FAIRBANKS-Doyon LTD, an Alaska Native Regional Corporation serving Alaskan Natives in the interior of Alaska, announced their new president and chief executive officer on Saturday.

They have tapped and promoted the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Aaron Schutt to replace President and CEO Norman L. Phillips, Jr. who, earlier this month announced his intent to retire on September 30. Phillips had worked in various positions within the Corporation for 23 years.

“Aaron is well prepared to step up to this important leadership position in our company. He understands our businesses, he knows the people, and he has what it takes to lead us toward our goals. We are confident he’ll hit the ground running,” said Orie Williams, Chairman of the Doyon, Limited Board of Directors.

As senior vice president and chief operating officer, Aaron M. Schutt was responsible for managing and coordinating the operations of Doyon’s subsidiary companies.

On his new role with Doyon, Limited, Schutt said, “I am honored to be provided the opportunity to lead Doyon, Limited. As a shareholder myself, I know how important the company is to all our shareholders. And as an employee, I appreciate the value our employees provide to our customers in oil field services, government contracting, natural resource development, and tourism. I am excited about our future.”

Schutt is Koyukon Athabascan who was born in Anchorage and raised in Tok. Schutt clerked for Alaska Supreme Court Justice Alexander Bryner after graduating from Stanford Law School. Before going to work for Doyon, Schutt was an attorney at the Anchorage offices of national law firms Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Miller & Munson, LLP and Heller Ehrman, LLP where he represented tribal and ANCSA corporation clients in transactional and business matters.

He serves as a director of Akeela, Inc. and as a member of the Rasmuson Foundation’s grants committee. He also coaches youth hockey. In 2004, Schutt was named as a recipient of the Alaska Journal of Commerce’s “Top 40 Under 40” award.

Headquartered in Fairbanks, Alaska, Doyon is one of the regional Native corporations set up under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) of 1971 and is one of the top 10 Alaskan-owned businesses in the state. It is the largest private land owner in Alaska, with more than 12.5 million acres allocated to the corporation under ANCSA. The company currently has18,300 shareholders and 2,500 employees across the state and country. Doyon’s mission is tocontinually enhance its position as a financially strong Native corporation in order to promote the economic and social well-being of its shareholders and future shareholders, to strengthen its Native way of life, and to protect and enhance its land and resources.