"Alaska Is Back on the Map for Investors" – Governor Mike Dunleavy and Secretary Doug Burgum

This week we had the exciting opportunity to travel to Anchorage, Alaska, to participate in the Fifth Annual Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference. The conference convenes researchers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors to discuss the future of energy development, infrastructure, technology, and resource leadership across Alaska and the broader global energy landscape. We had the honor of moderating a discussion featuring Governor Mike Dunleavy and Chairman of the National Energy Dominance Council and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. Given Alaska’s strategic importance across energy, critical minerals, infrastructure, and geopolitics, it was a fascinating and timely discussion. In our conversation, Governor Dunleavy emphasizes the dramatically improved partnership between the federal government and the State of Alaska under the current Administration, contrasting it with prior years when Alaska faced significant federal restrictions on development. Drawing on their experiences leading major energy-producing states, Governor Dunleavy and Secretary Burgum reflect on the operational, economic, and political realities of energy development and infrastructure investment. They walk us through renewed lease sale activity, rising investor interest in Alaska, and the broader role Alaska could play in supporting U.S. energy dominance and Western Hemisphere energy security. We explore the increasing importance of affordable, reliable, and secure energy in attracting manufacturing, AI infrastructure, and industrial investment, as well as the rapidly growing electricity demand tied to data centers and advanced technologies. Secretary Burgum provides an overview of the Administration’s efforts to accelerate permitting reform and reduce regulatory bottlenecks, including examples of projects receiving approvals in weeks rather than years. We touch on domestic mining and critical mineral development, LNG exports, the role of nuclear, hydro, geothermal, and natural gas in future energy systems, and the Administration’s broader push to accelerate infrastructure and resource development across the United States. We cover the transformational potential of the Alaska LNG project, the growing energy needs of U.S. allies across Asia, the importance of codifying regulatory and permitting reforms for long-term investment certainty, and why Governor Dunleavy and Secretary Burgum both believe Alaska is entering a new “golden age” of development and opportunity. Thank you to Governor Dunleavy for inviting us and to Secretary Burgum for joining us for a thoughtful discussion on the future of Alaska, energy, and American economic development and energy security. About Governor Mike DunleavyGovernor Mike Dunleavy arrived in Alaska in 1983 as a young man looking for opportunity, and he found it. His first job was working in a logging camp in Southeast Alaska. Later on, Governor Dunleavy earned his teacher’s certificate, and then a Master of Education degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He spent nearly two decades in northwest Arctic communities working as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. Governor Dunleavy and his family moved to Wasilla in 2004, where he owned an educational consulting firm and worked on several statewide education projects. Dunleavy served on the Mat-Su Borough School Board, with two years as Board President, and then as a state senator for five years. Dunleavy was first elected Governor in 2018 and then again in 2022. Governor Dunleavy has kept the health of the economy and jobs at the forefront of his Administration’s policy setting initiatives and has been a true champion for the Alaskan business community. Governor Dunleavy’s wife Rose is from the Kobuk River Valley community of Noorvik. Together, they have three children who were raised in both rural and urban Alaska. Governor Dunleavy is focused on moving Alaska forward and believes that our greatest years are yet to come if we work together to maximize our potential. About Secretary Doug BurgumDoug Burgum is the 55th Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Raised in Arthur, North Dakota, Burgum worked as a chimney sweep to help pay his way through North Dakota State University before earning an MBA from Stanford University. In 1983, Doug literally “bet the farm” to provide seed capital for a software startup called Great Plains. Doug led Great Plains through a successful IPO and grew the company to over 2,000 employees before its acquisition by Microsoft. Burgum remained with Microsoft for six years as the Senior Vice President of Business Solutions. Doug later co-founded Arthur Ventures and served as chairman for international software companies including Atlassian, SuccessFactors, and as a board member for Avalara. In 2016, Burgum was elected to serve as North Dakota’s 33rd Governor. In 2020, he was re-elected in a landslide. Under his leadership, North Dakota passed the largest tax cut in state history and dramatically reduced red tape. As a testament to Burgum’s leadership, Forbes named him “America’s Best Entrepreneurial Governor.” During his tenure, North Dakota experienced the highest growth in real GDP and had the lowest unemployment rate in the country. Burgum has three adult children. He is married to Kathryn Burgum, a nationally recognized advocate for addiction recovery. We hope you enjoy today’s discussion as much as we did. This certainly won’t be our last trip to Alaska. Our best to you all!