OFF THE CUFF

What book is currently on your nightstand? David: Sharpe’s Assassin by Bernard Cornwell. Jon: Alaska: An Empire in the Making by John J. Underwood [no relation].

Dead or alive, who would you like to see perform live in concert? David: U2. Jon: Led Zeppelin.

What’s your favorite local restaurant? David: Used to be Pasta Bella, but since they changed hands I don’t really have a favorite. Jon: Thai House in downtown Fairbanks.

What charity or cause are you passionate about? David: Love INC [now known as Helping Alaska]. Jon: I’m kind of passionate about trails, and I love all kinds of trail recreation.

If you could domesticate a wild animal, what animal would it be? David: I enjoy watching birds, so some kind of bird. Maybe a raptor or something. Jon: Maybe a moose. I’d love to see one of them be useful instead of just chasing me around in the woods.

David & Jon Underwood

Animals gotta eat. That fact of nature has kept David and Jon Underwood, the Co-Owners of Alaska Feed Co. in Fairbanks, busy during the COVID-19 pandemic—and kept the family business going since statehood. Established in 1959, the Underwoods’ father Dick took over management in 1974 and became owner in 1980. David worked at the shop more than Jon, yet by 1992 they both took over management and then bought the company from their dad.

It’s been a “good, solid occupation,” they say. Their main customers are pet owners and people keeping a little livestock, say a horse or some goats. More “backyard farmers” have sprouted during the pandemic, as the brothers have observed a trend toward gardening, raising chickens, and “homey things.”

David is the elder brother by two years, though Jon is the nominal president of the company. Jon also runs a side project, designing and building trails around the state. David’s son works there, rather than at the feed store, so the next generation of the family business might continue along that lateral (and literal) track.

Alaska Business: What do you do in your free time? David Underwood: I do a lot of music. I lead the music at our church [Shannon Park Baptist Church]. I enjoy doing that a lot. I do like to ski. Jon Underwood: I do a lot of reading, outdoor activity. My wife and I own a cabin in the Alaska Range. We like to go there. AB: Is there a skill you’re currently developing or have always wanted to learn? Jon: [His brother says “welding,” and both laugh] I’m really trying to develop my GIS skills for trail mapping. David: I bought a pretty high-end electric guitar about a year ago. I’ve been trying to learn lead guitar instead of playing chords all the time.

AB: What’s your greatest extravagance? David: Hopefully this doesn’t get back to my wife, but I like to collect knives. I’ve got way too many knives. I can never use all of them, but I just for some reason have a fascination with knives. Jon: Probably travel. We travel a lot and I’ve never regretted spending money on it.

AB: Have you ever had a supernatural experience? Jon: I would say I have, typically related to my own Christian faith. David: I feel God’s pleasure. I think that’s a quote from Chariots of Fire. I do feel God’s pleasure whenever I sing Christian music, and I’m privileged to do that every Sunday.

AB: What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done? David: Besides getting married? Probably have kids. Close second. Having kids is scary. Both turned out pretty good, if I say so myself. Jon: Buying a trail dozer at the age of forty and jumping into a completely new career.

AB: Other than your current career, if you were a kid today, what would your dream job be? David: I’m still a child at heart… Playing in a band somewhere and going on tour. Jon: I’m in my dream job as a trail designer and builder. Really grateful to have the opportunity.

AB: What’s your best attribute and worst attribute? Jon: Do we get to cross-check each other? [he laughs] David: How long do we have? I enjoy reading about conflict, but I usually try to avoid conflict, try to communicate, work things through. I don’t know if that’s my best attribute. Jon: A lot of times your best attribute is also your worst. My best one is that I’m very persistent; of course, the other side of that is that some people say that I’m stubborn. David: Me, I think I can be self-centered sometimes, especially when I’m hungry. Jon: [laughs]

3-Tier Alaska Civil Engineering & Surveying.............................................. 39 3tieralaska.com/tpeci.com Ahtna, Inc................................................. 59 ahtna.com

Airport Equipment Rentals .................... 139 airportequipmentrentals.com Alaska Air Cargo - Alaska Airlines.............. 9 alaskacargo.com Alaska Airlines .......................................... 91 alaskaair.com

Alaska Mergers & Acquisitions, LLC ........ 12 Alaska Pacific University ........................ 119 alaskapacific.edu Alaska Procurement Technical Assistance Center .................................... 93 ptacalaska.org Alaska Roof Restorations......................... 33 alaskaroofrestorations.com

