Alaska Business May 2018 by Alaska Business

TEMPORARY STAFFING | RECYCLING DEMOLITION DEBRIS | RURAL PRENATAL CARE May 2018 Digital Edition

Beyond Drilling:

Safety, Surveillance, Spill Response OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION

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May 2018 Digital Edition TA BLE OF CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS

FROM THE EDITOR EAT, SHOP, PLAY, STAY EVENTS CALENDAR RIGHT MOVES BUSINESS EVENTS INSIDE ALASKA BUSINESS ALASKA TRENDS AD INDEX

ABOUT THE COVER: Photographer Judy Patrick is nearly synonymous with North Slope imagery—for more than twenty years Patrick has traveled across the state in every condition imaginable to capture the vision, scope, and character of Alaska’s major resource development activities, including the transportation, mining, and oil and gas industries. Annually in May Alaska Business pulls together an oil and gas special section, and this year as in past years we’ve turned to Patrick not just for her incredible technical skill as a photographer but for her artistry in the genre to celebrate Alaska’s largest industry.

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ARTICLES RETAIL

8 | Fresh Food

Rebecca Pruitt holds a burning oil lamp, a symbol of cultural pride and endurance, during a program at the Alutiiq Museum.

and Friendly Faces

Subway of Alaska celebrates thirty years By Tasha Anderson

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 14 | Instant Staffing Solutions

Alutiiq Museum | © Patrick Saltonstall

Temporary work opportunities benefit employers and employees By Tracy Barbour

REAL ESTATE

22 | Commercial Leasing Tips and Techniques

The importance of time, timelines, and timing By Jeff Grandfield and Dale Willerton

INSURANCE

24 | Attract Employees, Improve Health

Supplemental insurance options and benefits By Tracy Barbour

TELECOM & TECH

30 | Remote Telecom

Learning, working, and living better at the edge of the Last Frontier By Tracy Barbour

FISHERIES

36 | Protecting Alaska’s Fisheries

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing By Dimitra Lavrakas

MANUFACTURING

86 | Panels and Paper

Valley manufacturers produce Alaska’s fuel-saving insulation and more By Tasha Anderson

CORRECTION On pages 24-25 in the March 2018 issue of Alaska Business the Anchorage Museum’s new Patron’s Lounge was described as an administration office. It is a lounge for special events. 4

CONSTRUCTION

88 | Tearing Down to Build Up

Recycled and reclaimed construction and demolition materials By Vanessa Orr

SECURITY

94 | On Patrol

Customer-oriented security personnel By Julie Stricker

ALASKA NATIVE

96 | Protect and Preserve Warding against the incalculable loss of Alaska Native culture By Judy Mottl

HEALTHCARE

100 | Healthy Babies, Healthy Mothers

YKHC and Southcentral Foundation provide spectrum of pregnancy care By Judy Mottl

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

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May 2018 Digital Edition TABLE OF CONTENTS

Oil & Gas Special Section ALASKA LNG

40 | Cracking the Code

Demystifying the Alaska LNG Project By Kathryn Mackenzie

DEVELOPING TECH

44 | Re-thinking Oil Operations

Drones and crowdsourcing improve industry procedures and policies By Vanessa Orr

REMEDIATION

50 | Oil Spill Cleanup

Industry proactive in pushing technology and procedures forward By Isaac Stone Simonelli

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

58 | Safe on the Slope Occupational health services for the oilfield By Julie Stricker

DIRECTORY

62 | The Alaska Business 2018 Oil & Gas Directory

Alaska Aerial Media

Members of Alaska Aerial Media prepare to perform a LiDAR acquisition mission on Alaska’s North Slope.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

FROM THE EDITOR VOLUME 34, NUMBER 5 Published by Alaska Business Publishing Co. Anchorage, Alaska EDITORIAL STAFF Managing Editor Kathryn Mackenzie 257-2907 editor@akbizmag.com

Associate Editor Tasha Anderson 257-2902 tanderson@akbizmag.com Digital and Social Media Specialist Arie Henry 257-2906 ahenry@akbizmag.com Art Director David Geiger 257-2916 design@akbizmag.com Art Production Linda Shogren 257-2912 production@akbizmag.com Photo Contributor Judy Patrick BUSINESS STAFF President Billie Martin VP & General Manager Jason Martin 257-2905 jason@akbizmag.com VP Sales & Marketing Charles Bell 257-2909 cbell@akbizmag.com Advertising Account Manager Janis J. Plume 257-2917 janis@akbizmag.com Advertising Account Manager Holly Parsons 257-2910 hparsons@akbizmag.com Advertising Account Manager Christine Merki 257-2911 cmerki@akbizmag.com Accounting Manager Ana Lavagnino 257-2901 accounts@akbizmag.com Customer Service Representative Emily Olsen 257-2914 emily@akbizmag.com 501 W. Northern Lights Boulevard, Suite 100 Anchorage, Alaska 99503-2577 (907) 276-4373 | Toll Free: 1-800-770-4373 Fax: (907) 279-2900 www.akbizmag.com Editorial email: editor@akbizmag.com ALASKA BUSINESS PUBLISHING CO., INC. Alaska Business (ISSN 8756-4092) is published monthly by Alaska Business Publishing Co., Inc., 501 W. Northern Lights Boulevard, Suite 100, Anchorage, Alaska 99503-2577; Telephone: (907) 276-4373; © 2018 Alaska Business Publishing Co. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Alaska Business accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials; they will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. One-year subscription is $39.95 and includes twelve issues (print + digital) and the annual Power List. Single issues of the Power List are $15 each. Single issues of Alaska Business are $3.95 each; $4.95 for the October issue. Send subscription orders and address changes to circulation@akbizmag.com. To order back issues ($8.95 each including postage) visit www.akbizmag.com/store.

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Oil and Gas in the 49th State: Hope on the Horizon

laska was purchased by the United States more than 150 years ago, due in part—even then—to an understanding of the state’s significant potential. When Alaska was under consideration for statehood, one of the arguments to welcome what would become the 49th state was this land’s almost unfathomable resources. The Trans Alaska Pipeline System, since its completion, has served as an economic artery for the state, with oil and gas building our industries and our communities. Historically in Alaska, as oil busts we hurt, and as it booms we prosper. The oil and gas industry, through direct and indirect jobs, remains a key part of Alaska’s economy. Policy, production, tax credits, and price weigh heavily on the minds of all involved in this vast and complicated industry. What’s the next great discovery, or is there one? Even if there is, will it be economic for production? Alaska’s most recent oil finds are still in development infancy with no guarantee that they will translate into additional oil in the pipeline. While state government wrings its hands and worries over budget, what investments are on the horizon to ensure oil and gas companies continue to explore and invest? Despite questions and uncertainty, it’s important to take note of the progress Alaska is making toward continued and increased production coursing through TAPS and the cautious optimism and forward-looking attitude of the industry as a whole. With gas prices inching above $60 per barrel, there is hope on the horizon. “Higher oil prices offer a bit of relief for Alaskans worried about the state’s finances,” said Kara Moriarty, AOGA president and CEO, in a March statement. “Of course, a serious budget gap remains, but we are calling attention to the 100,000 additional barrels of oil moving down the pipeline than was forecast under the last oil tax law, called ACES. In the FY12 and FY13 production forecasts, analysts predicted oil production would plummet a full 100,000 barrels below today’s projected number. It is not difficult to figure out why state experts became optimistic about future oil production since the tax law changed in 2013— policy matters, and a smart, competitive policy caused companies to invest billions in Alaska.” In this issue of Alaska Business we explore how oil and gas companies are using those investments to discover and implement high-tech techniques to increase worker safety, reduce costs, and increase access to locations that would otherwise be inaccessible. We also feature some of the cutting-edge techniques being used to develop more efficient technology to prevent and clean oil spills… technology that ranges from infrared and satellite imaging techniques and advances in oleophilic skimmers to the use of bomb-sniffing dogs and Alyeska’s new fleet of purpose-built ships. And, of course, we present the Oil and Gas Directory, a comprehensive listing of the oil and gas companies operating in Alaska and the support services that help keep them moving forward. Also in this issue we visit some of Alaska’s rural villages to learn how pregnant women remain safe and healthy, even when visiting a doctor means taking a boat, a plane, or an ATV. It’s not as simple as a call to the OB-GYN when you’re hundreds of miles from the nearest hospital. And we make a visit to the Seafood Expo in Boston to learn about the dangers of illegal offshore fishing and what can and is being done to keep Alaska’s fish in Alaskan hands. It’s an exciting time for Alaska as we head into (almost) everybody’s favorite season when the light rarely fades and Alaskans hit the road (or river, or runway, or trail) to find adventure and play hard. So take some time, peruse the pages, and enjoy the sunny days ahead. —Kathryn Mackenzie Managing Editor, Alaska Business May 2018 | Alaska Business

RETAIL

Fresh Food and Friendly Faces

Subway of Alaska celebrates thirty years By Tasha Anderson

his year Subway of Alaska celebrates thirty years in the Last Frontier. Throughout those thirty years, in addition to providing a healthy dining option at locations throughout the state, Subway has invested in people and education in communities large and small. 8

In 2017 and 2018 Subway of Alaska made several announcements including new locations, renovated stores, new technology, and new food options, establishing that—even as the company looks back at three decades of Alaska history—it’s moving forward. In August the company announced a Subway restaurant opening in Utqiaġvik, making it the northern-most Subway in the United States. Subway of Alaska’s President Steve Adams, who (with his mother, Bobbie Scribner) brought the franchise to Alaska in 1988, says, “For twenty years I’ve been trying to get some-

body to go in Barrow [and set up a Subway franchise location].” While in the past some investors were interested in opening an Utqiaġvik location, Adams wanted a local owner/operator that wanted to be a part of the community. The Arctic Subway is co-owned by Utqiaġvik local John Masterson and Anchorage resident Ed Foster. “They fit all the criteria, not just the money side,” Adams explains.

Subway in Alaska Subway of Alaska owns and operates the majority of the Subway restaurants in Anchorage

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

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In March Subway of Alaska announced a new partnership with On the Menu, a local delivery service; customers can now have Subway delivered fresh to their home or office. Subway of Alaska

and Eagle River, and the Girdwood Subway is co-owned by Adams and Subway of Alaska Vice President Chris Wilson. In the Anchorage area, there are eighteen Subways owned and operated by the Anchorage School District. Adams says, “Years ago we used to sell sandwiches to [the school district]. Every year they’d comes to us looking for cheaper prices; this made it difficult to keep our model. Finally we said: Why don’t you become a franchisee?” It’s a unique relationship. “The problem is almost every new superintendent doesn’t realize they’re the owners,” laughs Wilson. www.akbizmag.com

May 2018 | Alaska Business

“[But] they get advantages from being a franchisee. It helps their profitability.” The other Alaska Subways are owned and operated by franchisees located across the state in places such as Nome, Juneau, and Ketchikan. In fact, this year Subway of MatSu is celebrating twenty-five years of operations, and Subway of Sitka has logged twenty years in their market. Including the new Utqiaġvik location, there are eighty-four Subway restaurants in the state, and they have an impact on every community. In a community such as Utqiaġvik, which has a population of just more than 4,000 people, sixteen new jobs being introduced to the area—and filled by locals—makes a big difference. Just in Anchorage (including JBER), Eagle River, and Girdwood, Subway of Alaska employs 340 people, and Adams says on average each of the rural Subway locations have 10 or 12 employees year-round, often hiring more to accommodate seasonal fluctuations. “I think we have some of the better franchisees,” Adams says. “Our franchisees are in Bethel, Utqiaġvik, and Nome—off the road system; we need to pick people who are a little more independent.” While that independence is important, Subway of Alaska supports franchisees in several ways to make sure every Subway in the state finds success. Alaska Subway franchisees do have a unique ability to make decisions to suit their market. Wilson explains, “Probably one of the smartest moves that I’ve seen over the years is how

Subway is phasing out the rustic brick and subway car design in favor of a look inspired by the company’s fresh vegetables: brighter colors, more and better lighting, and streamlined furniture. Steve [Adams] set up the state: we’re compared a lot to Hawaii in terms of distribution, [but] if you go to Hawaii they might have three or four markets that collect money to spend locally. However, every city within the state of Alaska has its own market fund. It means they can spend local dollars themselves. We don’t dictate to them—they come up with the strategic ways to incorporate the community… We’ve got thirteen or fourteen markets, and their money stays right there where that franchise needs to spend it.” Adams says, “Part of our philosophy is you live in a neighborhood, you’re part of the neighborhood. We really push our franchisees when they start up to get involved in the community.” Subway of Alaska Statewide Director of Marketing Dee Buchanon adds, “We talk about what they want to do in their community with their advertising dollars.” “The whole marketing portfolio is set up

within the city advertising markets—you won’t find that template anywhere else in the country,” Wilson says. One distinct advantage of this system is that local franchisees have money for community engagement outside of marketing, supporting local causes or nonprofit organizations. Subway of Alaska sets the example. In February the company gave a check for $7,600 (a fraction of the tens of thousands of dollars donated in total) to the Children’s Hospital at Providence Health & Services Alaska; that money came from proceeds donated from their Anchorage Subway restaurants. The company supports its neighbors through a multitude of partnerships, including walks/ runs, sports teams and programs, fishing derbies, art and culture events, and local chambers of commerce. In particular, Subway of Alaska invests in education. It has built School Business Partnerships with five elementary schools: Abbott Loop Elementary, Government Hill Elementary, Susitna Elementary, Girdwood Elementary, and Eagle River Elementary. Wilson says, “The partnership is not just handing [the schools] coupons—at the end of the school year we want to know who we impacted, which is the students, but we also support the staff as well. Teachers are our unsung heroes.” Buchanon adds, “We’ve come up with a written program with the schools… that we measure from year to year. We can actually see an increase in attendance as a result of the program. It’s really rewarding.”

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May 2018 | Alaska Business

The grand opening of the new Subway restaurant on Lake Otis Parkway in Anchorage; Subway of Alaska President Steve Adams stands on the far left, preparing to cut the ribbon.

and space is a concern for the indoor kiosk requirements. Adams says, “Our goal is to evaluate our restaurants; we’re considering moving a few.” Wilson adds, “Things change. Where you put a restaurant twenty years ago might not necessarily be the best place now.”

Subway of Alaska

New Look, New Technology In February, Subway of Alaska announced that the Anchorage Subway restaurant located at 9000 Lake Otis Parkway was being replaced by a new restaurant (built by general contractor H. Watt & Scott) that opened next door at 8936 Lake Otis. This Subway is the first location to feature Subway’s new major redesign, which the company hasn’t done in nearly twenty years. Subway is phasing out the rustic brick and subway car design in favor of a look inspired by the company’s fresh vegetables: brighter colors, more and better lighting, and streamlined furniture. One practical new design feature is the fresh vegetable display, which is a visual signal to guests that all Subway locations cut

in the drive-thru through which Subway staff can provide assistance or answer questions, but guests can order several sandwiches, beginning to end, without talking to anyone. Adams says the new touch screen drive-thru is doing well. “At first guests pull up and they’re used to someone saying, ‘Hi, welcome to Subway,’ and new customers will pause for a second, trying to figure out why no one is saying hi. But we have the speaker, so if employees see a delay they can instruct customers.” The new Subway also has an indoor kiosk guests can choose to use instead of waiting in line. They enter their order on the touch screen and then can pick up their meal at a designated pick-up window, which is next to the traditional sandwich line.

Delivery, Catering, and Service In March, Subway of Alaska announced that it entered into a partnership with locallyowned delivery company On the Menu. Customers can open an account at 562menu. com and have Subway delivered to a home or office in the Anchorage metro area and JBER. “On the Menu is delivery done right,” says On the Menu Manager Skyler Lovelace. “Order when you’re hungry or schedule your delivery hours even days in advance.” Adams says Subway of Alaska’s next big push is to move more into catering. “We’re a lot less expensive than a lot of catering companies,” and catering is available statewide through every Subway restaurant. In March Subway introduced a new line of signature wraps and added two Signature Wrap Platters to their catering menu. Amidst all the changes, the consistent theme for Subway of Alaska is a focus on fresh food and on customers. Adams credits his mother, Bobbie Scribner, as the driving force behind the friendly, service-first mindset of Subway in Alaska. “Mom was one of those people that didn’t know a stranger. She’d be sitting in the dining area with someone at the table. I was focused on getting stores built, and she was great with customer service.”

“Probably one of the smartest moves that I’ve seen over the years is how Steve [Adams] set up the state: we’re compared a lot to Hawaii in terms of distribution, [but] if you go to Hawaii they might have three or four markets that collect money to spend locally. However, every city within the state of Alaska has its own market fund. It means they can spend local dollars themselves. We don’t dictate to them—they come up with the strategic ways to incorporate the community.”

—Chris Wilson, Vice President, Subway of Alaska

and process their vegetables on location— this process and focus on freshness is not new, but a well-established part of Subway’s model of which many guests were unaware. Wilson explains that all of the food products Subway uses are a “gold standard” product, and subway employees or owners are not permitted to buy vegetables or meats from local vendors. “Because Subway puts so much emphasis on food safety, it’s set up so that if there is ever an issue, the recall method is so quick that we can pull it immediately. That’s one of the reasons they frown on buying, say, tuna fish, locally,” he says. Quality of food, and safety, is paramount. In terms of technology, the Lake Otis location now features a touch screen drive-thru, which as far as Adams knows is the first of its kind in Alaska. The touch screen raises or lowers to suit the height of any vehicle. If guests enter their phone number, the ordering system will remember their order and pull it up on their next visit, if they choose. There’s still a speaker 12

Unique to the new Lake Otis Subway, USB ports and electric outlets have been incorporated throughout the restaurant as a convenience for guests. Much of the equipment in the kitchen has been upgraded; for example, new ovens can proof and bake the bread all in one simple process, which saves time and prevents the likelihood of mishaps. The new design also focuses on being more eco-friendly. Adams says that the average Subway store uses 4,000 watts of lighting, but the new design only requires 1,000 watts. “Everything is LED,” he says. Many of the new appliances are more efficient in water consumption. Wilson says, “Our wall coverings were made with 34 percent recyclable content, and the molding is made with 90 percent recyclable materials. Subway has worked hard in producing this new Fresh Forward look.” Lake Otis is the first in Alaska with the Fresh Forward look, but soon other Subways in Anchorage will feature the new design. However, not every location can have a drive-thru,

It was her influence that led to Subway’s “three second rule,” where within three seconds of entering the store all guests are greeted and welcomed in. When Subway’s founder, Fred DeLuca, visited Alaska many years ago, he believed the Subway employees who were quick to say hello were putting on a show to impress him. “I told him no; my mother has had that Southern hospitality charm all her life and instilled it to all her children, which is reflected in our customer service,” Adams says. That three second greeting, which started in Alaska, has now become a Subway national policy. Thirty years ago Alaska was in the midst of an oil crisis, and people told Adams he was crazy to open a brand new franchise. He was convinced that fresh ingredients and fresh baked bread would fill a niche in Alaska, and three decades of growth agree with him. R Tasha Anderson is the Associate Editor for Alaska Business.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Instant Staffing Solutions Temporary work opportunities benefit employers and employees By Tracy Barbour

Opti Staffing Group

Left to right: Michael Houston, chief marketing officer; Avonly Lokan-Smith, CEO; and Ron Hansen, chief financial officer of Opti Staffing Group.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

he high volume of temporary and seasonal workers that fuel Alaska’s industries make it stand out among other states. Alaska’s staffing agencies offer a variety of services specific to Alaska to help companies acquire the workforce they need to fill temporary and seasonal positions.

Alaska has the highest number of seasonal workers in the nation, and monthly employment fluctuations indicate the cyclic nature of jobs in Alaska, especially in places like Bristol Bay and Denali National Park. In 2017, for example, total nonfarm employment consistently rose from 310,000 in January to 353,100 in July—a difference of 43,100 jobs, according to the Alaska Department of Labor. Some of the largest employment swings in Alaska happen in the fishing, construction, and tourism industries, all of which depend heavily on seasonal workers. While the state’s economists can track seasonal employment, it’s not easy to quantify the number of temporary workers in Alaska, says Dan Robinson, chief of research and analysis at the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. That’s partly because staffing agencies apply varying hiring practices for non-permanent workers. And some individuals who start out as temps may be converted to permanent employees later, making it difficult to accurately enumerate their transition. “It’s hard to isolate it in the standard data sets that are produced from the state/federal statistical agencies,” Robinson says.

Seasonal Versus Temporary Seasonal workers are essentially part of the temporary workforce—but there are subtle distinctions between the two types of employees. Seasonal hiring is usually pre-planned during a specific time period, which, in Alaska, is particularly during summer months, according to Christopher St. John, district manager of Kelly Services. “Businesses typically know how many additional employees and what skill-sets will be needed,” he says. On the other hand, companies generally hire temporary employees to offset a staffing void—such as vacation time and maternity leave—or to fill a temporary gap within business operations. A temporary employee can be placed onsite anywhere from two days to six months, says Paula Bradison, president of Alaska Executive Search (AES). While temporary staffing arrangements vary, the client may not have a specific job description for the employee and the work may be outlined later. However, seasonal work is generally more defined. “With seasonal employment, you know when it’s going to begin and end, such as with the fishing season,” she says. “With temp workers, it’s more project-based.” Companies often request temporary staffwww.akbizmag.com

ing at short notice to gear up for times of high demand, according to Michael Houston, CPC, CTS, chief marketing officer of Opti Staffing Group. “Temporary staffing as a whole is great because it affords businesses the chance to augment staff levels as workflow increases or decreases,” says Houston, who is based in Oregon. “From a candidate perspective, it allows them flexibility in their work schedule and an opportunity to try different roles on to see what fits them.”

Temporary Staffing Options Staffing agencies offer a range of services for companies that need workers for non-permanent gigs. For example, Opti Staffing Group, which primarily focuses on long-term, fulltime placements, provides temporary employees through a “working interview” or temp-to-hire model. The company uses this option to help clients with staff augmentation typically on a contract basis. “Sometimes it’s for a specific project,” Houston says. “For example, we’re working with a firm that’s building oil barracks, and we’ve placed a bunch of people with the trades crafts. That’s temporary in nature, but it’s not the typical temporary situation of needing someone to fill in for a day or for a few hours.” Opti Staffing Group works with clients in a broad range of industries, from manufacturing and construction to real estate, accounting, and insurance. Its typical customer is a privately-owned, mid-cap company with 20 to 200 employees. With offices in Alaska, Washington, and Oregon, the agency has access to job candidates from various markets. “However, the majority of candidates we place reside in the markets we are serving,” Houston says. “In the case of Alaska, the majority are from Anchorage or surrounding areas and are full-time residents.” Kelly Services supplies temporary workforce solutions mainly for Alaska clients in the oil and gas, healthcare, law, and telecommunications industries, as well as Alaska Native Corporations. Most of these clients rely on the agency to provide qualified candidates on a temporary basis. The specific skill sets required are determined during a customer needs assessment or, in some cases, through an up-to-date job description to match the best candidate to the position. “All Kelly employees are prescreened and interviewed by our highly experienced recruiters,” St. John says. Other clients in Alaska prefer Kelly Services’ temp-to-hire arrangement, which allows them to “try out” employees prior to hiring

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May 2018 | Alaska Business

“Kelly understands that there is an untapped pool of qualified talent that aren’t always actively looking for a new job, so it’s key to use a varied recruiting approach such as social media marketing, local networking events, and community involvement to connect with this segment.”

—Christopher St. John District Manager, Kelly Services

Kelly Services

Christopher St. John

them. After an employee has worked a period of time ranging between thirty and ninety days, the customer can evaluate if the employee is a good fit for their company. If both the customer and employee feel they have a good match, the hiring process moves forward. Of Kelly’s temporary employees, 90 percent working in Alaska are sourced from within the state. However, if a customer is open to relocation provisions, Kelly can re-

to administrative services. The Anchorage agency has been in business since 1989, and it has between 400 and 600 employees, depending on the time of year. “We always say let us do the hiring so you can get back to running your business,” says President Cindy Schebler. Companies often turn to Personnel Plus when they want to hire temp employees and have them run on the agency’s payroll. In this case, Personnel Plus will send over the most

temp-to-perm option. If a company is satisfied with a temporary worker, it can convert the individual to its own payroll. Employers can also opt to convert permanent workers to Personnel Plus. In this case, they would send the individuals to the agency, which would have them complete a W-9 form and place them on their payroll. Then the employees would continue going to their job as usual. “We’re just on paper as the employer, doing their payroll, W-2s, and the rest of the paperwork,” Schebler says. “The employees are still supervised by the same boss they had before.” For this service, Personnel Plus normally charges 3 percent to 5 percent of the employer’s payroll and carries their workers’ compensation insurance. “If you are paying a bookkeeper $2,500 a month, we can often do it for much less than that,” Schebler says. AES, which has about sixty employees, focuses on sourcing temporary personnel for medical and IT high-level executive positions. The company has placed engineers, architects, nurses, and even interim CEOs throughout Alaska. The average AES client is a mid-size company that uses the agency to complement its human resource efforts. “We work in unison with HR departments,” Bradison says. Not surprising, about 90 percent of AES temporary workers come from within Alaska. The remaining 10 percent include people who want to “try out” the state before they commit to a permanent move or employers who bring individuals up to Alaska as temps as a strategic part of the initial hiring process. “We offer

“The majority of candidates we place reside in the markets we are serving. In the case of Alaska, the majority are from Anchorage or surrounding areas and are full-time residents.”

—Michael Houston, Chief Marketing Officer, Opti Staffing Group

cruit candidates across the United States and, in some cases, globally. “It really depends on the client’s needs and willingness to support relocation benefits,” St. John says. Personnel Plus Employment Agency is a full-service firm that provides temporary staffing services for everything from snow removal 16

suitable individual who meets the company’s job description. “They can ‘test drive’ the employee, and if they’re not satisfied during that first four hours, we will replace them,” Schebler says. “Rarely do we have to replace an employee.” Like most agencies, Personnel Plus offers a

them the opportunity to bring an employee in as a temp worker and alleviate the initial cost and time of onboarding,” Bradison says. The recession in Alaska has encouraged some employers to take a forward-thinking but tentative approach to hiring, Bradison says. “Many people are hiring folks for what they

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

Alaska Executive Search Alaska’s only full service employment company As a full service staffing agency, AES is dedicated to helping clients and employers have an exceptional hiring experience while reducing their overhead expenses. It also serves as an agent and advocate for candidates, helping them make the best impression with clients. Bradison says: “We’re a very high-quality and confidential conduit between our candidate and our client. We’re two-thirds consultant and onethird recruiter.”

Paula Bradison, President, Alaska Executive Search and Bradison Management Group

ith forty years of serving job seekers and employers, Alaska Executive Search (AES) has a deep appreciation for relationships and commitment to the community. “We’re fiercely loyal to the people who live in Alaska and our clients, and it lends itself to all aspects of the way we do business,” says President Paula Bradison, a fourth-generation Alaskan business owner. Bradison—who purchased AES in 2016—also operates Bradison Management Group, a consulting firm that specializes in the “art of people.” The sister companies share the same values and fortify each other. “I think it’s good Alaska karma,” she says.

EXPERTS IN RECRUITING AES acts as an extension of clients, enhancing their resources and helping them “right size” their business. “We’re not in competition with HR departments,” Bradison says. “They should leave the recruitment to us and let us send them the very best candidates.” With a team of ten employees, AES helps employers quickly get workers onsite through its direct hire, temporary staffing and popular temp-to-hire programs. This allows clients to shorten vacancy times and improve production. Plus, AES absorbs some of the hiring costs by carrying the payroll while the client’s HR department processes the paperwork. Utilizing a staffing agency is a cost-effective investment—especially given the high expense of having a poor hire. But AES minimizes the risk for employers. “At the end of the day, it’s all about helping people… We have a 90-day guarantee that we will start the search over and provide placement free of charge if the applicant doesn’t turn out to be a good fit.” – PA I D A D V E R T I S E M E N T –

PROMOTING PRACTICAL COMPETENCY AES differentiates itself by accessing strategic hiring practices to provide clients with the right fit. The recruiters have technical proficiency in their respective areas and are outfitted with several tools that assist with gauging soft skills, technical skills testing and personality assessment. AES’ recruitment process is punctuated with more traditional background checks to properly vet applicants. “Our philosophy is why waste your or the candidate’s time with a situation that just isn’t going to work,” Bradison says. In Alaska, the healthcare industry continues to grow and highlights AES’ ability to be nimble even in a downturn economy. The company plans to expand its presence in healthcare specifically to meet the growing demands. This is just one example of its focus to stay on top of economic trends and encourage sustainability for AES and the clients it serves. “Finding a pool of talent is important,” says Bradison, a former healthcare executive. “We [AES] intend to be that longer-term solution.”

Alaska Executive Search Paula Bradison, President 821 N St. Suite 201 Anchorage, Alaska 99501 907-276-5707 www.akexec.com

“We work twelve months out of the year interviewing for a temporary workforce so that, when the phone call comes in from a client, we have an employee to deploy.”

—Paula Bradison, President, Alaska Executive Search

need now while they are transitioning their team for what they need tomorrow,” she says. “Sometimes employers find that the worker is such a good fit that they convert them on to full-time, permanent employment.“

Agencies Work with Clients and Employees Staffing agencies use diverse approaches when working with clients and temporary employees. At Kelly, customers are offered a comprehensive staffing solution that includes talent sourcing. According to St. John, Kelly has been recruiting qualified candidates for more than seventy years, and it has expertise recruiting and attracting talent. To find job candidates, Kelly uses proven advertising and marketing strategies and posts a client’s job description on every major job board throughout Alaska and the contiguous United States, St. John says. But the agency also goes beyond these traditional tactics. He explains, “Kelly understands that there is an untapped pool of qualified talent that aren’t always actively looking for a new job, so it’s key to use a varied recruiting approach such as social media marketing,

local networking events, and community involvement to connect with this segment.” The agency’s recruiting teams have access to a strong internal network of resources and leadership. “We also look to our existing talent pool for referrals and have a relationship with the Alaska Job Center Network, along with other workforce development partnerships we’ve built throughout the state,” he says. So how much does Kelly charge to locate temporary employees? It depends, St. John says. Contracts vary from customer to customer, based on the scope of the services needed. Opti Staffing focuses more on the quality of placements than the quantity, so it delves deep into the marketplace and candidate pool to vet employees, Houston says. As part of its unique process, Opti uses recruiters who double as salespeople: one person is responsible for meeting and getting to know the customer and understanding what they are seeking in terms of the candidate’s skill set. That same individual also does the recruiting and vetting of candidates. “It makes the recruiters truly vested in the outcome,” Houston says. “They have a vested interest in the candidate’s

success and the customer’s success.” Job candidates at Opti get a face-to-face interview that is tailored to the specific position as well as to the candidate. The agency checks the references, previous employment, education, and background of the candidates prior to placement. It administers various tests, including a “Fit Factor” personality assessment to determine if they will work well with a particular organization. Of course, workers can end an assignment at any time if they feel a job doesn’t suit them. With its temp-to-hire model, Opti Staffing charges an hourly rate and handles the withholding and filing of taxes as well as providing medical and other benefits. The hourly rate, which is determined by the employee’s job and the length of the contract, typically includes a markup of about 90 percent. So if the employee’s salary is $20 per hour, the employer would pay about $38. This rate may be more than what other agencies charge, Houston says, but it reflects the company’s focus on high quality and effectiveness. Personnel Plus Employment Agency spends an extensive amount of time scrutinizing employees to make sure they’re the best fit for clients. Not only does the agency conduct standard skill assessments, drug testing, and background checks, but it can also ensure workers who handle cash are bondable. The company also sizes up employees in terms of their character, disposition, and behavior. “A lot of the hiring process has to do with finding people with the right personality.”

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Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

Personnel Plus’ fee for finding temporary employees varies according to the job. For clerical, the fee is 1.6 percent of whatever the payroll is, while for more injury-prone laborer, it could be as much as 1.85 percent. However, the agency is flexible. “If we have someone who will work with us and who has 200 employees,” Schebler says, “we will give them a 1.4 percent fee.” In terms of the employee pay scale, Schebler says her agency normally does not work with companies wanting to pay less than $12 an hour. AES has a different business model when it comes to finding and placing temporary employees. The agency maintains an ongoing and extensive search for qualified candidates. Bradison explains, “We work twelve months out of the year interviewing for a temporary workforce so that, when the phone call comes in from a client, we have an employee to deploy.” The agency goes through a rigorous screening process with employees. This includes testing to make sure workers have baseline skills as well as competency testing for specific positions such as IT jobs. “We spend a lot more money up front in advance of them being put in front of our client,” Bradison says. The challenge is to get businesses to look at temp workers differently, Bradison says. Employers should realize that staffing agencies have access to a variety of people with different objectives. Some workers are recent college graduates who have zero work experience and are looking for a way to establish a work history. AES gives them the unique opportunity to work at different places to determine what type of company they would like to work for and, at the same time, have an income and benefits. At the other end of the spectrum, the agency works with people who are approaching the latter part of their career. They’re not ready to retire, but they want more job flexibility. Employers can benefit from hiring both of these demographics. “We can get really well qualified employees and even over qualified people who may want the flexibility to take several weeks or even months off work,” Bradison says. “Temporary staffing is the best of both worlds.” AES’ fee is generally a straight percentage of the employee’s salary and depends on the service agreement. However, AES’ published fee is 1.7 times the employee’s hourly pay. So, for example, for a $10-per-hour employee, AES would charge an employer $15 per hour.

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Benefits of Staffing Staffing agencies cite a multitude of benefits to utilizing temporary employment. For employers, a key upside is that the agency typically handles payroll and all the required paperwork. “We do the W-2s and the end-of-year reporting/tax filing,” Schebler says. “And if employees are laid off, it’s on our dime. It’s really a stress-free bookkeeping situation for employers because they don’t have to do the taxes.” Temporary staffing also gives companies the advantages of using a temporary workforce, even if they’re located remotely. “We have a school district out in the Bush,” Schebler says. “We have never met the employer or employees, but we do direct deposit so it works.” www.akbizmag.com

May 2018 | Alaska Business

Using temporary workers can also be an effective way to cut expenses associated with employing full-time workers. This is especially true for small or new businesses that may not be able to afford to hire permanent employees. “If they use temporary help, they will not have to put them on their payroll,” Schebler says. Staffing agencies can also provide a range of other benefits for companies and employees. Kelly, for instance, goes beyond the basics of providing management and payroll services by paying workers’ compensation insurance to the state on behalf of the employer. The company also provides healthcare benefits, unemployment insurance, ACAcompliance, and tax coordination. Kelly employees have access to an ADA-compliant

“[Employers] can ‘test drive’ the employee, and if they’re not satisfied during that first four hours, we will replace them. Rarely do we have to replace an employee.”

—Cindy Schebler, President, Personnel Plus Employment Agency

healthcare benefit package through a partner healthcare company. They also receive bonuses, paid vacation, and corporate perks with more than a dozen big-brand partners, including discounts at AT&T, Best Buy, and Staples. Kelly also provides career training and professional development courses to help employees enhance their skills.

AES provides many of the standard benefits for employers as well as nice perks for its temporary workforce. Once temporary workers meet the ninety-day employment requirement, they can receive health or dental coverage, with 75 percent of the premium paid by AES. “We take good care of our AES employees, and we offer benefits as if they are working for us,” Bradison says. As another positive side to using temporary staff, companies can receive an immediate fix without the commitment of hiring a particular employee. “This gives employers and the employee an opportunity to get to know each other and make sure it’s a good fit—without having to go through the whole HR process,” Bradison says. Having an instant employment solution can be especially beneficial for businesses during peak season when they need to ramp up quickly. It can also be advantageous to have a worker available to step in during the absence of permanent employees and at least cover their baseline duties. “It’s a benefit for the employee to not come back to piles of work,” Bradison says. “It also benefits the companies’ customers to have someone fill the position while the regular employee is away so that customer service is not negatively impacted.” From an employee perspective, temporary staffing can be a viable way for applicants to get their foot in the door with an organization. It can also facilitate an employee’s relocation to a new area or potential career transition. While temporary employment arrangements offer flexibility for companies as well as employees, it can be a double-edged sword. As one downside, the company might not be able to get that same workers back next year, and sometimes there is a learning curve. And one potentially negative aspect for temporary workers is that they only get paid if they’re deployed and actively working. Regardless of the pros and cons, if all parties in the temporary staffing equation fulfill their respective responsibilities, temporary staffing is a viable arrangement. Bradison explains: “Temporary workers at AES are obligated to meet the employer’s standard of operation. Our job is to understand what that is, including core values and professional acumen. The employer’s job is to provide a safe and healthy work environment.” R

Tracy Barbour has been an Alaska Business contributor since 1999. As a former Alaskan, she is uniquely positioned to offer in-depth insight and enjoys writing about a variety of topics. 20

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

Back row, left to right: Steve Wadleigh, Don Hanni, Brian Kupilik, Joe Moore, Joe Bergene Front: Grant Todd

Altman Rogers & Company, CPAs

©Judy Patrick Photography

Big-firm experience. Small-firm approach.

ltman, Rogers & Company has been providing expert accounting services in Alaska for nearly 30 years. Recently, it acquired highly-revered CPA firm Daniel, Hewko & Tharp (DHT) and opened a second office in Anchorage. The acquisition enables Altman, Rogers & Co. to diversify its services and expand in the Anchorage market. “Our staff now have more avenues to explore in the world of accounting,” says Board Chair Joe Moore, who serves as the firm’s tax principal. Today Altman, Rogers & Co. operates four locations in Alaska: two in Downtown and Midtown Anchorage, one in Juneau, and one in Soldotna. The fi rm offers a range of services to businesses, including audit, review, compilation, tax planning and preparation, client accounting, electoral and tabulation, and management advisory services such as business exit planning and CFO services. Altman, Rogers & Co. serves a variety of entities, including for-profit businesses, school districts, municipalities, village councils, nonprofit organizations, Alaska Native corporations, and individuals. Altman, Rogers & Co. has a strong penchant for growth. The fi rm is actively building its client accounting services, including bookkeeping and payroll, and management advisory services divisions. At the same time, Altman, Rogers & Co. is also expanding its electoral services. “Our fi rm has offered election services in the past as an add-on service,” explains CEO Grant Todd. “Th is year, we are actively marketing these services as a stand-alone option for organizations with election and tabulation service needs.” Founded by Timothy Altman and Karen Rogers, Altman, Rogers & Co. is the largest Alaskan-owned and operated CPA firm. It prides itself on having big-firm resources and a

personal, small-firm approach. “Our firm has vast experience in auditing Alaska entities, yet is small enough to provide personalized service which allows us to stand apart from national CPA firms,” Todd says. “We understand Alaska issues and believe in supporting Alaska businesses.” Altman, Rogers & Co. also distinguishes itself by maintaining high levels of expertise with all of its services. The firm feels that providing client-centric service is intrinsic to developing long, worthwhile customer relationships. “We concentrate on providing high-quality accounting and services that clients will return for year after year,” says Principal Brian Kupilik. “Our primary focus is taking care of our existing clients.” The success Altman, Rogers & Co. has enjoyed over the years is a result of the quality of the work it has performed for clients, Moore says, and he fully expects this trend to continue well into the future. “We plan to continue to provide exceptional services to our existing clients,” he says. “And with the acquisition of DHT, we hope to grow our tax and accounting services in the Anchorage area.” Besides Moore, Todd, and Kupilik, other principals of Altman, Rogers & Co. are Steve Wadleigh, Joseph Bergene, and Don Hanni. Moore is based in Soldotna, while the other principals work in the firm’s Downtown Anchorage office. For more information about how Altman, Rogers & Co. uses its expertise to serve Alaskans statewide, visit www.altrogco.com or call (907) 274-2992.

– PA I D A D V E R T I S E M E N T –

REAL ESTATE

Commercial Leasing Tips and Techniques The importance of time, timelines, and timing By Jeff Grandfield and Dale Willerton

s we emphasize in our new book, Negotiating Commercial Leases & Renewals FOR DUMMIES, the leasing process is not a simple task. Considering the number of steps involved and potential hurdles, properly planning and allowing ample time can save commercial tenants aggravation and—more importantly—money. One common mistake commercial tenants can make is agreeing to terms too quickly with the real estate agent. We routinely hear from frustrated tenants who signed too hastily and realize after the fact that they may have made a mistake. While they do good work, agents work for the commercial landlord (rather than the tenant) and they will often push a prospective tenant to lease a unit that may not be the best choice (it may be too large or too expensive). The long-term success of the commercial tenant is of little importance to the agent—the agent’s motivation will often be a promised commission from the landlord (and that commission will typically increase when the tenant leases more commercial space and leases for more years). It’s not uncommon for potential tenants to receive a call from the agent saying that someone else is looking at the space that they looked at last week, pressuring business owners to “hurry up and sign.” Don’t let things like that sway you: go your own speed and get it done right. As a business owner, you will want to devote your time to doing what you enjoy and what is best for your business. Smart entrepreneurs often realize that they cannot accomplish everything that needs to be done, so they hire outside professionals (lawyers, accountants) to help them. Considering the amount of work involved with your own 22

commercial lease, it can be worthwhile to use a professional lease consultant to ensure that you get a better—and fairer—lease deal with the landlord. For the best results, everything that needs to be done before signing a lease can easily take from twenty to forty hours… will you have this kind of time to spare?

Start Early, Check Your Work Moving from time to timelines, scour all documents for deadlines and note these conspicuously. It may be possible to adjust these deadlines depending on the circumstances. You may find that some steps (getting financing in order or having a contractor inspect the commercial space) are beyond your control and you will need more time to get everything in order. While you could keep extending your condition periods by several days with your landlord, it is often better to simply ask for a longer condition period (perhaps twenty or thirty days) to ensure everything can be done. New business owners need to keep in mind that timing will play a vital part when their lease renewal comes due. It is not unrealistic for commercial tenants to begin their lease renewal process twelve to fifteen months prior to their lease expiration date. More precisely, look at your renewal option clause. If this says your cut-off date for exercising your lease renewal is six months before your lease expires, you would need to start the renewal process six months before that, or a total of twelve months in advance. If you have joined (or plan to join) a franchise concept, remember that franchise tenants should make sure that their lease term matches their franchise term to avoid issues later with the lease running out too soon. This

happens when the start date of the franchise agreement is prior to the start date of the lease agreement—which may be several months later, when the franchise business actually opens. Pay attention to your own renewal option cut-off deadline and react accordingly. While you may have intended to continue leasing in your current location, your landlord may have other plans (your landlord may have found a replacement tenant to take over your space and may increase your rent dramatically to effectively nudge you to move out and vacate the space). In this case, isn’t it better to know this bad news ahead of time? This isn’t always the case; however, it is something for commercial tenants to think about. Timing can also be a factor if you don’t have a renewal option and want to stay where you are currently leasing. If you don’t show any interest in moving, your landlord could take advantage of this situation, perhaps by increasing your monthly rent. And, if you wait too long before approaching your landlord, you will have less time available to you to move, if that becomes necessary. R Dale Willerton and Jeff Grandfield The Lease Coach are Commercial Lease Consultants who work exclusively for tenants. Willerton and Grandfield are professional speakers and co-authors of Negotiating Commercial Leases & Renewals FOR DUMMIES (Wiley, 2013). Got a leasing question? Need help with your new lease or renewal? Call 1-800-738-9202, e-mail DaleWillerton@TheLeaseCoach.com, or visit www.TheLeaseCoach.com.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

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INSURANCE

Attract Employees, Improve Health Supplemental insurance options and benefits By Tracy Barbour

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

“If you don’t take care of your employees by providing these type of benefits, they won’t be here to do the work you need them to do. With insurance employees are here, and they’re healthy.”

—Melany Miranda Human Resources and Safety Manager Alsco Linen and Uniform Rental Services

s a medical practice, Advanced Physical Therapy is not only dedicated to improving patient health but is also committed to caring for its eighty-five employees. Advanced Physical Therapy has a full medical plan for all of its eligible employees—those who have been with the company for at least sixty days and work a minimum of thirty hours a week. The company, which has five locations in Alaska, also offers dental and vision insurance as part of the group plan it carries through Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska. Advanced Physical Therapy strives to offer a generous benefits package. “For medical and dental, we pay 85 percent of the premium for employees and for any dependents they have on their plan,” says Practice Administrator Divida Pastorino. “For vision, we pay 100 percent of the coverage for our employees. The employees have to pay for their family’s vision plan, which is a minimal fee. The maximum for a family vision plan is $22 per month.” Advanced Physical Therapy also provides $50,000 worth of life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability coverage. It pays 100 percent of the cost for employees, who may purchase additional life and disability insurance for their dependents. The

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company gives workers a health reimbursement account (HRA) card preloaded with $2,500 that they can use for prescriptions, medical copays, acupuncture, massages, and other qualified expenses. The HRA card, which works similar to a prepaid Visa debit card, is issued to all employees who work thirty hours a week or more—even if they are not on the company’s insurance plan. Offering this perk, along with the other supplemental insurance benefits, are all part of the company’s culture. “It’s important that we make sure our staff is taken care of, and offering good medical insurance and other benefits helps with that,” Pastorino says.

Insurance Types and Providers Companies like Advanced Physical Therapy are capitalizing on supplemental insurance to help their employees protect their health and financial wellbeing. These products— sometimes referred to as ancillary or voluntary insurance—are often provided as part of employers’ regular health coverage. They are available from a variety of sources throughout Alaska, including Aflac Inc., State Farm, Premera, New York Life, and Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company.

Aflac—which stands for American Family Life Assurance Company—is one of the largest providers of supplemental insurance in the United States. It sells supplemental insurance on both the individual and group platform. Aflac offers individual products that cover various issues related to accidents and serious medical conditions, as well as programs that focus on replacing lost income. Aflac agents are also equipped to sell some of the most requested benefits such as vision, dental, and life insurance. Employees can purchase most of these products directly from an independent agent licensed to sell Aflac products. “Today, there are more than 1,000 companies across Alaska that allow agents to offer Aflac products on site to bolster their benefit offering for their valued employees,” says Joe Price, an Aflac marketing director who is based in Renton, Washington, and handles Alaska. Aflac agents can also offer group products for larger businesses and broker clients focused on the same types of medical issues covered by its individual products. According to Price, there are dozens of independent agents who are licensed to sell Aflac products and can work with businesses in Alaska— whether they’re in Utqiaġvik or Dutch Harbor. “We can help business owners navigate the complexity of healthcare reform and act as a trusted advisor,” Price says. In Alaska, some of the most popular Aflac supplemental insurance policies are those that cover accidents, cancer, disability, and some hospitalization plans that integrate with their major medical plans. The difference between Aflac products and other insurance is that they pay benefits directly to policyholders. Those policyholders are free to spend their benefits on whatever they choose, whether it’s on rent or groceries. “Our products provide a safety net for policyholders in the event of an illness or accident that might cause them to lose part of their income for a period of time,” he says. State Farm offers a variety of supplemental policies to individuals as well as employer-provided benefits. Some of its most utilized plans are hospital income policies, disability income insurance (short-term and long-term), and life insurance (group and individual). Disability insurance is one of the most requested options among State Farm clients in Alaska, according to agent Stacey Allen. “Supplemental insurance such as disability income policies can be utilized for many businesses but are especially beneficial for local Alaska companies that are looking to work with a local agent who can provide personalized service based on their company’s needs,” she says. Group life insurance, Allen says, is one of the most valuable and affordable options employers can provide to their employees. Group life allows employees to secure life insurance coverage at a low group rate and premiums that are competitively priced. With this option, employers would work directly with the insurance company to facilitate an annual renewable term life insurance policy. May 2018 | Alaska Business

State Farm

“Supplemental insurance such as disability income policies can be utilized for many businesses, but are especially beneficial for local Alaska companies that are looking to work with a local agent who can provide personalized service based on their company’s needs.”

—Stacey Allen Agent, State Farm

State Farm also offers a number of individual plans for Medicare supplemental insurance. These types of policies can help fill the gap for people who qualify for government-provided Medicare plans. They’re specifically designed to help individuals take care of the deductibles, coinsurance, and copayment amounts not covered by Medicare. “Medicare supplement insurance is something that eligible employees may elect to cover for themselves,” Allen explains. “Policies offered by State Farm work in partnership with expenses that the original Medicare plan would not cover.” According to Allen, State Farm has some of the lowest and most competitive Medicare supplemental insurance plans available to consumers. Coverage for this type of insurance is consistent in all states, but the cost varies by location. In Alaska, Medicare supplemental insurance monthly premiums are as low as $126.25 for a 65-year-old female non-smoker

and $136.75 for a male non-smoker who is 65. Most of the clients State Farm serves are at the individual level; however, the company is seeing more employers reaching out to see what plans the company can offer to provide additional benefits to their existing teams as well as new recruits. Whether it’s for individual or group coverage, State Farm provides customized service and caters to both employers and employees alike. “State Farm offers many affordable, unique plans to fit busy Alaskans who are looking for a company that they can rely on to protect themselves and their families today, tomorrow, and future generations,” Allen says.

Benefits of Supplemental Insurance There are a number of ways companies and their employees can benefit from supplemental insurance. More and more employers are pulling back on employee benefits, but a busi-

ness can differentiate itself by offering benefits as part of its recruitment process, Allen says. This can also have a positive impact on their taxes situation. “Aside from offering a competitive advantage in the marketplace, some employers may qualify for a tax benefit for providing this coverage as well,” she says. For Advanced Physical Therapy, offering supplemental insurance is of paramount importance. In fact, the company tends to cover more of the costs, percentage wise, as compared to other practices in Alaska, according to Pastorino. It’s essential for Advanced Physical Therapy to have healthy employees in order to be able to make its patients better. But the benefits of providing extra insurance coverage for staff definitely enhances the company’s recruiting efforts. “We recruit a lot of people from the Lower 48, and having a generous benefits practice definitely helps with that,” she says. Melany Miranda, human resources and safety manager at Alsco Linen and Uniform Rental Services, expresses similar thoughts. She considers supplemental insurance to be advantageous for the company as well as its employees. “If you don’t take care of your employees by providing these type of benefits, they won’t be here to do the work you need them to do,” she says. “With insurance employees are here, and they’re healthy.” Perhaps equally as important, providing supplemental insurance is an effective retention tool for Alsco. During her seven-year tenure with the company, Miranda says she has seen about ten employees retire after

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Aflac

“Today, there are more than 1,000 companies across Alaska that allow agents to offer Aflac products on site to bolster their benefit offering for their valued employees.”

—Joe Price, Marketing Director, Aflac

working at Alsco for twenty years. She says, “We don’t have a high turnover rate.” Price points out that most business owners today are facing all types of challenges: they’re battling rising costs, trying to remain competitive within their market, and have challenges retaining employees and attracting talent. Many of them also worry about employee productivity and are in an environment where the administrative burden of offering benefits is at an all-time high. “Offering voluntary benefits can assist them with tackling some of those issues, and we have a variety of programs to help them face those challenges head on,” he says. The insurance industry, in general, is complicated, so Aflac works hard to educate employers and individuals about the choices that exist, Price says. Many employees across the state don’t understand their current benefits, let alone any additional benefits that may be available. “We focus a great deal on education because when employees understand the value that Aflac products provide, they tend to have strong interest in owning a policy,” he says. There really is no downside to voluntary insurance, Price says. He explains: “We are providing products that help employers make their business more attractive to potential and current employees. At the same time, we provide the peace of mind that employees want so that if they have an unforeseen medical situation, they will be able to maintain their finances.”

Expert Insights and Trends While many companies provide some type of supplemental insurance products as part of the health coverage for their employees, larger businesses tend to go a step further. They may have a wider array of additional insurance options or assume more of the cost of the insurance products they choose to provide. For businesses like Alsco, it’s important to present its 120 employees with an opportunity to obtain supplemental insurance. Alsco provides medical insurance for all of its unionized and nonunionized employees, along with dental and vision insurance, according to Miranda. The cost for dental and vision insurance is partially covered by the company at varying amounts, depending on the status of the employees. Alsco also provides a $10,000 life insurance policy at no cost to its workers. “They can add www.akbizmag.com

disability insurance and dismemberment insurance, and the company will pay a portion of it for the employees,” Miranda says. Alsco presents all of its employees with information about supplemental insurance; they can then sign up for coverage with a third party, TrustMark, which handles the administration. Miranda says the majority of Alsco’s employees sign up for the company’s supplemental insurance offerings. That’s not surprising, given that the additional insurance is fairly inexpensive and the cost can be deducted from employees’ paycheck. Miranda, for example, pays just $13.76 a week for critical illness coverage from TrustMark. “I think it’s great,” she says. So do different industries in Alaska use supplemental insurance more than others or choose certain kinds of coverage? The quick

answer is no, from Aflac’s perspective. The company’s programs cover the entire spectrum of issues, but where it sees differences in selections is in the life stage category rather than the industry, according to Price. “For example, a younger family might be more concerned about replacing income and accidents that happen to small children so they gravitate toward those programs,” he says. “As that family becomes older, their needs might change and their concerns migrate toward life insurance and preparing for a major illness. We specialize in the needs of the employee and not blanket programs for the employer.” In fact, Aflac spends a considerable amount of time training its independent agents to address the needs of employees in diverse industries and with varied needs.

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RISQ Consulting has over 60 years of combined experience providing custom insurance solutions for Alaskan businesses. Our consultants help businesses grow through RISQ’s proprietary Business HealthIQ™process, ensuring you spend time, money, and energy only on areas of your business which add value. May 2018 | Alaska Business

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“We try not to assume that the commercial fisherman is only concerned about having an accident on the job and will need money if he gets hurt,” Price says. “That commercial fisherman might have a family history of cancer or something like heart disease and is really more concerned about the financial impact of being diagnosed with a critical illness.” He adds: “It is our job to act as a consultant and ask the right questions and to listen to the needs of the consumer. We have just as many bank tellers trying to protect their income when their children are young or are planning to start a family as the construction worker who might get hurt and can’t work.” Like Price, Allen says she hasn’t noticed any distinctions in how different industries use supplemental insurance. However, she says

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local agents are equipped to help employees with their specific situation. “These are the types of scenarios where a local agent can really make an impact on a family by providing a personalized policy for an individual to meet their short- and long-term needs,” she says. In terms of costs, insurance providers indicate that employees in Alaska pay about the same amount for their supplemental insurance coverage. Allen of State Farm says, “For hospital income policies, Medicare supplemental insurance, etc., these generally seem to be competitive with what is offered cost wise in the Lower 48.” Aflac, from a product design and pricing perspective, offers the same types of products at the same prices as other states across the United States, Price says. He adds, “That be-

ing said, we are regulated by the state department of insurance, and they have the ability to require slight changes to a product which could then impact the price slightly.” However, Price says he has noticed a trend of cost sharing—in favor of employees. He explains: “Historically, employees have been responsible for 100 percent of the cost of their product, but we have seen a shift over the last few years as consumer-driven healthcare has moved across the landscape. Business owners are seeing the benefit of offering voluntary benefits so many are starting to supplement the cost to the employees. They see how we are helping them drive the solution of managing costs or reducing employee turnover so they share the cost of the product with the employee.” As a final thought, Price says Aflac is serious about its commitment to serve employees and help them make the right decisions around their benefits choices to protect themselves and their families. “There are people all across the state who are having serious accidents every day and are diagnosed with a life-changing illness,” he says. “We are trying to find them as fast as we can so they know about us and what we do, so we can be there in their time of need.” R

Tracy Barbour has been an Alaska Business contributor since 1999. As a former Alaskan, she is uniquely positioned to offer in-depth insight and enjoys writing about a variety of topics.

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TELECOM & TECH

Remote Telecom Learning, working, and living better at the edge of the Last Frontier By Tracy Barbour

laska is a vast state with remote communities known for their pristine beauty, stunning vistas—and limited access to telecommunications services. However, providers like GCI, Quintillion, and Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative (ASTAC) offer an assortment of solutions that can be helpful to Alaskans who find themselves working and traveling in remote parts of the state. In Alaska’s small, isolated communities, telecom services may be scant or even a luxury. Some villages rely on landline telephones or two-way radios to communicate. Other communities have better access to connectivity, which allows people to make wireless calls, send text messages, and access high-speed Internet. These services are not only critical for the individuals who live there but for people who may be working, visiting, or traveling in the area.

Working to Increase Access Telecommunications providers are constantly working to expand’ access to mobile, Internet, and other services in far-flung locations. GCI is a prime example. As the largest communications provider in Alaska, GCI delivers data, wireless, video, voice, and managed services to individuals and businesses throughout the state and nationwide. “We cover 98 percent of Alaska, and we are continually investing and expanding the network with new cell sites and improving technology,” says Greg Klimek, GCI’s vice president of wireless marketing. “We have launched LTE in many markets to make the Internet more accessible.”

Crews work to build GCI’s TERRA network, which traverses some of the state’s most rugged terrain, to deliver services to businesses, organizations, and individuals in rural Alaska. GCI

GCI covers 82 percent of Alaska with LTE. The company has also upgraded many of its coverage areas with 3G and satellite. As a result, Alaskans statewide can access home-

“We cover 98 percent of Alaska, and we are continually investing and expanding the network with new cell sites and improving technology... We have launched LTE in many markets to make the Internet more accessible.” GCI

—Greg Klimek Vice President of Wireless Marketing GCI

telephone service in many areas, along with Internet, video, and wireless—which are high on people’s wish list in smaller communities. “We’re providing fast communications and vast coverage,” Klimek says. Klimek says GCI is striving to improve services everywhere. Customers crave connectivity, and what they’re seeking in mobile are voice, text, and data services. And they want the best speed they can get, which is something GCI focuses on delivering in rural markets. The company has made upgrades in Utqiaġvik, Dillingham, and Bethel, and it will also be upgrading Dutch Harbor to LTE over satellite. This will enable customers in these markets to do more than just make a voice call and text. They’ll have better speed and a better mobile experience so they can

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

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May 2018 | Alaska Business

GCI

“[Anchor tenants such as school districts and healthcare facilities] are the largest employers in rural Alaska, and they’re why and how we bring broadband into the community. But we don’t stop there. We bring Internet into the home and cell service into the community.”

—Pam Lloyd Vice President of Government, Healthcare, and Education, GCI

use an iPhone or Android cell phone, among other things. GCI provides service to more than 240 communities across Alaska and has approximately forty retail stores statewide, according to Jenifer Nelson, senior manager of community relations. So if rural travelers find themselves facing a communication problem in Nome, for instance, they can visit a retail store for help. Alaska Commercial Company resellers and wholesalers also offer GCI products throughout rural Alaska. “We also have Fast Phone, which is a prepaid wireless option that’s popular with seasonal workers and travelers,” Nelson says. As part of its ongoing investment in rural Alaska, GCI recently made enhancements at Shungnak, an Iñupiat village with about 270 residents. The company “turned on” LTE over satellite in the northwest Alaska community in December. “They are outside our terrestrial footprint, so this new technology allows them to use the latest smartphone technology and have better access to services,” Nelson says. Having LTE over satellite allows people in small communities to download streaming services, use YouTube, and do many other things that customers can do in places like Anchorage or Seattle. LTE over satellite also has even broader implications, particularly in the areas of education and healthcare. The ability to have mobility is extremely important, and many students are using broadband for their homes, according to Pam Lloyd, PhD, GCI’s vice president of government, healthcare, and education. Broadband also facilitates telemedicine, which is a vital service in rural areas with restricted access to medical specialists. In addition to network upgrades, GCI has enhanced its Internet service by offering a No Worries Plan for rural Alaska hub communities. The company introduced No Worries Internet plans in Bethel, Nome, and Kotzebue in July. Essentially, the plans double data and decrease the monthly price for the majority of GCI’s customers in these communities. They also eliminate burdensome overage charges. With the No Worries plans, customers who reach their monthly data limit have the option to continue their use at a reduced speed for the rest of the month or purchase additional data. GCI was able to increase data usage for its 32

rural customers because of recent upgrades to its TERRA (Terrestrial for Every Rural Region in Alaska) network. The network provides high-speed broadband service to more than seventy communities in rural Alaska. Over the past eight years GCI has invested more than $250 million in TERRA. As new technology becomes available, it will continue to upgrade the network to provide even greater speeds and data packages for customers. TERRA is a hybrid terrestrial fiber-optic and microwave network that removes the limitations of satellite and provides symmetrical broadband service to Alaska’s remote and rural regions. With a direct land-based connection to Anchorage and the Internet, the TERRA network delivers critical bandwidth to numerous public, nonprofit, and private entities such as regional health corporations, school districts, native organizations, and residents. In fact, much of the reason why GCI has been able to build out many of the rural areas is because of “anchor tenants” like school districts and healthcare facilities, Lloyd says. “They are the largest employers in rural Alaska, and they’re why and how we bring broadband into the community,” she explains. “But we don’t stop there. We bring Internet into the home and cell service into the community.” Klimek says GCI has worked hard to build out its expansive TERRA network, the perimeter of which is almost 3,300 miles—slightly larger than the Texas border. The terrain in rural Alaska can be rugged and unforgiving, which make the logistics of the build-out challenging at times. For instance, in southwest Alaska near Naknek, a diver had to plunge through frigid ice to lay fiber under a river bed. GCI’s completion of the TERRA network allows individuals who depend on its services for work and other uses to have greater reliability. “It was a tremendous feat, but it does provide great service to our customer,” Klimek says. “If we have a problem along the TERRA network, we have redundancy so it doesn’t go down.” Quintillion is also facilitating broadband and mobile solutions with its fiber optic cable system. The system, which delivers gigabit and higher bandwidth services on a 1,400 mile subsea and terrestrial fiber optic network, went live in December 2017. It includes a subsea trunk line from Prudhoe Bay to Nome

with branching lines to five communities: Wainwright, Point Hope, Nome, Kotzebue, and Utqiaġvik—the northernmost city in the United States. Quintillion is a wholesale bandwidth services provider, and now these communities can take advantage of its subsea fiber optic cable system to capitalize on twenty-first century communications in the Alaska Arctic. Consequently, telecom providers can use Quintillion’s system to gain access to highspeed broadband capacity at a far lower cost and improved quality of service than existing satellite and microwave options, according to a February press release.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

The perimeter of GCI’s TERRA network is nearly 3,300 miles— slightly larger than the Texas border. GCI

The advent of faster Internet to Quintillion’s markets will enhance health and education services, help stimulate economic development, empowers local businesses, and allow consumers to use video and other high-speed applications that many potential Quintillion end-user customers previously did not have access to or could not afford. Ultimately, service options in these remote communities will depend on what different retail providers choose to offer their customers. ASTAC also focuses on delivering telecommunications services to distant areas of the state. The full-service, member-owned utility has been providing telecom services www.akbizmag.com

to North Slope residents since 1981. ASTAC provides local and long distance, 4G wireless, broadband Ethernet and Internet, and data services to Utqiaġvik, Wainwright, Atqasuk, Anaktuvuk Pass, Nuiqsut, Kaktovik, Point Hope, and Point Lay. It also delivers telecommunications solutions to the production complex at Deadhorse-Prudhoe Bay. “ASTAC’s designated service area is a roadless, remote Arctic area between Point Hope and Kaktovik—more than 90,000 square miles, which is larger than forty of the fifty states,” says Thomas Lochner, ASTAC’s director of business development. “Our 4G wireless service reaches as far as seven miles out to sea.”

Now Alaskans who are traveling in ASTAC’s coverage area will have greater access to wireless and Internet services. Earlier this year, ASTAC completed the installation of fiber optic cabling in the villages of Nuiqsut, Wainwright, and Point Hope. And in 2006, ASTAC technicians installed fiber to all of the buildings in these communities. The new distribution fiber provides an end-to-end fiber optic broadband connection when combined with Quintillion’s subsea fiber network. Currently, people in Nuiqsut, Wainwright, and Point Hope have the highest bandwidth and lowest latency services that they have ever experienced. May 2018 | Alaska Business

Coverage for the Dalton Highway Telecom coverage is also being enhanced along the James W. Dalton Highway, often referred to as the Dalton Highway or Haul Road. The Dalton Highway used to be considered one of the most isolated stretches of road in the United States. The 414-mile road runs from the Elliott Highway north of Fairbanks to the “community” of Deadhorse, which serves the Prudhoe Bay Oil Fields. In July, GCI completed a new wireless tower near Coldfoot and brought the firstever wireless service to the Dalton Highway. Previously, there had been no cell phone service along the road, and travelers had to communicate by Citizens Band radio or satellite phone. As many as 250 trucks use the Dalton 34

“ASTAC’s designated service area is a roadless, remote Arctic area between Point Hope and Kaktovik—more than 90,000 square miles, which is larger than forty of the fifty states… Our 4G wireless service reaches as far as seven miles out to sea.” —Thomas Lochner Director of Business Development ASTAC Highway each day, and GCI’s wireless coverage is a much-needed solution for these and other travelers who depend on cell phones. The new tower provides wireless coverage along 15 miles of the Dalton Highway. “There was a big gap before,” Klimek says. “This provides a good amount of coverage.” The tower—located near mile 175—cost about $500,000 and took a year to permit, construct, and integrate into the GCI wireless network. GCI is planning other wireless towers along the road as part of a $30 million project to expand and upgrade wireless communication throughout the state. ASTAC is also working to address the dearth of telecommunications coverage along the Dalton Highway. The utility, along

with a number of partners, is planning to build more cell towers along the highway. The first tower will be placed at the Franklin Bluffs area and will meet the coverage ASTAC already provides for Deadhorse and slightly southward. While ASTAC’s new towers will not cover the entire highway, they will provide a considerable amount of coverage that people did not have before. The utility is also working on a solution to address places where Alaskans are completely off the telecom grid and have to rely on satellite phones. It offers Beartooth, an off-thegrid network for smartphones. Beartooth allows individuals who are not connected to a wireless or satellite network to use cell phones to keep in contact off grid up to a

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

ASTAC

ASTAC says it is excited to offer high quality Internet service at faster speeds and with lower latency. Now all of its wireline and 4G wireless customers in Wainwright, Point Hope, Nuiqsut, and Utqiaġvik can enjoy the benefits of the fiber-fed networks. ASTAC is now migrating customers in all fiber-fed markets to its faster Home Internet10 service. Lochner says Quintillion’s fiber only lands at half of the villages ASTAC serves. “ASTAC has a goal within the next five years to link all of the villages together on terrestrial bandwidth,” he says. Since 2012, ASTAC has invested more than $33 million in its North Slope network.

The terrain in rural Alaska can be rugged and unforgiving, which make the logistics of the TERRA build-out challenging at times. For instance, in southwest Alaska near Naknek, a diver had to plunge through frigid ice to lay fiber under a river bed. ten-mile range. They can text up to ten miles and push to talk up to five miles away using Beartooth and a custom phone app.

Impact of Services in Remote Areas Upgraded telecom solutions are making it more feasible to work, live, and play in some of the remote regions of Alaska. ASTAC provides the largest cell coverage footprint on the North Slope, from Point Thomson on the east to west of Alpine, south to Franklin Bluffs, and up to seven miles out in the Beaufort Sea going north. ASTAC’s cell service is helping whalers stay in contact while at sea within the seven-mile coverage area, which enhances their ability to work more safely. ASTAC’s Beartooth allows search and res-

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cue parties to use their cell phones to connect even when they’re off the telecommunications grid, enhancing their ability to perform life-saving work. Beartooth is also providing an extra level of safety and communications for hunting parties. Oil and gas exploration both west and south of Nuiqsut (on the Colville River) is enhanced due to cellular coverage through an ASTAC partnership. GCI is also seeing the positive impact of telecommunications in rural Alaska. For example, a search and rescue team was able to rescue a snow machiner who was lost in a blizzard because he was able to send them his location from his iPhone and a business customer was able to use his smartphone to approve time cards for his employees while he was fishing on the river in Bethel. Enhanced telecom services are also having a positive effect on shopping in the Bush. In fact, shortly after some of the communities outside Bethel received enhanced services, one freight carrier became overloaded with Amazon boxes: with faster data speeds, residents were able to shop online instead of having to purchase all their items locally. GCI is also providing a telecom solution for teachers who move to Alaska’s remote areas from the Lower 48. Many of them find that their service from national carriers doesn’t work in some parts of the state so they switch to GCI to remedy the situation. Telecommunications technology is also helping to save lives. GCI’s support of tele-

medicine and telehealth is making it possible for Alaskans in remote communities to get in contact with specialists instead of having to travel thousands of miles into Anchorage. This is especially crucial given the fact that faster access to healthcare can save lives. “In the healthcare world, time is life,” Nelson says. Telecom services are also having a professional impact on the lives young people. Thanks to high-speed Internet service, Byron Nicholai of Toksook Bay has been able to share his singing, dancing, and other talents with the world. His “I Sing, You Dance” videos have made him a YouTube sensation and led him to perform at the White House for President Barrack Obama and other venues worldwide. Social media was instrumental in the success of Nick Hanson from the 750-person village of Unalakleet. Hanson was featured on America Ninja Warrior and now has a broad platform to promote the benefits of exercise to youth everywhere. “These are the stories that make a difference to people who live in rural Alaska,” says Lloyd. “We provide service to the world, no matter the zip code.” R

Tracy Barbour has been an Alaska Business contributor since 1999. As a former Alaskan, she is uniquely positioned to offer in-depth insight and enjoys writing about a variety of topics.

May 2018 | Alaska Business

Dimitra Lavrakas

FISHERIES

Fighting IUU Fishing and Seafood Fraud: Enhancing Traceability and Transparency Through Strengthened Governance Frameworks panelists.

Protecting Alaska’s Fisheries Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing By Dimitra Lavrakas

ombatting illegal fishing on the high seas (also known as international waters), which have no sovereignty, has been a thorn in the side of every nation that has a coastline. Relatively recent issues such as fishery sustainability, climate change, and deliberately mislabeling fish and fish products have prompted an effort to mount a worldwide coordinated response to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU). 36

This issue and others were addressed at the annual Seafood Expo North America in Boston in March. The expo attracted 1,341 exhibiting companies from ifty-seven countries— including new attendees from Fiji, Oman, Ukraine, and Venezuela. The exhibitors included not only the fishing industry but companies that support it such as transportation companies, equipment suppliers, and other support organizations. All told the Seafood

Expo attracted more than 22,600 attendees from more than 120 countries. An international panel offered perspective on IUU fishing, which violates national laws and/or internationally agreed upon conservation and management measures in effect worldwide. The panel was titled, “Fighting IUU Fishing and Seafood Fraud: Enhancing Traceability and Transparency through Strengthened Governance Frameworks.”

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

“It’s very true, fish swim. They don’t carry passports [and] don’t know where international borders are, so we need a set of broad tools to protect fish wherever they swim. When fisheries changed, the world came together and passed global rules on how to harvest resources and a code of conduct for responsible fisheries. Countries needed to do it together and stakeholders needed to know other countries are following the same rules.”

—Deirdre Warner-Kramer Acting Deputy Director, Office of Marine Conservation, US Department of State

Participants included Giuliana Torta, counselor for Environment, Climate Action, and Maritime Affairs with the EU delegation to the United States; Somboon Siriraksophon, Fishery Policy and Program coordinator at the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center; Rune Dragset, deputy head of unit in the Seafood Section of the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Fisheries; and Deirdre Warner-Kramer, acting deputy director of the Office of Marine Conservation, US Department of State. All panel members agreed that cooperation across the world and a strict set of controls on how fish get to market are vital to dampening the problem of international fishing and seafood fraud. “The problem exists because fish swim,” said Marcio Castro de Souza, a senior fishery officer with the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Committee on Fisheries for trade issues and the panel facilitator. “How do countries deal with migratory stock?” De Souza said it is most important to know when the fish were caught, where they were caught, and how they’re distributed. “The international fish trade is more valuable than the cattle and poultry industries combined,” he explained. Additionally, the fishing sector provides food security and jobs for small communities, so care must be taken to ensure the sustainability of international, regional, and local stocks, de Souza said. “It’s very true, fish swim,” said WarnerKramer. “They don’t carry passports [and] don’t know where international borders are, so we need a set of broad tools to protect fish wherever they swim.” She continued, “When fisheries changed, the world came together and passed global rules on how to harvest resources and a code of conduct for responsible fisheries. Countries needed to do it together and stakeholders needed to know other countries are following the same rules.” “Ninety-five percent of our stock is shared with others,” said Dragset. “Ten to fifteen years back, we had a problem in the Barents Sea [part of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Norway and Russia]. There was 100,000 tons caught illegally, but Russia closed off ports to help. We have very good stocks now because of this cooperation.” Warner-Kramer, de Souza, and Dragset work with the FAO Committee on Fisheries. It is the only global inter-governmental forum in which major international fisheries and aquaculture problems and issues are examined and recommendations are addressed to www.akbizmag.com

all stakeholders worldwide—governments, regional fishery bodies, non-government organizations, fish workers, and the international community. The FAO Committee on Fisheries aims to reduce IUU issues by not only monitoring international waters but also the ports where fish are delivered. The FAO Committee on Fisheries estimates that globally IUU fishing accounts for annual catches of up to 28.6 million tons with a value of up to $23 billion. “We’re talking about US$12 billion worldwide. With unreported fish it could be much higher,” says Torta. “Then there’s the social aspects of IUU fishing—equality, slavery, labor forces, or adding illegal nitrates to make tuna look more red.”

IUU in Alaska Alaskans are well aware of the significant value of fish in-state, both economically and culturally. According to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Alaska’s fishing and seafood industry is the third-largest FTE job creator after the oil and gas and visitor industries, directly employing nearly 60,000

in-state workers every year. In 2015 and 2016, it contributed an annual average of $5 billion to the Alaska economy. Since 1959, state fisheries have produced more than 169 billion pounds of seafood. IUU fishing is not a new concept, and steps have been and continue to be undertaken to preserve and protect Alaska’s rich fisheries. “In addition to our domestic fisheries enforcement, every summer the Coast Guard conducts Operation North Pacific Guard where we deploy a cutter and a C-130 Hercules airplane to detect and deter IUU fishing activity in the North Pacific,” says Lieutenant Brian Dykens, spokesman for the Coast Guard’s 17th District in Juneau. “This operation is just one of many that are coordinated multi-laterally to combat IUU fishing on the high seas.” Operation North Pacific Guard addresses IUU fishing activities such as large-scale pelagic drift-net fishing. There is significant economic value to these high seas fisheries for all North Pacific nations, and local economies and food security are improved when these fisheries are appropriately regulated. Alexa Tonkovich, executive director for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, after a round of early morning meetings at the Seafood Expo North America. Dimitra Lavrakas

May 2018 | Alaska Business

Dimitra Lavrakas

The 2018 Seafood Expo North America brought in 1,341 exhibiting companies from fifty-seven countries.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

“For the first time, there is a national mandate of a broad-based certification program focused on traceability recognizing that more information needs to arrive with the fish.”

Regional partners including Japan, Canada, Russia, South Korea, and China contribute to enforcing fisheries regulations and other laws in the area. Operation North Pacific Guard has seen significant success since its inception in 1992. In fact, “We have had zero foreignflagged fishing vessels found illegally fishing in the US exclusive economic zone surrounding Alaska in 2015, 2016, or 2017,” Dykens says. Despite the presence and persistence of multiple countries, IUU fishing continues in the North Pacific, says Dykens. The most recent incidents were three high-seas drift net fishing vessels that were seized for fishing illegally, one each in 2011, 2012, and 2014. In addition, foreign partners have prosecuted twelve vessels for IUU fishing from 2013 to the present.

National Steps In December 2016, the US government officially established the Seafood Import Monitoring Program to address IUU fishing products entering the market: reporting and record-keeping requirements for certain seafood products were established to prevent illegally caught or improperly labeled seafood from entering the US market. This first phase applies to abalone, Atlantic cod, blue crab, dolphinfish (mahi-mahi), grouper, red king crab, Pacific cod, red snapper, sea cucumber, sharks, shrimp, swordfish, and tunas. The program coordinates efforts to combat IUU with cooperation from local and state governments, the fishing industry, and nongovernment organizations to create a riskbased (meaning penalties are applied) program to trace seafood from the net to the port. “For the first time, there is a national mandate of a broad-based certification program focused on traceability recognizing that more information needs to arrive with the fish,” Warner-Kramer said. Minimizing Bycatch Bycatch is a classification of sea creature that was unintentionally caught during commercial fishing operations. Bycatch runs the range of being entirely the wrong species to members of the correct species that are the wrong size, sex, or age. Bycatch is often discarded, tossed overboard back into the fishing area, though much of the bycatch is often dead or non-viable. The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires, to the extent practicable, that commercial fishermen “(1) minimize bycatch and (2) to the extent bycatch cannot be avoided, minimize the mortality of such bycatch.” The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act is a national standard that was established in 1976 and amended in 1996 to directly address overfishing and bycatch. www.akbizmag.com

Dragset said at the Seafood Expo North America that twenty years ago in 1987 Norway was cognizant of and working to minimize bycatch, introducing a discard ban on cod and haddock for economic and ethical reasons. In 2009 Norway’s discard ban was expanded to require all dead or dying species of fish be landed, though viable fish can be released back to the sea. When a commercial operation discards dead or dying fish instead of hauling them to port, the bycatch becomes de facto unrecorded catches. This can skew fishery statistics, which is problematic for the scientific assessment of stocks to develop best practices and policies for fish management. Alaska has multiple world-class fisheries. Seafood is significant in Alaska as an economic driver, but fish are also an integral part of the life and culture of every Alaskan. Alaskans are fierce about protecting its fisheries, and that will only continue as new techniques and policies are developed in Alaska, the United States, and internationally to keep fisheries safe, clean, and productive. R

Dimitra Lavrakas

—Deirdre Warner-Kramer Acting Deputy Director, Office of Marine Conservation, US Department of State

Deirdre Warner-Kramer discusses the federal government’s approach to controlling illegal high-seas fishing.

Dimitra Lavrakas is the former associate editor of Alaska Business, and former editor of The Arctic Sounder, The Skagway News, and The Dutch Harbor Fisherman.

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email: susie@seatacmarine.com May 2018 | Alaska Business

SPECIAL SECTION

Oil & Gas

Cracking the Code Demystifying the Alaska LNG Project By Kathryn Mackenzie

hile the Alaska LNG project has been a looming, massive topic of discussion for the last few years, planning for a number of North Slope-to-market, state-spanning natural gas lines has been in process for more than decade. The Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AIGA) was enacted in 2007 and there have been years of subsequent discussion and planning.

As the nation’s largest energy project, Alaska LNG would bring thousands of jobs to the state and make use of the 8.4 billion cubic feet of gas brought to the surface as oil is produced on the North Slope. Building the Code In 2007 Cindy Roberts, then-recentlyretired from a position at the Denali Commission, volunteered as a staff photographer for a class at UAA presented by Jim LaBelle; the purpose of the class was to present information on how AIGA might impact Alaska Native corporations. Over the course of the class, speakers such as Harold Heinze, Wally Hickel, Vic Fischer, Judy Brady, and Michelle Anderson were invited to explain what the natural gasline was and the affect it would have. Roberts, like many others, found herself awash in unintuitive pipeline, natural gas, and industry issues and terminology outside the frame of reference of the average citizen. In an effort to help the public better understand the terminology—and therefore the project—Roberts volunteered to compile a guide, or glossary, of more than one hundred terms and thirty background explanations called Cracking

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

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capacity of the system with its investment, not the ownership of the infrastructure. Seventyfive percent of the costs will be loaned to Alaska and the loan will be paid off by the delivery of LNG,” she says. “A single-buyer will buy the gas in China; 25 percent of the capacity will be sold to other nations including Japan, Korea, and Vietnam and will be available for propane ‘offtake’ for use in Alaska.” Additionally, prior gasline projects quoted “astronomical” price tags, say Roberts, as high as $65 billion to take the resource to market. After the cost-plus reality of building the Trans Alaska Pipeline System in the ‘70s, the Alaska LNG project is being crafted as a turn-key operation at a total price of $43 billion, with a 30 percent contingency element built into the budget.

Hope on the Horizon To many, including Roberts, the gasline is a vital component of Alaska’s future and could be the basis for a new economy. As the nation’s largest energy project, the Alaska LNG project would bring thousands of jobs to the state and make use of the 8.4 billion cubic feet of gas brought to the surface as oil is produced on the North Slope. As it stands, most of that gas is reinjected to pressurize the oil strata, though approximately 1 billion cubic feet per day is used to power North Slope operations. As of late March, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a Notice of Schedule for the Alaska LNG project. In its notice, FERC said it plans to issue a draft

environmental impact statement (EIS) in March 2019, followed by a Notice of Availability of the final EIS in December 2019. “Achieving clarity on the permitting timeline is another critical step forward for the project; AGDC is appreciative to FERC and to the administration for their continued commitment to keeping this project on the fast track,” said AGDC’s Meyer in the March press release. “A draft EIS in March 2019 with availability of a final EIS in December 2019 will allow us to keep Alaska’s gas export project on track for a 2024/2025 in-service date. FERC’s expeditious and comprehensive analysis of our application is a testament to the hard work and dedication of commission staff.” AGDC first filed an application to obtain a Natural Gas Act Section 3 permit with FERC for its Alaska LNG project in April 2017. Over the next several months FERC requested a series of environmental data and “since first filing our application with FERC, commission staff have diligently addressed all of the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act as they write the draft EIS,” said Frank Richards, senior vice president of AGDC, in the same press release. And the potential for employment for Alaskans statewide has LNG pipeline supporters particularly excited. “Economic impact studies indicate the project will benefit Alaskans through royalties and jobs and provide low-cost, clean energy to help stimulate economic activity throughout the state. The project will create up to 12,000 jobs during

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OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | ALASKA LNG

the Code—A Citizens Guide to the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Discussion and the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act. The tear-out glossary, which had already sold 700 copies, was included in the January 2008 edition of Alaska Business Monthly—every issue sold. Roberts was prompted to publish a second edition in 2012, as various gas pipeline projects were in motion. The revised and expanded edition, Cracking the Code—A Citizens Guide to the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Discussion, in addition to more terms and background also included special maps with clearly defined route options, coastal areas, and distribution strategies, as well as intelligible information on the geology and chemistry of the project. Roberts says presales financed the 2012 edition, and 1,500 copies of the guide were placed in the hands of media, legislatures, unions, educators, and individual supporters at publication. Oil and gas is a commodity, and unfortunately for the Alaska LNG project, in 2012 a shift in industry tech and the wide use of hydraulic fracturing impacted the natural gas market. Commercially viable shale gas plays across the Lower 48 changed the supply and demand picture, and Alaska’s stranded gas once again seemed to some too far away, and too expensive, to try to produce. In 2014 the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) and the State of Alaska established a framework for an integrated LNG export project, and the Legislature authorized AGDC to investigate the export option in addition to an in-state pipeline to increase Alaska gas supplies—the project was injected with a new, state-driven energy. When the State of Alaska signed on with partners China Petrochemical Corporation (aka Sinopec), China Investment Corporation, and the Bank of China, Roberts was prompted to publish a third edition of Cracking the Code. The 2018 edition includes additional terms and definitions with a focus on the current LNG project joint development agreement with China and the Asian LNG market. “When we received the state’s insert report on the Joint Development Agreement signed in November by the governor, AGDC President Keith Meyer, and the three major financial forces of China, we knew this was a new strategy to commercialize Alaska’s North Slope gas,” says Roberts. “Something many people may not have heard before is the idea of G2G, or Government-to-Government. Alaska, through AGDC, can restructure the economics of the project with a lower return on investment [than corporate organizations can] and taxfree status. The government of China, through China Petrochemical Corporation, China Investment Corporation—similar to our Permanent Fund—and Bank of China, can use a low interest, long-term loan to obtain the gas supply it wants. That is G2G,” explains Roberts. She goes on to say that the biggest difference between what’s happening now and past gasline plans that have not been successful is the “Debt for Capacity” provision included in the China transaction. “Many Alaskans are just learning that China is currently Alaska’s largest trading partner. China is negotiating 75 percent of the

—Alaska Gasline Development Corporation

as global capital coordinators to AGDC’s Alaska LNG project,” the corporation announced. Bank of China and Goldman Sachs will help AGDC raise equity and debt financing for the continued development of the project. The March AGDC release said: “The investment banks and AGDC anticipate raising the funds in multiple rounds, which will

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construction and approximately 1,000 jobs during operation. Numerous opportunities for Alaska businesses and contractors will also be created,” according to AGDC. Another significant step for Alaska LNG was announced in late March. “The Alaska Gasline Development Corporation engaged Bank of China and Goldman Sachs to serve

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“Economic impact studies indicate the project will benefit Alaskans through royalties and jobs and provide low-cost, clean energy to help stimulate economic activity throughout the state. The project will create up to 12,000 jobs during construction and approximately 1,000 jobs during operation. Numerous opportunities for Alaska businesses and contractors will also be created.”

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include offerings to Alaska residents, Alaska municipalities, Alaska Native Corporations, and private equity sources. Initial equity will be raised to meet AGDC’s working capital requirements and subsequent funding rounds will be used to fund full-scale development of Alaska LNG, once the project has received all necessary approvals.”

The New Edition This relationship with China, G2G strategies, and other information are explored in depth in the 2018 edition of Cracking the Code. As an example:  Debt for Capacity: 75 percent of the LNG production will go to a single buyer in China.  FEED: Front End Engineering and Design  Fungible: Our gas is payment for the loan to build the infrastructure and for related operations.  Supply Gap: In 2024, China calculates its LNG supplies will be less than the desired level to enable transition from coal to natural gas as its major energy source. This project fits their target.  Aggregation: Under this system, a single buyer can arrange contracts for multiple quantity contracts. Alaska has initiated this idea for communities along the pipeline route. China will use the same idea for twenty to thirty year contracts. Roberts says, “2018 is a critical time for Alaskans to once again understand the discussion. The tremendous work by AGDC and the Walker Administration is pushing our resource to market. Delivery of LNG to Asia and natural gas to our communities and in-state resource developments will substantially strengthen our economy for future generations.” Roberts persists in her enthusiasm about seeing this natural resource put to good use. “Alaska will be the exciting place it was for those of us who watched it grow through early statehood and the beginning of the oil boom of the 1970s,” says Roberts. “The government will be able to fund schools, roads, and public services. Younger generations will be able to train for these jobs and participate in building the state.” Cracking the Code 2018 will be available for purchase July 1. R Kathryn Mackenzie is Managing Editor for Alaska Business.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

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Oil & Gas

Alaska Aerial Media

Re-thinking Oil Operations Drones and crowdsourcing improve industry procedures and policies

By Vanessa Orr

s technology advances, it often creates opportunities for companies to consider doing things differently. This generally holds true for the oil industry, where technology is used to provide a more safe work environment, improve cost-efficiencies, and even create a collaborative “cloud” space where employees can crowdsource new ideas.

UAS Increase Safety, Efficiency Three years ago, Alaska Aerial Media became the first Alaska-based company to receive Federal Aviation Administration approval to fly drones, otherwise known as unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for commercial purposes. And while the original plan was to use the drones for cinematography, co-owner Beau

Bivins and his partners quickly realized that this technology had many other applications. “Back in 2014, there were about ten reality shows shooting in Alaska, so we were using drones mainly for production-related work,” says Bivins. “About two-and-a-half years ago, we began to focus our attention on other uses for the systems, including infrastructure

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inspection and surveying services. Now we work with a number of oil and gas companies, providing everything from surveying to inspection services and consulting services; it all depends on what they need.” One of the most important uses for the company’s drones is live flare inspections, which traditionally require an oil company to shut down production while an employee performs a visual inspection and fixes whatever problems might be found. In addition to losing production time, this old-school www.akbizmag.com

May 2018 | Alaska Business

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method put employees in harm’s way. “The biggest benefit of using an unmanned aerial system is that it decreases risk,” explains Bivins. “By using a drone, you’re not exposing a human to the dangers of active high-pressure facilities. “The second biggest benefit is the cost perspective; to inspect a flare field, you have to shut down the production facility, which can take a day or two. Inspecting the flares takes another couple of days, and then it takes time to ramp back up to full production,” he adds. “If a facility produces tens of thousands of barrels a day at $60 a barrel, it could cost the company millions to shut down a facility for that long. Because drones can be used while the facility is up and running, it continues to operate at the same capacity and to meet regular production rates.” When a company is looking at annual or biannual inspections, those costs can quickly add up. Drones also save on the amount of time an employee must spend in the field by performing a pre-inspection. “One of the biggest misconceptions is that we are replacing the inspection process that companies already have in place,” says Bivins. “What we do is really more of a ‘pre-inspection’ inspection. For example, in many cases, the company knows that they have a problem, but they don’t know where it is. It’s very inefficient to have to search for it. We are able to pinpoint problems so that when employees go out to do the full inspection, they know exactly where to go and what tools will be needed.”

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

—Beau Bivins, Co-owner, Alaska Aerial Media

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Numerous oil and gas companies are using drone technology, including Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, which worked with another UAS company at their pump station in Deadhorse. “Over the course of the last year, we’ve had the opportunity to leverage drone technology, which we’ve used two times for flare inspections at Pump 1,” says Chief Information Officer Bill Rosetti. “Putting someone up on top of the facility to inspect the flares to make sure that they are working correctly can be dangerous, and our employees’ safety is paramount. “By using the drone remotely to inspect the flare tip, we can see how it’s functioning, which helps us when we do have to shut down the flare for closer inspection,” he adds. “We also use the information obtained from the drone to make decisions about future maintenance.” According to Bivins, if a company knows where a small crack is, for example, it can continue to inspect the crack using a drone and use that information for predictive analysis. “If we know that it grew by a certain percent over time, then we know how often it needs to be inspected,” he explains. “This type of technology helps companies better understand the conditions of their assets; it helps them connect those dots.” While some oil and gas companies choose to contract out UAS services, others may want to keep these services in-house. To this end, Alaska Aerial Media provides a number of options for companies considering drone technology. www.akbizmag.com

May 2018 | Alaska Business

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | DEVELOPING TECH

“One of the biggest misconceptions is that we are replacing the inspection process that companies already have in place. What we do is really more of a ‘pre-inspection’ inspection. For example, in many cases, the company knows that they have a problem, but they don’t know where it is. It’s very inefficient to have to search for it. We are able to pinpoint problems so that when employees go out to do the full inspection, they know exactly where to go and what tools will be needed.”

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | DEVELOPING TECH

This image was collected as part of a pilot light and burner integrity inspection of an oil production facility flare tip on the North Slope. Alaska Aerial Media

“When we first meet with the client, we talk to them about what they want to achieve out of the inspection,” says Bivins. “Once we’ve defined the problem, the scope of the project, and the schedule, we can customize our services.” In some cases, Alaska Aerial just collects the imagery and turns the data over to the client for its own in-house analysis. They can also provide a pre-analysis, looking for loose bolts, cracks, or corrosion. They then upload their information and annotations to cloudbased software that is shared with the client. “With advancements in drones, cameras, and sensors, and the decrease in cost, some companies are looking at establishing internal programs to assess their own infrastructure,” says Bivins. “We work in a consulting role to help with planning and training.” Depending on the job, Alaska Aerial has a number of drones that they use in the field. “We have specialized drones for different types of acquisitions,” says Bivins. “We use the same drone platform, but can switch out sensors to include regular photography, thermal imaging, or even a zoom camera. “Successful live flare inspections require complementary sensors. Visible damage to pilot lights can be viewed from traditional cameras; however, thermal sensors allow us to further detail the status of the flare.” The company also has drones that utilize LiDAR, the same technology used on planes. LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is a land surveying method that works on the principle of radar, but uses light from a laser to create 3-D representations of a target. As for what this new technology can’t do? “It can’t swing a hammer or turn a wrench yet,” laughs Bivins. “But for pre-inspections, it’s really efficient.”

What Does the Future Hold? Even though this technology is just getting off the ground in Alaska, drone companies are already looking forward to advancements that are being made every day. 48

“It is a full-time job keeping up on the technology; we’re constantly monitoring and testing what’s out there, and we’re involved in beta programs trying out new software,” says Bivins. “As new products hit the market, we look at it to see if it will benefit our clients or enable us to deliver a better product.” According to Bivins, one of the issues most often discussed in the industry is the idea of artificial intelligence or machine learning being incorporated into drone software. “The UAS captures a drastic amount of new data every time it flies; this data needs to be utilized very efficiently so that it doesn’t create bottlenecks in the workflow,” he explains. “We’re looking for actionable insight, which is why companies are exploring artificial intelligence and machine learning—can you teach software or a computer to identify what an anomaly looks like, so that after a while it will be able to identify anomalies by itself? “Having the software flag new anomalies instead of having a person go through the data is a hot topic in the industry,” he adds. “While some companies say that they can offer this, in our experience working with AI focused companies, we’re not there yet. You have to train the software what to look for, and this is a long process and requires a huge amount of data. “I don’t think it’s far off; in a year, yearand-a-half, I believe we’ll see some really useful applications, but until we reach the amount of data necessary to train the software, I think some of these companies are selling what they don’t really have.”

Collaboration within Companies Even as space-age technology makes it easier to monitor facilities, companies are also looking at more down-to-earth ways to reach one of their most important assets—their employees. At Alyeska, for example, the company has begun using crowdsourcing as a way to encourage innovation and collaboration among its workforce. “Late last year, as we continued to look at how to improve field operations and back-of-

fice operations, we came up with the concept of a cloud-based crowdsourcing tool that would give us a way to gather and initially vet ideas from our employees and our contractors,” explains Rosetti. “Who better to provide great ideas on how to make things work better than the folks closest to the work?” According to Rosetti, employees or contractors pose a “campaign,” which is basically a question, through the cloud-based website. Other employees suggest ideas or answers, and the conversation continues as more people provide input. “Ideas are refined and improved through this process,” says Rosetti, adding that the final idea is then put to employees for an up vote or a down vote. Ideas that receive enough up votes are passed on to Alyeska administration, which develops teams to evaluate each idea and, if successful, move it toward implementation. “What’s great about this crowdsourcing platform is that it gets ideas out to where a lot of people will see them,” says Rosetti. “Though the tool is relatively new, it has already led to some process improvements that make life better for all of us.” While some of the larger or more technical ideas need to be vetted through the engineering process, which requires more time, other ideas have received a fast turnaround and have already been implemented. “One simple example of this is our previous travel policy, which did not allow employees to use services like Uber or Lyft,” says Rosetti. “Once those technologies came to Alaska, someone suggested that the policy should be amended, and after it received enough up votes it was evaluated and the policy was changed. It created the opportunity for us to harness a technology that other people have brought to market.” R

Vanessa Orr is a freelance writer and former editor of the Capital City Weekly in Juneau.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

CLEARWATER AIR INC. Providing specialized air services for the science, research, and response communities

s a specialty air service that primarily supports research, surveillance, data-acquisition, and emergency response operations, Clearwater Air has a unique niche in Alaska. “There is no other company up here that is geared up to work across the scope of what we do,” says President Andrew Harcombe. With headquarters in Anchorage and state-wide operational capabilities, Clearwater Air is well equipped to deliver successful outcomes for clients. Clearwater Air is an FAA-certificated Part 135 air-carrier that is approved for operations in the United States, Canada, and Arctic Oceanic airspace. Its team of experienced pilots has logged tens of thousands of hours of data acquisition, emergency response, and wildfire suppression missions in the United States and Canada. The company’s maintenance and engineering staff is highly experienced and manufacturertrained.

CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING CHALLENGING PROJECTS

Clearwater Air engages in a variety of major projects, including offshore Arctic flying for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It also works with oil spill response organization Alaska Chadux Corporation and collaborates with various industry groups and government entities, including the United States Geological Survey, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the state of Alaska.

Recently, Clearwater Air began running LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) flights as an expansion of its visual-spectrum ground mapping work. Currently, Clearwater Air is pursuing air-ambulance authorization so it can operate as a medevac provider.

Clearwater Air is highly capable of facilitating projects in the Arctic and other challenging locales. “We pride ourselves on developing methods for collecting data in logistically-difficult environments,” Harcombe says. Clearwater Air also touts its ability to be nimble and responsive. Harcombe explains: “We’re not entrenched in traditional ways of doing things. We enjoy being engaged in developing new methods for solving problems… Our success depends on us succeeding for the client.”

CUSTOMER-DRIVEN APPROACH

The key to Clearwater Air’s success is the intellectual engagement it employs with projects. Accustomed to gathering data for regulatory entities, Clearwater Air comprehends the overarching concept of the data clients are collecting. This enables the company to be better positioned to help clients obtain high quality data. “We grasp the science, and we’re in a positon to help design projects because of that understanding,” Harcombe says. “It allows us to be of assistance in figuring out how best to use aircraft in helping them achieve their end goal.” Safety is also paramount to the success of Clearwater Air. All of its operations are performed within the scope of an extensive, internally-developed safety management system—which has been approved by federal agencies and OGP member companies. Thanks to these safety measures and other processes, – PA I D A D V E R T I S E M E N T –

Andrew Harcombe, President 1100 Merrill Field Dr. Anchorage, Alaska 99501 (907) 274-1705 (907) 301-3311 www.clearwaterair.com

SPECIAL SECTION

Oil & Gas

USCG

A self-propelled AquaGuard skimmer is loaded onto icebreaker CGC Healy.

Oil Spill Cleanup Industry proactive in pushing technology and procedures forward By Isaac Stone Simonelli

he harsh conditions and remote nature of Alaska present formidable obstacles to those protecting the environment from oil spills. Companies, agencies, and academics throughout the state continue to find the necessary funds to develop better, more efficient technology to prevent and clean up spills. This technology ranges from infrared and satellite imaging techniques and advances in oleophilic skimmers to the use of bomb-sniffing dogs and Alyeska’s new fleet of purposebuilt ships. 50

Skimmers and PPR Otter Systems The primary line of response to water-based oil spills is using mechanical methods, which have seen numerous enhancements over the years as companies attempt to improve their efficiency, lowering the need for temporary storage units and improving their response in remote areas. “An OSRO [oil spill removal organization] like Chadux is at a disadvantage; we can’t get temporary storage out to some of the places we need to go just because of the remoteness of it,” Alaska Chadux Corporation General Manager Matt Melton explains. “So, we definitely need higher efficiency in our skimmers, and that kind of goes with any OSRO nowadays because a lot of things are tied up with temporary storage.” One of the more advanced and efficient skimmers in Melton’s member-funded, nonprofit OSRO is the Lamor 50 Skimmer—an oil-attracting (oleophilic) brush skimmer.

The Lamor 50, which is capable of picking up persistent oils when the brushes are run one way and non-persistent oils when run the other, was developed after Chadux team members pitched the idea to engineers at Lamor, says Melton. However, Melton isn’t convinced the limitations of efficiency are entirely with the equipment. He explains that an operator’s understanding of water conditions and the skimmer being operated plays a significant role in efficiency. “I think there is still that combo,” he says. “I know back East they are working on autonomous vessels that can go and skim oil, and that will never work up here because you don’t always have satellites that will be in range all the time to run them.” That said, there is one skimmer project being developed in Alaska that Melton does consider groundbreaking: the PPR Otter Pup. Alaskan Kevin Kennedy, founder of Pacific Petroleum Recovery Alaska (PPR), is working tirelessly to bring his PPR Otter Series skimmer systems to the market. “They’ve probably got the newest thing in the world when it comes to cleaning up oil

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | REMEDIATION

spills,” Melton says. “I’m just hoping he can produce a lot of them because right now the price point is too high for me to jump in.” Kennedy began dabbling with oil cleanup after the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989, though he didn’t fully dedicate himself to designing his system until the Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X Challenge, which was inspired by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster. Despite feeling that regulations like the Oil Spill Act of 1990 (a response to the Exxon Valdez spill) stifle innovation, Kennedy has persevered. The self-taught engineer with a background in commercial fishing applied his understanding of dragging nets to catch fish to the problem of oil spills as he developed PPR Otter systems. His patented net design creates a highpressure system on one side of the net and low-pressure system on the other, allowing the equipment to round up oil while moving at a rate of 2 to 3 knots. However, once the net stops moving, the oil all comes out, which leads to the second phase of the project: oil removal. “Why are we trying to lift it out of the water? Why don’t we put in a vacuum and suck it out of the water?” Kennedy asked himself, noticing that the oil in the net started spinning in a circle—similar to how water moves after flushing a toilet. It was an ideal situation for vacuuming oil out of the water. Though this system was efficient, Kennedy was convinced he could do better—and he was right. By emptying the oil-water mixture into a vacuum chamber at a pressure of 26 mercury or higher—the point that water boils, but not oil—he was able to vaporize the water, separating it from the oil. Last year, the PPR Otter Pup went through an American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) testing process, through which the US Coast Guard (USCG) essentially approved the system to be used for oil spill cleanup. The skimmer scored a rating within the margin of error of 100 percent efficiency, Kennedy says. For perspective, many top skimmers in the world have efficiency rates much closer to 20 percent. “[USCG approval] now allows people to start listing this and putting these skimmers into their oil response plans; it becomes a usable tool,” Kennedy says. “I am producing it now. So, I developed it, designed it, tested it, and now we’re producing it. And, it’s all being done in Alaska—start to finish.” Because of the vacuum chamber, the system is also capable of dealing with some types of ice, making it a viable solution under certain circumstances in the coastal waters along the North Slope and other Arctic regions. “It’s portable, it’s efficient... it operates in an icy climate and it’s scalable. If you want something that does 1,000 gallons a minute, I can build it for you,” Kennedy says.

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Drones and Infrared Skimmer technology itself may not be advancing by leaps and bounds outside of Kennedy’s project; however, there are other innovative approaches to oil spill response. Sarah Moore, a preparedness and response section manager at the Department of Environmental www.akbizmag.com

May 2018 | Alaska Business

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | REMEDIATION

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Conservation’s Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program, says that the department is seeing rapid change in the use of unmanned aerial aircraft as well as infrared and optical cameras. Moore notes that it can be relatively hard to determine the effectiveness of a boom’s containment of a spill from the water’s surface: a drone is capable of providing a much better view of the situation. Given the remote nature and dangerous conditions sometimes surrounding an oil spill in Alaska, drones offer the added benefit of risk mitigation—not putting a human life in harm’s way as part of the recovery process. Dr. Ed Owens of Owens Coastal Consultants, which specializes in shoreline cleanup assessment technique (SCAT) surveys among other spill response operations, explains how his company uses drones. “[We] use drones in remote areas, areas that are difficult to access on foot,” such as mud flats, headlands, and wetlands. “A lot of wetlands you walk for two hours to get to a site, and you get there, and there’s no oil... and then you have to walk two hours back. We use drones... to go out and do a reconnaissance,” he says. Of course, not all unmanned vehicles are airborne. There is also working being done on identifying uses of unmanned waterborne vehicles in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. “I don’t believe we’ve seen [unmanned waterborne vehicles] used in an accident response here in Alaska yet, but it is something that our UAF [University of Alaska Fairbanks] partners are actively researching,” Moore says.

Oil Spill Response Research And researchers at UAF are not the only ones probing such technology in Alaska. The Oil Spill Recovery Institute (OSRI) explained in its 2017 Fiscal Year Report that it is working to ensure USCG, which is responsible for responding to oil spills in open water and in ice conditions, “is aware of the current state of technology for spill response in ice” by partnering with them to develop and test new equipment capabilities. Last year, unmanned systems, as well as self-propelled skimmers, were among the re-

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | REMEDIATION

Providing unparalleled support to Alaska’s oil and gas industry

sponse equipment deployed off the icebreaker CGC Healy to evaluate current capabilities and methods. AquaGuard provided the selfpropelled skimmer for the USCG-OSRI project. The testing revealed that the self-propelled aspect allowed the skimmer to reach pockets of oil away from the vessel. The skimmer also included a macerator designed to chew up small chunks of ice. However, it tended to climb up on larger ice floes, which were too big for it to grind up, according to OSRI Research Program Manager Scott Pegau. “One of the biggest things relevant to Alaska waters is that there was a joint-industry program looking at technology for responses to oil spills in ice-covered waters which just got completed in the last couple of years,” says Pegau. Pegau helped coordinate the remote sensing part of the program. They posed a question: Can we detect oil in, on, and under ice? “The things that were most promising were optics from below,” Pegau explains. “It’s amazing what you can do with a camera if you’re down below the ice.” The primary advantage is that its output is easy to interpret. However, one limitation with the technology is that it only works when there is light penetration. Additionally, as ice grows around oil, it becomes harder and harder to detect. “From above, radar shows a lot of promise; however, there is a need to provide an interpretative signal,” Pegau says, noting that the output of a bunch of squiggly lines is not intuitive for people to identify oil. The groundpenetrating radar worked best when the device was in contact with the ice. “We still need to push harder to get an airborne unit that is demonstrated for detecting through ice.” Infrared technology is also being developed and applied in Alaska. Pegau explains that OSRI research demonstrated that, during spring in the Arctic, it was possible to detect oil with infrared for up to twelve hours after it has been warmed by the sun. One of the big take-homes from the jointindustry research into sensors was that none worked all the time. Instead, it’s necessary to have some combination of sensors that are www.akbizmag.com

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May 2018 | Alaska Business

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | REMEDIATION

A trained sniffer dog searches for lingering oil buried in the beaches along the Prince William Sound in May 2016. Oil Spill Recovery Institute/PWSSC

effective at different times of the year and in different conditions, Pegau explains.

Oil Spill Canines Another major project OSRI spearheaded was an innovative method to identify lingering oil buried in the beaches along the Prince William Sound. While dogs are by no means “new technology,” Pegau thought it was important to test the abilities of professionally trained canines and handlers to identify oil in places where other methods of monitoring for hydrocarbons were failing. The idea of testing the dogs in the Sound came after Pegau heard OCC’s Owens speak at a conference about his use of oil-sniffing dogs. Owens had been developing the idea over the last few years after being inspired by the work of a Norwegian chemist who trained his own dogs to identify oil. OSRI was able to put together the funds for Owens to test the dog’s capabilities at Prince William Sound in May 2016. “The testing went better than expected,” Pegau says. There was uncertainty about how the dogs would perform because the oil was not in good communication with the atmosphere or ocean, which was also why it was not naturally breaking down. “I do shoreline assessments surveys for oil spills. One of the troubles/difficulties/challenges we have is finding subsurface oil,” Owens says. “Dogs are a new tool; they streamline the process. They really help us go quicker... We took someone else’s idea and ran with it.” The people Owens works with have been training dogs for years to detect mines and other unexploded ordnance, supplying the US Military with such canines. The dogs’ noses are so sensitive that they are able to distinguish between oils, allowing SCAT survey teams to hone in on exactly what they are looking for. Through double-blind testing, research conducted with OSRI, and even in real response efforts in Canada, the dogs have proved their value. “Apart from finding oil, one of their valuable attributes is to clear areas that don’t have oil. When we do surveys, we spend 50 or more percent of our efforts on making sure there is no oil,” Owens says, noting that while a traditional SCAT team does spot sampling for sub-surface oil, the dogs are able to do 100 percent searches and still be significantly faster. “It’s like a lot of things we have: they’re one of our survey tools, just like a drone.” Edison Chouest Offshore Gearing Up Though the dogs’ ability to sniff out oil in the Prince William Sound is an exciting development, the biggest news floating into the Sound comes in the form of fourteen custombuilt ships operated by Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) destined to take over for an existing fleet that provides services to Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. late this summer. The new fleet will be comprised of four general purpose tugs, five escort tugs, one utility tug already in the ECO fleet, and four oil spill response barges. Each oil spill response tug will be equipped with two 100-disc Crucial skimming systems.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

Oil Spill Recovery Institute/PWSSC

The metal discs, covered with a fuzzy, oleophilic material, will efficiently pick up oil before it is squeegeed into temporary holding tanks. “We believe they are the biggest disc skimmers in the world,” says Alyeska’s Valdez Communications Manager Kate Dugan. “Our current skimming system is about 20 percent efficient... With Crucial skimmers, they really pick up two or three times that amount of oil. So they double, if not triple, our efficiency.” Barges began arriving in Alaska this year as Louisiana-based ECO prepares to take over the Alyeska contract previously held by Crowley Marine. The change of guard for the Sound started in late 2013 when Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, owned by Alaska’s major oil producers, determined to look at various partnership opportunities as the sun started to set on the Crowley contract. “ECO just has the best package in terms of a brand new fleet, all their modern technology. They had the best safety record of any of the bidders. It just made sense for us to make the change,” Dugan says. Dugan describes the realization that they would be designing purpose-built barges (their current fleet is retrofitted) as getting hold of a pie-in-the-sky moment. “We got to start from scratch with twenty years of experience, of lessons learned, of people doing this work,” she says. “The people that are working on it have decades of experience with SERVS [ship escort/response vessel system] in Prince William Sound.” Another improvement to the fleet comes in the form of the escort tugs, which are seeing a 20 percent increase in horsepower. This extra power will allow them to better control tankers—slowing them down, stopping them, and guiding them away from danger. Additionally, two of the escort tugs will be equipped with dispersant systems. “Escort tugs are a key part of oil spill prevention. We can have all the response equipment in the world, but we never want to never have to use it. We want to prevent an oil spill,” says Dugan. All of the new ships will come with state-ofthe-art oil detection equipment, including forward-looking infrared cameras and oil radars. “We are just so excited to bring this technology to Princes William Sound... It’s our backyard www.akbizmag.com

May 2018 | Alaska Business

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | REMEDIATION

Lingering oil found by trained sniffer dog on a beach along the Prince William Sound in May 2016.

Oil Dispersants Though there doesn’t appear to be a great deal of advancement in what is being used as dispersants (a mixture of emulsifiers and solvents that work to break down oil into small droplets, which then disperse more easily through a body of water and may be more readily biodegradable) in Alaska, OSRI pushed last year to better understand how certain products on the market work in Alaska waters. “Chemical dispersants are receiving increased research attention, but there has not yet been a thorough scientific evaluation of the heavily

marketed bioremediation product Oil Spill Eater II [OSEII] in any marine environment, including in Alaska,” OSRI’s 2017 report states. To that end, last year OSRI launched a threeyear project to evaluate the effectiveness of OSEII on crude oil and marine diesel degradation and detoxification in Arctic and sub-Arctic seawater, determine its modes of action, and compare its efficacy to that of chemical dispersants as well as to assess effects on indigenous microbial communities. Though researchers continue to look into the impacts of dispersants in Alaska waters, the biggest advancement in the use of dispersants in the state comes from a push to streamline the approval process for dispersants and ensure the safeguarding of resources and stakeholders.

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and protecting it is incredibly important to our lives and our livelihood. And the vessels are a significant improvement over our current fleet, which is already best in the world,” she says.

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“It’s more how and where, those are the biggest changes,” explains Dr. Richard R. Bernhardt, a scientific support unit manager for the Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program. These big changes came in the form of updating the “Dispersant Use Plan for Alaska” for the first time since 1989. In many ways, dispersants are considered a last resort or an alternative countermeasure. “The primary response technique would be mechanical response, and that’s getting booms and skimmers out there in the field, trying to corral and collect the oil. And so, in our obligatory plan, it specifically states that... non-mechanical response techniques never replace mechanical response techniques as long as they are effective,” Bernhardt says. If mechanical measures are ill-suited for a situation, dispersants became an essential tool. However, USCG can only expect actors in the industry to have dispersants in the theater if there is a preauthorization plan in the region. “The time frame that dispersants can be effective is limited already. If dispersants are going to be a viable option, you have to have a streamlined process to get that approval,” Bernhardt says. Thus representatives of the Alaska Regional Response Team (which provides federal, state, and local government agencies with the means to respond to spills and other pollution incidents), along with representatives from the Department of Environmental Conservation, USCG, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Commerce, and the Department of Interior, began an effort to update the “Dispersant Use Plan for Alaska.” “Preauthorization is not the same as preapproval,” Bernhardt notes. “We don’t have

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

Alyeska Pipeline Service Company

Alyeska believes that their new, 100-disk Crucial skimmers are the biggest in the world.

Isaac Stone Simonelli is a freelance journalist and former managing editor for the Phuket Gazette.

Alyeska Pipeline Service Company

Disks for Alyeska’s new 100-disk Crucial skimmer rotate through the squeegee at the top, which removes the oil.

anywhere in Alaska where dispersants are preapproved to be used.” Preauthorization gives federal coordinators the ability to make independent decisions in certain areas, though it is always in their best interest to get as much input from as many stakeholders as possible before doing so, Bernhardt says. The one caveat is that a coordinator is allowed to make an independent decision in any area if human life is at risk. The updated preauthorization plan was signed in January 2016, which opened a twoyear window to identify avoidance areas within these zones. These are areas where dispersant use should be considered on a case-by-case basis. The avoidance zones, established earlier this year, were created after extensive outreach was done in various communities and with numerous stakeholders, as well as through sourcing information from experts in fields such as oceanography and marine mammals. Biologically important areas, fishing grounds, and intense mixing zones were also considered when establishing the zones. “Our plan improved drastically. We didn’t just hear them; we incorporated a lot of the information we heard, and the plan was strengthened significantly because of that effort,” Bernhardt says. Alaska has taken a different, conservative approach with preauthorization areas. Every other state with a preauthorization policy begins the zones either one mile offshore or three miles offshore. In Alaska, they are no less than twenty-four miles offshore and even further in some cases, Bernhardt says. www.akbizmag.com

We’re not only investing in future jobs.

We’re investing in future leaders. BP invests millions of dollars and hosts interns to help prepare Alaskan students for future careers in energy. By investing in programs like the UAA Summer Engineering Academy and process technology training programs from Kenai to Fairbanks, we’re helping to strengthen the next generation of Alaska’s workforce. Together, we’ll work to ensure that BP and Alaska keep advancing toward a brighter future.

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May 2018 | Alaska Business

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | REMEDIATION

Though the future of the oil industry in the state is unknown and the remoteness and harsh conditions faced daunting, there is no doubt that Alaskans are working hard to develop new technology and methods to prevent and clean up spills. In doing so, they are protecting the environment as well as the oil and gas industry. “Because we are remote and it’s a relatively small group of industry [members] and responders, we have pretty good partnerships that bring together research, R&D, and experience so we can all learn from and expand on those ideas,” Moore says. R

SPECIAL SECTION

Oil & Gas

Beacon Occupational Health and Safety Services

Physical and fit-for-duty exams can be a requirement for certain positions in the oil and gas industry.

Safe on the Slope Occupational health services for the oilfield

By Julie Stricker

laska’s North Slope oilfields are a tough place to work. They’re remote, hundreds of miles from the nearest fast food joint and movie theater. The weather is extreme, with wind chills sometimes nearing triple digits below zero. The job often requires working long shifts with heavy machinery, in tight quarters, or with hazardous chemicals—sometimes all of the above. Oil companies and their contractors keep a close eye on the health and safety of their workers, who are required to undergo rigorous training and physical examinations before reporting for duty. A handful of companies in Alaska provide the training, health, and safety courses required. These range from a basic safety course required of all North Slope workers to physical exams to programs required by the federal government for workplace safety.

Prevention and Training Prevention is key, says Michael Jesperson, senior 58

vice president of Denali Occupational Health. “It’s the same in your own medical life,” he says. “It’s a whole lot easier to prevent or catch it young than to deal with the consequences.” While the field of occupational health isn’t new, more companies are more open about what they require, he says. “Nowadays companies want their clients, prospective employees, [and] the regulators to know, ‘Hey look, we are taking all these steps to make sure people are safe.’” “We do some job-specific evaluations based on what a client’s needs are,” Jesperson says. “They give us exactly what a person is supposed to do and what standard they want to be held to and we’ll do the testing and the physicals and verify if the candidate can do the work they want to do.” All North Slope oilfield companies and contractors have a zero tolerance policy for drugs, alcohol, firearms, and even knives at some facilities. There are no second chances, accord-

ing to a North Slope fact sheet put out by the International Union of Operating Engineers. Before they even set foot on the Slope, workers must complete a minimum of eight hours training and earn their North Slope Training Cooperative (NSTC) card. The NSTC came about via an agreement between North Slope field operators and their contractors to ensure that all employees have basic safety, health, and environmental policy knowledge before they go to work on the Slope. The NSTC program is divided into six separate training modules that include safety awareness, general camp layout, and what to expect from exposures on the North Slope, says Mark Hylen, vice president of Beacon Occupational Health and Safety Services. “It’s not a competency training, but it is an awareness training,” Hylen says. “The NSTC card is required as part of the badging process for all the workers on the North Slope.” After earning their card, workers can travel independently, or unescorted, on the Slope. Visitors without NSTC cards must be escorted at all times when they’re at a worksite or in the field. Workers must be able to produce their NSTC card when asked and update it whenever there’s a major change to the program or when the Alaska Safety Handbook is updated. Some jobs also require workers to take a hydrogen sulfide (H2S) awareness class as well, which is often held in concert with NSTC training.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

Beacon The largest is Beacon Occupational Health and Safety Services, Inc. Beacon provides medical, safety, and training services for employers throughout Alaska, says Hylen, whose wife, Holly Hylen, is the founder and president. The company has many clients on the North Slope, as well as in other industries throughout the state. “Occupational health is one of those things where you’re really working handin-hand with employers trying to maintain their compliance, whether that’s regulatorily driven or it’s their own company standards,” Hylen says. “We’re really part of that solution for employers throughout that remote Alaska presence. Oil and gas companies make it a really high priority on their safety list.” The medical services arm is divided into two different aspects, Hylen says. The first is clinical services such as drug testing and occupational health, fit-for-duty examinations, and case management. The second is remote medical, which includes eight year-round clinics on the North Slope and on-site testing and examinations for employers throughout the state. Beacon also has clients in the Lower 48 and internationally. “This is your urgent emergency care, first and foremost,” Hylen says, “because there’s no other access to medical care. You’re sup-

Beacon Occupational Health and Safety Services

porting the industrial medical needs, and then you’re also supplying occupational health within those clinics, as well.” Beacon also works as a safety consultant for larger companies like Exxon, Eni, and BP, which hire Beacon staffers as their safety representative on-site. A lot of times it’s a shortterm project like a pipeline or a drilling season; other times it’s long-term and they may be embedded for years, Hylen says. Beacon also does medical, safety, and industrial training. For medical, people can learn first aid and CPR and then go all the way up to an emergency medical technician III. On

safety, Beacon administers the NSTC classes. Some workers have further requirements, mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, for working in confined spaces, hearing conservation, and working with hazardous materials, among others. Hylen estimates the company trains about 10,000 students each year. It has Beaconowned and operated facilities in Anchorage, Kenai, Fairbanks, and Deadhorse, in addition to client-owned, Beacon-operated facilities with companies such as Hilcorp, Eni, and BP. “We’re very employer centric in support of their needs in the medical, safety, or training

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May 2018 | Alaska Business

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Companies such as Beacon Occupational Health and Safety Services offer exams and training to meet company, state, and federal health and safety guidelines.

Several companies in Alaska provide that training, among many other health and safety programs required in the oilfields.

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

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spectrum,” he says. The company has 275 employees. “We have a pretty deep roster of capability as well as subject matter expertise,” Hylen says. The company started in 1999 with Holly Hylen hitching a trailer to the back of a Dodge Ram and driving it to the North Slope to provide testing. “From there, it’s just continued to expand as clients’ needs expanded and they requested more from us. As we’re able to and capable of, we’ve continued to add services,” Mark Hylen says. “It’s been quite the ride.”

Employee Testing In 2010, Beacon acquired a company called WorkSafe, predominantly a drug and alcoholtesting company. The legalization of marijuana has added another dimension to work readiness. “Fortunately, the state made it very clear that employers can choose to continue to test for marijuana,” he says. Jobs that fall under federal mandates, such as anything overseen by the Department of Transportation like driving a truck or jobs working along the pipeline, continue to have a no drugs policy, but within the state, other employers can opt not to screen for it. Really, Hylen says, things haven’t changed too much in the state because medical marijuana has been around for years. The oil and gas companies on the North Slope, however, have always had a hard line against drugs and alcohol, a stance that has not changed. “A lot of companies on the North Slope are now doing hair testing, which tests for a longer period of time that a drug might have been in your system,” he says, “[including] extended panels which test for more drugs than what the DOT might require and using testing methodologies like hair testing instead of just a urine test. “Companies are continuing to make a very proactive stance against drug and alcohol use on the North Slope,” Hylen continues. “Many clients also will have us go out there and do sweeps, unannounced sweeps. We literally will show up and test everyone field wide.” Physicals and Fit-for-duty Occupational health is another key component of North Slope job safety. Employers may require pre-employment physicals. They also may have a “fit for duty” test, a functional capacity test to make sure people are meeting the minimum physical essential needs of the job. They also do OSHA-mandated programs such as hearing conservation for workers at high-decibel sites. “They’ll do audiograms pre-employment, but then they’ll do annual audiograms,” Hylen says. “What we do for them is we may take those audiograms and compare them to see if there’s a ‘standard threshold shift.’ That would determine if further testing needs to be done.” Another common OSHA requirement is respirator mask fit-testing. “You literally have to put the mask on them and you have machines that read the particulates within the

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

“Our pilots are all high-time pilots with a lot of Alaska experience,” Kirby says. “If we do have a scenario where we hire a pilot that may have a tremendous amount of total hours but no Alaska experience, they’ll partner with someone with a lot of Alaska experience. We make sure we have a good safe culture that way.” It takes about forty minutes for a crew to get into the air when a call comes in. For example, if there’s an accident at the Alpine field, the physician’s assistant will call an accepting facility, such as Providence Hospital in Anchorage. Once the patient is accepted, a call goes to the LifeMed communications center. They will call the pilot in charge, who checks flight conditions and the weather at

Alpine to see if conditions are good for flying. “The pilot is never told about the patient’s condition,” Kirby says. “It’s to keep them from feeling the pressure that they have to go save a life and push the envelope in case of bad weather.” The medical crew is briefed and if conditions warrant, the plane takes off. Kirby says LifeMed budgets a considerable number of hours for training for its staff to stay proficient in all aspects of what they do. “It’s a huge part of our budget and a huge part of our commitment to Alaska,” he says. R Julie Stricker is a journalist living near Fairbanks.

Remote Emergencies But even the best safety practices can’t eliminate medical emergencies or on-the-job injuries. That’s where LifeMed Alaska comes in. The Anchorage-based company has a fleet of seven fixed-wing and two rotor-wing aircraft, says Scott Kirby, CEO. The aircraft and crews are based in Anchorage, Mat-Su, Bethel, Fairbanks, and Juneau, as well as a seasonal presence in Dutch Harbor. That gives the company the ability to reach nearly every corner of the state to assist in emergency medevacs. LifeMed’s Lear 35 jets have a similar speed and range to a commercial jet and can get a badly burned patient from Anchorage to Seattle in about three hours. For shorter distances to locations that may have a gravel or short-field landing strip, they use King Air B200s. Pilots and crews are highly trained with a lot of experience flying in Alaska’s challenging weather conditions. LifeMed also maintains accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems, a voluntary program that sets industry best practice standards for both the aviation and medical sides. www.akbizmag.com

May 2018 | Alaska Business

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

mask to ensure that it’s the right size of the mask as well as the manufacturer,” he says. In the last five or six years, the fit-for-duty exam has become increasing popular. “Employers want to make sure that the people going out to do the job have the minimum functional essential needs,” he says. “The reason for that is to make sure they’re safe when they go out there to physically do the work, not only for themselves but those that are around them. It’s probably the largest area of occupational health growth throughout the United States.” Many of the operators on the North Slope are requiring their contractors to have a fitfor-duty program. It’s not regulated or required by OSHA, “but what you’re seeing is people being required to have it through contracts and then you’re seeing through best-practice. It’s really taken off from a bestpractice standpoint of employers.” Beacon does a lot of on-site testing on the North Slope and the Kenai Peninsula. Not only does Beacon have a year-round presence on the North Slope, but sometimes an employer with a rig or project will call for Beacon to go onsite to do routine physicals and testing. Denali Occupational Health also has a mobile trailer that they take to a client’s job site. It contains exam rooms and a hearing booth. “We can conduct physicals in that trailer,” Jesperson says. “People don’t have to leave work and the company’s paying for it. We show up, we’ll do the physicals for ten to eighteen people a day in that trailer. “We do not treat,” he adds. “There’s no conflict of interest because we’re not going to treat whatever we find. We’re not looking for ways to get a physical and make some money off of it. All we are trying to do is protect the company and the employee. Make sure everybody is safe.”

SPECIAL SECTION

Oil & Gas

The Alaska Business 2018

Oil & Gas Directory

Mosiac built from images © Judypatrickphotography.com

EXPLORATION/PRODUCTION COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

agdc.us | externalaffairs@agdc.us | AKGaslineDevelopmentCorp Alaska LNG is an integrated gas infrastructure project with three major components: a gas treatment plant located at Prudhoe Bay, an 807-mile pipeline with offtakes, and a natural gas liquefaction plant located in Nikiski. Alaska LNG will provide gas for Alaskans and LNG for export for generations.

Alaska Gasline Development Corporation 3201 C St., Suite 200 Keith Meyer, Pres. Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-330-6300

2010 2010

Andeavor 1601 Tidewater Rd. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-261-7221

Cameron Hunt, VP Refining

Located on the Cook Inlet, 60 miles southwest of Anchorage, the 72,000 (bpd) Kenai Re1969 13,000 finery has been producing gasoline and gasoline blendstocks, jet fuel, diesel fuel, heating 1969 250 oil and heavy fuel oils, propane and asphalt since 1969.

BP Exploration (Alaska) PO Box 196612 Anchorage, AK 99515-6612 Phone: 907-561-5111

Janet Weiss, BP AK Pres.

alaska.bp.com BP operates the Greater Prudhoe Bay area, which consists of the Prudhoe Bay field and a 1959 74,000 number of smaller fields. This area produces more than half of Alaska’s oil and gas produc1959 1,700 tion. BP also owns interests in seven other North Slope oil fields and pipelines, including TAPS.

Caelus Energy Alaska 3700 Centerpoint Dr., Suite 500 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-277-2700

Pat Foley, Sr. VP AK Ops

2011 2014

ConocoPhillips Alaska 700 G St., PO Box 100360 Anchorage, AK 99510 Phone: 907-276-1215

Joe Marushack, Pres.

conocophillipsalaska.com | n.m.lowman@conocophillips.com | conocophillips 1952 11,400 An independent exploration and production company. We are Alaska’s largest oil producer 1952 1,100 and have been a leader in oil and gas exploration and development in the state for more than 50 years.

Doyon Drilling 11500 C St., Suite 200 Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-563-5530

Ron Wilson, Pres./GM

1982 1982

Eni Petroleum 3800 Centerpoint Dr., Suite 300 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-865-3300

Franco Picciani, VP Technical Services

Eni is an integrated energy company with a presence in 73 countries and over 33,000 em1926 33,000 ployees. Eni operates in oil and gas exploration, production, transportation, transforma2006 50 tion and marketing in petrochemicals, oilfield services construction and engineering.

ExxonMobil Alaska PO Box 196601 Anchorage, AK 99519 Phone: 907-561-5331

Darlene Gates, Production Mgr.

E xxonMobil is the largest holder of discovered gas resources on the North Slope and 1870 75,000 the operator of the Point Thomson production facility on the North Slope, a natural gas 1954 80 condensate development that began production in 2016. The company is also the largest interest owner of the Prudhoe Bay unit.

Furie Operating Alaska 188 W. Northern Lights Blvd., Suite 620 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-277-3726

Bruce Webb, Sr. VP

2006 2006

78 70

Gas and oil exploration and production company.

Tolsona Oil & Gas Exploration 110 W. 38th Ave., Suite 200A Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-868-8203

Tom Maloney, CEO/Ahtna, Netiye’

2015 2015

0 0

ahtna-inc.com/tolsona | news@ahtna.net Ahtna has been pursuing natural resource development in the Copper River Basin under subsidiary Tolsona Oil & Gas Exploration.

25 25

~55 ~35

245 245

I ndependent exploration and production company. Operates the Oooguruk field on the North Slope. Specialize in exploration, development, and production of oil and gas. Currently focused on the pursuit, identification, and development of strategic opportunities across Alaska, and beyond.

oyon Drilling operates on the North Slope of Alaska with rigs designed to drill in northern D Alaska conditions. The company consistently strives to improve its operations and has some of the most technologically advanced land drilling rigs in the world.

SERVICES, SUPPORT, SUPPLIES & EQUIPMENT COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

3M Alaska 11151 Calaska Cir. Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-522-5200

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

Stephanie Mathers, Reg. Mgr.

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

3M.com | innovation.3malaska@mmm.com | 3M 1902 90,000 3M manufactures a wide range of products covering many markets in Alaska. In the area of natural resources, we provide products and services that support the oil/gas and mining 1971 12 industries in worker safety, electrical and communications, welding protection, fire and corrosion protection.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

ALASKA’S OPPORTUNITY IS NOW Alaska is building a natural gas pipeline and this project means jobs for Alaskans. In fact, there will be 12,000 construction jobs and 1,000 jobs to operate the pipeline. Now is the time to get ready for jobs that Alaska LNG

will create. Vocational technical schools and other programs can help you get ready to work on America’s largest energy project.

Alaska-LNG.com

A subsidiary of the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation | ADGC.us

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

Laura Young, AK Ops Mgr.

aecom.com AECOM Alaska is a team of engineers, scientists, planners & support staff providing arctic1904 92,000 smart engineering & environmental services for the complete project life-cycle from 1948 50 permitting for air, water, soils & solid waste, to planning, design & construction through production & site closure.

aeSolutions 3800 Centerpoint Dr., Suite 620 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-865-5992

Chris Hickling, AK Bus. Dev. Mgr.

1998 2008

156 26

aesolns.com | info@aesolns.com | aesolutions | aesolutions aeSolutions is a complete system integrator specializing in safety instrumented systems, automation, process safety consulting, industrial cybersecurity, alarm management, and operations & maintenance solutions; supporting all phases of the Process Safety Lifecycle.

AFF Distribution Services 5491 Electron Dr., #8 Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-563-7094

Jared Lastufka, Ops Mgr.

1988 1988

600 80

T hird-party warehousing & distribution company; short- & long-term storage; order processing, deliveries & inventory reports; cold storage, chill to freeze; pick & pack individual orders; through bill of lading & single invoice; bypass mail service. A division of American Fast Freight, Inc.

Afognak Leasing 3909 Arctic Blvd., Suite 500 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-222-9500

Matt Thorpe, GM

2004 2004

12 12

afognakleasing.com Lease and sell temporary or permanent remote camp facilities, portable offices, and equipment. Build to suit new camp construction. Provide camp relocation, camp operations and camp management services. Provide hotel-style temporary and permanent housing in Deadhorse, Alaska.

Airgas, an Air Liquide Company 6415 Arctic Blvd. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-562-2080

Brian Benson, Area VP

Providing packaged and bulk gas, scientific and calibration gases, welding tools, filler 1902 >25,000 metals, hardgoods and machines to oilfield and pipeline constructors. Full line of rental 1955 67 welders and plasma equipment and repair (warranty and other) for all major welding equipment and tool manufacturers.

AirSide Solutions 2222 W. Valley Hwy. N., Suite 140 Auburn, WA 98001 Phone: 253-833-6434

Rick Lafferty, VP/Region Mgr.

1978 1988

10 0

A irSide Solutions is a full line provider of Airfield and Heliport Lighted Navigation systems, technical services, and logistics support to the aviation market in Alaska.

AK Supply 8000 King St. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-562-3422

Ronald Smith, Pres./CEO

1991 1991

30 11

OV engineered completion & production solutions, valve actuation, HP iron, piping, N pipeline saddles/hangers, corrosion mitigation, Flo-control, valve lubricants/equipment, RedWing FRC, engineered composite docks, rig mats, towers, modules, foundation systems, solid oxide fuel cells, SCADA.

Alaska Aerial Media 7447 Meadow St. Anchorage, AK 99507 Phone: 907-440-0088

Beau Bivins, Pres./CEO

2014 2014

5 5

akaerial.media | info@akaerialmedia.com | akaerialmedia Alaska Aerial Media is a sUAS (drone) enabled data collection company. While reducing risk and improving safety we allow enterprise to fully harness the usefulness of sUAS based data collection. We specialize in visual inspections of critical infrastructure and aerial survey including LiDAR.

Alaska Airlines 4750 Old Intâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l Airport Rd. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-266-7200

Brad Tilden, Chmn./CEO AK Air Group

alaskaair.com 1932 22,000 A laska Airlines, Virgin America, and regional carrier Horizon Air provide passenger and 1932 1,800 cargo service to 118 destinations in Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, and the Lower 48.

Alaska Chadux Corporation 2347 Azurite Ct. Anchorage, AK 99507 Phone: 907-348-2365

Matthew Melton, GM

1993 1993

14 14

chadux.com | info@chadux.com Alaska Chadux Corporation (Chadux) is a member-funded, 501(c)(4) nonprofit oil spill response organization headquartered in Anchorage. Chadux is classified as an OSRO by the USCG and registered as a PRAC, and an NTVCC with the State of Alaska. We provide resources to cleanup oil spills.

Alaska Clean Seas 3300 C St., Suite 200 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-743-8989

Barkley Lloyd, GM

1979 1979

85 85

alaskacleanseas.org We protect the environment by providing response services to the Alaska North Slope crude oil explorers and producers and the first 167 miles of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System in accordance with oil spill response agreements and plans.

Alaska Commercial Development Group 3324 Koba Way Fairbanks, AK 99709 Phone: 907-457-1861

Matthew Greer, Pres.

1997 1997

5 5

eneral contractor located in Fairbanks, Alaska who design/builds from the ground up G wood/metal framed industrial buildings. Has space for lease for oil/gas semi-truckers looking for affordable/secure/clean warehouse.

Alaska Directional 200 E. Commercial Dr. Palmer, AK 99645 Phone: 907-357-9015

Billy Long, Pres./CEO

2012 2012

30 30

alaskadirectional.com | akdirectional@alaskadirectional.com Horizontal directional drilling, trenching, underground utility installation, communication towers.

Alaska Dreams 2081 Van Horn Rd., Suite 2 Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: 907-455-7712

Meini Huser, Pres.

1994 1994

30 30

alaskadreamsinc.com | sales@alaskadreamsinc.com Design, sales and construction of fabric covered steel building and pre-engineered metal buildings.

Alaska Energy Services PO Box 240708 Anchorage, AK 99524 Phone: 907-632-1180

Diane Bachman, Pres./Owner

2010 2010

3 3

Oil and gas, all leasing, telecommunications.

Kevin Anderson, Pres.

1980 1980

350 115

AECOM 700 G St., Suite 500 Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-562-3366

Alaska Marine Lines 100 Mt. Roberts St. Juneau, AK 99801 Phone: 907-586-3790

lynden.com/aml | information@lynden.com | LyndenInc | lynden-incorporated Alaska Marine Lines is a marine transportation company providing barge service to and from Alaska and Hawaii. We offer twice weekly service to Southeast Alaska and Central Alaska, seasonal service to Western Alaska, and bi-weekly service to Hawaii. Charter services are also available.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

Alaska Oil & Gas Association 121 W. Fireweed Ln. Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-272-1481

Kara Moriarty, Pres./CEO

1966 1966

4 4

Alaska oil and gas industry trade association.

Alaska Roteq 2051 Foundry Way Wasilla, AK 99654 Phone: 907-376-0550

Kevin Laurin, VP Sales

1993 1993

30 30

akroteq.com | info@akroteq.com Machine shop work, pump repairs, valve repairs, welding and coatings. Distributor for numerous pump and valve companies, Flowserve mechanical seals and Ingersoll Rand air compressors.

Alaska Rubber & Rigging Supply 5811 Old Seward Hwy. Anchorage, AK 99518-1479 Phone: 907-562-2200

Janeece Higgins, CEO

1981 1981

120 60

alaskarubber.com | info@alaskaruber.com | AKRubbber AKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest supplier of hydraulic & industrial hose assemblies & associated products; specialize in fabrication/testing of wire rope, chain & synthetic slings for overhead lifting & rigging; supply & service fueling, lubrication & pressure washing equip, hydraulic pumps, motors, cylinders & valves.

Alaska Textiles 620 W. Fireweed Ln. Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-265-4880

Clif Burnette, Pres.

1978 1978

24 24

korbana.com We are the number one supplier of FRC Apparel, to include our very own Korbana Protective Apparel, in Alaska and North Dakota, and around the world. With a highly trained sales staff we make customer service and quality control our priorities.

Alaska West Express 1048 Whitney Rd. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-339-5100

Eric Badger, Pres.

1978 1978

175 165

lynden.com/awe | information@lynden.com | LyndenInc | lynden-incorporated Providing oversized and bulk truckload transportation throughout the United States and Canada, specializing in shipments to and from Alaska, where we are the leader in transporting liquid- and dry-bulk products, hazardous and non-hazardous chemicals and petroleum products.

All American Oilfield 14896 Kenai Spur Hwy., Suite 203 Kenai, AK 99611 Phone: 907-283-1048

Pete Dickinson, Pres.

2010 2010

120 120

allamericanoilfield.com | info@allamericanoilfield.com On-shore and off-shore services include drilling, maintenance and support, workover, coil tubing, grind and inject, and well testing crews. Professional services include oilfield engineering, consulting and management services. Owner/operator of workover Rig 111.

Alyeska Pipeline Service Company PO Box 196660, MS 542 Anchorage, AK 99519-6660 Phone: 907-787-8700

Thomas Barrett, Pres.

1970 1970

774 734

alyeska-pipe.com | alyeskamail@alyeska-pipeline.com | alyeskapipeline Alyeska Pipeline Service Company has operated the Trans Alaska Pipeline System since 1977, and has delivered more than 17 billion barrels of oil. Focused on safe and flawless operations, employees are committed to keeping TAPS sustainable for all of Alaska.

Tom Ulrich, VP/AK Reg. Mgr.

1973 1973

300 55

amarinecorp.com | alaska@amarinecorp.com American Marine International is a full service marine contractor providing international standard commercial diving, heavy marine construction, vessel and logistical support for installation, maintenance and repair projects. In 2018 AMI completed ten years and more than 1.5 million hours with a Zero TRIR.

American Marine International 6000 A St. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-562-5420

The Leading Provider of remote camps on Alaskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s North Slope Rapid Camp Deployment & Setup Large Remote Camp Inventory Variable camp sizes; one & two story Turn-key Camp Operator Ranked #1 in Customer Satisfaction Home-Style Amenities Gourmet Quality Food Service Executive Suites to Single & Double-Status Rooms Guest-Centered Services National Safety Council Perfect Record Award Recipient Flexible Schedule & Rates Manufacture & Build-To-Suit

www.akbizmag.com

www.afognakleasing.com 907-350-2746

May 2018 | Alaska Business

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COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

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YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

APICC 2600 Cordova St., Suite 105 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-770-5250

Cari-Ann Carty, Exec. Dir.

1999 1999

Arcadis 880 H St., Suite 101 Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-276-8095

Kent Crandall, AK Ops Leader

1888 27,000 Arcadis is Alaska’s leading provider of construction and program management services and a leading global design, project management and consultancy firm. 1994 15

Arctic Energy PO Box 220110 Anchorage, AK 99522 Phone: 907-382-7772

Greg Porter, Pres.

2012 2012

5 4

F ounded in 2012, Arctic Energy provides Combined Heat and Power energy solutions and Distributed Generation throughout Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.

Arctic Foundations 5621 Arctic Blvd. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-562-2741

Edward Yarmak, Pres.

1972 1972

16 16

arcticfoundations.com | info@arcticfoundations.com Two-phase thermosyphons for long-term ground freezing: used for permafrost stabilization, frozen dams, containment, etc.

ARCTOS Alaska, a Division of NORTECH 3105 Lakeshore Dr., Suite A106 Anchorage, AK 99517 Phone: 907-222-2445

Peter Beardsley, CEO

1979 1979

25 25

nortechengr.com | info@nortechengr.com | nortechengr | 2525754 Full service environmental regulatory compliance contractor, project permitting, field compliance services, permit and compliance management, oil spill, SPCC, FRP Plans, plan audits, full range spill prevention & response planning services, response management & support. Health and safety management.

