APICDA CEO Larry Cotter retiring, to be replaced by Luke Fanning

The Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association (APICDA) announced on 26 June that CEO Larry Cotter will be replaced by Luke Fanning.

The APICDA announced Cotter’s impending retirement in December 2017. Cotter has been with the association since its inception, and will stay with the association through July to ensure a smooth transition.

“It’s been my pleasure and distinct honor to be involved with APICDA since its inception. Serving our communities, working alongside the entities devoted to sustainable communities throughout the Aleutian‐Pribilof region and being immersed in the fishing industry at all levels has provided a wonderful career for which I am deeply grateful,” said Cotter. “It's not an easy thing to retire from a company that you love, with a purpose that you love, filled with people that you respect and love. But everything has its time.”

Cotter was an instrumental part of Alaska’s Community Development Quota program, which over the past 25 years has generated over USD 1 billion (EUR 865.2 million) in assets, built infrastructure in 65 participating villages, and provided scholarship and workforce development opportunities. 

“It has been a program that has truly worked to sustain our western Alaska villages and Larry has been its greatest champion,” said Mark Snigaroff, APICDA board chair.  "The board went through a six-month CEO search process and selected Luke from a large field of very qualified applicants. We are supportive of Luke's vision for the future of APICDA and we look forward to working closely with him.”

A nonprofit, APICDA is one of the six western Alaskan CDQ organizations, and it allocates a percentage of all Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands quotas for groundfish, halibut, and crab. 

Cotter’s replacement, Fanning, currently serves as the association’s CFO. Fanning first became involved with the APICDA in 2007, serving as the association’s banker. Prior to joining APICDA, he served as the vice president and regional manager for First National Bank Alaska. A lifelong Alaskan, his experience in the seafood industry began in the 1990s as a crewman aboard a halibut longliner and salmon seiner. 

In his spare time, Fanning captains the F/V Triton, a 32-foot commercial fishing vessel, on which he gillnets for salmon and longlines halibut. 

“Larry has been a true visionary for the CDQ program, APICDA and APICDA Joint Ventures, and has worked tirelessly for the past 27 years to help sustain western Alaska villages. It is an honor to be passed the torch to carry on this critical work of supporting human and economic development in our CDQ member communities by building infrastructure, stimulating commerce, and providing grants, jobs, scholarships and workforce development opportunities,” Fanning said. “Larry is a CDQ program pioneer and founding CEO — these are big shoes to fill, and I am humbled to be given the opportunity to serve the people of the Aleutian-Pribilof region.”

Cotter said he’s confident that Fanning will be able to take the reins and continue the work of APIDCA on into the future. 

“He has a proven track record in finance and management along with a steadfast commitment to see our communities thrive,” said Cotter. “It's not an easy thing to retire from a company that you love, with a purpose that you love, filled with people that you respect and love. But everything has its time and it is important that Luke has the freedom to implement his vision for the organization as soon as possible.”

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