“The single most important ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.” — Theodore Roosevelt
One of the toughest jobs in the world is being a state legislator. Sure, elected office at the national level is no easy job. But, at that level, there is a tendency to be somewhat insulated and rely more on advisors and administrative aides. In Alaska, you are eyeball-to-eyeball with constituents frequently and must depend more on your instincts and communication skills to do your job.
No one has demonstrated that more and done it better for our community in recent history than Juneau’s state senator, Dennis Egan.
Egan took to the job naturally, not just because politics ran in his family, but because of his personality and his innate affinity for helping others.
Dennis and I have known each other from a very young age as our families were equally involved in state politics. Even though he was a year ahead of me in high school, often we did things together — either visiting him at the Governor’s Mansion when his father was governor or at my grandparents’ cabin at Amalga Harbor.
Egan was always the life of the party and while we were often one step away from trouble we managed to avoid it. But he was serious too.
Egan got his start in communicating with an audience in high school when he began working at the local radio station — cementing a life-long connection with the industry later as a station owner and radio personality. But it also was where Egan honed the people skills that got him elected to the borough assembly and later as Juneau’s mayor.
When then-Gov. Sarah Palin was looking to appoint someone to fill Juneau’s vacant state senate seat in 2009, it was only natural she would eventually turn to Egan — someone she knew would be accepted by party leaders from both sides of the aisle.
The importance of that appointment has become even more evident since. Why? Because a community is judged by the people they elect to public office.
Elected officials, particularly our mayor and our legislative delegation, are the face of our capital city and can define who we are and how we wish to be regarded.
Judging by the recent retirement party Dennis Egan’s colleagues gave him, I’d say Juneau was in pretty good hands for the past nine years. To a person, Egan’s colleagues spoke of his affability, his sense of humor and his devotion to Alaska and Juneau.
Egan possessed a fundamental respect for the institutions to which he was elected. He was courteous to all members, regardless of their political affiliation, and he was honorable.
But the most important aspect of Egan’s brand of politics was the way he used his influence.
Elected office carries a certain amount of power — whether it’s the ability to pick up the phone and get a department head to deal with a constituent issue or corral less senior members to vote with you on an issue.
Some politicians use their power to curry favor — or intimidate — to get their way. Some politicians manipulate others to advance their agenda.
Egan never played those games. He held his positions strongly and explained them plainly. He was genuinely authentic and spoke to his colleagues and constituents as individuals.
He used the power of his position to help Juneau and its surrounding communities. He made it difficult for any legislator to think for a moment that moving the capital was a good idea. He wasn’t afraid to buck his own party when it meant helping his district. His unwavering support of building the Lynn Canal Highway is proof of that.
He helped appropriate the money that funded the new Father Andrew P. Kashevaroff State Library, Archives and Museum. He fought for and secured needed Capitol renovations improving Juneau’s capital facilities.
Of course, none of that would have been possible if Egan hadn’t realized the value of relationships and true bi-partisanship — a quality in short supply these days.
Hopefully, his successor will possess the same skills.
Our community and region’s future depend on it.
• Win Gruening retired as the senior vice president in charge of business banking for Key Bank in 2012. He was born and raised in Juneau and graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1970. He is active in community affairs as a 30-plus year member of Juneau Downtown Rotary Club and has been involved in various local and statewide organizations. He contributes a regular “My Turn” to the Juneau Empire. My Turns and Letters to the Editor represent the view of the author, not the view of the Juneau Empire.
