Northern Air Cargo names permanent CEO

Alaska-based Northern Air Cargo has appointed Mark Lester as its permanent president and CEO, replacing interim leader Dave Karp who had held the position since March 2025, the company announced on Friday. Lester, who spent the past 18 months at Merrick & Co., an engineering firm, will take over from Karp on September 21. Northern Air Cargo, a subsidiary of Saltchuk Resources, praised Lester's extensive leadership experience in safety-critical, regulated operations, noting he will help the company grow and deepen its services while continuing its 70-year tradition of dependable service to Alaska.

Karp, who entered the role during a challenging period when the company was losing money and decided to focus on intra-island Hawaii and Alaska service, will now return to his role as senior vice president and managing director, Alaska, at Saltchuk Resources. Northern Air Cargo currently operates three freighters in Alaska, serving Seattle, a major transfer point for Alaskan exports, and communities across the state.