Face to Face
Kristi Acuff
Chief Human Resources Officer

Kristi Acuff is a life-long Alaskan who became Alyeska’s Chief Human Resources Officer and newest executive on July 1. She joined the company in March 2003 in preparation for her current position. She has more than 24 years of Alaska energy industry-related experience, 21 of which were in HR. She worked eight years for BP Exploration Alaska Inc., where she was an HR manager. She was an oil industry contractor who worked for Alyeska in the early 1990s managing recruitment and working with the owner-loanee program. She also worked 13 years for what is now the Alaska Energy Authority.

Acuff has a bachelor's in education from the University of Alaska Anchorage and a master’s in strategic communication and leadership from New Jersey’s Seton Hall University. Kristi was born and raised in Alaska. She and her husband Richard continue to enjoy the many outdoor opportunities the state has to offer. She relaxes by escaping into Alaska’s mountains to hike, ski, camp, and bike.

Q: What are your thoughts about joining Alyeska’s executive team?

A: I’m very excited about my new position and believe it is important to the whole company that diverse perspectives are included on Alyeska’s executive team.

Adding me to the executive team demonstrates (Alyeska CEO and President) David Wight’s commitment to making Alyeska a diverse and successful company. Organizations prosper when they employ highly qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds. David shows that he values inclusion by hiring outstanding female and minority managers, giving them important missions and then supporting and coaching them to ensure they succeed.

Q: What are Alyeska’s biggest HR-related challenges?

A: I have visited Alyeska work sites on the pipeline, the terminal and SERVS. I am always impressed with the incredible amount of pride our employees have in their work which is demonstrated in the operational integrity and reliability of the pipeline. My goal is to continue to show our employees that Alyeska values them and their contributions to the company. I believe we can accomplish this by seeking feedback and incorporating employee ideas, having competitive benefit and compensation programs, offering training and other development opportunities, and continually supporting employees through the many changes and opportunities we have at Alyeska today. I hope that even during all of the change we face, we can also help employees be excited about their jobs and their careers and provide the tools and communication to help everyone meet with success.

The role of HR is challenging because our team members are responsible for supporting 860 Alyeska employees, based in multiple cities working along an 800 mile-long pipeline including terminal and vessel response/escort locations. Programs the HR department administers include: training, compliance, Alaska Native Program, employee relations, compensation, benefits, recruiting, organizational development, HRIS, relocation, and personnel services coordination. In addition we are working diligently with the reconfiguration transition team to implement all the components of the Workforce Plan.

Q: What is the HR department’s reconfiguration role?

A: Reconfiguration is modernizing the pipeline and will result in a decrease in the number of employees Alyeska needs to reliably operate the pipeline and terminal. HR is working with employees to give them as much choice and control as possible as the company reduces its workforce. The impact of these changes will be felt within our employees, families, friends and communities. We commit to treating employees with respect and dignity. For example, we will provide severances, education money and outplacement services for employees that will leave the company as a result of reconfiguration selection processes. And, for employees that remain with Alyeska, we are instituting programs to help them understand their importance to the company and to keep them motivated and engaged in working towards our vision of being the “World’s Best Run Pipeline.”