UAA College of Business and Public Policy

The College of Business and Public Policy's Leadership Fellows Program pairs high-performing CBPP students with a mentor in the Anchorage business community, giving students the opportunity to learn about real-world leadership from local business leaders. This year’s cohort includes 21 CBPP students, called protégés, and their mentors. To begin the program, each protégé interviewed their new mentor, and every week, we will feature one of these interviews with the mentors, who share their thoughts on leadership. This week’s featured protégé/mentor pairing is Diego Perez, and his mentors, Kerry Long, Richard Van Allman, and Jacki Holzman.

1 Where are you from? How did you decide to pursue a career in Alaska? 
Jackie Holzman: “Jacki is from San Francisco and after college she decided to moved to Seward Alaska. She didn’t expect to land a career with the FAA with her biology background.”

Richard Allman: “After Richard’s 24-year military career, he chose to pursue his career in the FAA. He took an opportunity offered by FAA to come to work in Alaska.”

Kerry Long: “Kerry is from New York State, a Long Island Native. He was appointed by the president to his current position here in the Alaska as the Alaskan Region Regional Administrator, after serving as the National Transportation Safety Board's Designated Agency Ethics Official.”

2 Where did you go to college? What did you study in college? 
Jackie Holzman: “After college in San Francisco Jacki moved to Alaska and Attended the University of Alaska Anchorage where she received her Master of Science Degree in Environmental Science.”

Richard Allman: “He went to college at Troy State University where he received his Bachelors of Science and a Masters in business Administration from Saint Martins University.”

Kerry Long: “Kerry Received his Bachelor of arts in Political Science from Colgate University and then went to Cornell Law school where he received his Law Degree Magna Cum Laude.”

3 Did you have anyone you relied on for mentorship/solid career advice? If yes, what is the most important leadership advice they shared with you? 
Jackie Holzman: “No, Not within the FAA. However, Jacki did have a mentor in a training program called ‘Program for Emerging Leaders.’ She said it was great, she enjoyed it, and also learned a lot. The downside was that her mentor was only invested in her and the relationship for the 18 months of the training period. She believes that the mentor and protégé’s relationship needs to happen organically with both vested in each other for a mutual long term growth goal.

The advice she got within the FAA is and was “if you want to move up in the FAA you need to leave Alaska”. However, the what is most important to her in her life exceeds her interest in going there. What we can take out of that is that it is information, their opinion and their idea, so you should listen to what their advice is and critically analyze and evaluate it to where it works for you. Just because someone who’s really successful says what worked for them doesn’t mean it will work for you.”

Richard Allman: “No, In the military one is based on their performance and move around a lot, so it is very hard to have a mentor. Coming into the FAA he transferred his military mentality, which is going to work and doing the best job he can do. When it comes to mentors he believes it really needs to happen organically, like someone taking a strong interest in you and is really looking out for you and builds a bond. He was in an Executives Leaders Program for a year where he had a mentor but was a superficial mentorship. His mentor did not take a strong interest in him to where he felt that his mentor was looking out for him.

The most important advice he ever got was that one should work on the little things that will help one build themselves and get to the end goal. ”

4 It is important and beneficial for CBPP and Anchorage’s business community to collaborate and invest in the next generation of leaders. What do you think should be conveyed to our next generation of leaders?
Jackie Holzman: “Authenticity is really important. Being true to yourself is being what is going to entice people to follow. Creating a shared vision and capitalizing on people’s strengths is the best a leader could do.”

Richard Allman: “Personnel is your largest investment in any company or organization. If you take care of the people, then the rest will take care of itself. Creating a bond and trust with people in your organization is key to effectively reach the vision or end goal. Focus and capitalize on people’s strengths that will help reach the vision. Lastly learn to handle difficult conversations. ”

5 CBPP will be highlighting each mentor and protégé pairing on the front of it’s website during the academic year. Do I have your permission to have this interview and our mentor/protégé pairing highlighted on the website? Is there anything else you would like to add?
Jackie Holzman: “Yes, you have my permission.”

Richard Allman: “Yes, You have my permission. ”