Answer: See below for names and terms of office. The Alaska Department of Labor changed its name to Department of Labor and Workforce Development in 1999 as a result of ch. 58, SLA 1999.
Commissioners of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, 1959 – Present
Compiled by Daniel Cornwall, Alaska State Library
August 2007 (Updated April 2015)
- Lewis M. Dischner (1959-1960); Source: Alaska Blue Book 1973, p. 48
- Bjorn “Gil” Johnson (1960-1966); Source: Alaska Blue Book 1973, p. 48
- Thomas J. Moore (1967-1970); Source: Alaska Blue Book 1973, p. 48
- Henry A. Benson (1970-1972); Source: Alaska Blue Book 1973, p. 48
- Robert A. Smith (1972 – December 1974(?)); Source: Alaska Blue Book 1973, p. 48, end date implied by Alaska Blue Book, 1981.
- Edmund Orbeck (January 1975 – November 28, 1982(?)); Source: Alaska Blue Book 1981, p. 15-16, includes small b&w photo. End date is implied by Alaska Blue Book 1985
- Jim Robison (November 29, 1982 – January 5, 1987(?)); Source: Alaska Blue Book 1985, p. 40, includes small b&w photo. End date is implied by Alaska Blue Book 1989-90
- Jim Sampson (January 6, 1987 - January 1, 1991(?)); Source: Alaska Blue Book 1989-90, p. 14, includes small b&w photo. End date is implied by Alaska Blue Book 1991-92.
- Nancy Bear Usera (January 2, 1991 – February 23(?), 1992); Source: Alaska Blue Book 1991-92, p. 14, includes small b&w photo. End date is implied by Alaska Blue Book 1993-94.
- Charles Mahlen (February 24, 1992 – February 12, 1995(?) ); Source: Alaska Blue Book 1993-94, p. 14, includes small b&w photo). End date is implied by Alaska House Journal 1995, p. 399.
- Tom Cashen (February 13, 1995 - December 1998 ); Sources: Alaska House Journal 1995, p. 399 and Governor’s Press Release 99-006 (for end date).
- Ed Flannagan (Appointed January 12, 1999 - 2002); Sources: Governor’s Press Release 99-006 and Internet Archive copies of Alaska Department of Labor at http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.labor.state.ak.us/commish/home.htm
- Greg O’Claray – 2003 – 2007; Source: Internet Archive copies of Alaska Department of Labor at http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.labor.state.ak.us/commish/home.htm
- Click Bishop – (Appointed January 11, 2007 - 2012); Source: http://wayback.archive-it.org/1200/20090706235146/http://www.gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=68&type=1, Governor News Release 07-008).
- Diane Blumer - (May 2012 - December 2015); Source: http://www.ktoo.org/2012/05/17/blumer-appointed-new-labor-commissioner/
- Heidi Drygas - Appointed December 19, 2014. Source: http://labor.state.ak.us/commish/
