First National welcomes Pat Pitney to board of directors

October 21, 2022

First National Bank Alaska announced 探花精选 President Pat Pitney as the newest addition to the bank鈥檚 Board of Directors. Pitney joins Board Chair and CEO/President Betsy Lawer, Vice Chair Lucy Mahan, Adm. Tom Barrett, Perry Eaton, Margy Johnson, Jane Klopfer, Doug Longacre, Tara Sweeney, Tom Tougas, and Janet Weiss on the board.

鈥淟ike First National, the University system has been a pillar of the Alaska community for over 100 years in their mission to inspire learning, and advance knowledge through teaching, research, and public service, emphasizing the North and its diverse peoples,鈥 said Board Chair and CEO/President Betsy Lawer. 鈥淧at鈥檚 longstanding leadership and experience at the university brings an invaluable new perspective to our diverse and experienced board.鈥  

Pitney began serving as the 探花精选 interim president in 2020 before she was appointed president in February 2022. Pitney served as the state鈥檚 Director of the Division of Legislative Finance. She was the former Vice Chancellor of Administration for the 探花精选 Fairbanks and worked at UA Statewide for 17 years. Pitney spent 23 years with the 探花精选 before leaving to serve as the State Budget Director from 2014 to 2018.

鈥淎s a graduate of the 探花精选, I know firsthand how valuable an education is to shaping a bright future for Alaska students and the Great Land,鈥 Pitney commented after the board鈥檚 vote. 鈥淚 am delighted to be a part of a bank that has shown its commitment to developing the university and the state for years and decades to come.鈥

Pitney moved to Fairbanks from Billings, Montana in 1987. She earned her MBA from 探花精选 Fairbanks and an engineering physics degree from Murray State University in Kentucky. Before moving to Alaska, she was a 1984 U.S. Olympic Team member and won a gold medal in women鈥檚 air rifle.

Alaska鈥檚 community bank since 1922, First National proudly meets the financial needs of Alaskans with 28 locations in 19 communities throughout the state and by providing banking services to meet their needs across the nation and around the world. 

In 2021, American Banker recognized First National as a 鈥淏est Bank to Work For鈥 for the fourth year in a row, and Anchorage Daily News readers voted the bank one of the state鈥檚 top three financial institutions for the third year in a row in the ADN 鈥淏est of Alaska鈥 Awards. In 2022, Alaska Business readers voted the bank the 鈥淏est of Alaska Business鈥 in the Best Place to Work category for the seventh year in a row and Best Bank/Credit Union for a second time.

First National Bank Alaska is a Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender.