JOSH WAISANEN | 39

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER; PRESIDENT

ALASKA FOOD CO; COLLINS CONSTRUCTION

Hometown: Palmer

Current City: Wasilla

Education: Associate degree in general education, Fayetteville Technical Community College; Heavy equipment operators course; Basic infantry course; Combat lifesaver course; Primary leadership development; Airborne course; Warrior leadership course; Small unit tactics; Language school, Chinese; Special Forces qualification course; Basic non-commissioned officer course; Combat Divers qualification course; Jumpmaster course; Dive supervisor course; Special Forces advanced reconnaissance target and exploration course; Survival Evade, Survival, evasion, resistance and escape course; Special Forces engineer sergeant course; and Advanced land navigation

Community Work: Volunteer at the local school, reading to the kindergarten classes to promote reading; Assistant track and cross-country coach to a local elementary school; Tour local elementary schools to give presentations that promote "Josh the Otter" youth water safety program; Rotarian, three time recipient of Paul Harris Award, and member of the fundraising committee; Contributor to Fall Outdoors, veterans nonprofit group; Providing Healing Waters Fly Fishing free storage space so they can continue their mission to support veterans

Family: Daughter, Vaeva Mae Waisanen (10); son, Axel Gregory - War Waisanen (7); and mother, Deb Waisanen.

What is your favorite place in Alaska and why?: On the mountain, either hiking or snowboarding: I'm always with friends while doing either activity, and you get the opportunity to see the beautiful scenery that Alaska offers.

Name the person you respect and why: My late dad, Greg Waisanen. He taught me the value in hard work, to take care of others, to be fair in business, to participate in the community and how to be responsible.

What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work?: Anything with my kids. What was your first job?: I would ride my bike to clean the motel rooms.

What has been your most rewarding community service?: Matanuska-Susitna Borough Veterans Wall, located in Wasilla: It was an honor to work with the local veterans to create a simple design. Collins Construction donated the work to the veterans group, while the design team and subcontractors discounted their efforts. In your professional life, what has been a project or achievement you have found to be the most fulfilling?: After becoming Special Forces Qualified, Green Beret, I was assigned to a dive team. I was only assigned to the dive team because I told the leadership "I could swim." The truth was I grew up in Alaska and was not a strong swimmer, due to the cold lakes in the limited Alaska summers. After returning from a deployment to Iraq, I went to the Combat Divers qualification course (CDQC) in Key West, Fla. I showed up with food poisoning and was exhausted. The afternoon of the first day, they had us enter the pool and perform what they called a "simple" exercise. I passed, but upon exiting the pool the instructor told me I would fail and had no chance of passing the course, and needed to learn some technique. Later, the same instructor let me know that "you have no technique and just plan on gutting it out." I wasn't the honor student, but I did pass, and it taught me that I could do anything I set my mind to. Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance?: Life is short, and time is the most precious thing you have; efficiently schedule your work load to allow yourself to live life and spend time with friends and loved ones.