Ten years ago, apart from a few grazing goats and donkeys, no one paid much attention to the western slope of the island, where nine of the project's 12 finished houses dot the landscape.

WSJ: Community by Design | Architecture

Before serving as mayor, Mr. Itta held a variety of project management and development positions for Arctic Slope World Services and the Arctic Slope Consulting Group from 1998 to 2004, where he was involved in the engineering and coordination of the North Slope Village water and sewer construction program.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

The most ambitious project is the 3, 600-mile Alaskan pipeline, which will run from the North Slope along the Alcan Highway through the Yukon and British Columbia.

FORBES: Magazine Article