansion of Port MacKenzie’s barge dock, something he’s also proud of.

Prior to working for the borough, Hanson ran his own business doing economic development and land management work. He also was kind of a neutral-party-for-hire.

“I’d be hired to run meetings nobody wanted to run,” he said. “Things like the Ketchikan bridge meetings and the coastal trail meetings in Anchorage.”

His job at the borough, he said, was wonderful. He always wanted to come to work.

“What I hope people realize is that they’ve got a great borough full of wonderful people doing amazing work,” Hanson said. “It’s been an extremely challenging job and I’ve enjoyed it immensely.”

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.