Alaska governor contracts head of advertising firm

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has contracted the owner of an Anchorage advertising, marketing and political strategy firm to work as his acting communications director.

Alaska’s Energy Desk reports Mary Ann Pruitt’s contract with the Republican governor’s administration calls for her to be paid $15,400 a month, equaling $185,000 a year.

Pruitt is president of PS Strategies and is married to Republican state Rep. Lance Pruitt.

The governor’s spokesman, Matt Shuckerow, says the contract does not have an end date, but Pruitt does not plan to permanently stay in the job.

Pruitt says she still has “some involvement” in her firm, but she does not see her outside work conflicting with her state job.

She says most of the firm’s clients are from outside the state.
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