The new head of the Unalaska Planning Department is Anthony Grande.
Grande was named planning director this week. He fills the position after the former planning director, Erin Reinders, was named assistant city manager earlier this month.
Grande came to Unalaska in 2013 to take a job as planning administrator.
Born and raised in Wisconsin, Grande started his university days studying geography and math. But after deciding to go into planning, he earned a master's in urban planning and policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Grande also completed an internship with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
He says after earning a master's in Chicago, he looked for jobs across the country, open to moving to an unfamiliar place and adopting a new way of life.
Now that he's been promoted, Grande says he will take on some unfamiliar duties.
"To be planning director, you have to manage people and I'll be managing two employees now, which will be kind of new for me," Grande said. "But I think I have the skills for it, I feel comfortable communicating and working with people. It's a lot of communication."
Earlier this month, Grande earned an important professional qualification from the American Institute of Certified Planners. In order to earn the certification, Grande needed a master's degree and two years of work experience. And to take an exam, which he did last month in Anchorage.
"That's something that I've been working at getting ever since...well, before I came out here," Grande said. "Yeah, I'm excited. It's kind of great to finally accomplish that goal that I've been working at for so long."
After Reinders was selected as assistant city manager, administers conducted an internal search to find someone to lead the planning department. Grande was a natural fit.
Now that Grande is planning director, he'll serve as one of the key department heads at City Hall.
"I'm excited about the role and the position. It's going to expand a lot about the...the type of work I get to do," Grande said. "Yeah, I feel confident, I feel comfortable in the position. Look forward to having a fully staffed planning department in the future."
Dec. 16 will be Grande's first day on the job in his new role.