ASRC Energy Services 3900 C St., Suite 701 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-339-6200

Doug Smith, Pres./CEO

1985 1985

Baker Hughes, a GE Company 795 E. 94th Ave. Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-267-3431

Jon Rhodes, Area Mgr. AK

bhge.com | BHGEOG | 4334 1969 65,000 BHGE covers every segment of the oil and gas industry as a full-stream company, 1980 150 including upstream, midstream, and downstream solutions. Delivering integrated oilfield products, services and digital solutions to the oil and gas industry.

Holly Hylen, Pres./CEO

1999 1999

Beacon Occupational Health & Safety Services 800 Cordova St. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-222-7612

5 5

apicc.org | info@apicc.org APICC works with industry and educational and training institutions to prepare Alaskans to work in living wage jobs in Alaska, and to ensure an available, well-trained Alaskan workforce.

asrcenergy.com | corp.comm@asrcenergy.com A “one-stop shop” for quality consulting and contracting services to the energy, natural 2,778 resources, infrastructure, industrial, and power industries. AES offers a broad range of 2,545 in-house vertical integration services, self-performance capabilities, and a cross-trained craft labor pool.

274 248

beaconohss.com Beacon provides single-source remote medical, occupational medicine, safety and training solutions to keep your employees safe, and healthy, regardless of their location. Our client-specific approach is proactive, preventative and leverages our highly skilled team of professionals and technicians.

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Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

Bering Marine Corporation 6400 S. Airpark Pl. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-248-7646

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

lynden.com/bmc | information@lynden.com | LyndenInc | lynden-incorporated Bering Marine Corporation provides highly specialized, contracted marine services to reach water-locked villages and other remote Alaska locations. Our fleet of shallow-draft equipment supports construction of docks, roads and airstrips in Alaska communities.

Rick Gray, Pres.

1985 1985

60 60

Black Gold Express 1648 Cushman St., Suite 205 Fairbanks , AK 99701 Phone: 907-490-3222

Jeremy Huffman, CEO

1984 1984

45 45

Bowhead Transport Company 4025 Delridge Way SW, Suite 160 Seattle, WA 98106 Phone: 800-347-0049

Luther Bartholomew, GM

1982 1982

35 30

Brenntag Pacific PO Box 111185 Anchorage, AK 99511 Phone: 907-952-4075

Steve Holland, CEO/Brenntag AG

brenntag.com | jshort@brenntag.com | BrenntagNorthAmerica | brenntag 1874 15,000 Safety is our number one priority. Brenntag is a founding member of the National Associa1990 12 tion of Chemical Distributors (NACD). We are ISO certified and have operated in the State of Alaska for more than 30 years.

Bristol Bay Industrial 5015 Business Park Blvd., Suite 4000 Anchorage, AK 99503-7146 Phone: 907-865-5550

Mark D. Nelson, Pres./CEO

2015 2015

45 45

bbindustrial.com | general@bbindustrial.com Bristol Bay Industrial optimizes assets, services, and suppliers while leveraging the global relationships and local connections of our six member companies to provide clients with original, scalable, and cost effective solutions in any market.

Bristol Engineering Services Corporation 111 W. 16th Ave., Third Floor Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 800-563-0013

Travis Woods, Pres./CEO

1994 1994

50 30

BristolAllianceOfCompanies. Civil engineering, permitting and planning; total project management encompassing planning, design and construction.

C2 North 4141 B St., Suite 201 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-569-9122

Melanie Roller, Owner/Principal

2001 2001

4 3

c2north.com | mroller@c2north.com Small business certifications with an emphasis on Alaska Native corporations. Project management, technical writing and business solutions for the oil and gas industry.

Canrig Drilling Technology 301 E. 92nd Ave. Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-561-2465

Jim Carson, AK District Mgr.

1989 1989

400 35

blackgoldexpress.com | blackgoldexpress From civil work to oilfields services, from interstate moves to heavy hauls, Black Gold Express has the experience and knowledge to handle all of your transportation needs. In the most extreme conditions or in the most remote locations, Black Gold Express does all your heavy lifting. bowheadtransport.com | info@bowhead.com Bowhead transports cargo between Seattle, Western Alaska, Arctic Waters and the North Slope with ocean, coastal, ocean going Tug & Barge, shallow draft vessels for remote operations. Bowhead provides terminal services, vessel and crew support, vessel chartering, and marine and cargo logistics.

canrig.com | james.carson@canrig.com Canrig provides capital equipment sales, services and rentals and enterprise solutions to the upstream oil and gas industry.

COMPANIES

MARINE LLC

ENERGY SERVICES LLC A CIRI COMPANY

A CIRI COMPANY

BUILDING ALASKA FOR MORE THAN

3 7 years CONTRUCTION, INC

Experts in Resource Development and Heavy Civil Construction Cruz Construction | Alaska Interstate Construction Cruz Energy Services | Cruz Marine Original www.akbizmag.com

A CIRI CompanyOption

A CIRI Company

Option 2 May 2018 | Alaska Business

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

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Caribou Construction 5100 Cordova St., Suite 206 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-563-5444

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

Anna J. Pearson, Pres.

1987 1987

20 18

eneral oilfield support, heavy equipment, rubber track equipment, remote site camps, G fuel containments, survival units, exploration, and remote site cleanup.

CCI Industrial Services 5015 Business Park Blvd., Suite 4000 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-258-5755

Bob Eubank, Pres./CEO

1989 1989

239 192

cciindustrial.com Corrosion-under-insulation refurbishment; asbestos and lead surveys and abatement; specialty coatings; sandblasting; tank and vessel cleaning; fire proofing; demolition and hazardous waste removal; operations, maintenance and construction; oil spill response; heat treat services.

Chugach Alaska Services 3800 Centerpoint Dr., Suite 1200 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-261-0474

Ryan Kegley, GM

2008 2008

64 64

chugach.com Chugach Alaska Services provides tailored, cost-efficient staffing solutions to Alaskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil and gas industry.

Chugach Professional Oilfield Services 3800 Centerpoint Dr., Suite 1200 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-261-0427

Gerald Atol, GM

2015 2015

6 6

chugach.com | gerald.atol@chugach.com Chugach Professional Oilfield Services provides professional oilfield engineering, consulting and management services to operators across Alaska.

Clearwater Air 1100 Merrill Field Dr. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-274-1705

Andrew Harcombe, Pres.

2010 2010

20 20

clearwaterair.com | info@clearwaterair.com Clearwater Air provides aerial observation, imaging and remote sensing in support of research, emergency response, and development projects.

Coffman Engineers 800 F St. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-276-6664

Tom Looney, Mng. Principal

1979 1979

500 110

coffman.com Civil, commissioning, corrosion control, electrical, forensic, fire protection, industrial design, instrumentation & controls, landscape, lighting, mechanical, pipeline integrity management, pipeline & process facility design, project management, structural, sustainable design, energy audit.

Colville Pouch 340012 Prudhoe Bay, AK 99734 Phone: 907-659-3198

Dave Pfeifer, Pres./CEO

1981 1981

187 187

olvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s group of oilfield companies provide a full complement of Arctic Logistics C capabilities. Our services include fuel, aviation, waste management, transport, industrial supply and camp services.

CONAM Construction 301 W. Northern Lights Blvd., Suite 300 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-278-6600

Dale Kissee, Pres.

1984 1984

300 300

conamco.com General construction contractor specializing in design and construction of oil and gas facilities and pipelines, mining facilities, water and sewer facilities, and other remote infrastructure projects.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

Construction Machinery Industrial 5400 Homer Dr. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-563-3822

Ken Gerondale, Pres./CEO

1985 1985

105 105

cmiak.com Construction and mining equipment sales, rentals, service, and parts.

Cook Inlet Spill Prevention & Response 51377 Kenai Spur Hwy. Kenai, AK 99611 Phone: 907-776-5129

Todd Paxton, GM

1991 1991

30 30

cispri.org Provides oil-spill response services to member companies in the greater Cook Inlet area. Registered with the U.S. Coast Guard, (OSRO) and ADEC (PRAC).

Craig Taylor Equipment 733 E. Whitney Rd. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-276-5050

Chris Devine, Pres./CEO

1954 1954

50 50

Crowley Marine Solutions 201 Arctic Slope Ave. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-777-5505

Bruce Harland, VP

1892 1953

25 2

Cruz Companies Alaska 7000 E. Palmer Wasilla Hwy. Palmer, AK 99645 Phone: 907-746-3144

Dave Cruz, Pres.

1981 1981

228 137

E xperts in resource development and heavy civil construction.

Cruz Marine 7000 E. Palmer-Wasilla Hwy. Palmer, AK 99645 Phone: 907-746-3144

Kevin Weiss, GM

1989 1989

22 22

S hallow draft marine support for heavy civil construction and resource development based in Cook Inlet with services extending to the western and arctic coast of Alaska. Eco friendly tugs and ramp barges that have double hull fuel tanks and hospital grade silencers.

Deadhorse Aviation Center PO Box 34006 Prudhoe Bay, AK 99734 Phone: 907-685-1700

Tim Cudney, Dir.

2012 2012

8 8

Delta Leasing 8101 Dimond Hook Dr. Anchorage, AK 99507 Phone: 907-771-1300

Rudi von Imhof, Pres.

2002 2002

45 45

craigtaylorequipment.com | info@craigtaylorequipment.com | craigtaylorequipment Factory authorized dealer for: Doosan large excavators, loaders & articulated trucks; Bobcat mini-loaders & excavators; Dynapac compaction rollers; Fecom land clearing attachments & carriers. Providing sales, rentals, parts, and service. Alaskan owned and operated for more than 60 years. crowley.com Crowley Marine Solutions provides the oil and gas industry with expertise in offshore engineering, project management, ocean towing, module transportation, project logistics, port development, spill prevention and response services. Crowley Marine Solutions specializes in Arctic operations.

deadhorseaviation.com The Deadhorse Aviation Center is Fairweather, LLC’s multi-modal aviation facility designed to meet the needs of onshore and offshore oil and gas development on the North Slope. The DAC has two large hangars, laydown yard for storage rental, office space, terminal, bedrooms, and a full dining facility. deltaleasing.com Specialized leasing of fleet trucks, SUVs, vans, & shuttle buses, as well as construction & mining equipment, oil & gas equipment. GM, Dodge & International warranty repair center. Alaskan-owned. Deadline driven. Results oriented. Anchorage/Kenai/Prudhoe Bay/ Fairbanks/Remote Alaska.

Alaska’s Oil & Gas Consultants 

Geoscience

 Engineering 

Operations



Project Management

From the North Slope to Cook Inlet, PRA’s professional and highly skilled consultants know and understand the regional geology, the unique operating conditions, and the regulatory environment, having managed exploration and development projects across Alaska since 1997. 3601 C Street, Suite 1424 Anchorage, AK 99503 www.akbizmag.com

907-272-1232

www.petroak.com info@petroak.com May 2018 | Alaska Business

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

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YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

Denali Drilling 8240 Petersburg St. Anchorage, AK 99507 Phone: 907-562-2312

Ron Pichler, Pres.

1970 1970

15 15

DI provides geotechnical, environmental, mineral exploration, commercial water well D and large diameter (8â&#x20AC;&#x2122;) shaft drilling. We also drill, install tie-backs and construct retaining walls. We have provided these services throughout Alaska since 1970. Specialized equipment for onshore and offshore.

Denali Universal Services 11500 C St., Suite 100 Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-522-1300

Thomas (Bob) Kean, Pres./CEO

1946 1946

649 560

denaliuniversal.com Operational support including catering, housekeeping, facility maintenance, and security.

Don Pearson of Alaska 5100 Cordova St., Suite 206 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-563-3067

Donald Pearson, Pres.

1977 1977

0 0

Deadhorse Airport pad.

Doyon Anvil 509 W. Third Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-677-3021

Terry Caetano, Pres./GM

1984 1984

45 45

doyonanvil.com | tcaetano@anvilcorp.com Full service consulting engineering for the petro chemical industry as well specializing in exploration, Pre-EIS and early phase development. Extensive experience in brown field revamp projects.

Doyon Associated 615 Bidwell Ave., Suite 100 Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: 907-374-9130

Warren Christian, Pres.

2006 2006

200 200

oyon Associated, LLC (DAL) specializes in arctic pipeline construction and associated D infrastructure. DAL has an established presence in Alaska with offices in Fairbanks and Anchorage, and shop/yard facilities in Fairbanks and Deadhorse.

Doyon, Limited 1 Doyon Pl., Suite 300 Fairbanks, AK 99701-2941 Phone: 888-478-4755

Aaron Schutt, Pres./CEO

1972 1972

888 591

doyon.com | communications@doyon.com | doyonlimited | 68337 Oil field contracting-drilling, camp, engineering and pipeline construction services; government services-construction services and utility services on military installations in Alaska; information technology-government solutions, tribal and not-for-profit space; and natural resource development.

DXP | Alaska Pump & Supply 8401 Brayton Dr. Anchorage, AK 99507 Phone: 907-563-3424

David Little, CEO

1908 1978

Gary Chouest, Pres./CEO

chouest.com Founded in Galliano, Louisiana in 1960, the Edison Chouest Offshore companies (ECO) are 1960 14,000 recognized today as the most diverse and dynamic marine transportation solution provid2007 75 ers in the world. ECO operates a growing fleet of over 200 vessels, serving an expanding global customer base.

Edison Chouest Offshore 301 Calista Ct. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-562-2111

Serving industrial, municipal and commercial customers, DXP | Alaska Pump & Supply is 2,400 at the leading edge of technology providing the best rotating equipment, bearing and PT, 20 MROP, safety products, expert service and engineered solutions from skids to complete modules. Field services are available.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

Equipment Source 1919 Van Horn Rd. Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: 907-458-9049

Nick Ferree, PE, GM

2000 2000

38 30

equipmentsourceinc.com | FAI-Sales@EquipSrc.com ESI designs, develops, & builds quality, innovative worksite products for the oil, mining, construction, & agriculture industries. All of our products are built arctic tough, built to last, & tested in challenging environments. We also specialize in Kubota tractors. SalesService-Parts-Rentals.

Everts Air Cargo PO Box 61680 Fairbanks, AK 99706 Phone: 907-450-2300

Robert Everts, Pres./CEO

1995 1995

309 287

EvertsAir.com | shoshaw@EvertsAir.com Everts Air Cargo provides scheduled cargo service within Alaska and air charter services to domestic and international destinations. Passenger, freight and charter service using smaller aircraft (Pilatus and Caravan) is provided out of Fairbanks.

Fairweather 301 Calista Ct. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-346-3247

Rick Fox, CEO

1976 1976

100 99

F ounded in 1976, Fairweather offers a range of highly-specialized services to support remote oil & gas & mining operations. These services include remote medical & HSE support, meteorological & oceanographic forecasting, aviation & airstrip support & expediting & logistics services.

Five Star Oilfield Services 1301 Huffman Rd., Suite 125 Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-272-9877

Jenny Dickinson, Ops Mgr.

2002 2002

108 108

fivestaroilfieldservices.com | jdickinson@fivestaroilfieldservices.com Remote catering and camp services.

Flowline Alaska 1881 Livengood Ave. Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: 907-456-4911

Richard Schok, Pres.

1982 1982

40 40

Shop applied corrosion coatings and insulation. Fabrication services.

Fluor Alaska 4300 B St., Suite 210 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-865-2000

Wyche Ford, AK GM/Sr. Project Dir.

fluor.com | Fluor.Alaska@fluor.com | @fluor.com 1912 60,000 Engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction, maintenance and project management. 100 years of experience including 40 years in Alaska. Our integrated solutions 1954 2 approach spans the entire project life cycle helping reduce costs & schedules, improve certainty of delivery & safe work performance.

Foss Maritime Company 188 W. Northern Lights Blvd., Suite 1020 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-782-4950

John Parrott, Pres./CEO

1889 1922

Foundex Pacific 2261 Cinnabar Lp. Anchorage, AK 99507 Phone: 907-522-8263

Howard Grey, Mgr.

1983 1983

www.akbizmag.com

Foss Maritime offers marine services without equal across the globe, in remote ports & in 1,600 extreme environments. Our experienced crews specialize in pioneering cargo transport and project services using cutting edge technology, with a steadfast commitment to qual75 ity, safety & the environment.

60 20

Foundex.com | HGrey@Foundex.com Provide geotechnical and environmental drilling services. Equipped for drilling with air and mud rotary, sonic, coring, and auger tools. Some of our equipment is specially designed for helicopter support. This year we added a jack-up rig.

May 2018 | Alaska Business

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

Fugro 5761 Silverado Way, Suite O Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-561-3478

Rada Khadjinova, GM AK

fugro.com | akprojects@fugro.com | fugro | 6748 1962 10,500 Fugro collects data on topography, soil composition, and environmental conditions, both onshore and offshore. We organize the acquired data and add value through processing, 2003 5 interpretation and visualization. In addition, we provide geo-related design, asset inspection, and integrity advice.

GBR Oilfield Services 6300 Petersburg St. Anchorage, AK 99507 Phone: 907-563-3550

Billy Reynolds, Pres.

1973 1973

62 62

gbroilfield.com | gbr-oilfield-services Our services include casing, welding and fabrication, testing, and inspection. We maintain a full time operation on the North Slope where we provide an array of oilfield services, as well as a shop in Soldotna for those operating in Cook Inlet.

GeoTek Alaska PO Box 11-1155 Anchorage, AK 99511-1155 Phone: 907-569-5900

Christopher Nettels, Pres.

2002 2002

25 25

geotekalaska.com | ksmith@geotekalaska.com We specialize in the acquisition of subsurface data for both the environmental and geotechnical professional communities. If your needs involve the characterization of the subsurface we offer Drilling, UVOST, Utility Clearance, Ground Penetrating Radar, and/or Vacuum Clearing.

Golder Associates 2121 Abbott Rd., Suite 100 Anchorage, AK 99507 Phone: 907-344-6001

Mark Musial, Pncpl./Sr. Geotech Eng.

1960 1980

GPS Alaska 360 E. Int’l Airport Rd., Suite 10 Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-562-8000

Kevin Silvernale, Pres.

2004 2004

5 5

Great Northwest PO Box 74646 Fairbanks, AK 99707 Phone: 907-452-5617

John Minder, CEO/Pres.

1976 1976

200 200

Halliburton Energy Services 6900 Arctic Blvd. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-275-2600

Scott Odell, AK District Mgr.

1919 55,000 Halliburton offers a broad array of oilfield technologies and services to upstream oil and 1958 335 gas customers worldwide.

Hector’s Welding 721 Finnel Dr. North Pole, AK 99705 Phone: 907-488-6432

Ken Therriault, VP/GM

1956 1956

6,000 Arctic and geotechnical engineering, groundwater resource development, environmental 30 sciences and remedial investigation.

7 7

gpsalaska.com | Info@gpsalaska.com GPS Alaska supplies precision positioning for surveyors, engineers, and contractors. We sell, support, and offer technical training for the positioning products we offer. As well as survey and engineering tools, GPS Alaska is the most experienced team in Alaska for heavy equipment automation. grtnw.com | info@grtnw.com Heavy highway civil construction, utilities, paving, landscaping.

hectors@acsalaska.net Steel sales, iron fabrication: 10’ shear and brake; roll, Iron Worker; and 10’ X 12’ plasma table.

Serving the Great Land 24/7 Family-owned in Alaska since 1959

PETRO 49

companies

www.shoresidepetroleum.com ANCHORAGE | WASILLA | CORDOVA | SEWARD | WHITTIER 72

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

High Tide Environmental 180 E. Hygrade Ln. Wasilla, AK 99654 Phone: 907-354-3132

Chris Hoffman, Owner

2010 2010

2 2

hightidealaska.com | Chris@hightidealaska.com We provide marine mammal observers during construction and environmental permitting in Alaska focused on endangered species and underwater noise impacts. We also gather underwater video to depths of 1,000 ft. using our Remotely Operated Vehicle throughout Alaska and locations worldwide.

Immersive Video Solutions 3400 Knik Ave. Anchorage, AK 99517 Phone: 907-279-4000

Kenn Kadow, Pres.

2005 2005

15 2

immersivevideosolutions.com | info@immersivevideosolutions.com Geo-spatial mapping using 360 degree HD video cameras, ortho, LIDAR and FODAR technologies.

Jacobs 949 E. 36th Ave., Suite 500 Anchorage, AK 99508 Phone: 907-762-1500

Jeff Doyle, VP/GM AK Ops

jacobs.com | JacobsConnects | jacobs 1946 74,000 Global professional services leader serving the Alaska oil & gas, transportation, port & 1962 1,200 maritime, environmental, and water and wastewater markets with camp, equipment, infrastructure, scientific, engineering, fabrication, construction, operations, maintenance, and turnaround services.

Judy Patrick Photography 511 W. 41st Ave., Suite 101 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-258-4704

Judy Patrick, Owner/Photographer

1984 1984

1 1

K2 Dronotics 601 W. Fifth Ave., Floor 2 Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 844-425-3766

Ben Kellie, CEO/Co-Founder

2015 2015

6 6

Kakivik Asset Management 5015 Business Park Blvd., Suite 4000 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-770-9400

Bob Eubank, Pres./CEO

1999 1999

203 115

Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. 2000 W. Int’l Airport Rd., #C6 Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-222-9350

Pat Harrison, Exec. Area Mgr.

1884 20,000 Heavy civil construction including transportation, marine, dams and resource develop1947 50-100 ment.

LifeMed Alaska PO Box 190026 Anchorage, AK 99519-0026 Phone: 907-563-6633

Scott Kirby, CEO

2008 2008

120 120

judypatrickphotography.com | judy@judypatrickphotography.com Creative photography for oil and gas, mining, construction and transportation industries in North America. k2dronotics.com | info@k2dronotics.com UAV (drone) data analysis, flight service, and training. Gathering and processing of LiDAR, RGB, multispectral, and thermal imaging; mapping and 3D modeling; site planning and logistics for remote projects; inspections and spill monitoring. Mission planning and staff training available. kakivik.com Kakivik is a full service industrial asset integrity management company specializing in Nondestructive Testing (NDT), external and internal corrosion investigations, quality program management, and field chemical and corrosion management including chemical laboratory and coupon/probe operations.

lifemedalaska.com Statewide air ambulance services with bases in Anchorage, Bethel, Fairbanks, Juneau, Palmer and Soldotna. Anchorage-based ALS ground ambulance services. CAMTS Accredited.

GLYCOL OUT At NRC Alaska, we turn waste into new products Alaskans can use. Our new glycol distillation plant converts used antifreeze and heat transfer fluids into new products that support Alaska’s economy. With purity levels that meet the highest specifications, competitive prices, and big environmental benefits, NRC Alaska’s recycled glycol products just make sense.

Serving all of Alaska 907-258-1558 Toll Free 877-375-5040 www.akbizmag.com

May 2018 | Alaska Business

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

Lifewater Engineering Company 1963 Donald Ave. Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: 907-458-7024

Bob Tsigonis, Pres./PE

1998 1998

9 9

LifewaterEngineering.com Custom fabrication of welded plastic tanks, boats, and other products including sewage treatment plants for man camps, homes, and lodges in the most extreme climates and remote places. For Rough Duty Boats, visit www.Class5Boatworks.com.

Lounsbury & Associates 5300 A St. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-272-5451

Tom Adams, Pres.

1949 1949

50 50

lounsburyinc.com | info@lounsburyinc.com Civil engineering, land surveying, planning, construction management. Servicing local and state government, oil and gas industry and private development. Offices in Anchorage, Wasilla, Fairbanks and Kuparuk.

Lynden Air Cargo 6441 S. Airpark Pl. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-7248

Rick Zerkel, Pres.

1996 1996

180 180

lynden.com/lac | information@lynden.com | LyndenInc | lynden-incorporated Charter air cargo service in Alaska and worldwide. Scheduled Alaska air cargo and express package service.

Lynden International 6441 S. Airpark Pl. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-6150

John Kaloper, Pres.

1980 1980

217 45

lynden.com/lint | information@lynden.com | LyndenInc | lynden-incorporated Domestic and international freight forwarding and customs services.

Lynden Logistics 6400 S. Airpark Pl. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-245-1544

Alex McKallor, Pres.

1984 1984

14 5

lynden.com/llog | information@lynden.com | LyndenInc | lynden-incorporated Arrangement of freight transportation, information management and logistical services.

Lynden Oilfield Services 1048 Whitney Rd. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-339-5100

Eric Badger, Pres.

2015 2015

30 30

lynden.com/loil | information@lynden.com | LyndenInc | lynden-incorporated Lynden Oilfield Services, a division of Alaska West Express, provides support for exploration, production, and service companies on the North Slope working to develop Alaska’s oil and gas resources.

Lynden Training Center 4325 Cinch St. Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: 907-456-2223

Eric Badger, Pres.

1995 1995

4 4

lynden.com/training | ltc@lynden.com | LyndenInc | lynden-incorporated Provides training in hazardous materials transportation, emergency response, incident management, hazardous waste, work place safety, and equipment operation. Lynden Training Center, a division of Alaska West Express, is ‘the hands-on training facility.’

Lynden Transport 3027 Rampart Dr. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-276-4800

Paul Grimaldi, Pres.

1954 1954

250 120

lynden.com/ltia | information@lynden.com | LyndenInc | lynden-incorporated Full-service, multi-modal freight transportation to, from and within Alaska.

It’s here!

The Alaskan Arctic is now connected with 21st century communications. The Quintillion fiber system is bringing high speed internet to northern Alaska communities from Nome to Prudhoe Bay. Introduction of high-speed internet capacity to Quintillion’s markets is improving health and education services, helping to spur economic development, empowering local businesses, and allowing consumers access to video and other high-speed applications.

Internet at the Speed of Light. Powered by Quintillion. To learn more and see what's next, go to Qexpressnet.com

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

Marine Container Solutions PO Box 407 Seahurst, WA 98062 Phone: 206-499-0474

Todd Shirley, Owner/COO

2011 -

1 0

Cargo container sales (new-used-custom-related equipment) and leasing.

Maritime Helicopters 3520 FAA Rd. Homer, AK 99603 Phone: 907-235-7771

Robert Fell, Dir. Ops

1973 1973

46 46

e support petroleum, construction & marine industries as well as federal/state agencies. W Our fleet includes Bell 206L, 407 and twin-engine 412HP & BO-105 Eurocopters. Our 86’ helipad equipped vessel supports remote marine-based operations. Bases in HomerFairbanks-Kenai-Kodiak-Dutch Harbor-Valdez.

Matheson Tri-Gas 6350 Arctic Blvd. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-563-6644

Scott Kallman, Pres./CEO

1927 2016

Motion & Flow Control Products 1716 N. Post Rd. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-277-1406

Mike Mehl, VP Sales

1969 1969

mathesongas.com Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc. is a single source provider of industrial and specialty cylinder gases, 9,000 gas handling and welding equipment, high performance purification systems, and related 19 hardgoods and safety equipment. The company also provides support services and system management services. 260 24

S erving Alaska for 47 years, we offer products and services to the mining, petroleum, and construction industries in Fairbanks and Anchorage. MFCP provides Parker Hannifin fluid power components and all other types of industrial and hydraulic hoses, fittings, and accessories.

MotionIndustries.com | MotionInd | motion-industries 1970 6,900+ A leading distributor of industrial maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) replacement parts (more than 7 million parts), including bearings, power transmission, hydraulic/pneu2010 12 matic components, linear, hydraulic/industrial hose, industrial & safety supplies, process pumps, seals & material handling. MotionIndustries.com | MotionInd | motion-industries 1970 6,900+ A leading distributor of industrial maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) replacement parts (more than 7 million parts), including bearings, power transmission, hydraulic/pneu2010 12 matic components, linear, hydraulic/industrial hose, industrial & safety supplies, process pumps, seals & material handling.

Motion Industries 611 E. Int. Airport Rd. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-563-5565

Matt Bailey, Mi Anch. Branch Mgr.

Motion Industries, Inc. 1895 Van Horn Rd., Unit A Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: 907-452-4488

Nick Morgan, Fbx. Branch Mgr.

N C Machinery 6450 Arctic Blvd. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-786-7500

John J Harnish, CEO

1926 1926

NANA WorleyParsons PO Box 111100 Anchorage, AK 99511 Phone: 907-273-3900

Craig Morrison, Pres.

1997 1997

Cat machine sales, parts, service, and rental. Cat engines for marine, power generation, 1,019 truck, petroleum, and industrial applications. Sales and rental of Cat and other preferred 216 brands of rental equipment and construction supplies.

242 233

nanaworleyparsons.com | info@nanaworleyparsons.com A project delivery company focused on multi-discipline engineering and design, procurement and construction management services for the Hydrocarbons, Mining and Infrastructure Industries.

16th Season Providing Scheduled Marine Transportation Services

The right choice for marine transportation to Western Alaska!

— Seattle to Seward — Alaskan Peninsula — Western Alaska villages Dillingham/Naknek Bethel/Nome/Kotzebue

Call us today to schedule a delivery or get a quote! 1-866-585-3281

www. Alaska-Logistics.com www.akbizmag.com

•

Sales@Alaska-Logistics.com May 2018 | Alaska Business

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

naniqglobal.com | info@naniqglobal.com NGL International, LLC (NGLI) is a small logistics company with large business depth, resources and means. As a leading provider of logistics solutions, we leverage the capabilities of our global presence to enhance the efficiencies and effectiveness of supply chain processes.

NGL International 301 W. Northern Lights Blvd., Suite 660 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-365-6299

Jane Treadway, Client Mgr.

2010 2010

NMS 800 E. Dimond Blvd., Suite 3-450 Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-273-2400

Matthew Daggett, Pres.

1974 1974

NMS Camp Services 800 E. Dimond Blvd., Suite 3-450 Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-273-2400

Jason Carlson, VP Ops

1974 1974

600 600

NMS Food & Facilities Management 800 E. Dimond Blvd., Suite 3-450 Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-273-2400

Derrell Webb, VP Ops

1974 1974

860 850

NMS Security 800 E. Dimond Blvd., Suite 3-450 Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-273-2400

Eric Fox, VP Ops

1974 1974

500 375

Nordic-Calista Services 219 E. Int’l Airport Rd., Suite 200 Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-561-7458

Noel Therrien, Ops Mgr.

1982 1982

140 133

orkovers, completions, coiled tubing drilling, rotary drilling, remote camp leasing, and W catering services.

North Star Equipment Services 790 Ocean Dock Rd. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-272-7537

Jeff Bentz, Pres.

1950 1950

80 80

northstarak.com | sales@northstarak.com | nsts.nses We provide crane and equipment solutions. We have state of the art ABI Mobilram machines, for large diameter drilling, with vibratory and hammer attachments, built for driving pile. We are DOT approved for bridge foundations.

North Star Terminal & Stevedore Co. 790 Ocean Dock Rd. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-263-0120

Jeff Bentz, Pres.

1950 1950

80 80

northstarak.com | sales@northstarak.com | nsts.nses Stevedore, Marine logistics, specializing in providing crane and equipment solutions. We have state of the art ABI Mobilram machines, for large diameter drilling, with vibratory and hammer attachments, built for driving pile. We are DOT approved for bridge foundation.

50 10

nmsua.com 2,000 Built on a culture of safety and integrity, NMS delivers award-winning support services to 1,870 a variety of clients in Alaska and the contiguous U.S. Our service portfolio includes food services, security, facilities management, camp services, staffing and hotel management. nmsusa.com As the largest and most-experienced camp services provider in Alaska, NMS is committed to the safe and professional operations of remote worksites. We continually find strategic ways to offer clients value while keeping individual, corporate and environmental safety at the forefront of what we do. nmsusa.com NMS offers quality food service solutions that include catering, corporate dining, healthcare services, education services and restaurant management. Our facilities management services provide dedicated workforces for clients’ buildings and grounds, allowing them to focus on their core business. nmsusa.com Since 1974, NMS has partnered with some of the world’s largest and most technologically advanced organizations, offering the highest-quality security services, including armed and unarmed guards, public reception, wildlife control and state-of-the art video surveillance.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

BREAKING VIEWS!

Alaskans have voted and the “Eyes Have It!” Alaska’s top organizations choose Land’s End for their special events, strategic conferences and planning retreats. Where else can groups experience some of the most spectacular, breathtaking beachfront scenery on the planet? From small groups on up to large gatherings of 250 guests, our oceanfront meeting facilities combine award-winning cuisine, expansive decks and personalized Alaskan service, all in an unparalleled natural paradise. Come see, feel and taste why Land’s End is just the beginning for the perfect gathering.

Click on Special Events at: www.Lands-End-Resort.com Or talk to one of our event specialists at: 1-907-235-0410 LE Eyes ABM FP.indd 1

1/24/18 8:39 AM

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

David Karp, Pres./CEO

1956 1956

395 395

nac.aero Anchorage based Northern Air Cargo is Alaska’s largest all-cargo airline. From groceries and generators to medical supplies and lumber, customers across Alaska, including a wide array of industries such as oil & gas, mining, construction, and commercial fishing rely on NAC’s services.

Northern Land Use Research Alaska 725 Christensen Dr., Suite 4 Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-345-2457

Lindsay Simmons, GM

1991 1991

6 4

northernlanduse.com | lja@northernlanduse.com | @northernlanduseresearchalaska National Historic Preservation Act Sec. 106 assessments; identification, evaluation, mitigation services-prehistoric/historic archaeology, historic architecture, cultural landscapes, and subsistence; documents for NEPA and permitting; reg compliance; consultation; ground-penetrating radar.

NorthStar Supply PO Box 876103 Wasilla, AK 99687 Phone: 907-357-1147

Richell Carmichael, Owner

2017 2017

5 5

nssalaska.com | info@nssalaska.com Dust control products, erosion control products, geotextiles.

Northwest Technical Services 310 K St. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-562-1633

Robin Curtis, Northwest Reg. Mgr.

1980 5,000+ pdstech.com | PDSTechInc | pds-tech 1980 45 Contingent staffing for engineering, IT, Project Management, construction, HSE and clerical contract labor personnel.

NRC Alaska 425 Outer Springer Lp. Palmer, AK 99645 Phone: 907-258-1558

Blake Hillis, Sr. VP NRC Alaska

2014 2014

Emergency spill response, hazardous/non-hazardous waste disposal, petroleum product 1,000 recycling, industrial cleaning services, vacuum truck services, automotive fluids recycling 100 and sales, environmentally friendly cleaners/degreasers, site clean-up and remediation. Anchorage/Kenai/Prudhoe/Fairbanks.

Orion Marine Group 740 Bonanza Ave. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-561-9811

DS Hogan, Dir. Ops

1994 2012

orionmarinegroup.com | dhogan@orionmarinegroup.com 2,397 Marine infrastructure and heavy civil and hydro dam construction, dredging, quarry opera110 tions and mining. Pile driving, breakwater construction.

Pacific Alaska Lumber Company 421 W. First Ave., Suite 245 Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-341-3500

Vint Jones, Pres.

2007 2007

5 2

Pacific Environmental Corp. (PENCO) 6000 A St. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-562-5420

Brent Porter, AK Area Mgr.

