USO Alaska Announces First Official Advisory Board to Continue Organization’s Mission of Supporting Service Members and Their Families

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The USO, the nonprofit organization founded in 1941 dedicated to strengthening America’s military by annually keeping millions of service members and their families connected to family, home and country, announces the establishment of the USO Alaska Board to support operations and program delivery across the last frontier. Chaired by President & CEO of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation, Bill Popp the USO Alaska Board will consist of nine business and community leaders with expansive experience and a commitment to the well being of our troops and their families.

“The establishment of the USO Alaska Board is an exciting step as we continue to expand our service in the state,” said USO West President Bob Kurkjian. “Each board member brings a strategic skill set and industry knowledge that will greatly benefit the 30,000 troops and military family members stationed in Alaska.”

Bill Popp will serve as Board Chair. Having spent 47 years in both the Alaska private and public sectors, Bill Popp is an experienced business, marketing and fundraising professional working for large national and regional businesses, as well as a small business owner.

Retired United States Coast Guard Vice Admiral and former President of the Alyeska Pipeline, Tom Barrett focuses on building a high-performance culture. He previously served as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Transportation and the first Administrator of the U.S. Pipeline Hazardous Material Safety Administration. Barrett spent 35 years in the U.S. Coast Guard where he commanded operations in Alaska and the North Pacific.

General Manager of Kendall Fairbanks, Toyota, Subaru and Honda, Jaclyn Browning has strong family ties to the U.S. Military, as well as a strong passion for serving others, whether it be family, work, church, or the local community. She spent many years fundraising and donating time and resources for causes like the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk and Go Red events, United Way of the Tanana Valley, and other similar organizations.

Manager of Business Development at Crowley Fuels, Trevor Carbaugh has 17 years of experience in Alaska’s petroleum industry, working for various companies in positions including account manager, marketing manager and director of sales and marketing. He is also a member of the Crowley Cares committee and regularly volunteers and raises money for Alaska causes including the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk, Heart Run, and Go Red for Women.


General Manager of Matson at the Port of Alaska, Tony Davenport oversees all of Matson’s activity including stevedoring, cargo operations, maintenance and equipment management, as well as ensuring Matson’s high level of customer service is maintained at all times. Over the past 18 years, he has advanced through multiple positions at Matson including Manager of Alaska’s Cranes and Maintenance. Prior to his career at Matson, Davenport served twenty years in the U.S. Air Force as an Aero Repair Specialist and Production Superintendent.

Director of Operations and Business Development at Paug Vik Contractors, Bill Huber came to Alaska in 2012 to become the Deputy Installation Commander, Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson (JBER). In 2015, he retired as a Colonel with 34 years of military service and transitioned into the private sector work with Alaska Native Corporations, where he has worked with several government contractors.

Justin Mills, Vice President and Relationship Manager with Key Private Bank, collaborates with the entire Key Private Bank team in delivering the full continuum of wealth management solutions to clients in the high-net-worth channel. Mills had eight years of military service as a Platoon Leader in Kirkuk, Iraq; Executive Officer at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; and brigade provost marshal and company commander for the 109th TC Company Camp Arifjan Kuwait at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska.

CEO of Transition Management, Dr. Mary M. Rydesky has extensive experience in operations, strategic planning, and people management within corporate, nonprofit, and small business organizations, moving from entry level to CEO in her career. As the head of Transition Management, Rydesky specializes in improving the workplace through training, technology, and communications, as well as trains and facilitates learning for a broad variety of industries and occupations.

Prudhoe Bay East Operations Manager at Hilcorp Alaska, Bo York leads a team that helps keep Alaska’s oil flowing from the North Slope. He was an Army Corps of Engineer officer on active and reserve duty for 12 years which included a deployment to Iraq as a combat engineer. In addition to his military service, York has worked in mineral mines, performed projects for federal, state and local governments, and worked in the oil and gas industry.

“We’re immensely proud to have these nine leaders comprise the inaugural board membership,” said USO Alaska Executive Director Brett Banks, a retired career U.S. Army officer. “I look forward to working alongside Bill Popp and the Board to continue our growth and service in Alaska.

For 80 years, the USO has supported the men and women who fight for our country. The USO goes where our service members go, no matter the location. USO Alaska invites the local community to join the campaign to Give More Than Thanks to help our service members stationed in Alaska by providing essential resources and keeping them connected to family, home and country.

For more information about USO Alaska and how to get involved, visit alaska.uso.org.

About the USO — The USO strengthens America’s military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country, throughout their service to the nation. At hundreds of locations worldwide, we are united in our commitment to connect our service members and their families through countless acts of caring, comfort and support. The USO is a private nonprofit organization, not a government agency. Our programs, services and entertainment tours are made possible by the American people, support of our corporate partners and the dedication of our volunteers and staff. To join us in this important mission and learn more about the USO, please visit USO.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.