In the second major shakeup to his cabinet today, Gov. Bill Walker announced a new DNR commissioner.
Andy Mack, an Arctic policy and development adviser and manager of Pt Capital, a private equity fund based in Anchorage, will take over the agency. Former Commissioner Mark Myers retired in February.
Reached by phone early in the day, Mack said he did not want to discuss the new position without confirmation from the governor’s office. Mack did not return phone calls by deadline.
Walker’s announcement came after acting DNR commissioner Marty Rutherford told Walker she plans to retire in June, according to a media release.
She won’t be leaving the public eye, however, as Walker announced he is appointing her to the board of the Permanent Fund Corp. in July.
Rutherford did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment and a DNR spokesperson did not return messages requesting an interview with Rutherford.
Anchorage Democratic Sen. Bill Wielechowski said Rutherford’s exit will be a blow to the department’s institutional knowledge.
“It’s a loss for the state, you know, she’s someone who’s been through a number of different iterations on gas line policy and on oil tax issues and so, yeah I hate to see her go,” Wielechowski said.
The DNR commissioner is heavily involved in the state’s effort to build a massive natural pipeline to bring gas down from the North Slope.
A Walker spokesperson said he is traveling and not available to talk about the cabinet shakeup and his new appointments.