1985 1994

110 80

Northern Air Cargo 3900 Old International Airport Rd. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-3331

pacaklumber.com Wholesale suppliers of construction & specialty materials. Serving all industries in AK. All grades & species of lumber/timber/ply/panels, treatment, EWP, GLB, metal, SIP, GEO, rigid foam, GWB, Helical Piers, millwork, and hardware. We stock mats in Alaska. rig, crane, access traditional/composite. PENCO.org Pacific Environmental Corporation (PENCO) specializes in land and marine spill response, environmental cleanup and remediation, and marine vessel remediation. PENCO’s array of environmental services includes supplying teams of highly skilled spill response technicians for emergency response.

40 Years. Countless Miles.

Span Alaska provides extreme reliability to the last mile anywhere in the Last Frontier.

Alaska’s Premier Freight Provider Since 1978 78

1.800.257.7726 rate@spanalaska.com www.spanalaska.com

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

Solutions

Focused

NANA Companies Lead the Way in providing advanced solutions for diverse clients. From the Mobile Arctic Production System that offers cost-effective interim oil production and development of marginal fields, and ground-based radar for perimeter intrusion detection on the North Slope, to state-of-the-art drilling, fabrication and remote logistics systems, NANAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s technologies, along with its other core services, help Alaskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resource industries move ahead. For over four decades, NANA has supported responsible development, and we look forward to continued partnerships throughout Alaska.

NANA.com | P.O. Box 49, Kotzebue, Alaska 99752 | 800.478.3301

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

paramountsupply.com | jaygoold@paramountsupply.com Paramount Supply Company is an industrial wholesaler founded in 1954 by John Hagen. Paramount quickly built its reputation with quality products and exceptional service. That tradition literally began out of the trunk of the founderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s car, continues today. Twenty-two locations in AK, AZ, ID, OR, TX, WA & WY. pathfinderaviation.com | info@pathfinderaviation.com Pathfinder Aviation supports petroleum, mining, survey, film, and various other industries utilizing twin-engine Bell 212s & single engine Bell 206 series helicopters with OASapproved pilots and aircraft. They operate field bases throughout Alaska with a main base in Homer.

Paramount Supply Company 7928 King St. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-349-0280

Jay Goold, Branch Mgr.

1954 1982

150 5

Pathfinder Aviation 2238 Kachemak Dr. Homer, AK 99603 Phone: 907-226-2800

Charles Constant, CEO

2001 2001

64 40

Peak Oilfield Service Company 5015 Business Park Blvd., Suite 4000 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-263-7000

Craig Crawford, Pres./CEO

1987 1987

560 429

peakalaska.com Oilfield general contracting, heavy civil construction, ice roads, camps, all-terrain vehicle transport, rig moving and drilling support.

Petro Marine 1813 First Ave. Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-562-5000

Kurt Lindsey, Pres./CEO

1959 1959

250 250

petromarineservices.com | lexh@petro49.com Serving the unique petroleum needs of a broad range of Alaskan industries, including fishing, home fuel sales, power generation, tourism, timber, transportation, construction, mining, and retail gasoline.

Petro Star 3900 C St. Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-339-6600

Doug Chapados, Pres./CEO

1984 1984

175 175

petrostar.com Refining and fuel distribution.

Petrotechnical Resources of Alaska 3601 C St., Suite 1424 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-272-1232

Tom Walsh, Mng. Partner

1997 1997

75 75

petroak.com | info@petroak.com | PRAAlaska Alaskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil and gas consultants specializing in geoscience, engineering, project management, seismic and well data.

PND Engineers 1506 W. 36th Ave. Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-561-1011

Jim Campbell, Pres.

1979 1979

100 70

pndengineers.com | pnd-engineers-inc General civil, structural, geotechnical, Arctic, marine, and coastal engineering; survey; permitting; hydrology; metocean; quality assurance; inspection.

Price Gregory International 301 W. Northern Lights Blvd., Suite 300 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-278-4400

Robert Stinson, Sr. VP

1974 1974

pricegregory.com 3,000 Pipeline, power, heavy industrial construction, EPC and consulting services. Infrastructure 300 construction services provider.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

Only pay for the speed you need... Dynamic Routing! SM

On time and on budget. At Lynden, we understand that plans change but deadlines don’t. That’s why we proudly offer our exclusive Dynamic Routing system. Designed to work around your unique requirements, Dynamic Routing allows you to choose the mode of transportation – air, sea or land – to control the speed of your deliveries so they arrive just as they are needed. With Lynden you only pay for the speed you need. lynden.com | 1-888-596-3361

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

PRL Logistics PO Box 222029 Anchorage, AK 99522 Phone: 907-261-9440

Ron Hyde, Pres./CEO

2002 2002

50 50

P RL is Alaska-owned and -operated with a high commitment to safety. From expediting to your most complex, remote logistics challenges, PRL provides scalable logistics solutions worldwide to meet your logistics needs and ensure project success. We specialize in Alaska, the Lower 48, and beyond.

Quantum Spatial 2014 Merrill Field Dr. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-272-4495

Adam McCullough, AK Bsns. Dev. Dir.

1960 1960

436 24

uantum Spatial’s comprehensive capabilities encompass the acquisition, analysis, Q integration, and management of geospatial data. We offer a diverse portfolio of advanced imaging and remote sensing technologies, backed by powerful modeling, visualization, and GIS tools.

Rain for Rent 53325 Henley Ave. Kenai, AK 99611 Phone: 907-283-4487

John Lake, CEO

1934 2002

Resource Data 560 E. 34th Ave., Suite 100 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-563-8100

Jim Rogers, Pres.

1986 1986

Schlumberger Oilfield Services 6411 A St. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-273-1700

Nathan Rose, Mng. Dir.

slb.com 1956 100,000 Schlumberger is the world’s leading provider of technology for reservoir characterization, 1956 500 drilling, production, and processing to the oil and gas industry.

Security Aviation 6121 S. Airpark Pl. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-248-2677

Stephen “Joe” Kapper, Pres.

1985 1985

25 25

securityaviation.biz | sales@securityaviation.biz | flysmarterthinkcharter 24/7 on-demand air charter. Approved carrier for Corps of Engineers, State and Federal Agencies. Executive travel, crew changes, HAZMAT, “HOT” cargo and medical transports.

Seekins Ford Lincoln 1625 Seekins Ford Dr. Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: 907-459-4000

Ralph Seekins, Pres.

1977 1977

108 108

seekins.com | sales@seekins.com Automotive sales, service, parts and body shop.

Shoreside Petroleum 6401 Lake Otis Pkwy. Anchorage, AK 99507 Phone: 907-344-4571

Kurt Lindsey, Pres.

1981 1981

140 140

S horeside Petroleum is an Alaskan owned fuel and lubricants distributor marketing fuels, lubricants, and other petroleum products in Southcentral Alaska. Shoreside operates terminals in Anchorage, Cordova, Seward, Wasilla, and Whittier. It also owns the Essential 1 retail gas station brand.

rainforrent.com | rharris@rainforrent.com 1,700 Pump, tank, pipe, filtration solutions for environmental, construction and oilfield opera4 tions.

185 100

resourcedata.com | info@resourcedata.com | ResourceData | resourcedata Since 1986, Resource Data has supported all facets of the oil & gas industry, helping businesses & government—including most major operators in Alaska—with their IT needs. We provide custom mobile apps & software, environmental & permitting GIS, data management & integration, reporting, & more.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

Siemens Industry 5333 Fairbanks St., Unit B Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-563-2242

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

siemens.com | leverette.hoover@siemens.com Energy Services Company (ESCO) and System Integrator: to include automation/energy 1849 377,000 Leverette Hoover, GM AK/HI/Pacific Rim management control systems, fire alarm, HVAC mechanical systems, security (card access, 1982 100 CCTV, intrusion, etc.), audio, video solutions, mass notification systems and electrical distribution. slpalaska.com | brian@slpalaska.com | slpalaska | linkedin.com/brianwalden Safety consulting; safety training; well control training; incident investigation; leadership coaching; performance improvement planning & implementation; OSHA compliance; loss control; risk management; risk assessment; safety program development; expert witness; injury case management.

SLP Alaska 46540 Jo Ave. Kenai, AK 99611 Phone: 907-202-3274

Brian Walden, Pres.

2012 2012

SLR International Corporation 2700 Gambell St., Suite 200 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-222-1112

Brian Hoefler, AK Mgr.

2000 2001

Steigers Corporation 791 South Park Dr., Suite 800 Littleton, CO 80120-5719 Phone: 800-935-6569

William Steigers, Chairman/CEO

1993 2004

5 1

steigers.com | wdsteigers@steigers.com Steigers Corporation is a full-service environmental consulting firm providing a wide range of services for industrial projects. We specialize in project development and in managing complex environmental and permitting programs.

Surveyors Exchange Co. 3630 Springer St. Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-561-6501

David Wilmarth, Owner

1969 1969

20 20

satellitephonesak.com | satphoneinfo@tse-ak.com | satellitephonesak | surveyorsexchange Satellite phone sales and rentals, auto-desk software, surveying instruments, sales, rentals and service.

Swagelok Alaska 341 E. 56th Ave. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-563-5630

Tarek Sheira, Mgr. AK Sales/Ops

1965 1965

TDX Government Services 3601 C St., Suite 1000 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-278-2312

Benjamin English, Pres.

1973 1973

Total Safety U.S. 209 E. 51st Ave. Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-743-9871

George Ristevski, CEO

1994 2003

6 6

slrconsulting.com | 65406 1,200 Air permitting and measurements, acoustics, project permitting, environmental compli65 ance, site investigation, water treatment, remediation, risk assessment and oil spill contingency planning.

4,800 alaska.swagelok.com/en | info@alaska.swagelok.com 10 Instrumentation and fluid system components. Authorized Swagelok distributor for Alaska.

100 30

tdxservices.com | benglish@tdxservices.com Arctic/Sub-Arctic Construction, remote power O&M, controls & switchgear manufacturing/install, fuel management.

2,500 Remote emergency medical services, breathing air systems, gas detection systems, H2S and safety consultants, safety and medical training. 6

Industrial, Medical & Specialty Gases Welding & Safety Supplies

Anchorage: 907-563-6644 Fairbanks: 907-456-3400 Kenai: 907-283-6118

Learn more at mathesongas.com www.akbizmag.com

May 2018 | Alaska Business

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

transgroup.com | richw.anc@transgroup.com U.S. owned full service freight forwarder and global logistics provider. We provide trans3,000 portation, warehousing and specialized logistics solutions, coupled with software tailored 4 to meet the specific needs of each individual customer for every link in your supply chain. Areas served: worldwide.

TransGroup Global Logistics 5631 Silverado Way, #G-101 Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-243-4345

Rich Wilson, Station Mgr.

1987 2011

Tri-Jet Precision Cutting Services 1960 S Eklutna St. Palmer, AK 99645 Phone: 866-607-1653

Danielle Davis, GM

2004 2004

9 9

trijetprecision.com | accounting@trijetprecision.com | TriJetManufacturing Waterjet cutting, powder coating, ceramic coating, welding and fabrication, machiningincluding 5-axis, 3D modeling, and drafting.

Truckwell of Alaska 5801 Silverado Way Anchorage, AK 99519-1659 Phone: 907-349-8845

Kris Swanson, Pres.

1989 1989

20 20

truckwell.info | info@truckwell.com | truckwell Truck equipment and custom fabrication specializing in harsh environments and oil field support.

TTT Environmental Instruments & Supplies 4201 B St. Deborah Tompkins, Owner Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-770-9041

2003 2003

11 9

tttenviro.com | info@tttenviro.com Portable gas detection, health and safety monitoring, environmental equipment. Rentals, sales, service and supplies. Warranty center. Alaskan owned small business.

Tutka 2485 E. Zak Cir., Suite A Wasilla, AK 99654 Phone: 907-357-2238

Amie Sommer, Member

1999 1999

30 30

tutkallc.com | amie@tutkallc.com General contractor (roads, bridges, culverts, site work), environmental cleanup and consulting. WBE/DBE, WOSB/EDWOSB, HUBZone.

Udelhoven Oilfield System Services 184 E. 53rd Ave. Anchorage, AK 99518-1222 Phone: 907-344-1577

Jim Udelhoven, CEO

1970 1970

332 322

udelhoven.com | cduxbury@udelhoven.com Oilfield services, construction management, electrical and mechanical construction.

Valley General Energy Services 1400 E. Wasilla Shops Cir., Suite 2B Wasilla, AK 99654 Phone: 907-357-8444

Justin Shields, Pres.

2016 2016

12 12

vgesllc.com | kdenoncour@vgesllc.com | valleygeneralenergyservices Consulting, logistics, management, employee placement, procurement, architect and engineering services.

Vigor Alaska 3801 Tongass Ave. Ketchikan, AK 99901 Phone: 907-228-5302

Adam Beck, Pres.

1994 1994

YOUR

BUSINESS

vigor.net | VigorIndustrial 2,300 With eight locations and approximately 2,300 workers Vigor is the leading provider of ~220 shipbuilding, ship repair, and conversion and complex industrial fabrication in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Vigor employs 220 Alaskans in the Ketchikan shipyard able to travel to the most remote locations.

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S O L U TION  Mailing Services  Newsletters  Annual Reports  Signs & Banners  Fulfillment Services

Christine Merki Advertising Account Manager

907-257-2911 cmerki@akbizmag.com

www.pipalaska.com

907.274.3584 84

(907) 276-4373 • Toll Free (800) 770-4373

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Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

washingtoncrane.com | sdick@washingtoncrane.com Crane builders, crane design, new crane sales, new hoist sales, lifting equipment design and sales. Material handling solutions for industry, hoists, job cranes, work stations, chain falls, lever hoists, crane upgrades, crane maintenance, crane inspection, crane repair, hoist repair and crane parts.

Washington Crane & Hoist 651 E. 100th Ave., Unit B Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-336-6661

Mike Currie, Pres.

1975 2008

Waste Management National Services 1519 Ship Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-274-0477

Mike Holzschuh, Sr. Territory Mgr.

Hazardous and nonhazardous waste disposal, project management, complete logistical 1971 ~43,000 oversight, complete US and Canadian manifesting, rail transportation, over-the-road 1971 7 transportation, marine transportation, and turnkey remedial services.

Weona Corporation 10501 Olive Ln. Anchorage, AK 99515-2622 Phone: 907-344-1921

Edward Wrede Sr., Pres.

1981 1981

18 18

weonacorp@gci.net Steel fabrication.

West-Mark Service Center-Fairbanks 3050 Van Horn Rd. Fairbanks, AK 99709 Phone: 907-451-8265

Scott Vincent, CEO

1967 2009

175 9

Liquid transportation tank trailer repair.

Wolseley Industrial Group 151 W. 95th Cir. Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-273-2100

Mark Mays, AK Area Branch Mgr.

wolseleyindustrialgroup.com | Karl.Greninger@WolseleyInd.com Wolseley Industrial Group provides PVF materials in every Alaska market. Locations in 1950 15,000 Anchorage, Fairbanks, Soldotna, and Wasilla. We are the only ISO9001:2008 certified PVF 1981 90 supply house in the State of Alaska. Full time Quality Assurance provided. Steel, HDPE, pipe, valves, fittings, stainless.

Yukon Equipment 2020 E. Third Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-277-1541

Charles Klever, Pres.

1945 1945

35 35

yukoneq.com | Info@yukoneq.com Sales, service, parts, rental and lease equipment, including Case, Trail King, Elgin, Vactor, Oshkosh, Etnyre, Monroe, Trackless, and Snow Dragon. Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Wasilla locations. A subsidiary of Calista Corp.

Yukon Fire Protection Services 5601 Silverado Way Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-563-3608

Matt Atkins, GM/VP

1978 1978

47 35

yukonfire.com | matkins@yukonfire.com Fire and gas detection and suppression system design, supply, installation and service. Alaska’s only representative of Detector Electronics. Kidde Fire Systems, Marioff Hi-Fog, Ansul, Tyco Fire Protection Products, CWSI Wireless Fire Alarm, Foam Suppression, Marine Systems, compliance inspections.

Yukon Industrial 600 W. 58th Ave. Suite J Anchorage , AK 99518 Phone: 907-274-7973

Matt Atkins, GM/VP

2016 2016

7 7

I ndustrial Fire & Gas Detection and Suppression solutions. System design and engineering, compliance inspections, and panel fabrication and testing services. Det-Tronics, Kidde Fire Systems, Ansul, Tyco Fire Protection Products, Marioff Water Mist, Edwards/EST.

40 8

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Exploration is the key to securing the future of Alaska’s energy resources and an experienced guide is critical. Since 1949, Lounsbury has provided surveying and engineering to guide development of oil and gas projects across the state. It’s the kind of expertise that can only come from experience.

Business News! Exclusive guest authors, feature articles and more from Alaska Business!

www.lounsburyinc.com May 2018 | Alaska Business

OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION | OIL & GAS DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

MANUFACTURING

Bering Straits Regional Housing Authority

The majority of Alaska Insulated Panels’ clients are Alaska Native village corporations or local housing authorities, such as the Bering Straits Regional Housing Authority, whose project is shown here.

Panels and Paper Valley manufacturers produce Alaska’s fuel-saving insulation and more By Tasha Anderson

he most recent Alaska-Made Building Products Directory was published in March 2013 by the Division of Economic Development of the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. The directory’s purpose is to connect both industrial and private builders with Alaska manufacturers. It states, “Buying local creates jobs, grows businesses, and stimulates economic diversification across Alaska, helping to strengthen communities, economies, and ultimately making life better for Alaskans.” Companies in the directory manufacture everything from countertops 86

to windows to steel to roofing or landscaping materials. There are definite advantages for builders to at least consider Alaska-manufactured products. Beyond supporting communities and keeping jobs in Alaska, local manufacturers make products that work in Alaska for Alaska, with an understanding of the state’s weather, logistical concerns, and cultural sensibilities. In particular, an almost universal concern in Alaska is how to heat a building. From homeowners to businesses renting commercial space to property managers and owners, Alaska’s long, dark winters make energy, fuel, and efficiency an important consideration.

Alaska Insulated Panels Ron Burkhardsmeier founded R-Valued Homes in 1998, but being a builder wasn’t his original intention. “My background was heating and ventilating; I saw energy prices in Alaska skyrocketing, and thought SIP [structural insulated panels] would be marketable, and I found a company in Canada that was making a poly-

urethane panel. I thought I could sell it to just individuals, but I found out that was not practical—people didn’t want to believe in it. So I became a builder and I built from 1998 to 2007 to show the value of polyurethane panels.” The change in plans didn’t diminish Burkhardsmeier’s commitment to quality building. During his tenure as a builder he won nine consecutive awards from the Governor’s Office for energy efficient construction and a national cold climate gold award from the NHBA/DOE. By 2007 Burkhardsmeier hit his goal and had garnered attention for SIP as a building envelope option, and he was selling just the panels. In 2009 the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act injected $27 billion into energy efficiency and renewable energy research and investment and almost $15 billion toward housing, including money for the rehabilitation of Native American housing as well as energy efficient modernization of low-income housing. However, Burkhardsmeier explains, many of the funds came with a Made in America requirement, so he switched from his Canadian supplier to one in the Lower 48. “I started importing blank panels and then I set up a fabrication shop and I’d fabricate them. Well, the quality of the product that I got did not meet my expectations for a quality

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

product and the freight damage was horrendous, so I knew I needed to either shut down my business or look at expanding,” he says. He decided to expand, which meant setting up a manufacturing facility for a foam processing operation. “I knew nothing about foam processing,” he says, so his first step was researching equipment. He sourced a press in the United States, but he found the best foam machines were mostly made in Italy and Germany, and so in the end he imported a foam machine from Italy. “We set up and started manufacturing the panels from raw materials to finished product in 2012,” under the name Alaska Insulated Panels. One benefit to Burkhardsmeier manufacturing the panels is that he could make improvements to the product to suit Alaska’s climate and building needs. For example, generally SIPs are made using 7/16-inch OSB (oriented strand board) as a skin; “however, oriented strand board absorbs quite a bit of moisture, and in Alaska it was difficult working with OSB,” he says. Instead, Burkhardsmeier uses ½-inch CDX plywood skins exclusively for the company’s panels. “It was a pet peeve of mine with other fabricators and manufactures: they never made provisions for electrical. So that’s another thing I put in place. Wherever electrical is shown on the plan, we will put in a vertical chase and cutout for the box.” Another convention Burkhardsmeier has added to his process is how the panels are packaged for shipping. Generally panels are arranged for packaging to “best fit” into the smallest space possible, which can reduce the cost of shipping—picture the ubiquitous “assembly required” shelf, which is designed to lay flat for shipping before being assembled. Burkhardsmeier says, “As a builder I learned how time consuming that was because you had to open every package up to find what you’re looking for.” Instead, he developed a packaging scenario where the panels are arranged in units, and the top panel of the first unit is the first panel that needs to be installed and so forth. “They’re all numbered, and it’s easy for a builder or homeowner to find what they’re looking for.” Most of Alaska Insulated Panel’s products are shipped to rural areas and the majority of the company’s clients are Alaska Native village corporations or local housing authorities, though he says sales to the private sector are increasing as positive word-of-mouth spreads information about the quality and savings potential of an Alaska Insulated Panel SIP building envelope. One client reported to Burkhardsmeier that he had built a new house using SIP in Fairbanks; his 6,000-square-foot house averages 5 gallons a day of fuel consumption, compared to his old house which was 1,800 square feet and used 4.5 gallons a day. “One of the things that we’ve established over the years is, as far as fuel consumption, our product will outperform almost anything else that’s been built from Alaska,” Burkhardsmeier says. “Most people are ecstatic with their fuel consumption or their energy savings on our product.” www.akbizmag.com

Alaska Insulated Panels manufactures structural insulated panels (SIP) at their facility located in Wasilla. Alaska Insulated Panels

Thermo-Kool Wholesale manufacturer Thermo-Kool creates a variety of products including blow-in cellulose insulation, another fuel and cost saving solution. Because it’s pneumatically pumped in, “it seals around every wire, every little outlet, every hole or crack, and right up all four sides,” says Thermo-Kool owner Richard Divelbiss. He says blown-in cellulose insulation is comparable in cost to traditional fiberglass but is more effective. “If you compress fiberglass at all it loses R-value, and it’s a light-density product… so as it gets colder you get a lot of air infiltration that moves through it. With the density of cellulose interlocked together, the air doesn’t move through. They can both be an R21 in the wall, but the real-time performance is a different story.” Blown-in insulation can be used in exterior or interior walls or in an attic. In addition to insulation, Thermo-Kool produces hydroseed mulch (the green mulch containing mix seed and fertilizer seen on the side of the highway or in yards), animal bedding, and a product that can be used as an industrial absorbent, soaking up oil or other spills. What’s unique about Thermo-Kool is that their products are primarily made from recycled materials. For instance, the cellulose insulation is made with 87 percent locally recycled cardboard and paper treated with an all-natural fire retardant. “We used to use 100 percent recycled newspaper in our product,” Divelbiss explains. “When they voted in co-mingled recycling Anchorage—where everyone gets those bins and they throw their newspaper, cardboard, and aluminum all in one bin—the recycle center [began to] bale all those together and ship it down to the Lower 48 for sorting, and we lost a lot of newspaper as raw material.” Today Thermo-Kool sources raw material from several places including the Community Recycling Center in Palmer, the WestRock Anchorage Recycling Center, local stores, and a few direct outlets. Instead of all newspaper, much of the raw material is cardboard in bale form. Needing to accommodate a different raw material is in part is why Thermo-Kool now operates out of Wasilla. The company was originally founded in 1977 in Anchorage and was purchased by Divelbiss and his wife in

2003; nine years ago Thermo-Kool moved to its location in the Valley because the new equipment necessary to process cardboard required more space. “I had to bring in a whole new grinding line so that I could use baled cardboard and take large cardboard boxes down to usable sizes,” he explains. “In 2009 I used 100 percent newspaper, and last year I bought all the recycled newspaper I could get in the state and we probably used 60 percent cardboard in our production.” Of Thermo-Kool’s products, the spill absorbent and Lawn Renew are the most geared toward every day consumers. The cellulose spill absorbent is similar in function to kitty-litterlike absorbent products, but it’s a loose paper material. “It will hold seven times its weight and is a really good absorbent for cleaning up oil or anti-freeze or something like that in a shop,” he says. Lawn Renew is a mixture of the industrial mulch mixed with an Alaskan lawn mix sold in five pound bags. “It keeps the seed moist so you get better germination,” Divelbiss explains. Thermo-Kool’s products can be found at retail locations like Lowe’s, Home Depot, Spenard Builders Supply, Builders Choice, Uresco, Polar Supply, and Alaska Garden and Pet Supply. Divelbiss says one of the things he enjoys most about being a manufacturer is the opportunity to educate people about the products he creates. “I like teaching people about the benefits of cellulose blow-in insulation over standard traditional insulation products offered in the marketplace and the benefits you can get from it—actually going out and teaching them how to do an install correctly, and then when the light comes on and they say: Wow, yeah, this is a lot better.” It’s been a long-held misconception that manufacturing businesses don’t work in Alaska, but manufacturing entities statewide are setting that record straight. Alaska’s economy and communities are improved through a variety of industry, and there remains vast potential in the state for every industry to grow. There are overwhelming benefits for Alaska’s businesses and private consumers take a moment to investigate Alaska Made options. R Tasha Anderson is the Associate Editor for Alaska Business. May 2018 | Alaska Business

CONSTRUCTION

Tearing Down to Build Up

Recycled and reclaimed construction and demolition materials By Vanessa Orr

ccording to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Environmental Health, the state contains more than 215 municipal landfills and more than 115 waste storage, treatment, and disposal facilities. While many communities have embraced recycling at a household level, what happens to the massive amount of debris that results from construction demolition projects? The state faces many challenges when dealing with this issue, ranging from a lack

of infrastructure to the difficulty in recycling waste from remote communities. Distance to market, economy of scale, and a lack of infrastructure have also contributed to the fact that it has taken longer for the 49th State to buy into the benefits of recycling and reclamation on a larger level—but happily, this attitude seems to be changing. Central Recycling Services (CRS), for example, is already realizing the benefits of reclaiming materials retrieved from construction demolition projects. And end-users such as Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility (AWWU) are discovering cost-savings and efficiencies from using the aggregates created from recycled materials. CRS is an offshoot of Central Environmental, Inc. (CEI), which has been serving Alaska since 1984. CEI provides comprehensive services to its clients, including engineering design, con-

struction, environmental sampling, remediation, demolition, recycling, and waste disposal. “In 2007, CEI was the contractor for the demolition of Clark Middle School, and it was requested by the architect, general contractor, and the Anchorage School District that construction and demolition debris be diverted from the landfill as part of LEED certification,” explains Donna Mears, PE, environmental engineer at CEI. “As we began segregating the different waste streams, we realized that it wasn’t as hard as we had expected. “At the same time, the Municipality of Anchorage was reassessing landfill tipping fees, which hadn’t been changed since 1987,” she continues. “We looked at the cost of recycling versus the increased cost of tipping fees and realized that it was possible to make this form of recycling work.”

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

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Central Environmental, Inc. provides demolition services to clients and delivers construction and demolition debris to its recycling arm, Central Recycling Services.

Fir e

Pr ot ec

Central Environmental, Inc.

“ I love

contributing to public safety and take great satisfaction in knowing that people will be safer due to my design contributions. ” Christine Ness, PE - Alaska engineering societies’ Engineer of the Year, 2017 and Senior Fire Protection Engineer at PDC

Photo credit Kevin Smith.

Transforming Challenges into Solutions.

FROM HIGHWAYS TO RUNWAYS... Worker safety and accident prevention is the highest priority for all operations.

CRS, which has a recycling facility on Railroad Avenue in Anchorage, was developed to recycle and reclaim construction and demolition materials. In the Anchorage area alone it is estimated that these materials comprise 20 percent to 30 percent of Anchorage’s waste stream. CEI is a CRS customer, as are the military and private sector contractors looking to reclaim materials from demolition projects around the region. There are many benefits to recycling construction and demolition materials. Not only is a portion of the waste that would normally go into the landfill diverted but carbon footprints are reduced, and companies can save money by recycling materials, especially as the cost of energy and raw materials continues to rise. Companies also save on the cost of trucking goods to a landfill and tipping fees. Increased recycling is also helping www.akbizmag.com

• Airport Runways • Roads • Highways • Asphalt Products • Concrete Products • Pre-Stress Quality Asphalt Paving 240 W. 68th Ave. Anchorage, AK 99518 Ph: 907-522-2211 Fax: 907-344-5798 May 2018 | Alaska Business

Multiple pieces of equipment in action at the Central Recycling Services facility. Central Environmental, Inc.

to create new jobs in the recycling field and at businesses that are developing products manufactured wholly or in part from recycled materials. “More jobs are being created through recycling than the amount of jobs required to put materials into a landfill,” says Mears. “And it’s much better for the environment when we’re keeping materials active in the world instead of disposing of them; less use of raw materials means that there is less coming out of the earth to begin with.” The numbers are impressive. According to the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc., in the United States two-thirds of domestically produced steel is made from scrap metal recycling. Recycling 1 ton of steel conserves 120 pounds of limestone, 2,500 pounds of iron ore, and 1,400 pounds of coal. It also results in an 86 percent reduction in air pollution, 40 percent reduction in water use, and 76 percent reduction in water pollution. Use of scrap steel as opposed to virgin ore equates to energy savings of 74 percent. Non-ferrous scrap, such as copper, aluminum, and brass, is used to make 60 percent of all alloys produced domestically, and 40 percent of the world’s copper is supplied by scrap.

How It Works According to Mears, CRS diverts at least 75 percent of incoming construction and demolition debris to beneficial uses. This debris is delivered to the facility as a commingled load or contractors have the option to save money by further segregating loads on the job site. As CRS’s largest customer, CEI delivers construction and demolition debris from numerous sites around the state. Some of the company’s most recent Alaska demolition 90

projects include the Central Heat and Power Plant on JBER-Richardson, the Northern Lights Hotel in Anchorage, the Loussac Library stairs in Anchorage, and the Flint Hills Refinery in North Pole. “Before we undertake a demolition, we do a building survey and create a work plan so that we know what types of materials we’ll be dealing with,” explains Mears. “You need to have good information going in so that you know what you’re getting into.” For example, on the Northern Lights Hotel project, asbestos remediation was required before any demolition could take place. “From the outside, it doesn’t look like we’re doing anything for a while because we’re sampling, testing, and creating work plans for the removal of hazardous material before we can get on to the ‘glamorous’ major deconstruction,” laughs Mears. “Tearing things down is so much more impressive.” In the case of asbestos, non-regulated tiles, if handled properly, will not become airborne, so these can be disposed of at local waste facilities. Regulated asbestos material, on the other hand, can only be shipped to specialized facilities, so it must be properly packaged and handled. “We also create a strategy to recover metals, steel structures, and concrete because they all have a value and can be sold at market,” says Mears. “The metals go to the CRS metal yard where they are sorted and packaged and sent out of state. The concrete and asphalt stay local because we crush it down to create recyclable concrete aggregates and asphalt products.” CRS also resells items such as I-beams, rebar, and windows and tiles for industrial projects. “We’re sort of like a Habitat for Humanity ReStore but on a more industrial

level,” says Mears, adding that these goods are brokered directly to clients. CRS’s main recycling facility holds a shredder and sort line, as well as a crusher and screens for producing aggregate. Commingled loads are processed through the shredder and sort line into components including ferrous and non-ferrous metals, plastics, wood, and gypsum. The company also uses a portable baler to make tire bales that can then be used as fill or for retaining walls. “There are a lot of moving parts,” says Mears. “One of the biggest advantages for our clients is that we can do it all here because we run the recycling business in conjunction with the demolition business, so we are able to offer better deals.” While it depends on the year, Mears estimates that CRS is able to keep approximately 50,000 tons of waste a year out of the landfill.

Where It Goes CRS creates a number of aggregates that can be used in construction and road projects, including a recycled concrete aggregate, recycled asphalt pavement, and recycled glass aggregate. CEI has used the recycled glass aggregate for construction of a sewer main along Railroad Avenue, and it has also been used by AWWU on a number of projects. “We have used CRS’s glass aggregate as bedding on four of our projects to date,” says AWWU Project Manager James Armstrong, PE, adding that the utility first began working with the company in 2012. “These include the Iris Drive sewer project in midtown Anchorage; the Northern Lights water main project, where we used it as bedding for 4,000 feet of 16-inch pipe; the Anchorage Railroad project; and the Second Avenue sewer project.”

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

According to Armstrong, AWWU began using the glass aggregate after speaking with CRS. “They explained that a lot of contractors and engineers didn’t know about the product, so we looked into it and discovered that other states were successfully using it as a road base,” he explains. “After studying it further, we issued a memo that approved specifications for its use in our projects.” The glass aggregate is cost-effective, as it is typically less expensive than a typical aggregate made of sand and gravel. AWWU was also able to save on transportation costs on the Second Avenue sewer project since it was near CRS’s Ship Creek facility. Despite its success on these projects, Armstrong says that the use of recycled aggregates is still in the “toddler” stage of development, and Mears agrees. “We need more support on finding end markets for our recycled materials,” she says, adding that the glass aggregate is beginning to gain traction for use in parking lots. “We’ve had glass recycling for five to six years now, and it’s just starting to take off as a construction product, getting used in larger, more visible projects. “One of the problems is that we’re a little behind the times in Alaska,” she continues. “Washington state, for example, began researching markets for glass in the 1990s. The other issue is that we don’t have the critical mass of materials in Alaska that other places do, so we have to be more creative. We’re always looking for new uses for our products and, right now, construction material is our market.”

CEI brings down a tower at the Fairbanks International Airport. Central Environmental, Inc.

Engineering Results for Alaskan Communities since 1979 STORMWATER

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

FA I R B A NK S 907-452-5688

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Sustainable Environment, Energy, Health & Safety Services www.nortechengr.com www.akbizmag.com

May 2018 | Alaska Business

AWWU

Left to right: General Manager of Solid Waste Services Mark Spafford, Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, and General Manager of Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility Brett Jokela stand in front of the reclaimed glass that was used as pipe bedding to install 4,000 feet of 16-inch PVC water main on the Northern Lights Boulevard project.

There are a number of other recycled materials that CRS produces that are finding second uses as well. Screened, fine material that is a residual of the construction and demolition recycling process is being used as alternative daily cover at landfills, where it helps minimize exposure to weather, deter animals and insects, and mitigate fire risk.

