A Career Full of Surprising Opportunities

In 1997, James Wiedle took a new job that he says he didn’t think he had a chance of getting. He had been working on grants for the University of Alaska Anchorage but was seeking a career with long-term stability beyond a grant cycle. He saw a research analyst role in the classifieds and even though he had doubts that he’d make it past the interview stage, he ignored his reservations and applied anyway. “Lo and behold, they called me about a month later,” he says.

He couldn’t have known at the time but that entry point to Alaska Housing Finance Corporation would turn into a nearly 30-year career with opportunities to advance, tackle new challenges and make a difference for Alaskans. Upon his retirement in January 2026, James had reached the milestone of 28 years with AHFC, 32 years of total service to the State of Alaska, and had risen through the ranks to become the budget department director, leading the team that ensures that all AHFC departments are able to carry out AHFC’s mission.

Getting His Start in Planning

James spent the first part of his AHFC career in the planning department where he worked for people whose leadership styles he continues to appreciate today. He says that he reported to “top-notch” directors as he progressed in that department from analyst to planner. He describes Barb Baker, his first director in the planning department, as a “very ethical person who taught me a lot about doing things the right way.”

“She wasn’t afraid to step in and set you straight if you were off track but she was also a fierce defender of her own staff,” James says. “If you had a problem, she’d take care of it right away.”

Mark Romick, the next planning director, modeled more of a laid-back approach that James equally appreciated, “Working with Mark was a great experience. He was very relaxed as a director and down to earth. He had a way of diffusing tension that I haven't seen from very many people.”

In 2004, James was instrumental in developing the policies and procedures for what is now recognized as Rural Professional Housing, to help address critical housing needs and the shortage of vital professionals in rural Alaska. This program has awarded more  than $118 million in grants, contributing to the development of 592 units across 159 total building projects.

“We got that program going and a lot of housing has been built as a result.”

James recalls one trip to St. Paul to visit three duplexes built with Rural Professional Housing funds.

“It was really nice to get out there and see the impact of that work and how appreciative people were of the new housing. We got to tour St. Paul and see the rookery and birds nesting on the cliffs. It was a pretty memorable career moment.”

The Lifeblood of the Corporation

After more than a decade in planning, James made the move to the budget department starting as an analyst. He quickly advanced to manager then director in 2018 when his predecessor retired. In these roles he was tasked with making sure that initiatives across AHFC were fueled by the “lifeblood” of the corporation: an authorized budget.

At AHFC, the budget department is responsible for preparing and monitoring the operating budget and capital budget, which are approved by the Alaska State Legislature.

“If you have any money you want to spend, you first have to get permission from the legislature. That’s where we come in to make the request, whether it’s through the formal legislative process or through the budget and audit group, which meets when the legislature is not in session,” James explains. “Basically, everything that takes place in the corporation starts in this department.”

James and his team track budgets to see how money is being spent, create reports for departments and perform budget audits.

“The department is instrumental to the corporation's ability to do business because you may have all the money in the world but if you don't have permission to spend that money, you're going to run into trouble. Our job is to make sure that we're spending our money appropriately and not overspending the authority that we have.”

Delivering on that critical goal to keep AHFC on course requires extensive collaboration. James says that good relationships with other directors and communication across departments are crucial to his team’s success.

“We’re very engaged with departments like public housing, planning, and research and rural development because we are regularly asked to put together reports on their programs for the State. These departments spend a lot of money because they have big programs that help make sure people have safe housing. We respect these departments a lot and we like to work with them.”

Leadership Style

As the leader of his department, James had the opportunity to put into practice the leadership skills that he admired in his former directors. For him, it’s all about the team around him and working together well.

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“If I had any words of wisdom, it’s that running a department is not an entitlement. It's a responsibility. It’s your job to hire good people and give them what they need to be successful and to do the things they excel at. Don't ever think it's about you. You're helping the corporation and you're providing housing for people in Alaska.”

- James Wiedle, budget department director, Alaska Housing

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Reflecting on his years leading the department, James says that he feels fortunate that the budget managers he has hired are great team players with the skills to excel at their jobs.

“I’ve been lucky enough to hire budget managers who are great to work with and believe in treating people the way they would want to be treated. Those managers have had a knack for identifying the people who would be good in the department. It’s hard to put lightning in a bottle when you’re hiring, but I think it starts with looking at a potential hire and asking, ‘Do they get along well with people? Do they have good problem-solving skills? Do they have the ability to work under stress and bounce back from it?’ If you get somebody who has the attitude and aptitude, who has the drive and the desire, I think all the other things fall into place.”

Appreciating the People Around Him

True to his humble character, James says that he has had a good career at AHFC not because of how far he has climbed the career ladder but because of the people who have worked alongside him and lifted him up along the way.

“I had an opportunity to take a job in the budget department and work my way up. It was a great opportunity and I'm grateful to have had it. And I'm grateful to have worked for people who gave me that chance,” he says.

“No matter where you are but especially here at AHFC, what makes a job worthwhile is the people around you and the relationships you form with them. I think that’s the most important thing to remember.”