Gov. Walker Appoints Luiken to Again Serve as Alaska Transportation Commissioner

Alaska Gov. Bill Walker appointed Marc Luiken to be commissioner of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, returning Luiken to the post he held nearly two years from December 2010 to October 2012.

  Luiken

He follows Patrick Kemp, who left that job Jan. 12. Since then, John Binder has been acting commissioner.

“Marc brings to the table leadership experience and knowledge of the department, so he will hit the ground running,” Walker said. “I am impressed with Marc’s vision for DOT. He believes in efficient use of existing resources. His philosophy is a prudent one given our current fiscal challenges.”

Before Luiken became transportation commissioner, he had been the department’s deputy commissioner of aviation from June to December 2010.

Luiken currently works as a leadership and performance coach with RLG International, based in Vancouver, B.C., the governor’s office said. He has also worked with ConocoPhillips on oil production in the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska, and is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel who was vice commander at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska, from October 2008 to May 2010.