Military affairs position filled, governor appoints others

ANCHORAGE -- Mat-Su's newest senator, Charlie Huggins, was inducted into the Alaska Senate on Sept. 28 and, at a press conference in Anchorage Thursday, Gov. Frank Murkowski filled Huggins' position as director of the state Office of Veterans Affairs.

Huggins will serve out the remaining two years of a Senate seat vacated by Scott Ogan, who stepped down from the seat in August.

Jerry Beale, who had previously served as project manager for the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs was appointed to fill Huggins' vacated position.

According to information from the governor's office, Beale joined the U.S. Air Force in 1971 and served in Mississippi, Florida, Colorado and Iceland before being transferred to Elmendorf Air Force Base in 1988.

He served at Elmendorf until 1997, when he retired as chief master sergeant. Following his retirement, Beale worked for the United Way of Anchorage and for the Municipality of Anchorage.

Murkowski said he filled the position quickly in an effort to maintain continuous service to veterans.

"We can never, of course, pay properly our debt to veterans, but we can try and meet their needs," Murkowski said.

In speaking to Beale's appointment, Alaska National Guard Major General Craig Campbell commended Huggins for his 18 months of service as Office of Veterans Affairs director.

"The energy he brought to the department to make services available to veterans across the state was phenomenal," Campbell said. "He was instrumental in making sure full funding was available to veterans -- it was one of the only departments that received full funding."

Campbell said he believes Beale will bring as much energy into the office.

In addition to Beale's appointment, Murkowski also announced two other executive appointments Thursday.

Mona McAleese was appointed as executive director of the Alaska Workforce Investment Board and Terry Thurbon was appointed as the new chief administrative law judge.

McAleese, according to information from the governor's office, formerly served as project coordinator for the Alaska region for the Americans with Disabilities Act Partners Project. She served as the chair of the Workforce Investment Board's evaluation and assessment committee, as a member of the board's youth council and on the governor's Committee on Rehabilitation and Employment of People with Disabilities. She also served as a member of the Municipality of Anchorage's ADA Commission.

McAleese said she is glad to have the opportunity to help Alaskans find suitable work.

"It's been a mission of mine for all Alaskans to be employed," McAleese said. "Employment is such a key issue in Alaska -- it's a wonderful opportunity to be able to meld the two together."

Murkowski said McAleese will be working to ensure that job training in Alaska is customized to fit the needs of employers and Alaskans.

"Mona McAleese understands the solutions, as well as the challenges, of providing good jobs in Alaska for Alaskans," Murkowski said. "The board and the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development share a commitment to advance employment opportunities for Alaskans, and Mona McAleese strengthens our commitment to those specific goals."

Thurbon, Murkowski said, will serve in a newly created position -- one authorized by the Legislature last year.

According to information from the governor's office, Senate Bill 203, sponsored by Sen. Gene Therriault, R-North Pole, authorized a new panel of administrative law judges in state statute and created the position of administrative law judge. The new panel will serve as a state hearing officer for public appeals of state decisions.

"It will ensure a fair appeals process for the public," Murkowski said. "Terry has a vision for the new office, and the experience to put that vision into action."

Thurbon previously served as the sole assistant attorney general assigned to the Department of Law's Juneau environmental section. There, she worked on legislation and regulations for the Department of Environmental Conservation and advised the commissioner on administrative appeals of permit decisions.

Prior to her state service, she worked in private practice as a legal and regulatory consultant on environmental permitting and compliance, and as an associate attorney for the Robertson, Monagle and Eastaugh law firm.

Thurbon holds a bachelor's degree in government from California State University, Sacramento and a law degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.

Contact Rindi White at rindi.white@frontiersman.com.