Management Team - Corporation Officers

Jack H. Rhyner, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

David J. Goggins, Chief Operations Officer (COO)

Donna J. K. Rhyner, Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Brenda Shepard, Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Marnie Brennan, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

Jack H. Rhyner, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

TelAlaska president and CEO Jack H Rhyner, 55, died April 19 at home after a six month battle with cancer. TelAlaska is the parent company of Interior and Mukluk local telephone companies and Eyecom Cable and NetWorks advanced data service companies.  The company is the local telephone provider in Brevig Mission, Cold Bay, Cooper Landing, Council, Elim, Fort Yukon, Galena, Golovin, Iliamna/Newhalen, King Cove, Koyuk, Little Diomede, Moose Pass, Nome, Port Lions, Sand Point, Seward, Shaktoolik, Shishmaref, Stebbins, St. Michael, Teller, Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, White Mountain, and Wales.

The company was founded by Jack’s father, the late Richard Rhyner, in 1968, and Jack began his telephony career working at his father’s side. 

At age 16, Jack painstakingly refurbished damaged telephone equipment salvaged after the 1967 Fairbanks flood. He cleaned the equipment in the basement of the family home with high-pressure water hoses and brushes, using Emory boards to smooth gold points on the mechanical switches. Once the equipment was fully operable, father and son installed a telephone system in Fort Yukon where residents until then shared a single phone line at the airport. Today, more than 300 Fort Yukon residents have single-party lines and access to Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Internet service.

Jack assumed the leadership of Interior Telephone in 1982 and in subsequent years operated TelAlaska companies in partnership with his wife Donna, TelAlaska’s Chief Information Officer and board secretary.

Jack Rhyner played an active role in the telecommunications industry, testifying on federal and state issues.  He was a member of the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Task Force on telephone regulatory issues and at the time of his death was serving his second term as president of the Alaska Telephone Association, where he had for years also led the Government Affairs committee.  He received ATA's coveted Kaguyak Award for outstanding contributions to the advancement of Alaska Telephony. 

As a member of the Western Telecommunications Alliance (WTA), Jack served as chairman of the WTA Public Policy Committee since its inception.  He received the organization’s President’s Award in 2007 for “tireless dedication to the association and rural telecommunications.”

Jack also served on the Board of Directors of the Alaska Exchange Carriers Association (AECA) and chaired the AECA Rate Development Committee.

A member of the National Rifle Association and an avid sportsman, his shooting team prevailed as champions for more than a dozen years of Spring League competitions at Birchwood Shooting Park. 

Jack leaves his wife Donna, sons Ryan of Anchorage and Richard Rhyner II and daughter-in-law Andrea Rhyner and grandchildren Victoria, Christian, all of Fairbanks, and a sister Kym Morgan of Mount Shasta,CA, and aunts Faye Brown of Grafton, WI, and Kathy McGrath of Wilkesboro, PA, formerly of Anchorage. He is preceded in death by his father Richard; mother Anita Rhyner, nee Hamblin, and brother Gilbert Rhyner.

A celebration of Jack’s life will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. May 1 at the Quarter Deck of the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage. According to his wishes, his ashes will be spread at a favorite Cold Bay duck hunting retreat in the fall.

The family suggests memorial donations to the Cold Bay Chapter of Ducks Unlimited. The address is Cold Bay Ducks Unlimited, c/o Lillian Sager, P.O. Box 131, Cold Bay, Alaska 99571.

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David J. Goggins, Chief Operations Officer (COO)

As VP Operations, Dave is responsible for managing the operations of TelAlaska's 25 Telephone Central Offices, 4 CATV Headends, 25 Outside Plant Facilities and technicians and construction employees for 3 subsidiaries. Dave is also responsible for the company's technical and safety training standards, developing department budgets and coordinating work between Operations and the organization. A TelAlaska employee for over 20 years, Dave has worked in all of TelAlaska's communities and thoroughly understands the company's operations, its challenges and the communities we serve.

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Donna J. K. Rhyner, Chief Information Officer (CIO)

With over 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, Donna has expertise in purchasing, regulatory affairs and information technology. She is currently responsible for the TelAlaska NetWorks subsidiary and TelAlaska's Information Technology Department, as well as Administration. Donna has 19 years experience working for the company. In 1996, Donna was responsible for the launch of Internet services to Unalaska, Cooper Landing and Galena.

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Brenda Shepard, Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

In August 1999, Brenda assumed responsibility for TelAlaska's finances. She previously worked in finance, accounting, and regulatory for ASTAC, a cooperative telephone company servicing the North Slope. With 22 years of telecommunications experience in Alaska, she understands the unique demographic and geographic characteristics of providing services to the many diverse areas of Alaska.

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  Marnie Brennan, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

 Marnie joined TelAlaska in the fall of 2000, bringing more than 30 years experience in the Alaska market as a journalist, business owner, public relations counselor, and Corporate Communications Director for Alaska Communications Systems and its predecessor, ATU Telecommunications. She has eight years of telecommunications experience and has served on the communications committees of the United States Telephone Association and the Alaska Telephone Association. Marnie is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America. At TelAlaska, she is responsible for marketing, sales, customer service, and internal and external communications.