“The old-school method of covering landfills each night was to use whatever soil was on site,” says Mears. “The problem with that is that the holes are only so big, so the dirt only provides so much cover.” Using CRS’ ADEC-approved alternative daily cover, which contains small pieces of wood, dirt, concrete, drywall, shingles, and

other components, landfills not only have enough material but can grade and compact it, just as they would soil. It is currently being used as an intermediate cover at the Anchorage Regional Landfill and Chugiak Birchwood R&SP Inert Waste monofill, and was used at Birchwood to shape slopes to create the final grade for closure. “I think that there’s some poetry in using discarded, recycled materials instead of virgin materials for landfill cover,” says Mears. CRS also creates tire bales and gabions, which have been successfully used as nonfrost-susceptible fill for road construction at the Central Monofill Services facility in Salcha. “Tire bales can be used to form a solid driving surface as well as for berms in landfills,” says Mears, adding that while typical landfill design provides a 3:1 side slope, tire bales are approved for monofill construction to 2:1, allowing for greater air space and preventing slopes from sloughing off over time. While it has taken a while for the importance of recycling and reclamation to catch on in the 49th State, there’s a growing understanding that not only can businesses help preserve the planet but they can also put money back into their pockets while doing so. The key is in learning how to use waste creatively and cost-efficiently. “It’s an obscure field,” says Mears. “In a lot of businesses, you know what you’re buying, but with recycling, you don’t know what you’re getting or where it’s coming from. It’s not always what you want, but it’s what you’ve got. The balance is in matching what comes in with where it needs to go.” R Vanessa Orr is a freelance writer and former editor of the Capital City Weekly in Juneau.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

The recycled glass aggregate material produced by Central Recycling Services has been used in water main and sewer projects; it typically costs less than aggregate made of sand and gravel. Central Environmental, Inc.

Pipe being installed on the Northern Lights Boulevard project. AWWU

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May 2018 | Alaska Business

SECURITY

Securitas Security Services

Securitas employees in Alaska include armed and unarmed security officers and emergency medical technicians.

On Patrol Customer-oriented security personnel By Julie Stricker

t the height of the Alaska gold rush era, the Iditarod Trail was an important link from the remote Interior goldfields to tidewater at Seward. In 1910, Bob Griffiths and his dog team moved a quarter-million dollars’ worth of gold nearly 500 miles from Iditarod to Seward. It took thirty-seven days. Along the way he stashed the gold in the roadhouses he slept in or, in the more remote areas, he left it in his dog sled. After all, there was only one trail in and out, and any thief foolhardy enough to try to steal the gold wouldn’t get far. He repeated the trip many times until the start of World War I, transporting millions of dollars’ worth of gold. He was never robbed. Alaska’s security needs have changed dramatically in the ensuing century. Today’s gold mining companies would certainly never leave their treasure under the table of a roadhouse. Security is a top concern, but today it’s more about keeping people safe than it is about the gold, says Anna Atchison, ex-

ternal affairs manager for Kinross Fort Knox. “As a gold mine, we’re always mindful of security,” she says. Fort Knox mine, twentyfive miles northeast of Fairbanks, produced about 381,000 ounces of gold in 2017. The company doesn’t discuss how it transports its gold, but security at the mine itself is directly tied to safety. “They’re the first person visitors see as they come in the door,” Atchison says of the mine’s security team. “They are an exceptionally friendly, customer-service oriented team.” The team consists of about eight people. “They are the boots on the ground people for supporting safe operations and all the other safety measures we have,” Atchison says. They also check-in mine visitors, keep the participants in a popular local running race on a trail that skirts the mine safe, and keep an eye on the 257.1-ounce gold bar passed around to visitors during tours.

Security and Safety For security companies throughout Alaska, security equates to safety and customer service is paramount. Companies range from small local operations to branches of national companies. They watch and protect property from trespassers, theft, and vandalism. They provide security at public events such as concerts, political gatherings, races, and other events. They also provide personal security and emergency medical treatment.

Security guards act as a deterrent for crime, says Bobby Gardner, who started B&G Security Guard Agency in 1998. “In a city like Anchorage, you’re basically looking for the night watchman. In the daytime it’s security for retail,” Gardner says. “It’s more of a guard presence. You’re typically being a deterrent. The real work is done by the police officers. We’re the eyes and ears on the ground.” One of the largest security companies in the state is Securitas, which has 350 branch locations throughout the United States. It employs 153 people in Alaska. Securitas provides services via what it calls the six pillars: on-site guarding; remote guarding; mobile guarding; electronic security; corporate risk management; and fire and safety. “Securitas takes a different approach than most competitors,” says Adam Koehler, marketing manager with Securitas. “We don’t believe one solution fits all clients. We look at things holistically and offer protective services. We perform a comprehensive risk assessment and propose a customized solution based on the client’s needs while taking into consideration the actual risks at the job site.” Fairbanks’ Pioneer Park, a forty-four-acre collection of museums, historic buildings, and theaters, also includes a popular restaurant and playground. It’s open year-round and accessible to the public around the clock, which has posed some problems with vandalism in years past.

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

Securitas Security Services

Security guards often act as a deterrent for crime.

The park, run by the Fairbanks North Star Borough, has security patrols through a contract with Securitas. Guards make regular patrols through the park. Park Manager Donnie Hayes says the goal isn’t to eliminate vandalism, which is “basically impossible.” “The goal is to make it less enticing,” he says. Would-be vandals know they’re being watched and that tends to minimize the problems. In Anchorage, Securitas works with the city of Anchorage to oversee the local Safety Patrol and a sleep-off facility for inebriates near the jail. In November 2017, the company also was awarded a short-term contract to oversee an overnight homeless shelter at a community soup kitchen, which gets some of the city’s most vulnerable residents off the frigid winter streets. Led by account manager Jason Cates, the company set up procedures to ensure the residents were cleared medically and kept safe in the shelter, which hosted about sixty-five residents nightly. The program was a success and Securitas’ contract was extended. “The homeless issue brings a whole new set of unique issues for our staff to handle,” Koehler says. “They deal with the mental illness some of these men and women bring to the alcohol issues.” It isn’t uncommon for staff working with the Anchorage homeless population to use life-saving measures such as CPR or a defibrillator, Koehler says. The existence of the warming center is also important. “The service we provide at the warming center literally saves lives almost daily,” he says. “Due to extreme temperatures, if one is homeless, they would die out in the elements overnight without having a warm place to safely stay.”

Spectrum of Security Securitas employees in Alaska include armed and unarmed security officers, emergency medical technicians, supervisors, lead officers, and account managers, says Koehler. They protect properties from theft, vandalism, and trespassers, as well as watching for and rewww.akbizmag.com

porting suspicious individuals. They also will escort people to safety in the event of a threat, such as from a disgruntled ex-employee. Securitas employees also do security for cruise ships, including Transportation Security Administration tasks such as screening passengers and luggage through metal detectors. Others work with the state of Alaska to transport people in the court system to and from hospitals or other facilities. Other Securitas employees are emergency medical technicians that work for a client on the North Slope. “Our officers deal with anything from identifying potential safety issues to dealing with active shooter situations,” Koehler says. “They are specially trained to handle a wide variety of situations.” One situation Zachary Alsterberg and William Sera, who own the franchise for Signal 88 Security in Anchorage, have noticed is an uptick in property crimes such as vandalism, petty theft, and vehicle theft since the passage of state legislation two years ago that removed criminal punishment for such acts. “The thing that has been plaguing Anchorage for the last year or so has definitely been the relaxed criminal punishments,” Alsterberg says. “It’s kind of tied the hands of law enforcement and private security agencies like ours. A lot of people know there’s not much that’s going to happen if they walk outside a grocery store with $200 worth of groceries. They basically get a slap on the wrist. Vehicle theft also has been very, very large.”

Coordinating with Law Enforcement Alsterberg says Signal 88, which employs thirty to thirty-five people, typically works with commercial, multifamily residential, and construction companies. They maintain a respectful, professional relationship with law enforcement. “If we show up to one of our clients’ properties and the police are there, we’ll assess the situation and see if we can assist in any way,” he says. “We personally feel there’s a large difference between private security and law enforcement. We never want to overstep or abuse any power—power that we don’t feel we really have.” The security agents often work as a liaison between the property owner and police, getting case numbers and information to the owner if there’s a problem. “We’ve always had a very good relationship with the local law enforcement here,” Alsterberg says. “We’ve been doing this since 2010 and we’ve always kind of prided ourselves on being the company that doesn’t call for non-commonsense reasons. We make sure that when we do call and do ask for assistance from law enforcement that it’s for a legitimate reason.” As a result, he says, law enforcement seems to respond more quickly when a Signal 88 employee calls, especially in one of the high-traffic areas of Anchorage in which they have clients. “They know when we call, there’s usually a very good reason for it.” Secure Relationships Alsterberg and Sera both have deep roots in Alaska and spent time in the military before going into the security business. Sera met one of the company’s early franchisees while he

was in the military and was impressed by his success, so he and Alsterberg decided to open their own Signal 88 Security franchise in 2010. The company recognized the Anchorage franchise as its most-improved in 2017. “We just worked on developing relationships with clients we’ve had for a while, finding out what they need in their communities and how we can protect them,” Alsterberg says, noting they specialize in patrol-based services. It takes a particular type of employee to work successfully as a security officer. John Rambo types don’t wash. “We really look for somebody with customer service skills,” Alsterberg says. “Anybody can be taught the security aspect of it. But we want somebody who’s going to be able to give a good customer service approach. Somebody who can take a situation, understand what’s going on, and get the situation to go the way that they want it to and absolutely not have any type of authority or power position. People who have even a law enforcement-style approach working with our company typically don’t last too long.” A military background is ideal for many of the security jobs in the state. Atchison estimates half the security team at Fort Knox served in the military. Securitas, which employs 86,000 people across the United States, is a veteran-friendly workplace, Koehler says. Securitas USA employs more than 11,000 veterans and supports those with ongoing commitments through the National Guard and Reserves, he says. Security jobs can give workers a chance to see places and events that they might not be exposed to in other walks of life, says Gardner of B&G Security Guard. Gardner says he started out doing security in local parking lots before taking hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues as clients. Kulis Air National Guard Base was a big client until the facility reverted to state ownership in 2011. B&G has provided security for big movie premieres and for the event centers in Fairbanks. The company also focuses on providing security for celebrities and entertainers touring the state, Gardner says: Sarah Palin on her book tour; “Ice Road Truckers” television shoots; Gladys Knight; Stanley Cup winner Scott Gomez; Senator Mark Begich; actor George Clooney; the Beach Boys; and jazz legends Boney James and Nagee, among many others. “Some of the guards got a chance to see parts of Alaska that they would have never seen,” Gardner says. “We went to all different areas of Alaska. It was a great experience.” Sera and Alsterberg say they’ve enjoyed getting to know their clients better. “We’re here to help out whenever somebody needs somebody to help,” Alsterberg says. “We’re not interested in creating a huge problem if there isn’t one. We enjoy developing solutions for our clients and making sure they’re cared for the best way they can be. And if they need something else, we hope they come to us.” R

Julie Stricker is a journalist living near Fairbanks. May 2018 | Alaska Business

ALASKA NATIVE

Sealaska Heritage Institute sponsors Baby Raven Reads, an award-winning program that promotes early-literacy, language development, and school readiness for Alaska Native families with children up to age five.

Protect and Preserve Warding against the incalculable loss of Alaska Native culture By Judy Mottl

he Alaska Native population accounts for 15.2 percent of Alaska’s 731,449 residents, according to July 2017 data from the United States Census Bureau. Alaska’s Native population is dispersed among 229 federally recognized tribes, nearly half of the 562 Indian Nations recognized in the United States. Alaska Native culture is diverse and deeply rooted, and there’s a strong movement throughout Alaska to protect and share Alaska Native heritage, culture, lifestyle, and traditions. Dozens of organizations and groups are driving preservation efforts, everything from public education programs to sharing tribal traditions with younger generations; cultural events highlighting Native heritage; ensuring tribal languages are not only kept alive but are expanded; and the development of a 96

memorial park addressing historic and current issues regarding ancestral remains and archaeological sites.

A Park with Purpose The Alutiiq Ancestors’ Memorial park project is led by the Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository, a nonprofit organization focused on preserving and sharing the cultural traditions of the Koniag Alutiiq branch of Sugpiaq (the ancestral name for Alutiiq). It’s slated to open next fall on a one-third acre lot in downtown Kodiak situated next to the museum. The memorial space will feature four interpretive signs introducing the Alutiiq people and their heritage as well as historic preservation messages. The park will also feature a circular planter with bench seating and a pathway. The circle is an important symbol in Alutiiq culture as it represents the universe in Alutiiq art, and circular holes can act as passageways between the human and the spirit world. A circle is also symbolic of vision and awareness. Groundbreaking is planned for late May with the official opening slated for September. The primary goal is to acknowledge the

contributions of the Alutiiq and other Alaska Native communities to the cultural fabric of Kodiak and encourage respectful treatment of ancestral sites and burials. “It’s one of the things our director has wanted to do for a number of years—create a very visible presence for the Alutiiq people in downtown Kodiak. A place people could easily, freely gather to think about Kodiak’s past and how the Alutiiq people have impacted the fabric of the community,” explains Amy Steffian, the museum’s chief curator. The park is also a way to return a sense of dignity to the tribal population and acknowledge its history—the difficult parts as well as the celebratory parts—notes Steffian. “It’s an acknowledgement to those who shaped Kodiak with blessings and remembrances,” she adds. The interpretive signs, she explains, will also offer visitors insight on the need to care for ancestral sites. “Kodiak has more than thousands of archaeological sites and they are threatened by erosion and by vandalism as [human] remains are sometimes taken, not as much by researchers anymore but by people who don’t understand what they’re finding,” says

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

Steffian. “By sharing historical preservation messages, and teaching people to enjoy Kodiak archaeology, it’s a way to promote the preservation of Alutiiq heritage and promote respect to the tribal community.” As of late March, the museum had raised $110,000 toward its $179,000 funding goal, and Steffian is confident the project will remain on track. “It is one example of the way the Alutiiq museum works to uplift community awareness and to create a dialogue on Alutiiq heritage. It’s a way to create a space we hope is inviting to many people,” Steffian says. The Alutiiq Museum opened in 1995 and since then has engaged in many projects that serve its mission to preserve and share Alutiiq heritage such as reparation efforts and having Alutiiq collections returned to Kodiak. “Our motto is celebrating heritage through living culture, to not only tell people about Alutiiq traditions but to help the Alutiiq community live their culture,” says Steffian. The Alutiiq community, she explains, is one of the least known Alaska Native communities, so the museum works to reacquaint residents in and out of Alaska with Alutiiq traditions. There are about 1,800 Alutiiq descendants on Kodiak and thousands living in other state regions and the Lower 48. The museum also boasts an active language program in which elders teach younger generations and the young generation helps in developing new words for the language. “Language is a living thing. If you don’t have a word for computer a word must be created. We do a lot of work with the culture bearers of many different ages,” explains Steffian. “We really do invite all and anybody to come and join in our programs and enjoy our events and exhibits. It is a way for all people to learn about the deep history of the Kodiak region.” According to the state labor department, English is the top language in Alaska, spoken by 86.3 percent of the population; Alaska Native languages are spoken by 5.2 percent. According to “Language Relationships” authored by Gary Holton and published by the Alaska Native Language Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, there are at least twenty Alaska Native languages that belong to four distinct language families.

Language Preservation Is Critical Preserving Alaska Native language is important to Bering Straits Native Corporation (BSNC), the regional corporation for the Bering Strait region. BSNC Vice President of Media and External Affairs Matt Ganley explains that language immersion, along with technology and social media, are a few of the methods Alaska Natives are using to preserve heritage. “Facebook and other social media platforms are great tools to share how-to videos of how to hand-spin musk ox wool, or qiviut; how to make a kuspuk; or how to quickly cut a pike fish with an ulu, for example,” says Ganley, adding that educational apps that make use of the special characters needed to text in Alaska Native languages are helping to increase language learning. www.akbizmag.com

Volunteers at the Alutiiq Museum work with museum archaeologists to study Alutiiq history. Alutiiq Museum | ©Patrick Saltonstall

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May 2018 | Alaska Business

Ganley views the potential loss of Alaska Native language as a significant risk to culture preservation, but organizations are making strides in reducing that risk, he says. One good solution, he believes, is having the revitalization of language become part of formal education as well as being a part of everyday living environments. “Historically, the assimilationist stance of churches, schools, and the government sought to extinguish Native languages and customs. Some institutions were more accepting of indigenous practices and languages than others, but ultimately cultural loss occurred in every area of Alaska,” he says. Ganley notes the inception in 2016 of Inuusiq, Inc., an Alaska Native organization with a mission to empower Inuit people, as a good example of language preservation efforts. Inuusiq, an Alaska Native word for “our way of life” or “life” in Iñupiaq, has opened an immersion preschool in Shishmaref and is working toward opening other locations in the Bering Strait region. At BSNC the mission is to improve the quality of life for the region and its people through economic development while protecting land and preserving culture and heritage, says Ganley. “The importance of the land and water and the subsistence resources there are vital to our identity and our future. We continue to advocate for protection of our lands but 98

undertake projects that will also improve the lives of our shareholders and descendants.” In preserving traditions, Ganley says, the greatest tradition is the actual act of handing down traditions through families, communities, and generations. “Things have been lost, and others gained, in the last 200 years or so. Traditional religious and healing practices were actively discouraged and oppressed by western religious institutions. Traditional dancing, which served communal and religious needs, was often outlawed,” he explains. “We have seen a huge revival of dancing in villages that might have to relearn their own songs from a community they shared them with long ago. Not everything can be reclaimed, but merging our ancient traditions with our current needs and introduced innovations will continue to be a hallmark of Alaska Native cultures.” When it comes to preserving the Alaska Native lifestyle, subsistence hunting is a vital aspect, adds Ganley, and one that could potentially be threatened by resource exploration and land development. “There are, of course, local mining projects that can inhibit subsistence hunting or alter the migratory patterns of the animals, thus endangering traditional hunting grounds and or customs and practices of the local people,” he says. Ganley notes subsistence hunting culture is prevalent in rural Alaska as the majority of communities are depen-

dent on it due to the nature of rural economies. However, he is not opposed to responsible and thoughtful development. “The development of resources should be a benefit to communities in terms of economic stability and community sustainability. It is an incredibly delicate balance: continuity of subsistence lifestyle and local resource development can [in some cases] be achieved, but loss of culture should not be the cost,” he says.

Preserving Lifestyle Rosita Worl, president of the Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI), says protecting the Alaska Native subsistence lifestyle is vital. She also sees risks on the horizon in preserving cultural hunting. Worl describes the foundation of Alaska Native culture as one grounded in a physical and spiritual relationship to the land and the resources on which Alaska Natives depend. “Natives spend extraordinary time and effort challenging the major threats that arise from management and regulatory regimes that more often conflict with or undermine subsistence practices and harvests, give priority to commercial harvests, and that fail to provide for co-management opportunities,” she explains. She adds that Alaska Natives are also “hopelessly watching as climate change impacts their environment and subsistence harvest, as they have no control over this man-made threat.”

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

Educators at the Alutiiq Museum learn to use arts and culture as a teaching tool with the help of Alutiiq artist June Pardue. Alutiiq Museum

SHI has initiated multiple and broad efforts to integrate traditional and scientific knowledge to protect and enhance Native culture with a goal of promoting cross-cultural understanding. Projects include integrating Native culture, visual and performing arts, language, and history into schools; providing cultural orientations for teachers and school administrators; revitalizing Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian languages; public exhibitions on Native arts and history; and supporting public policy initiatives that support Native education, culture, and arts. The organization, like the Alutiiq museum and BSNC, has a heavy focus on language revitalization as many Alaska Native languages are at risk because of historic policies aimed at suppressing those languages, according to Worl. Another great risk to Alaska Native heritage, she adds, is related to the ongoing challenges to maintain subsistence practices and a lack of public funding for preservation efforts. “Alaska Natives need to be vigilant in seeking measures to stop or mitigate adverse impacts from resource exploration and development that may affect their lands and lifestyle by working closely with developers; ensuring compliance with existing environmental protection laws; and, if necessary, seeking political and legal action to strengthen and enforce environmental protection laws.” When it comes to the most valuable traditions to be preserved, Worl speaks to the core culture and values that have helped Native societies survive through so many decades of changes. “For example, two common values among Alaska Natives are their relationship to the land in both utilizing and honoring the land and ensuring sustainability of the resources www.akbizmag.com

for future generations,” she says. “Today scientific principles as well as traditional knowledge must be applied in utilizing the land in new ways to ensure sustainability.” R

Judy Mottl writes about important issues country-wide with an affinity for Alaska.

May 2018 | Alaska Business

HEALTHCARE

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Alaska Business | May 2018

www.akbizmag.com

Healthy Babies, Healthy Mothers YKHC and Southcentral Foundation provide spectrum of pregnancy care By Judy Mottl

laska’s vast geography is a wonder to behold for both residents and tourists, but it presents more than a few challenges for women when it comes to pregnancy and childbirth—scenarios which already are inherent with worries and concerns for moms-to-be. For example, just the monthly checkup can present a financial and logistical hurdle if a patient isn’t living within driving range of a medical center or healthcare clinic. The trip to a healthcare provider can involve taking a boat or a plane, or both, and then a car ride, and may even entail an overnight stay due to transportation time. And, as with most deliveries in Alaska’s remote and rural areas, weather plays a big element in transport options and transport availability.

Just the monthly [prenatal] checkup can present a financial and logistical hurdle if a patient isn’t living within driving range of a medical center or healthcare clinic. The trip to a healthcare provider can involve taking a boat or a plane, or both, and then a car ride, and may even entail an overnight stay due to transportation time. That’s because weather, just like a pregnancy, is often unpredictable, explains Janet Froeschle, a certified midwife at Southcentral Foundation, which provides healthcare for residents in the Southcentral region of Alaska. The coverage area includes Anchorage and surrounding villages extending to the Iliamna Lake Region, McGrath, Pribilof Islands, and the Aleutian Chain. Pregnant women in these areas usually deliver at the Alaska Native Medical Center, the referral hospital for the entire state for women with complicated or high-risk www.akbizmag.com

May 2018 | Alaska Business

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pregnancies. These women also come to Anchorage to receive care and deliver their babies. “Even with close follow up and monitoring, pregnancy is not always predictable, and neither is the weather in rural Alaska, especially in the winter. It can take hours for a medevac plane to reach a village,” Froeschle says, noting weather can prevent flights which then makes boats the best, and sometimes lone, means of transportation to get patients to larger airports.

Prenatal Care Is a Team Effort Such unpredictability in transport means the community health clinic and staff play a critical role in providing prenatal and pregnancy care—as does communication between regional hospital doctors and rural medical staff. “Prenatal care for rural women is a team effort,” says Southcentral Foundation physician Dr. Donna Galbreath. “It starts with the remarkable health aides in the rural communities working in those clinics. Some of the larger clinics are also staffed with nurse practitioners or physician assistants. These providers are vital; they are part of the communities and key to getting women in to initiate prenatal care.” Southcentral Foundation’s OB-GYN department is home to the provider’s Rural Maternal Child Health Program (RMCH), which includes a dedicated certified nurse midwife, RN case manager, and appointment/travel scheduler. “The key to providing prenatal care to women in rural communities is early initiation of prenatal care, review for risk factors, and coordination of visits in Anchorage for provision of services not available in the villages,” says Froeschle, explaining rural providers shoulder a lot of responsibility with healthcare supervision for the whole village. “They are trained in prenatal care to verify normal, identify when things are not normal, and have ready access to the RMCH team during clinic hours and on-call OBGYN providers 24/7 for emergent conditions,” she says, adding the goal is to avoid births occurring in villages. “Prenatal care is reviewed and monitored, and women come in to Anchorage for visits and testing as indicated. Rural providers report village pregnancies to the RMCH

“The key to providing prenatal care to women in rural communities is early initiation of prenatal care, review for risk factors, and coordination of visits in Anchorage for provision of services not available in the villages.”

—Janet Froeschle Certified Midwife, Southcentral Foundation

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“Prenatal care for rural women is a team effort. It starts with the remarkable health aides in the rural communities working in those clinics. Some of the larger clinics are also staffed with nurse practitioners or physician assistants. These providers are vital; they are part of the communities and key to getting women in to initiate prenatal care.”

—Dr. Donna Galbreath, Pyhsician, Southcentral Foundation

team. Prenatal care is then coordinated with visits and care in the village, including trips in for visits and care in Anchorage. This team reviews the pregnant woman’s medical history and prenatal visits for coordinating and advising prenatal care,” explains Galbreath, adding Southcentral Foundation’s OB-GYN department provides specialist physician consultation and care as needed. When a patient can’t get to Anchoragebased medical services, Southcentral Foundation still plays a big role. “We have had our OB-GYN surgeons on the phone with doctors in rural hospitals, talking them through emergency lifesaving surgery,” says Froeschle. “More experienced healthcare providers may go to nearby villages by snowmachine or boat to provide care until a medevac team can reach them.” Oftentimes pregnant women in remote locations relocate from their village to Anchorage three to four weeks prior to their due date and stay until delivery. “While we are not currently able to offer or advise women to stay and deliver in small rural villages, due to safety concerns, we do realize what a hardship it is to be away from home and family for weeks at a time. We support and encourage women with normal pregnancies and regular prenatal care to deliver in the outlying regional hospitals that are closer to home,” says Froeschle. Some expectant mothers come to Anchorage early in a pregnancy due to high-risk conditions, according to Galbreath. In response to this scenario, Southcentral has expanded and improved patient housing on the Alaska Native Health Campus to provide a more hotel-like atmosphere. The housing, says Froeschle, makes the delivery experience more family friendly. “It is a hardship for women to be away from home and family for this period of time, but small rural villages are not equipped to handle the potential complications that can occur with labor and delivery,” she says. The expanded and improved patient housing reflects Southcentral Foundation’s consistent focus on meeting the needs of its patients. “We continue to adapt and expand as indicated. In the past twenty years, there has been constant growth, expansion, and adaptation at Southcentral Foundation,” says Galbreath. “We offer care that is current with evidencebased advances in medical care. We adjust to the changes resulting from a growing population and a shift between rural and urban areas. Changes in overall health and socioeconomic conditions are also considered,” she adds.

Prenatal and Delivery Complications Providing quality prenatal care is essential for a mother’s well being and a healthy delivery; a lack of such services, or inadequate prenatal care, is often associated with low birth weight and pre-term birth, as well as mothers facing increased risks and complications, according to the Alaska Maternal and Child Health Data Book 2011. The data book research is a collaboration of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and Alaska Native Epidemiology Center. The percentage of women delivering live births across the state in 2016 who did not receive prenatal care in the first trimester ranged from a low of 8.3 percent in Juneau to a high of 31.1 percent in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region, according to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. The state’s most recent Pregnancy-Related Mortality in Alaska study, covering pregnancy-related deaths between 2000 and 2011, identified 13 pregnancy-related deaths, an average of 10 per 100,000 live births. The study, which was conducted by the Alaska Maternal-Infant Mortality Review committee, noted that factors “probably or definitely” associated with one or more of the deaths included alcohol abuse, methamphetamine use, problems with access to care, and inadequate medical care. In its recommendations the committee noted prevention of similar death requires more timely access to medical care and addressing social and behavioral health issues prior to pregnancy. A state report from the Alaska Native Epidemiology Center reveals that in 2013 just over half (54.5 percent) of mothers of Alaska Native infants had documented adequate prenatal care. That figure was 43 percent in 2008. Between 2009 and 2013, the number of mothers receiving documented adequate prenatal care varied significantly by tribal health region, ranging from 30.7 percent to 80.5 percent, according to the report. Pre- and Post-Pregnancy The Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC), a tribal organization providing healthcare to fifty-eight communities, is committed to reducing risks and eliminating deadly outcomes for pregnant women and newborns living in rural regions. YKHC, based in Bethel, is the primary healthcare provider in Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region and operates a fifty-bed regional hospital featuring a pediatric and an obstetric ward, community clinics, behavioral

Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

health services, health promotion, and disease prevention programs, as well as dental services and environmental health services. Remote healthcare services are provided by five primary care clinics in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Region, and YKHC’s Community Health Aide Program provides village-based primary healthcare in forty-seven village clinics. The biggest challenge in delivering prenatal and pregnancy care, according to Ellen Hodges, MD, chief of staff at YKHC for ten years, is the remote location of pregnant patients and getting them needed and necessary care in Bethel. Much of prenatal and pre pregnancy care is provided by the hospital’s Community Health Aide Program, initiated in the 1950s and 1960s, which taps local residents to be trained as practitioners. They attend to patients during normal clinic hours and also are on-call service after hours. They are also trained in emergency childbirth, but YKHC makes every effort to ensure mothers-to-be get to Bethel, or Anchorage if needed, for delivery, says Hodges. “Our community health aides can provide basic prenatal care in our villages, but for ultrasounds and blood tests, our moms travel in to Bethel for care,” Hodges explains. “We have dedicated providers in Bethel who provide the needed prenatal care and we have outstanding case managers who coordinate their care. Once women have been identified as needing prenatal care, we track them throughout their pregnancy to ensure the healthiest possible outcome for mom and baby.”

About 620 women deliver in YKHC’s care region annually, and the organization provides all pregnancy care from preconception counseling through post-partum care and beyond. “We educate our moms on the importance of early prenatal care and what to do if they notice problems with the pregnancy,” says Hodges. About 400 women deliver in Bethel and the rest deliver in Anchorage, mostly due to high-risk conditions, says Hodges. “If our moms need specialized testing, including specialized ultrasounds and consultation with a maternal fetal medicine specialist, they travel in to Anchorage for this care,” she says, noting YKHC has a well-staffed and equipped labor and delivery unit in Bethel. “We have a physician and a nurse anesthetist available 24 hours a day for emergency C-sections if needed. We have an OB/GYN doctor who lives in Bethel part-time and Anchorage part-time for consultation, and if he isn’t available we have the ability to obtain phone consultation with OB/GYN doctors in Anchorage.” Similar to Southcentral Foundation, YKHC offers a pre-delivery home to mothers as they are required to arrive in Bethel one month prior to their due date. “If a patient does go into early labor, we make efforts to get them to Bethel via our air medevac service, LifeMed. This isn’t always possible, which is why our community health aides are trained in emergency childbirth,” says Hodges. Citing healthcare privacy laws and regulations, Hodges can’t share specific delivery ex-

“We have dedicated providers in Bethel who provide the needed prenatal care and we have outstanding case managers who coordinate their care. Once women have been identified as needing prenatal care, we track them throughout their pregnancy to ensure the healthiest possible outcome for mom and baby.”

—Dr. Ellen Hodges Chief of Staff, YKHC

periences, but she says there are many stories of the heroes who have played a life-saving role for moms and newborns. “Healthcare providers in our communities have always gone above and beyond to care for our moms and babies. The community health aides deserve special recognition for their dedication and service.” R

Judy Mottl writes about important issues country-wide with an affinity for Alaska.

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COCKTAILS

STAY PLAY  Signature Drinks by Select Venues EAT

SHOP

here are a multitude of ways to unwind after a long work day in Alaska: a hike, a run, a movie… a signature cocktail with friends from one of Anchorage’s many fine dining restaurants. With fine dining often comes fine drinks and here we present a few Anchoragebased favorites. Sullivan’s Steakhouse presents its signature martini, The Knockout. Made with SVEDKA Clementine Vodka infused with fresh Hawaiian gold pineapple, it’s a martini for the new generation. Looking for something a little craftier? Sullivan’s Steakhouse also serves the Fig Rosemary Smash, a delectable mash-up of Remy Martin VSOP Cognac, fig preserves, fresh Rosemary, lemon, and Bitterman’s Scarborough. At Suite 100, enjoy the French Kiss, a rich white and dark chocolate liqueur with espresso vodka and touch of cream for one luscious libation. Or for those looking for something a bit more tropical try the House Nargarita— that’s right, Nargarita. According to Suite 100, “This is not a typo! The story starts in Cabo… and the end is still a little fuzzy. Served shaken and up or one the rocks. Definitely a house specialty.”

At Spenard Roadhouse the specialty cocktails abound. The Spenard Speakeasy features Skyy Vodka, St. Germain, and Domaine de Canton muddled with orange and lemon. Love Barbara Streisand? Perhaps give the Rhubarbra Streisand (with rhubarb infused vodka, lemonade, soda water, and strawberry ice cubes) a try: it might just make you sing a tune. On a budget? Spenard Roadhouse offers “Intrigue in a Glass,” just $5 for a mystery wine—white or red. At Kinley’s Restaurant you can Blame it on Rio with this mix of Tito’s Vodka, Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, Crème de Banana, Peach Schnapps, Disaronno Amaretto, Malibu Rum, and pineapple juice. Or perhaps it’s a Blue Steel moment. This mix of Disaronno Amaretto, Blue Curacao, Malibu Rum, Midori, pineapple juice, and sweet and sour will certainly give you the Blue Steel pucker. Watch the sun dip below the horizon (while you can) with the Anchorage Sunset a cocktail made with Anchorage Glacier Melt Vodka, Triple Sec, pineapple and cranberry juice, and Prosecco for that sparkly finish.

Ginger offers a wide selection of signature cocktails including the Chupacabra made with Suaza Hornitos Tequila, fresh lemon and grapefruit juices, agave nectar, and muddled jalapeños—a spicy start to any evening. Looking for a cure to what ails you? Try the Penicillin #2 with El Jimador Tequila, King’s Ginger, honey syrup, ginger syrup, fresh lemon juice, and a Mezcal Elote float. When Alice was in Wonderland, we wonder if she tried the Hare and the Hatter made with Asian orange tea infused Bombay gin, Kings ginger, fresh lemon and lime juice, honey syrup, and orange Angostura bitters. It’s no casino, but Ginger does offer Dealer’s Choice: for those feeling adventurous just ask your bartender or server for the cocktail of the day.

Simon & Seaforts offers up a number of unique martinis including the Simon & Seafort’s Martini made with Grey Goose vodka or Hendrick’s gin, Noilly Prat dry vermouth, and your choice of Point Reyes Farmstead blue cheese stuffed olives or a lemon twist. For something a little lighter, perhaps the Lavender Cosmo will go down nicely with Absolut Mandrin vodka, Giffard Crème de Violette, Cointreau, fresh lime sour, and lavender sugar. Feeling a bit bitter? Try the Jasmine made with Botanist gin, Campari, Gran Gala, lemon bitters, and lemon peel. On the sweeter side, the Supernova could be the key with Ketel One vodka, strawberry puree, and a sparkling wine float Whatever signature cocktail you choose, enjoy it in good health and drink responsibly!

