Gillian oversees the Central Administration Division, including the bank’s Corporate Communication & Customer Experience, Human Resources and Audit departments, and the Wealth Management & Trust Section. An Alaskan for 50-plus years, Gillian has spent nearly 35 of those years building First National’s brand and helping shape the bank’s unique workplace culture, one recognized by Alaska Business magazine readers as the Best Place to Work in Alaska. Gillian helped formalize the bank’s relationship management program, provides administrative oversight for bankwide initiatives, and serves as Board Secretary.

Strong’s steady progression to the First National leadership team began more than 20 years ago when he joined the bank as a Management Associate. As head of the Retail, Treasury & Compliance Division, Strong leverages hands-on retail and business lending and operations experience. His responsibilities include oversight of the operations of Anchorage branches, Treasury Management, Mortgage Lending, Escrow, Compliance, and risk management. Strong earned a business degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He is an active member and past president of the Alaska Bankers Association and serves as chair on the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation board of directors.

Griffin began his banking career in the early 1980s after graduating from the University of Nebraska with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He arrived in Alaska after holding Chief Information Officer positions in California and Nevada. Griffin plays a key role in business continuity planning and is responsible for the bank’s information technology strategic planning, implementation and security, core and item processing systems, network services, software solutions and support, e-Payment services, card processing systems, ATMs and online banking.

A third-generation banker and second-generation First National banker, Schuh brings more than 35 years of finance and leadership experience to her role as Chief Financial Officer. She directs the bank’s Property and Finance departments, encompassing a wide variety of functions including treasury and securities portfolio management, shareholder relations, facilities, financial reporting and tax. Schuh is a graduate of the University of Washington and the Pacific Coast Banking School.

Brown Robinson brings more than 25 years of expertise in marketing and communications to her role as Corporate Communications & Customer Experience Director. A lifelong Alaskan, she leads the bank’s Business Development, Customer Experience, and Marketing teams, driving strategic and impactful initiatives that enhance customer engagement and brand loyalty. Under her leadership, First National has gained national acclaim for its branding, promotional and Centennial Celebration campaigns. Brown Robinson has also been instrumental in advancing the bank’s Branch Re-Engineering and Digital Adoption initiatives, enhancing service delivery, innovation and customer satisfaction.

A graduate of the University of Alaska Anchorage, Flake grew up in Montana and has lived and worked in Alaska for more than 40 years. He began his career as a teller and, over the course of 35 years in local banking, gained the wealth of financial expertise he now uses to oversee Credit Administration, Collateral Valuation and Special Credits at First National. Flake’s success stems from a genuine desire to help customers succeed.

With more than two decades as a U.S. Army officer and 13 years of executive experience in the public and private sectors, Patin knows the value of a strong team. As Human Resources Director, Patin leverages his extensive experience to provide strategic human resources leadership and to direct talent management, compensation and benefits, employee relations and policies at First National. His steadfast commitment to more than 600 employees exemplifies why the bank has been voted the Best Place to Work in Alaska by Alaska Business magazine readers since 2016. Patin received a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Science and Systems Engineering from West Point. He also holds master’s degrees in human resources management from Troy University and administration and supervision from Auburn University. Patin earned his doctorate in business administration from the University of the Incarnate Word.

With more than four decades of banking experience, Whittle excels at ensuring compliance with all state and federal banking laws, regulations and rules. She has extensive experience in branch management and operations, call center and operations support, bank operations, security, and compliance. According to Whittle, one of the best parts about her role is the opportunity to give back to the local communities of Alaska. Whittle has served as president and various other board positions for Kids’ Corps, Inc., a Head Start agency.