Longtime state employee is named interim Revenue commissioner

Gov. Mike Dunleavy has named Deven Mitchell, a 30-year state employee and Alaska’s current debt manager, as the temporary head of the Alaska Department of Revenue following the resignation of Commissioner Lucinda Mahoney. Mahoney previously said she would retire Sept. 9.

As commissioner, Mitchell will be in charge of collecting state taxes. The commissioner also fills a seat on the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. board of directors.

Mitchell, who joined the department in 1992, lives in Juneau and for the past several years has been the official in charge of overseeing the state’s credit rating and bond sales.

He also serves as director and treasurer of the Alaska Municipal Bond Bank Authority, a state-owned corporation that issues bonds on behalf of local governments, helping them save money by getting better interest rates.

Any permanent commissioner appointment is subject to confirmation by the Alaska Legislature when it meets next year.