Governor Sean Parnell has named Pat Kemp commissioner of the state Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. Kemp had been interim commissioner since October.
Kemp worked for DOT for 30 years, retiring in 2006. He operated a private engineering office in Juneau after retiring, but returned to the state in 2011 as deputy commissioner for Highways and Public Facilities.
Kemp earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Washington.
The governor’s office says Kemp is the first DOT commissioner to be born and raised in Alaska, as well as the first to work his way completely through the ranks to head the department.