Alaska USA Federal Credit Union ............ 71 alaskausa.org Altman, Rogers & Co. ............................ 125 altrogco.com Anchorage Sand & Gravel .....................106 anchsand.com

Arctic Encounter Symposium.................. 29 arcticencounter.com

Arctic Slope Regional Corporation ......... 35 asrc.com

ASTAC - Arctic Slope Telephone Assoc. .................................... 15 astac.net

AT&T ......................................................... 19 att.com

Avis Rent-A-Car ....................................... 22 avisalaska.com

Bering Straits Native Corp ....................... 73 beringstraits.com Business Insurance Associates Inc.......... 15 businessinsuranceassociates.com

Cape Fox Shared Services ....................... 81 capefoxcorp.com Central Environmental Inc. ..................... 69 cei-alaska.com

Chugach Alaska Corporation.................. 23 chugach.com Coastal Villages Region Fund.................. 83 coastalvillages.org Color Art Printing, Inc.............................. 47 colorartprinting.com Colville, Inc .............................................. 45 colvilleinc.com

Conrad-Houston Insurance Agency..... 125 chialaska.com

Construction Machinery Industrial ........... 2 cmiak.com Credit Union 1.......................................... 63 cu1.org Cruz Companies...................................... 57 cruzconstruct.com

Delta Constructors .................................. 97 deltaconstructors.net

Denali Universal Services - Sodexo ........ 45 denaliuniversal.com

Dorsey & Whitney LLP ............................. 68 dorsey.com Enstar Natural Gas Co ............................111 enstarnaturalgas.com First National Bank Alaska ......................... 5 fnbalaska.com

Fountainhead Development ................... 43 fountainheadhotels.com

GCI ........................................................... 41 gci.com Great Originals Inc................................. 103 greatoriginals.com Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company ..................................... 75 hecla-mining.com Hotel Captain Cook................................. 17 captaincook.com Huna Totem Corporation........................ 52 hunatotem.com

JEFFCO Inc. ........................................... 121 jeffcogrounds.com Junior Achievement .............................. 117 ja-alaska.org Landye Bennett Blumstein LLP ............. 127 lbblawyers.com Leonardo DRS........................................ 129 LeonardoDRS.com/Alaska

Lynden....................................................140 lynden.com Material Flow & Conveyor Systems, Inc. .......................................... 115 materialflow.com

Matson Inc. ............................................ 123 matson.com

Medical Park Family Care, Inc ................. 99 mpfcak.com MICROCOM............................................. 27 microcom.tv

MTA - Matanuska Telephone Association .............................11 mtasolutions.com

MTA - Matanuska Telephone Association............................................... 89 mtasolutions.com Nana Regional Corp ................................ 79 nana.com

NCB.......................................................... 12 ncb.coop Nenana Heating Services, Inc ................. 93 nenanaheatingservicesinc.com New Horizons Telecom, Inc.................... 53 nhtiusa.com Northern Air Cargo........................132, 133 nac.aero

Northrim Bank ........................................... 3 northrim.com

NOVAGOLD ............................................. 77 novagold.com Odyssey Logistics & Technology Corp..................................... 95 odysseylogistics.com Oxford Assaying & Refining Inc.............109 oxfordmetals.com

Pacific Pile & Marine .............................. 131 pacificpile.com Parker, Smith & Feek................................ 31 psfinc.com PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center ........................................ 56 careers.peacehealth.org People AK................................................. 55 peopleak.com PIP Marketing Signs Print......................... 61 pipalaska.com Providence Health & Services Alaska...... 65 providence.org Ravn Alaska .............................................. 21 ravnalaska.com

Seatac Marine Service ........................... 116 seatacmarine.com

Span Alaska Transportation LLC.............. 16 spanalaska.com Stellar Designs Inc ................................. 121 stellar-designs.com T. Rowe Price ........................................... 37 alaska529plan.com Teck Alaska Incorporated........................ 87 teck.com

The Odom Corporation .......................... 85 odomcorp.com Think Office ........................................... 101 thinkofficellc.com

TOTE Maritime Alaska LLC ......................49 totemaritime.com

Udelhoven Oilfield System Services, Inc.............................................60 udelhoven.com

Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation............... 67 uicalaska.com

United Way of Anchorage ..........................7 liveunitedanc.org University of Alaska-Fairbanks eCampus.................................................. 13 ecampus.uaf.edu Usibelli Coal Mine.................................. 107 usibelli.com

Visit Anchorage...................................... 113 anchorage.net Westmark Hotels - HAP Alaska ............. 119 westmarkhotels.com