An Alaskan with industry ties to Unalaska will help represent the United States at the Arctic Economic Council’s first meeting.

The Alaska Arctic Policy Commission and the Alaska Chamber of Commerce have chosen three business leaders to join the new group. It'll focus on how to develop businesses in the Arctic while preserving the environment and treating residents of the region responsibly. 

One of the U.S. representatives is Bruce Harland. He’s a vice president for Crowley Marine Services based in Anchorage.

Crowley runs a marine and fuel service dock in Captain’s Bay in Unalaska. They have offshore oil operations in Prudhoe Bay. And the company builds barges and other vessels that run in the Aleutian Islands.

Bruce Harland is Crowley’s vice president for business development. He’ll be joined on the Economic Council by general manager Lori Davey of Fairweather LLC, an Anchorage-based natural resources company with a focus on remote parts of the state, and Gail Schubert, CEO of the Bering Straits Native Corporation.

The Economic Council is part of the larger Arctic Council. Canada is the council's chair nation until 2015, and they introduced the new business forum last year. It’ll also have representation from indigenous groups, including Alaska Natives.