A leadership transition at AMCC

Here's the announcement.

UFA seeks new skipper

United Fishermen of Alaska, the state's flagship commercial fishing organization, is seeking a new executive director.

That's because the current executive director, Frances Leach, who has held the job since January 2018, is leaving to start a Juneau lobbying firm.

Jeremy Woodrow named ASMI interim chief

Here's the press release.

CFEC opening

The Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission is recruiting for an executive director.

UFA's new skipper

United Fishermen of Alaska has hired Frances Leach as its executive director, effective Jan. 5.

Leach, a Juneau resident, was raised in a commercial fishing family in Ketchikan, says this UFA press release.

Tuna man to take helm of halibut commission

Details in this official announcement.

BBRSDA names new leader

Becky Martello will take over as executive director of the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association, effective Dec. 14.

Here's a press release with details about her background.

We have a new ASMI boss

Alexa Tonkovich is the new executive director at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

She moves up from her post as ASMI's international program director.

Hatchery honcho wanted in Kodiak

The Kodiak Regional Aquaculture Association is looking for an executive director.

UFA makes its choice

The unofficial word is Julianne Curry was selected today as United Fishermen of Alaska's new executive director.

UFA's short list

Deckboss hears reliably that United Fishermen of Alaska, the state's largest commercial fishing association, has narrowed the pool of applicants for the executive director's position to these three:

• Joe Childers, a former UFA president

• Julianne Curry, the outgoing executive director of the Petersburg Vessel Owners Association

• Sarah Melton, a former fisheries analyst on the staff of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council

UFA is expected to make its selection at its Oct. 17-19 board meeting in Anchorage.

UFA's internal debate

United Fishermen of Alaska, the state's top commercial fishing group, has been looking since July for a new executive director.

Naturally, we're all wondering how the search is going.

Deckboss can provide a little insight in the form of a "confidential" email that came his way today. The email is "inside baseball," to some degree, but I expect most readers can follow it. So here it is:

Subject: UFA Exective Director selection process and list of applicants--draft memo
Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2012 10:39:31 -0800
From: Roland Maw
To: Undisclosed Recipients

Confidential:
Draft:

UFA Board:

We have received the ED selection process memorandum and the list of candidates and I wish to make a few comments on the process. In particular, one of the candidates and her relationship with some of the EC members who will be involved in making EC recommendations to the full Board. First of all, I would recommend that no less than three candidates names be forwarded to the full Board, and that the final selection require a two thirds majority vote of approval.

In terms of applicants, my particular concern is with Julianne Curry, with whom I have professional experiences and observations at the NPFMC relative to the Salmon FMP issue. It is not about Julianne as a person, and it is not about personal issues, instead, it is about her history with fishery policy agendas, how she has pursued them and her professional relationships with UFA groups. I am concerned only about this matter in regard to what is best for UFA as a professional organization. Questions often arise as to how Julianne, with her narrow focus on fisheries issues, lack of willingness to listen to opposing points of view and unwillingness to compromise, can fairly represent the diverse issues of UFA as a statewide commercial fishery organization.

Concerns occur on a regular basis at the NPFMC Advisory Panel (AP) regarding her involvement with the "Super 8," otherwise known as "the Angry 8," on the AP. This group, comprised of two UFA voting member group reps, PVOA and ALFA, routinely votes as a minority block on the AP and develops lengthy minority opinions, both of which are the subject of controversy. Other notable groups represented in the “Angry 8” are: AMCC, the Gulf of Alaska Coastal Communities Coalition (GOAC3) and the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Development Association (YRDFA). The “Angry 8” group has been a subject of discussion at the AP of the NPFMC for almost a year, resulting in the Chairman of the NPFMC delivering a warning to the AP, through the Chair of the AP, about this issue. The “Angry 8” group unnecessarily takes on issues outside their respective geographic areas, and, in so doing, they injure other UFA member groups. In the case of Cook Inlet, Julianne spoke in favor of the revision to the Salmon FMP against the interests of UCIDA. In the light of these activities, how can she fairly represent member groups as the ED of UFA?

This issue needs to come to light in this selection process and needs to be known to the full Board. There are numerous salmon-based organizations who are not involved in the Council process and are unaware of this organized political activity at the Council. The subject of the "Angry 8" has also become a subject of interest with at least one member of the press. The voting record of the "Angry 8" is a matter of record in the Council minutes. This issue remains an ongoing subject of discussion within the EC of the NPFMC.

Julianne began telling people at the UFA February 2012 winter Board meeting in Juneau that she was going to apply for the UFA ED position in the fall when it was announced. She also announced that she would be resigning from PVOA. Since then, she has made no effort to communicate with any of the group representatives to discuss her plans and goals, if she is to be selected and to tell us how she can fairly represent our diverse interests.

ASMI — semper paratus

The guy retiring as head of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is a former U.S. Coast Guard officer.

And the guy who's coming in to replace him? You guessed it, a former Coast Guard officer.

Here's the press release:

Aug. 13, 2012

ASMI announces new executive director

JUNEAU — Following an extensive nationwide search, the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute board of directors has selected retired U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Michael Cerne to replace Executive Director Ray Riutta.

Cerne will begin working in the ASMI Juneau office in September to allow for several months of overlap before Riutta retires in December.

"While it will be difficult to replace someone the caliber of Ray Riutta, I'm very happy with the board's decision and we are quite confident that Mr. Cerne will be an effective leader at ASMI for years to come," said board Chairman Joe Bundrant of Trident Seafoods.

"I've known Michael and his good work for years. His combination of skills and experience will make him a very good addition to ASMI," Riutta said.

Cerne served in the Coast Guard for 31 years and retired in 2011 with the rank of captain.

He is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy with a degree in marine science. He also has a master of marine affairs degree from the University of Rhode Island.

Cerne served on five Coast Guard cutters in his career, three of which were based in Alaska, including command of Storis in Kodiak.

Ashore, his assignments included commanding officer of the North Pacific Fisheries Training Center in Kodiak, and chief of fisheries law enforcement from 1998 to 2002 at Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Cerne's final assignment was at the Coast Guard district office in Juneau where he managed Alaska fishery patrol operations and served on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, the North Pacific Research Board and a number of international fishery management organizations.

He is currently completing a project with the United Nations to improve the management of global tuna fisheries.

Cerne is married to the former Holly Hagerty of North Carolina. They have two children, Kathryn, 18, and Sarah, 16.

Want to run UFA?

Here's an advertisement seeking a new executive director for United Fishermen of Alaska, the state's top commercial fishing organization.

The ad says the position pays $72,000 a year.

As we've previously reported, the job is coming open because the current executive director, Mark Vinsel, is planning to voluntarily transition to another position with UFA.

Personnel file

Looks like we've got a significant vacancy down in Petersburg.

The Petersburg Vessel Owners Association has released this job posting:

Petersburg Vessel Owners Association is seeking an Executive Director for a multi-gear multi-species commercial fishing advocacy group. Duties include: representing PVOA at various fisheries management forums, boards, and committees; informing the board and the membership of current issues; maintaining and building membership; and administrative work. Knowledge of the fishing industry is preferred. Position is considered part-time with significant travel expected and salary averages $35,000 per year based on experience.

The outgoing executive director, Julianne Curry, tells Deckboss: "I haven't decided what I'm doing next!"

CDQ players fill longstanding vacancy

WACDA, the umbrella organization for the six nonprofit companies operating under the federal Community Development Quota program, has hired Aggie Blandford as its new executive director.

Blandford fills a position that came open in late 2009 with the departure of Wanetta Ayers, who now works for the state.

Here's a press release.