Pacific Harbor Advisors is the consulting firm founded by Alan Sorum, who currently works as Maritime Operations Project Manager for the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council. Sorum worked for several years as Manager of the Municipality of Skagway, a very busy cruise ship port in Southeast Alaska.

Alan is the past Port Director and Harbormaster for the City of Valdez, Alaska. Valdez Small Boat Harbor that has just over 500 slips and routinely handles 1,000 commercial fishing and recreational vessels in the peak season. Valdez is the primary access point to Prince William Sound for interior Alaska. Port facilities include an airport terminal building, city dock and container terminal. He has been the Valdez Harbormaster for 7 years and has also worked for the Ports of Wrangell and Whittier, Alaska.

Sorum has been extensively involved with port and harbor planning efforts. The most recent projects have focused on design of a harbor expansion in Valdez, Alaska and support for development of the new Akutan harbor in the Aleutians. Past projects included development of a port development concept for the Municipality of Skagway and a port operations plan for the Native Village of Eyak. Publications include an Evaluation of Alaska’s Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Program presented in the proceedings of IFISH II, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Sitka, Alaska 2003, Community Discovery in Chukotka presented to the proceedings of the 55th Arctic Science Conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Anchorage, Alaska 2004, and Northern Harbors & Small Ports: Operations and Maintenance which was published by the Alaska Sea Grant College Program.

As a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Alan serves as Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Examiner. Alan is an Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA) Advance Marine Safety Instructor and also holds a Boating Safety Instructor certificate from the State of Alaska.

Alan Sorum is a Past President and Life Member of the Alaska Association of Harbormasters and Port Administrators, member of the Valdez City School Board and a member of the Board of Directors for the Valdez Fisheries Development Association.

Alan holds a Bachelor of Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Alaska Southeast and a Master of Art in Rural Development from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. During 2005 he qualified for the Certified Marina Manager designation from the International Marina Institute.

Boating is a way of life here in coastal Alaska. Alan holds a Coast Guard Masters License, and is involved with commercial and recreational boating, kayaking and rafting.