Alaska Communications Taps Veteran to Lead High-Stakes Wholesale Push

ANCHORAGE, AK – January 19, 2026 – Alaska Communications has appointed telecom industry veteran Jesse Kleinbach as its new vice president of Carrier & Wholesale Services, a strategic move signaling a sharpened focus on one of the most critical and lucrative sectors of the state's technology infrastructure. The appointment comes as the company, an affiliate of ATN International, aims to maximize the value of its extensive fiber optic network and intensify competition in the Last Frontier’s digital backbone market.

While the announcement highlights a leadership change, it underscores a deeper strategy by parent company ATN International to capitalize on its $343 million acquisition of Alaska Communications in 2021. The carrier and wholesale division, which provides the foundational connectivity for other service providers, enterprises, and mobile networks, is widely seen as a high-margin, scalable business central to justifying that investment. Kleinbach is now tasked with spearheading this charge.

In his new role, Kleinbach will oversee the expansion of service options, drive operational efficiencies, and enhance the support experience for the company’s partners and customers. His leadership is expected to be pivotal in monetizing the company's significant infrastructure assets, which include a robust statewide fiber network and a geographically diverse undersea fiber optic system connecting Alaska to the contiguous United States.

“Jesse’s experience will help us deliver even more reliable and innovative solutions for our carrier and wholesale customers,” said Dale Knipp, chief revenue officer for Alaska Communications, in a statement. “We are committed to making it easier for partners to grow and succeed and Jesse’s leadership will be critical to realizing this vision.”

An Architect of Connectivity Steps In

Kleinbach brings a formidable resume to the role, with over 25 years of experience shaping telecommunications solutions. His career is marked by leadership positions where he focused on revenue generation, simplifying connectivity, and opening new market opportunities. Before joining Alaska Communications, he served as an Account Executive at Synamedia and previously held senior roles at Amdocs and CSG Systems, where he was Vice President of the National Accounts Strategic Business Unit.

This background makes him a strategic choice for a division that thrives on building and maintaining complex partnerships. His mandate at Alaska Communications is not merely managerial; it is transformational. The focus on improving operational efficiency and expanding service options suggests a plan to make the company's network more agile, accessible, and attractive to a broad range of wholesale clients, from mobile carriers needing 5G backhaul to enterprises requiring secure cloud connectivity.

With a degree in International Relations and a focus on economics from the University of Colorado, Kleinbach’s expertise extends beyond technical infrastructure to the commercial dynamics that drive the industry. This blend of technical and economic acumen will be crucial as he navigates a competitive landscape and seeks to unlock new revenue streams from the company’s existing fiber assets.

The Battle for Alaska's Digital Backbone

The Alaskan wholesale telecommunications market is a fiercely contested arena dominated by a few major players, each with significant infrastructure investments. Kleinbach’s primary challenge will be to position Alaska Communications against formidable competitors like GCI and the Matanuska Telephone Association (MTA).

GCI, a long-standing telecommunications giant in the state, boasts of investing over $4.7 billion in its network, which includes extensive fiber, satellite, and microwave facilities serving over 220 points of presence. It is a deeply entrenched provider with a vast customer base, including the state government.

Meanwhile, MTA, an Alaskan-owned cooperative, has aggressively marketed its AlCan ONE network—the first and only all-terrestrial fiber line connecting Alaska to the contiguous U.S. This provides a crucial element of diversity against the undersea cables that form the backbone of Alaska Communications' and GCI's networks, offering a powerful selling point for customers demanding maximum redundancy.

Alaska Communications counters with its own diverse infrastructure, including the AKORN undersea fiber-optic network. The company's strategy under Kleinbach will likely involve leveraging the unique strengths of its subsea routes while innovating on service offerings like its Software-Defined Network (SDN) solutions, which promise customers greater control and flexibility over their network traffic. The competition is fueling a wave of investment and innovation, directly influencing global trends in the wholesale market, such as the explosive demand for fiber to support 5G, data center growth, and cloud computing.

Powering the Last Frontier's Future

The strategic maneuvering in the wholesale market has profound implications that extend far beyond corporate balance sheets. For Alaska, a state defined by its vast distances and remote communities, the quality and reach of its digital backbone are foundational to its economic and social future. A robust wholesale market is the engine that powers connectivity for everyone, enabling retail providers to offer high-speed internet, reliable mobile service, and critical enterprise solutions across the state.

Strengthening this wholesale infrastructure is essential for bridging the digital divide. It enables the delivery of vital public services like telehealth and remote education, supports the growth of local businesses, and connects individuals in some of the most isolated regions of North America. As global data consumption soars, driven by AI, streaming, and cloud applications, the need for reliable, high-capacity networks in Alaska has never been more acute.

Kleinbach's appointment is therefore more than an internal corporate development; it represents another chapter in the ongoing effort to build a more connected and resilient Alaska. The success of his mission to expand and optimize Alaska Communications' wholesale services will directly impact the state's ability to participate fully in the global digital economy, ensuring its communities have the tools necessary to thrive in the 21st century.