Board of Directors

Meet the Leadership

Board meetings of the Interior Gas Utility are held regularly In Person and on Zoom. All meetings are open to the public. Board Meetings are held on the first Tuesday, Work Sessions (only as needed) are held on the third Tuesday, and Finance Committee meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of each Month. Meeting packets are available on the website or outside the door of the IGU office located at 2525 Phillips Field Road, Fairbanks, AK 99709.

The FNSB Assembly created and approved IGU as a public corporation, wholly-owned subsidiary of the FNSB. The IGU Board of Directors is authorized to manage and operate the utility in accordance with prevailing industry practices and general standards common to utilities providing the same service.

Four seats are elected positions voted by residents of the FNSB. The first election was held on October 7, 2014. Three board members are appointed by the Mayors of the City of North Pole, the City of Fairbanks, and the FNSB.

View Meeting Packets

Current IGU Board of Directors

Jim DodsonChair, At-Large Seat C, Term Expires Oct. 29, 2026

Jim Dodson was born and raised in Fairbanks and is a graduate of UAF School of Management. Jim is married to Kathi Dodson, they have 4 children and 5 grandchildren. Jim retired in 2021 after serving 15 years as President/CEO of Fairbanks Economic Development Corporation.Prev. Military Groups: Chief of Staff of the Air Force’s Civilian Advisory Board, Member Alaska Command Commander’s Civilian Board.

Military: U.S. Army Vietnam 5th Special Forces Group

University of Alaska Fairbanks Chancellor’s Advisory Board. (Past)
Member FNSB Planning and Zoning Commission. (Past)
President of Alaska Air Carriers Association. (Past)
President of Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce. (Past)

Jim served as the President/CEO of Denali Group, a trucking transportation business employing 200 with gross sales of approximately $200 million.

From 1973 to 1979, Jim was an owner and CEO of Frontier Flying Service, a scheduled and charter company that owned 34 aircraft and employed 70 personnel.

Jack WilburVice-Chair, At-Large Seat A, Term Expires Oct. 29, 2027

Mr. Wilbur is a fourth generation Fairbanks resident. He is proud of his pioneer heritage and believes that there is no better place to live and raise a family than Fairbanks, Alaska. Jack received BS and MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder. After graduation he served in the US Army’s Arctic Test Center at Fort Greely. He then returned home to Fairbanks where he started as a mechanical engineer-in-training with Design Alaska in 1975. In 1995 he became its President and served in this capacity until January 2014; he is now serving as Design Alaska’s Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Wilbur is currently a member of the Alaska Chamber Board of Directors. Past leadership roles include Board Chair for Fairbanks Economic Development Corporation, Board Chair for the Greater Fairbanks Chamber Commerce, President of the Rotary Club of Fairbanks, and Board Chair for United Way of the Tanana Valley.

Gary WilkenCity of Fairbanks Appointed Seat, Term Expires Dec. 31, 2028

Gary Wilken is a 62-year resident of Fairbanks. He is married to Sue and they have four grown children, all residing in Fairbanks. He graduated from Lathrop High School (1964) and then earned a B.S. degree in Business and Technology (minor – Petroleum Geology) and an M.B.A. from Oregon State University in 1968 and 1970. Gary’s a retired small businessman, having owned, for 30 years, Fairbanks Distributors, Great Alaskan Food Co. and Husky Food Products, all wholesale distributors. Gary proudly served the City of Fairbanks and Ft. Wainwright for 12 years as a state senator serving on Senate Finance ten years, four as co-chair. He retired in 2008. Gary has served on numerous community and statewide boards of directors. Those relating to IGU would be the Fairbanks Municipal Utility System for 13 years and 8 years on the state of Alaska sovereign debt development corporation known as AIDEA.

Pete KellyAt-Large Seat D, Term Expires Oct 29, 2026

Pete was born and raised in Fairbanks as was his wife Perri. Pete and Perri have 3 children, all of whom live in Fairbanks. They have been married for 42 years and they both received their bachelor’s degrees while raising their kids and working. Pete graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Business Management. Pete spent ten years in the State Senate, he was elected by his peers as chair of the Senate Finance Committee 3 times and as Senate President in 2017. Pete also served in the House of Representatives for four years all of which were on the Finance Committee. Most of his time has been in the private sector, he spent 6 years as the Director of State Relations at the University of Alaska. Pete Kelly is currently the CEO of the Fairbanks Rescue Mission.

Sherri WallAt-Large Seat B, Term Expires Oct. 29, 2027

Sherri Wall has called Fairbanks home for nearly 40 years. An educator and economist, she is passionate about education and community engagement. She began her teaching career in 2006 at the College of Business and Security Management at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where she instructs courses such as Principles of Microeconomics, The Economy of Rural Alaska, and Natural Resource Economics.Beyond her academic responsibilities, Sherri is committed to community service, helping those in need with Angels in Motion (AIM) and serving on the leadership team for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) at UAF. She is a proud mother of three grown sons and a grandmother to ten grandchildren. In her free time, Sherri enjoys teaching fitness classes, cross-country skiing, hiking, and playing pickleball.

Derek MillerFNSB Appointed Seat, Term Expires Dec. 31, 2028

Derek Miller serves as Executive Officer for the University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Engineering & Mines, where he leads college operations, administration, and finance and advises the Dean on fiscal strategy, organizational management, and strategic planning. With more than two decades of experience in higher education administration, public service, and community leadership, Mr. Miller brings deep expertise in financial management, sponsored research administration, and executive advising. He previously held senior roles with the UAF Institute of Northern Engineering, the UAF Office of Management & Budget, and served as Assistant to the UAF Chancellor, as well as serving as a legislative aide in the Alaska State Legislature.
Mr. Miller was born and raised in Fairbanks, Alaska. He graduated from Lathrop High School and earned an MBA in Capital Markets and a BBA in Management and Organizations from UAF.

Jeff JacobsonCity of North Pole Appointed Seat, Term Expires Dec. 31, 2028

As a lifelong Alaskan, born in Palmer during the territorial days of 1957, Jeff has experienced the growth of the Last Frontier. After graduating from Lathrop High School, he served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Chile. Earning his B.Ed in Education, Jeff taught as North Pole Middle School for 27 years further refining his life’s work to serve others. In 1988, he earned his M.Ed from BYU and his M.Ed in Educational Leadership from UAA. Jeff entered elected public service in 1993 serving on the North Pole City Council and as the Mayor of the City of North Pole for over 22 years. His plans to serve as a principal in the FNSBSD were interrupted when he was asked to serve as the Chief of Staff for Borough Mayor Luke Hopkins (2010-2015) and as Chief of Staff for Fairbanks City Mayor John Eberhart in 2016 before being appointing as the Fairbanks City Public Works Director, retiring in 2024.

He continued to share his love of science and learning by serving as the Director of the Denali Science Camp summer science enrichment program for 14 years. In 2014, Jeff serving as the 2014 Fairbanks Arctic Winter Games Host Society President and went on to serve on the International Arctic Winter Games Board of Directors. In retirement, Jeff enjoys spending more time with his seven grandchildren, traveling and gardening. He currently serves on the board of directors for the North Pole Housing Association and the Golden Heart Parking Board. Jeff continues to be heavily invested in his community where he raised all five of his children.