Iditapod bonus: Anchorage interview with Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach

A banner for the Iditarod ceremonial start in Anchorage (Photo by Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media)

This year’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race will be the first for its new CEO Rob Urbach, who took over in July.

Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach (Iditarod photo)

In recent years, the Iditarod has struggled with sponsors pulling out, a so-called “dog-doping” scandal and accusations that its board of directors had conflicts of interest. In the meantime, the board has been overhauled and expanded, and there have been some new race rules put in place, as the Iditarod grapples with various issues and increased scrutiny.

Urbach came to the Iditarod after six years as CEO of USA Triathlon and, previously, had worked in sports marketing and management.

Now at its helm, Urbach says he first became a fan of the Iditarod about 20 years ago.

[Related: Follow all of our coverage of the 2020 Iditarod here.]

a portrait of a man outside

Casey Grove is host of Alaska News Nightly, a general assignment reporter and an editor at Alaska Public Media. Reach him atcgrove@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Caseyhere

Previous articleAnchorage School District says students benefit from longer lunch and recess
Next article‘It’s pretty much everywhere’: Iditarod mushers should prepare for deep snow, race officials say