Interior Gas Utility Promotes New General Manager from Within
IGU
The Interior Gas Utility (IGU) has a new General Manager. The board of directors unanimously selected Elena Sudduth, who has been the utility’s director of public relations and customer service.
Sudduth has been with IGU for the last three years. In her most recent position, she successfully managed the utility’s external communications and community relations. In her new position, Sudduth will oversee all aspects of IGU’s operations, including production of liquified natural gas, transportation and storage, natural gas distribution in the Fairbanks service area, engineering, finance, customer service, and administration.
The utility, owned by the Fairbanks North Star Borough, currently trucks LNG from Cook Inlet, but supply shortages in that market have led IGU to pursue a new facility on the North Slope for liquefying stranded gas there. Sudduth will be responsible for executing the utility’s strategic plan and ensuring that IGU continues to provide safe, reliable, and affordable natural gas service to its customers.
Current Issue
March 2026
IGU board chair Gary Wilken expressed confidence in Sudduth’s ability to lead the utility. “Elena has been an integral part of IGU’s success over the years, and we are thrilled to have her as our new General Manager. She was selected following a comprehensive search, and we are confident that her industry knowledge, strategic vision, and leadership skills will make her successful in this role.”
Sudduth assumes her new role as General Manager effective September 30, 2023.
“I am honored to have been selected as IGU’s General Manager,” Sudduth says. “I look forward to working with the board, our employees, and our community partners to build on IGU’s successes and to prepare for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.”
KeyBank Promotes Small Business Relationship Manager for Alaska
KeyBank promoted Garet Plantz to Small Business Relationship Manager for Alaska, providing personalized expertise across deposit, lending, cash management, and merchant processing needs.
EV Charging Corridor Declared Complete
The Federal Highway Administration certified the Phase 1 charging corridor from Anchorage to Fairbanks as fully built out, unlocking funds for Phase 2 expansion.
NPRA Lease Sale Shows Industry’s Interest Points North
While a federal oil and gas lease sale in Cook Inlet fizzled, a sale in the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska attracted eleven interested companies.
