45th Annual Alaska Resources Conference

November 12-14, 2024 - Dena'ina Center- Anchorage, Alaska

DRAFT CONFERENCE AGENDA

Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Location: The Speakeasy @ Williwaw Social, 609 F Street, Anchorage, AK

4:30 - 6:30 pm     Emerging Leaders & Established Professionals Opening Reception: We’re bringing the fun and the fashion – come mix, mingle, and kick off RDC’s conference with Alaska’s top industry movers and shakers.

Theme:             Expanding Borders – Connecting Opportunity
Attire:               Canadian Tuxedo & Logger Chic
Partnerships:  Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) Leadership Summit
                          Alaska Forest Association members

                          

Wednesday, November 13, 2024 - Day 1
Location: Third Floor, Dena'ina Center, Anchorage, Alaska

8:00 am           Registration & Check-in; Exhibit Hall Opens
                          Eye-Opener Breakfast in Exhibit Hall – Sponsored by Wells Fargo

8:30 am           Opening Remarks: Scott Habberstad, RDC Board President

8:45 am            Livestream Remarks: The Honorable U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski

9:00 am            Welcoming Remarks: Mayor Suzanne LaFrance, Municipality of Anchorage

9:15 am          Economy in Focus: 
                       
                        Alaska’s Economy Heading into 2025
Presenter:       Dan Robinson, Chief Economist, Alaska Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development          

                        The Workforce “Equation” Securing affordable communities as key to the solution
Moderator:      Cmmr. Julie Sande, Alaska Dept. of Commerce, Community & Economic Development
Panelists:        Bryan Butcher, CEO/Executive Director, Alaska Housing & Finance Corporation
                          Kati Capozzi, President & CEO, Alaska Chamber
                          Dan Robinson, Chief Economist, Alaska Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

10:15 am         Morning Break  – Sponsorship still available!

10:45 am         Fishing in Focus: Uniting For Our Fish
Moderator:      Julie Decker, President, Pacific Seafood Processors Association
Panelists:        Cmmr. Douglas Vincent-Lang, Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game
                          Joe Bundrant, President & CEO, Trident Seafoods 
                          Jim Jansen, President & CEO, Lynden 
                          Luke Fanning, Chief Executive Officer, APICDA

11:30 am         Networking Break

12:00 pm         Keynote Luncheon:  Sponsored by Northrim Bank 

                        The War Below: A conversation with the author about
                        the race for global critical mineral dominance 
                        Ernest Scheyder, Author of "The War Below"

Moderator:     David Parish, RDC Past President, 1994-1995               

                       Book signing in the lobby afterwards.  250 free copies courtesy of NANA.

1:00 pm           Networking Break

1:30 pm           Mining in Focus: The Path to Production
Moderator:       Karen Matthias, Executive Director, Alaska Metal Mines
Panelists:         Kaleb Froehlich, Managing Director, Ambler Metals
                           Marleanna Hall, Director, External Affairs & Public Relations, Bering Straits Native Corporation
                           Mandy Hawes, COO, Aleut Corporation

2:15 pm          Technology in Focus: CCUS and Why it Matters
Moderator:      Haley Paine, Deputy Director, Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources, Division of Oil and Gas
Panelists:        Frank Paskvan, Affiliate Professor for CCUS, University of Alaska Fairbanks
                          Justin Seavey, Senior Projects Engineer, Usibelli Coal Mine
                          Esther Tempel, Director of Carbon Programs and New Energy, ASRC Energy Services

2:45 pm          Afternoon Breakan Ice Cream Social sponsored by Alaska Oil and Gas Association!

3:15 pm          Oil and Gas in Focus: North Slope Bright Spots - Big & Small
Moderator:     Kara Moriarty, President & CEO, Alaska Oil & Gas Association
Panelists:       Tom Walsh, Managing Partner, Petrotechnical Resources of Alaska
                         Jessica Rostad, Owner & CEO, Big Ray’s Alaska
                         Don Allan, GKA Asset Development Manager, ConocoPhillips
                          Lea Souliotis, SVP Commercial, Strategy, & Planning, Santos

4:00 pm         Transportation and Access in Focus: The Haul Road, Access and More
Moderator:     Joe Balash, Senior VP External Affairs, Santos
Panelists:       Cmmr. Ryan Anderson, Alaska Dept. of Transportation & Public Facilities
                         Cmmr. John Boyle, Alaska Department of Natural Resources
                          Rebecca Logan, CEO, The Alaska Support Industry Alliance

4:30 pm         Southcentral Alaska Energy Supply in Focus: In this Together
Moderator:     Lorali Simon, VP External Affairs, Usibelli Coal Mine
Panelists:       John Sims, President, ENSTAR
                         Arthur Miller, CEO, Chugach Electric
                         Benjy Johnson, President & CEO, and Director, BlueCrest Energy
                         John Hendrix, President/CEO, Hex and Furie Operating Alaska, LLC 

5:00 pm         Closing Remarks & Welcome to VIP Reception hosted by Santos

5:00-6:30 pm   VIP Reception: Sponsored by Santos and Repsol

 

Thursday, November 14, 2024 - Day 2
Location: Third Floor, Dena'ina Center, Anchorage, Alaska

8:00 am         Exhibits Open
                        
Eye-Opener Breakfast in Exhibit Hall Sponsored by ExxonMobil

8:30 am         Day 2 Welcome Remarks: RDC Board Officer

                       Welcome Remarks
                       Tyson Gallagher, Chief of Staff, Office of Governor Mike Dunleavey

8:45 am        Cross Border Opportunities: A Conversation with Our PNWER Partners
Moderator:    MaryAnn Pease, Honorary Canadian Consulate for Alaska
Panelists:      Rep. Delena Johnson, Alaska State House & Vice President, PNWER
                        Rep., Cindy Ryu, Washington State House & PNWER President
                        MLA Shane Getson, Alberta, PNWER Vice President

9:30 am        Tourism in Focus: Our People, Our Future
Moderator:    Jillian Simpson, Executive Director, Alaska Travel Industry Association
Panelists:      Renee Reeve, Cruise Line International Association – Alaska
                        Emily Edenshaw, President & CEO, Alaska Native Heritage Center
                        Scott Habberstad, Director, Alaska Market, Alaska Airlines
                        Julie Saupe, President & CEO, Visit Anchorage

10:15 am       Livestream Remarks: The Honorable U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan

10:30 am       Morning Break
 
Sponsorship still available!

11:00 am       Timber in Focus: Strengthening Alaska's Forest Products
Moderator:     Tessa Axelson, Executive Director, Alaska Forest Association
Panelists:       Jeremy Douse, Division Operations Manager, Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Fire Protection
                         Scott Dane, Executive Director, American Logger’s Council
                         Joe Young, President, Young's Timber
                         Andrew Traxler, Owner, Papoose Milling
                         Eric Nichols, Alcan Timber

11:45 am       Elections in Focus: Will 2025 be "Loose"?
Moderator:     Jeff Landfield, Publisher, Alaska Political Report
Panelists:       Matthew Shuckerow, Founder and Principal, Fathom Strategies
                         Rick Whitbeck, Owner, Power Performance Strategies
                        John-Henry Heckendorn, Managing Partner, Ship Creek Group

12:15 pm       Networking Break

12:45 pm       Keynote Luncheon: Sponsored by Holland America Line - Princess Cruises

                       To the Supreme Court and Back Again for More: Fighting the Good Fight to Protect Resource
                       Development & Post-Election Perspectives
                       Frank Garrison, Pacific Legal Foundation

                     
                       Followed by a moderated Conversation with State Attorney General Treg Taylor

Moderator:   Leila Kimbrell, Executive Director, Resource Development Council

1:45 pm        Grand Prize Raffle Drawing
                       Closing Remarks: Scott Habberstad, RDC Board President

                       Send-Off Toast: Sponsored by Saltchuk

2:00 pm         End of Program