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PLAY 

SHOP

Anchorage MAY-JUN

Anchorage

Trevor

Inspired by true events, Trevor is a subversive comedy about fame, success, and the lies we tell ourselves. Trevor is a chimpanzee who performed with the likes of Morgan Fairchild and would never hurt a fly, at least not on purpose—a moving exploration of family, flawed communication, and humanity. cyranos.org

18-9

MAY

3-6

Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival

This week long festival is a great experience and a wonderful sight to see. As many as 5 million shorebirds rest and feed in Cordova during the spring migration. There are opportunities for bird watching, hiking, presentations, community events, and many more activities fun for all ages. copperriverdeltashorebirdfestival.com

Fairbanks MAY

Moose on the Loose

Celebrate National Small Business Week with a fun scavenger hunt hosted by Fairbanks Economic Development Corporation. To play: (1) look for stores with a sign announcing “There’s a Moose on the Loose in our store! Help us find him!” (2) find Mortimer, the Fairbanks First Moose, and have a staff member stamp your passport—no purchase necessary, and (3) fill out your information on the passport and drop it off at the last business you visit. Each stamp on

4-5

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Juneau Maritime Festival

This is a one-day family friendly event showcasing many facets of Juneau’s maritime history, commerce, and culture, including a helicopter rescue demonstration, great seafood, activities for kids, informational and sales booths, and songs and stories for all ages. There’s also a Maritime Marinade contest, food vendors, and a beer garden. jedc.org/maritimefestival

Cordova

workshops, cruises, and free events all over town. This year’s roster includes Andrew ‘Jr. Boy’ Jones, Eroica Trio, Luke Fleming, Doug Deming & the Jeweltones, the Vega Quartet, and more. jazzandclassics.org MAY

Ride AWAIC

Ride AWAIC is a local motorcycle ride to benefit Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis, Alaska’s largest domestic violence safe shelter and resource center, made possible by the Diamond Girls Motorcycle Club. www.awaic.org/ events/ride-awaic

STAY

MAY

Great Alaska Aviation Gathering

5-6 This is Alaska’s premier, mustsee aviation event with more than 23,000 attendees, including pilots and aviation enthusiasts. Alaska is the “flyingest” state in the union with more pilots and aircraft per capita than anywhere in the world. greatalaskaaviationgathering.org your passport equals an entry into the door prize drawing. investfairbanks.com

Homer MAY

Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival

More than 130 bird species migrate to 10-13 Kachemak Bay. Sandhill cranes, Arctic and Aleutian terns, Pacific bolden-plover, bristlethighed curlew, horned puffins, and red-necked stint are only a few bird species visitors might see. The festival includes fun and educational activities for any level of birder and all ages. kachemakshorebird.org

Juneau MAY

Juneau Jazz & Classics

Juneau Jazz & Classics celebrates its 4-19 annual festival with sixteen days of soullifting, blues-chasing, live music by way of concerts,

Ketchikan MAY

Celebration of the Sea Art Walk

Celebrate art and the start of a new season at the Arts Council’s annual Celebration of the Sea Art Walk. Guests will enjoy the blessing of the fleet, new art pieces by local artists, music, and refreshments. Start at any participating location and enjoy a wonderful spring evening of art and live music by the Banditos. ketchikanarts.org

Kodiak MAY

Kodiak Crab Festival

Crab Fest is a time for the community to celebrate the abundant resources that we receive from the sea. Activities include good food games, a parade, vendors, and more. kodiakchamber.org

24-28

Petersburg MAY

Little Norway Festival

MAY

The race welcomes both runner and walkers; this year will be the 19th anniversary of the full marathon and 7th anniversary of the half marathon. A destination race, the marathon states: “We are the race venue for those seeking a challenge and stunning scenery in a unique locale.” powmarathon.org

Soldotna MAY

Kenai Peninsula Birding Festival

MAY

Valdez Fly-In and Air Show

With a variety of low cost or free 17-20 activities including kids’ activities, guided birding excursions, social events, and notto-be missed Kenai River float trip complete with local birding experts, there is something at this bird festival for every interest. kenaipeninsula. org/kenai-peninsula-birding-festival

Valdez This is the premier bush flying event 11-13 in Alaska and includes airplane rides, static displays, local vendors and concessions, the Poker Run, a Flour Bombing, and the STOL competition, as more than 200 airplanes descend on Pioneer Field in Valdez. valdezflyin.com

Yakutat MAY-JUN

Yakutat Tern Festival

One of the largest and southernmost known breeding colonies of Aleutian Terns is in Yakutat. The mission of the festival is to highlight the extraordinary natural and cultural resources of Yakutat and to stimulate the local economy by hosting a festival celebrating Aleutian Terns. Participants of the festival will enjoy birding activities, natural history field trips, art exhibits, educational events for kids and adults, and Alaska Native cultural presentations. yakutatternfestival.org R

31-3

This is the 60th anniversary of the festival, which celebrates the signing of Norway’s constitution in 1848, the coming of spring, the beginning of the fishing season, and US Armed Forces Day. The festival includes food and craft booths downtown, a parade, a Scandinavian pageant, a herring toss, a walk-run race, and Vikings and Valkyries roaming the streets. petersburg.org

17-20

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales Island Marathon

May 2018 | Alaska Business

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EVENTS CALENDAR MAY 2018

EAT

RIGHT MOVES Great Alaskan Holidays

Great Alaskan Holidays announced the appointment of Kurt Marquardt as the newest member to the organization’s sales and finance team. Marquardt is an experienced sales and finance professional in the RV sales and service industry, joining Great Marquardt Alaskan Holidays after several years with ABC Motorhome Sales and Service. He is a graduate of Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Office of the Governor

Governor Bill Walker filled three outstanding judicial vacancies, appointing Jude Pate of Sitka to the Sitka Superior Court, Michael Logue of Anchorage to the Anchorage District Court, and Andrew Peterson of Anchorage to the Anchorage Superior Court. Pate moved to Sitka in 1993 after completing a BS in journalism from the University of Kansas and a JD from Lewis & Clark Northwestern School of Law. Pate has served as an assistant public defender in Sitka since 2006 and has experience in all areas within the Superior Court’s Pate jurisdiction. Prior to serving in the Public Defender’s Office, Pate served as counsel to the Sitka Tribe of Alaska and held his own private practice. Logue has practiced law for more than three decades and has lived in Alaska since 1988. Logue received his JD from Villanova University School of Law in 1986 and prior to moving to Alaska served as a prosecutor in Brooklyn, New York. In 1990, he began Logue practicing at what would become Gorton and Logue, where he handled civil and criminal cases as partner. In 2014, he became the supervising attorney at Denali Law Group. Peterson is an assistant attorney general in the Anchorage Office of Special Prosecutions for the Department of Law. He has practiced law for fifteen years. Peterson has a BA in economics from the University of Alaska Anchorage and JD from the University of San Diego School of Law. Following law school, he Peterson worked as a civil litigator specializing in employment law in San Diego before returning to Alaska to serve in the District Attorney’s Office. Peterson has worked in the Office of Special Prosecutions since 2007.

Architects Alaska

Architects Alaska announced the promotion of Michael Henricks, AIA, and Steve Henri, AIA, to Principal. Henrick s received his master’s degree from the University of Washington. He moved to Anchorage and joined Architects Alaska in 2002. Henricks has led the way on several challenging arctic and education projects over the years, including Henricks the recently completed ASRC Energy Services Maintenance Facility in Deadhorse and the multi-phase, $80 million renewal of Service High School in Anchorage. Henri received his master’s degree from the University of Oregon. He has more than eighteen years of architectural design experience and joined Architects Alaska in 2011. His recent experience includes several renewal projects for the University of Alaska and Henri both new construction and renovation projects throughout the state.

FNBA

First National Bank Alaska’s board of directors appointed many of its top bankers to new or expanded roles in the executive management team. In addition to her duties and role as board chair, Betsy Lawer is now the bank’s CEO. She will shape the bank’s vision, strategies, and goals today and moving forward and act as management’s point of contact with the Board of Directors. Lawer earned her ecoLawer nomics degree from Duke University and returned in 1974 to work her way up to the leadership position she holds today. Doug Longacre was named First National’s new President. He will serve on the board of directors and be responsible for the overall management of all lending and loan-related functions as well as branch operations in and outside of Anchorage. The West Longacre Anchorage High graduate worked his way through college doing construction work before joining the bank in 1974. Charlie Weimer joined First National in the early 1980s and has been promoted to Chief Commercial Lending Officer and appointed Executive Vice President. He’ll

oversee all phases of the commercial lending process. Upon graduation, Weimer joined the bank ’s management associate program, working in Anchorage before finding a permanent home on the Kenai Peninsula in 1984 where he served many years Weimer as senior regional manager and most recently as the Branch Lending Administrator. Not far removed from her fortyyear First National employment anniversary, Cindi Buzitis was promoted to Chief Compliance Officer and appointed Executive Vice President. In addition to serving on the executive management team, Buzitis is also the Buzitis bank secrecy act officer and oversees the bank’s Support/Corporate Compliance division. Cheri Gillian was promoted to Chief Administrative Officer and appointed Executive Vice President. She oversees the bank’s Human Resources and Corporate Communications division. An Alaskan for forty-plus years, Gillian has spent most of those years marGillian keting and promoting Alaska products and services, including more than two decades at First National managing broad internal and external communications initiatives. Chief Information Officer Phil Griffin was appointed to Executive Vice President. Griffin began his banking career in the early 1980s after graduating from the University of Nebraska with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Griffin is responsible Griffin for the bank’s information technology strategic planning, implementation and security, core and item processing systems, network services, software solutions and support, e-Payment services, card processing systems, ATMs, online banking, and business continuity planning. Bill Renfrew was appointed Executive Vice President. Working a gold mine in the 70s taught Alaska-born Renfrew things about banking he couldn’t learn in school or behind a desk. The experience of making payroll and borrowing money during his stint Renfrew as a miner helped Renfrew understand his customers’ needs. He uses that experience and the

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relationships he’s built from more than thirty-five years in Fairbanks serving as regional manager. A third-generation banker, a second-generation First National banker, and the bank’s Chief Financial Officer since 2013, Michele Schuh was promoted and appointed Executive Vice President. Schuh brings more than thirty-five years of finance and Schuh accounting experience to the CFO position. She directs the bank’s financial reporting, shareholder relations, property, investment management, and trust services departments. Schuh is a graduate of the University of Washington and the Pacific Coast Banking School. David Stringer was appointed Executive Vice President. Head of the Special Credits and Participation Loans Division, the third-generation native of Juneau and University of Alaska graduate worked his way through the bank’s management associate Stringer program in the 70s while serving in the Alaska National Guard. Stringer is a graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School. He has served in various areas of the bank, including Kodiak and Seward. In charge of the bank’s Retail Banking and Cash Management Division, Ryan Strong was promoted to Chief Banking Officer and appointed Executive Vice President. Also the bank’s Chief Risk Officer, Strong began his financial services career as a management trainee Strong at First National. He soon moved up to Commercial Loan Officer and then to manager of bank branches in Palmer and Fairbanks.

Alyeska Resort

Alyeska Resort promoted VP of Finance Mandy Hawes to Resort Owner Representative. Hawes will work with the ownership group to oversee, advise, manage, and report on all aspects of resort operations, including mountain operations, hotel operations, and food Hawes service operations, as directed by owner John Byrne. Hawes has an undergraduate degree in marketing and management from Abilene Christian University and an MBA with a finance concentration from the University of Texas.

PND Engineers

PND Engineers announced the following new hires in its Anchorage office. Iain Brown, PLS, was hired as a Senior Land Surveyor and will head up the survey department. Brown holds a BS in geomatics, with a survey emphasis, from the University of Alaska Anchorage. He has six years of surveying experience and brings expertise Brown in right-of-way, drone mapping, and photogrammetry. His surveying experience includes topographical design, differential leveling, as-built, and hydrographic survey. Primarily, Brown’s past project experience involved survey work for oil and gas companies, as well as rural road and bridge work for the Kenai Peninsula Borough and the ENSTAR Gas Line in Homer. Kendra Spencer, was brought on as an Accounting Technician for the firm. Spencer has ten years of Alaska accounting experience, including seven years with Era Helicopters where she handled all accounting functions for Alaska, and two-and-a-half years Spencer with Ravn Alaska as the administrative assistant for the maintenance department. She will assist the Accounting Department with accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, invoices, and project accounting activities.

Bettisworth North

Bettisworth North Architects and Planners announced the recent hire of architect Mike Griffith. With twenty-seven years of architectural design, project management, and construction administration experience in Alaska, Griffith is an excellent addition Griffith to the company’s team of community builders, the company says. As a long-time Alaskan architect, he understands the unique challenges of design and construction in Alaska. Griffith holds a BA from the University of Idaho and studied arctic engineering at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and is certified in Construction Documents Technology (CDT).

RE/MAX

RE/MAX Dynamic Properties welcomes four new licensees to the Real Estate Industry.

Josh Patton has spent most of his career in the field of HR and recruitment and served as the HR and recruiting manager for various Alaska Native organizations in Anchorage. Patton holds a BBA from Wayland Baptist University. Patton Svetlana Drews was born and raised in Uzbekistan. Drews worked in customer service and bookkeeping at a Publishing House for sixteen years in Uzbekistan and has been self-employed for thirteen years in Anchorage. She is committed to finding the perfect home for her customers Drews and their families. Whitney Meade moved to Anchorage in 2016. She attended Valdosta State University where she studied business management. Meade has worked as a business development manager for a car dealership and a licensed insurance producer for the state of South Carolina. After being in Meade sales for six years, she became very curious about the real estate industry and is pursuing her career in real estate sales. Lisa Wright is a lifelong Alaskan originally from Kodiak Island. During her time in Kodiak, she had many opportunities to travel to Anchorage and throughout Alaska. Wright spent many years working for Providence Hospital in healthcare finance and is Wright pursuing a new career in real estate sales.

NORTECH

NORTECH welcomes Kirsten Ballard to its team as part of the company’s acquisition of ARCTOS Alaska. Ballard will serve as the Project Manager of NORTECH’s ARCTOS division and has worked in the environmental field since 1988 as both a private consultant and a regulator. Ballard’s experience gives her and her clients a unique advantage when it comes to regulatory compliance. Prior to joining Ballard NORTECH, Ballard was responsible for all aspects of operating ARCTOS for eleven years. R

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Business Events MAY

MAY

3-5

Alaska VFW Alaska Department Convention

North Pole: The annual convention includes a Joint Memorial Service, VFW Business Session, guest banquets, and other events. alaskavfw.org

MAY

7-9

AWWMA Annual Statewide Conference

Anchorage Marriott Downtown: This is a venue for bring information, technology, expertise, curiosity, hunger, and thirst (for refreshment and knowledge) for the Alaska Water Wastewater Management Association. awwma.org

MAY

Alaska Bar Convention

Dena’ina Center, Anchorage: This conference provides opportunities to complete CLE requirements as well as an opening reception, several luncheons, and an awards reception and dinner. alaskabar.org

9-11 MAY

ADS Annual Meeting

Sheraton Hotel, Anchorage: The annual meeting of the Alaska Dental Society, which is “Committed to enhancing the dental profession and the health of all Alaskans.” akdental.org

11-12 MAY

ACUL Annual Meeting

Land’s End Resort, Homer: The Alaska Credit Union League’s annual meeting is an opportunity to gather, network, and learn. alaskacreditunions.org/ events.html

17-19

JUNE

JUN

Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference

Kenai Peninsula College, Homer: Sponsored by the Kachemak Bay Campus-Kenai Peninsula College-UAA, this highly acclaimed, nationally-recognized conference features workshops, craft talks, public readings, and panel presentations in literary fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and the business of writing. sites.kpc.alaska.edu/writersconf

8-12

JUN

IEEE ICCA Conference

Sheraton Anchorage Hotel: This event creates a forum for scientists and practicing engineers throughout the world to present the latest research findings and ideas in the areas of control and automation. www.ieee-icca.org

12-15 JUN

18-22

8th Annual Nuka System of Care Conference

Nuka Wellness and Learning Center, Anchorage: The general conference presents Southcentral Foundation’s developed and proven content on organizational strategies and processes; integrated medical, behavioral, and traditional practices; and supporting infrastructure. Discover new insights, learn from relevant experiences, and obtain guidance from Southcentral Foundation’s award-winning system. southcentralfoundation.com

JUN

20-21

National 8(a) Association 2018 Small Business Conference

Anchorage Marriott Downtown: The 2018 Alaska Regional Conference is specifically tailored to businesses looking to do work in, partner with, currently working in, or with businesses and the Federal Government Offices of Alaska and the Northwest region of the United States. The conference offers educational sessions and resources for small, minority, current 8(a), and graduated 8(a) businesses. national8aassociation.org

JUN

IHEA-USA Conference

Hilton Anchorage: This conference is a fun-filled week of networking, learning, and exploring the world of hunter education. ihea-usa.org

25-28

JULY

JUL

Alaska Business Week

Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage: Alaska Business Week is a one-week summer program teaching the basic principles of private sector business to Alaskan high school students. alaskachamber.com

14-21

JUL

ALASBO Summer Leadership

Fairbanks/Nenana: This event will open with an evening reception and dinner on Friday and close with a group activity in beautiful Sitka on Sunday afternoon. alasbo.org

20-22

AUGUST

AUG

AML Summer Legislative Meeting

AUG

APA Annual Meeting

Denali Borough: The Alaska Municipal League is a voluntary, nonprofit, nonpartisan, statewide organization of 162 cities, boroughs, and unified municipalities, representing more than 97 percent of Alaska’s residents. akml.org

21-24

Wedgewood Resort, Fairbanks: The mission of Alaska Power Association (APA) is to assist members in accomplishing their goals of delivering electric energy and other services at the best value to their customers. alaskapower.org

22-24

SEPTEMBER Association of REALTORS SEPT Alaska Convention

11-15

Hotel Captain Cook, Anchorage: The annual convention includes keynote and guest speakers and opportunities for ECE credits. alaskarealtors.com

Alaska Annual SEPT Museums Conference

12-15

Nome: This year’s conference theme is “Relationships,” addressing questions such as “As museums adapt to shifting climates, audiences, and economics, how can we build and maintain resilient relationships for both immediate and long-term success? How do we stress resourcefulness, collaboration, and engagement in our museum relationships?” museumsalaska.org

State HR Conference SEPT Alaska Anchorage Hilton: The 2018

20-21

Conference theme is “From the Classroom to the Board Room.” alaska.shrm.org/conference

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Inside

Alaska Business May 2018

n increase in sworn officers at the Anchorage Police Department (APD) has allowed the department to expand its presence in Eagle River by an additional officer. For more than thirty years, three officers have been assigned to Eagle River; for the first time, there will be four officers with the Patrol Division for each shift. In addition, the Anchorage Assembly passed an ordinance authorizing APD to begin the fulltime patrols of the Seward Highway to Mile 75, effective immediately. The Seward Highway to Ingram Creek is now permanently a part of APD’s service area. muni.org

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

he Federal Highway Administration and Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities signed the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Cooper Landing Bypass on the Sterling Highway, which concludes an EIS process that has taken longer than any other in the history of the Federal Highway Administration. This signing allows the State of Alaska to address the long-standing issues with the Sterling Highway between Milepost 45-60, which does

not serve the volume of traffic, fails to meet modern highway design standards, and has safety concerns. Challenges related to developing the project came from its proximity to the Kenai River and Lake, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Resurrection Pass National Recreation Trail, as well as steep terrain, nearby historic and cultural resource sites, and limited right-of-way. gov.alaska.gov

F-E CONTRACTING

-E Contracting Inc. will be upgrading the Brett Memorial Ice Arena for $3 million in improvements. The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly approved the contract in March. A new ice rink slab, new direct CO2 ice making refrigeration system, and exhaust systems will be part of the renovations. The Brett Memorial will be closed for six months during construction, March 26 through Labor Day. The new system will give twenty years of service and lower energy costs. fe-contracting.com

Savings have also been achieved through ML&P’s investment in the Beluga River gas field, which provides a secure, low-cost gas supply. The utility purchased a one-third share in the field in 1996, resulting in over $239 million in savings to ratepayers from 1996 to 2016. After the 2016 acquisition of a portion of ConocoPhillip’s share, ML&P now owns 56.67 percent of the field. ML&P’s COPA rate of $0.01024 is currently the lowest in the Railbelt. The current COPA is $0.07077 kWh for Homer Electric, $0.11227 kWh for Golden Valley Electric, $0.07961 for Matanuska Electric, and $0.06776 kWh for Chugach. mlandp.com

GCI

ML&P

unicipal Light & Power’s (ML&P) 2018 second quarter filing with the Regulatory Commission of Alaska decreased the Cost of Power Adjustment rate to $0.01024 per kWh, effective April 1, 2018. With this filing, ML&P’s COPA rate will be the lowest it has been since 2012. ML&P’s COPA rate has declined since 2017 due to fuel cost reductions associated with highly-efficient units at Plant 2A. This decrease has resulted in 28 percent savings, or $36.25, on the overall monthly bill for the average ML&P residential customer consuming 550 kWh per month.

GCI

APD

CI and Teck Resources Limited announced today that high-speed broadband internet is now operational at Teck’s Red Dog Operations, one of the world’s largest zinc mines. The groundbreaking partnership between GCI and Teck has also paved the way for expanded Internet and wireless service to residents in the Northwest Alaska community of Noatak. This network upgrade enables Red Dog employees and Noatak residents to access online content and stay easily connected with family

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INSIDE ALASKA BUSINESS

VISIT ANCHORAGE

nchorage will continue to be home to thousands of students for academic and athletic competitions through the year 2023 thanks to a deal struck between the Alaska School Activities Association (ASAA) and Visit Anchorage.

and had yet to provide the final $396 million of that funding. Language in the bill allows states to determine their most pressing priorities and use the money to meet their needs. The State Division of Elections has been working to modernize and improve Alaska’s aging ballot delivery system by the year 2020. Alaska’s existing ballot tabulation system was purchased in 1998 with an expectation of a twenty-year life cycle. While the system is still operational and accurately counts ballots, replacement parts are no longer being manufactured. elections.alaska.gov

NORTECH | ARCTOS

PromoRepublic

RCTOS has joined the NORTECH family; the company will expand NORTECH’s existing state-wide environmental engineering and HSE consulting services with its expertise in bulk petroleum storage tank management, contingency planning, and incident management. This also allows ARCTOS clients to access all the services that NORTECH offers from each of its locations. nortechengr.com | arctosak.com

The decision was made after a competitive bid process that examined facility requirements, flight and hotel capacity, restaurant offerings, staff support, sponsor involvement, and community patronage. Anchorage won the bid based on its facilities, financial impact on ASAA, and the cost advantage for most of the school and communities attending the March Madness Alaska event. March Madness Alaska garnered an estimated 30,700 attendees throughout the course of its ten days of tournament play at the Alaska Airlines Center this year. anchorage.net

DIVISION OF ELECTIONS

laska’s Division of Elections will receive an estimated $3 million to prepare for the 2018 election cycle. Funding will be used to increase cybersecurity, replace aging voting equipment, and educate voters. The Help America Vote Act was passed into law in 2002 to improve election systems and practices. Under the Act, Congress committed $3.9 billion to states for these efforts

KEYBANK

he KeyBank Foundation has awarded a grant to the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development. The funds, which amount to $300,000 over two years to support Native American businesses nationwide, including in Alaska, will be used to create a new program called National Center Technical Assistance and Procurement program, or NCTAP. NCTAP will be open to tribal governments, tribally owned businesses, tribal corporations, Alaska Native Corporations, and Native American entrepreneurs nationwide. The funding will also enhance the National Center’s existing Procurement and Technical Assistance Centers and Native Edge Institutes. NCTAP will focus on both public and private sector procurement opportunities, technical assistance, and training as well as success coaching support for businesses in their growth stage of development. key.com

ARCTIC SOLAR VENTURES

rctic Solar Ventures (ASV) announced that they have become a member-owner of the Amicus Solar Cooperative. Amicus is a forty-eight member-company cooperative that is 100 percent

member-owned by like-minded solar companies that share a vision for premium quality, efficient operations, and ethical and responsible business practices. Through becoming a member-owner of Amicus, ASV now purchases solar equipment at a 400-megawatt annual capacity. ASV is also opening their second location in Anchorage. With seven employees and having installed more than 300 kilowatts of solar PV in 2017, ASV is the fastest growing and largest solar company in Alaska. With the addition of its second location in Anchorage, ASV is also offering solar PV modules for retail and off-grid projects. arcticsolarventures.com

DULUTH TRADING COMPANY

uluth Trading Company, a lifestyle brand of men’s and women’s casual wear, workwear, and accessories, announced the grand opening in Anchorage of its 32nd store on March 1. The store is located at 8931 Old Seward Highway. “We are very excited that Anchorage is our first new store to open in 2018. The modern, self-reliant American lifestyle that is the hallmark of the Duluth Trading brand is clearly evident in this region and, in fact, the rugged individualism of Alaska was the inspiration for our Alaskan Hardgear line,” said Stephanie Pugliese, CEO of Duluth Trading. “We look forward to celebrating the success of Alaskan Hardgear… with our local and new customers as well as welcoming them to experience firsthand our innovative and problem-solving apparel for both men and women in our newest Duluth Trading store.” duluthtrading.com

AAA

AA expanded its services to include overthe-counter DMV transactions at the AAA Anchorage office located at 3565 Arctic Boulevard, Suite D5. Services include passenger

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AAA.com

and friends. The network will also advance the performance of online business, health, education, and other services for both Noatak and Red Dog. GCI’s network expansion to Red Dog Mine was completed in December 2017, with additional wireless improvements completed recently in Noatak. gci.com

vehicle registration renewal, ownership/title transfers, duplicate title requests, and selected license plate requests. AAA members will only be charged the DMV fee, which varies by service. “AAA has always been about providing value and convenience, and that’s exactly what the new services at our Anchorage office will do,” said Michelle Donati, spokesperson for AAA Alaska. AAA.com

MOA

ASAA

laska School Activities Association (ASAA) has signed an exclusive strategic partnership with ArbiterSport. This partnership covers all 200 ASAA member high schools. The agreement, which implements ArbiterAthlete across all 663,300 square miles of the state, will improve the process of compliance and eligibility tracking of athletes who sign up for athletic programs while giving greater visibility to the state governing body. The implementation of ArbiterAthlete across the state will improve the ease and efficiency with which schools interact between each other and with the ASAA. It will also streamline the process of registering athletes by allowing parents to register their children for athletic activities electronically rather than using paper forms, which saves them time and hassle. In addition to efficiency improvements, the ArbiterAthlete solution will help Alaska stay in compliance with the latest Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and HIPAA guidelines across the entire state, a lofty goal that was a requirement for any solution the ASAA was considering. asaa.org

vices and facility to other tour operators across Alaska. “Opening this new bus maintenance facility is just the next step in continuously improving the John Hall’s Alaska experience for our customers and our valued partners in the Alaska travel and tourism industry,” said Joseph Hall, VP of operations at John Hall’s Alaska. kissalaska.com

JOHN HALL’S ALASKA

his month John Hall’s Alaska will open its first Anchorage-based bus maintenance facility and bring on a full-time maintenance technician to extend in-state tour opportunities. As motor coaches travel across Alaska yearround, the Last Frontier can take a toll on tour buses. Fully stocked with replacement parts, glass, and other necessities, the new bus maintenance facility’s services, which range from scheduled maintenance to exterior washes to emergency breakdown repairs, will decrease turnaround time between trips. When available, John Hall’s Alaska will offer its maintenance ser-

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ayor Ethan Berkowitz announced the launch of a new telephone directory to allow residents to reach often-accessed city services more easily, including the Anchorage Police Department’s non-emergency line. “Anchorage 311 makes reaching the Anchorage Police Department easier in non-emergency situations,” said Chief Justin Doll. “Residents are encouraged to use 311 to reach APD for all non-emergencies.” The number prioritizes access to APD’s nonemergency line, which will relieve pressure on 911 and is easier to remember than the sevendigit phone number. In addition, Anchorage 311 will serve as a general directory for frequentlycontacted departments, such as Street Maintenance, Code Enforcement, the Mayor’s Office, Traffic, the Municipal Clerk’s Office, Fees and Taxes, Vehicle Impound, and Health and Human Services. The City will monitor Anchorage 311 and update the menu options based on findings. The number is currently up and operational. muni.org

UAF

free year-long diabetes prevention program developed by the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention will begin in May on the Kenai Peninsula. Trained lifestyle coaches will offer the PreventT2 program as part of a CDC pilot project aimed at preventing diabetes in rural areas. Participants will meet weekly with a coach by phone for the first six months and once or twice a month the following six months. To be eligible for the program, individuals must be considered prediabetic. Leslie Shallcross, a registered dietitian who offers the program for the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, said it has been successful at preventing or delaying Type 2 diabetes. She said the program helps individuals learn methods to lose weight, become more physically active, and reduce stress. She notes that one-third of adult Americans have prediabetes and are at risk for developing diabetes. uaf.edu

PATHFINDER AVIATION

athfinder Aviation will be providing dispatch services though their advanced Air Operations Center to MAT+SAR Search and Rescue, an all-volunteer nonprofit located in the Mat-Su Valley. Pathfinder Aviation CEO Chuck Constant said, “We are pleased to contribute to this dedicated and professional volunteer organization who are out helping fellow Alaskans.” Pathfinder Aviation’s Air Operations Center is staffed 24/7/365, constantly monitoring airborne aircraft through advanced satellite tracking systems and communications. The staff is trained in emergency response for possible aircraft accidents or incident and is continually evaluating Alaska’s changing weather conditions. Mark Stigar of MAT+SAR Training and Safety said, “Pathfinder’s tracking ability increases the protection and safety of MAT+SAR Teams in the field, which ultimately increases our ability to reunite lost Alaskans with family members. It welcomes partners like Pathfinder to help us achieve our mission.” MAT+SAR Search and Rescue responds to request for assistance from Alaska law-enforcement agencies. MAT+SAR is a volunteer-based nonprofit that has K9, motorized, equine, and ground sea. pathfinderaviation.com | matsaralaska.org R

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ALASKA TRENDS

What’s in one barrel of oil? Here is everything that can be made from just one barrel of oil:

Enough gasoline to drive a medium-sized car more than 280 miles.

Enough distillate fuel to drive a large truck for almost 40 miles. If jet fuel fraction is included, that same truck can run nearly 50 miles.

Nearly 70 kW of electricity at a power plant generated by residual fuel.

Asphalt to make about 1 gallon of tar for patching roofs or streets.

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Alaska Business | May 2018 www.akbizmag.com

But that’s not all. After producing all of the those products, there’s also enough petrochemicals leftover to be used as a base for one of the following:

Enough propane to fill 12 small (14.1 ounce) cylinders for home, camping, or workshop use.

39 polyester shirts

ANS Crude Oil Production 04/01/2018 05/01/2015 01/01/2014 09/01/2012 05/01/2011 01/01/2010 09/01/2008 05/01/2007 01/01/2006

ANS Production per barrel per day 527,328 Apr. 1, 2018

09/01/2004 05/01/2003 01/01/2002

750 pocket combs Wax for 170 birthday candles or 27 wax crayons.

540 toothbrushes

09/01/2000

400,000

800,000

1,200,000

SOURCE: Alaska Department of Revenue Tax Division

ANS West Coast Crude Oil Prices 03/29/2018 09/01/2014

65 plastic dustpans

09/01/2012 09/01/2010

23 hula hoops

09/01/2008 09/01/2006

11 plastic telephone housings 195 one-cup measuring cups

Lubricants to make about 1 quart of motor oil.

65 plastic drinking cups 135 four-inch rubber balls

09/01/2002 09/01/2000 $0

About 4 lbs of charcoal briquettes.

SOURCE: JWN Energy | Chevron

$20

$40

$60

$80 $100 $120 $140 $160

SOURCE: Alaska Department of Revenue Tax Division

Statewide Employment Figures 10/1976—11/2017 Seasonally Adjusted 02/01/2018 11/01/2012 01/01/2010 03/01/2007 05/01/2004 07/01/2001 09/01/1998

Oil is not a one-trick pony; the gooey black liquid actually has thousands of applications, everything from guitar strings to antihistamines.

ANS West Coast $ per barrel $69.16 Mar. 29, 2018

09/01/2004

Labor Force 362,672 Feb. 2018 Employment 336,280 Feb. 2018 Unemployment 7.3% Feb. 2018

11/01/1995 01/01/1993 03/01/1990 05/01/1987 07/01/1984 09/01/1981 11/01/1978 01/01/1976 0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 SOURCE: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research & Analysis Section; and US BLS

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ANCHORAGE OFFICE (907) 562-5420 DEADHORSE OFFICE (907) 659-9010

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May 2018 | Alaska Business

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ADVERTISERS INDEX ABC Motorhome Rentals.....................................23 Advanced Dental Solutions...................................9 Advanced Physical Therapy of Alaska.............9 Afognak Leasing LLC...................................55, 65 Alaska Crane Ltd......................................................45 Alaska Energy Services LLC................................66 Alaska Executive Search (AES)...........................17 Alaska Gasline Development Corp.................63 Alaska Logistics........................................................75 Alaska Railroad.........................................................46 Alaska USA Federal Credit Union.....................11 All American Oilfield Services..........................53 ALSCO...........................................................................19 Altman Rogers & Co......................................19, 21 American Marine / Penco.....................112, 113 Andeavor......................................................................51 Arctic Chiropractic..............................................104 ARCTOS/NORTECH................................................41 ASRC Energy..............................................................53 AT&T...............................................................................13 Beacon Occupational Health & Safety Services..............................................59

BP ..................................................................................57 Calista Corp...............................................................97 Carlile Transportation Systems.....................115 CBI Media Group..................................................105 Central Environmental Inc.................................93 CIRI..............................................................................108 Clearwater Air...........................................................49 Comfort Keepers.....................................................28 Conrad-Houston Insurance Agency..............15 Construction Machinery Industrial...................2 Cruz Companies......................................................67 Davis Constructors & Engineers Inc..............92 Deadhorse Aviation Center................................61 Dowland-Bach Corp..............................................54 Doyon Limited..........................................................56 Exxon Mobil...............................................................43 First National Bank Alaska (FNBA)......................5 Fluor Corp...................................................................47 Foss Maritime............................................................46 GCI...............................................................................116 Judy Patrick Photography...............................114 Land’s End Resort...................................................77

Lounsbury & Associates.......................................85 Lynden Inc..................................................................81 Matheson Tri-Gas....................................................83 Mechanical Contractors of Fairbanks............71 MFCP - Motion & Flow Control Products Inc.....45 Nana Regional Corp...............................................79 Nana WorleyParsons.............................................82 NCB................................................................................99 New Horizons Telecom, Inc...............................20 Nortech Environmental & Engineering........91 Northern Air Cargo................................106, 107 Northrim Bank..........................................................26 NRC Alaska.................................................................73 NU FLOW Alaska......................................................80 Olympic Tug & Barge............................................52 Pacific Coast Maritime..........................................52 Pacific Pile & Marine...................109, 110, 111 Parker Smith & Feek..................................................3 PDC Inc. Engineers.................................................89 PenAir........................................................................103 Personnel Plus.......................................................104 Petro Star Inc............................................................47

Petrotechnical Resources Alaska (PRA).......69 PIP Marketing Signs Print....................................84 Quality Asphalt Paving (QAP)............................89 Quintillion Networks.............................................74 RISQ Consulting.......................................................27 Samson Tug & Barge..............................................60 Seatac Marine Service...........................................39 Security Aviation.....................................................35 Shoreside Petroleum.............................................72 Span Alaska Transportation LLC......................78 Stellar Designs Inc...............................................105 Tutka LLC.....................................................................60 Udelhoven Oilfield System Services Inc......76 United Way of Anchorage...................................10 University of Washington....................................42 Washington Crane & Hoist..................................70 West-Mark Service Center..................................52 WesternAircraft – Greenwich Aerogroup Company..............................................................29 Whitfield Benefit Solutions................................28 World Trade Center Anchorage.......................18 Yukon Fire Protection Services........................68

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PICK UP YOUR COPY TODAY! 511 W. 41st Ave, Suite 101, Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 258-4704 judypatrickphotography.com Also available in bulk quantities!

114

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