Alaska Business June 2017 by Alaska Business

ENERGY | PACIFIC NORTHWEST | FISHERIES | OIL & GAS | BUILDING ALASKA June 2017 Digital Edition

A Leader for TOTE and for Alaska page 32

Port of Nome: Moving Forward

Rescoping Retains Deep-Draft Port Value and Potential page 36

Western Alaska Fuel Service Extreme Challenges, Crowley Delivers page 42

Grace Greene, VP and Alaska General Manager, TOTE Maritime Â© Judy Patrick Photography

Volvo A40 Trucks Greens Creek, Southeast AK

Deryl Box Sales Manager Fairbanks Branch

Volvo L150G Loader and CEC Screen Plant Palmer Landfill, AK

Anchorage, Alaska 907.563.3822 800.478.3822 Fairbanks, Alaska 907.455.9600 Juneau, Alaska 907.780.4030 888.399.4030 Ketchikan, Alaska 907.247.2228 877.847.2228

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June 2017 Digit al Edition TA BLE OF CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS

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

ABOUT THE COVER: Strong leadership builds a strong industry, and Alaska Business is pleased to spotlight Grace Greene, TOTE Maritime Alaska’s Vice President and Alaska General Manager, on our June cover. Alaska Business annually features the Transportation Industry with a special section in our June issue; the industry is vital to Alaska, both in exporting the natural resources that keep our economy afloat as well as bringing in the supplies that allow Alaskans to live day-to-day. Alaska thrives by land, air, and sea and though our roads may be long, our ports may be occasionally covered in ice, and our airplanes may land on lakes as often as runways, our businesses have the fortitude and wherewithal to keep Alaska going strong, year-after-year. Read about the multi-faceted transportation industry in this month’s special section, starting on page 32.

7 80 81 84 86 87 88 90

Cover Photo © Judy Patrick Photography Cover Design: Art Director David Geiger

ARTICLES The newly built Nursery Greenhouse, located at the Alaska Botanical Garden, was designed by KPB Architects. Tamás Deák, Landscape Architect in Responsible Charge for KPB Architects, says the project has been underway for a few years, funded by seed money and grants from various entities. He says the building will have many uses beyond as a greenhouse, including for education and events.

Photo by Tamás Deák

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS 8 | Landscape

SMALL BUSINESSES

70 | Companies Offer a

Architecture in Alaska

Variety of Options to Meet the Equipment Needs of Small Businesses in Alaska

Design, collaboration, and foresight By Tasha Anderson

ENERGY

Shared office space one way small businesses keep equipment costs down By Tracy Barbour

60 | Another Year of Renewable Energy Growth

Alaska remains a bastion for renewable and alternative energy By Tom Anderson

FINANCIAL SERVICES

72 | How Alaska Organizations Use Financing Solutions to Fund Infrastructure and Large-Scale Projects

OIL & GAS

62 | Staying Safe in Alaska’s

Oilfields in Good Times and Bad Whether expanding or cutting costs, there’s one area that oil companies are always investing in: safety By Kathryn Mackenzie

SouthCentral Foundation, Wells Fargo, ADEA among those financing large projects By Tracy Barbour

FISHERIES

66 | Dressing for Safety in Alaska’s Oilfields

Keeping Alaska’s oilfield workers well-supplied with safety apparel and equipment By Kathryn Mackenzie

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

74 | The Commercial Side of Alaska Sport Fishing

The Alaskans who make their living sport fishing By Tom Anderson

VISITOR INDUSTRY

76 | Tourism throughout the Southeast

Small businesses fill niche tourism markets By Tasha Anderson

Pacific Northwest Special Section 12 | Sharing Workers

Across State Lines: Know the Rules of the Road Before You Hire

The rules of hiring out of state workers and how one company makes it work By Renea I. Saade

14 | New Trade Routes in the Pacific Northwest

By sea, air, highway, and byway, the Pacific Northwest is the gateway to world markets By ABM Staff www.akbizmag.com

When you see Alaska through Robert Murphy’s eyes, you see a world of possibilities. Jaime Kissner, First National Bank Alaska, Vice President/ Loan Officer

Robert Murphy started Alaska Excursions with a single van, a lot of imagination and a simple mission: Offer visitors from around the world the Alaska experience of a lifetime. Robert could bank anywhere but he chooses First National Bank Alaska. Today, Robert operates Alaska Excursions in Skagway, Haines and Juneau. And First National has helped him grow every step, tour, cruise, zipline run and charter along the way. If you have a vision and need a local bank that knows how to navigate Alaska’s changing economy, give us a call. We’d love to explore your possibilities and discover new ways to help your business – and Alaska – succeed. For the rest of Robert’s story visit FNBAlaska.com 907-777-4362 / 1-800-856-4362

Jaime Kissner Vice President/ Loan Officer

Robert Murphy CEO/ Founder Alaska Excursions

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We Believe in Alaska

June 2017 Digit al Edition TAB LE OF CONTENTS

Transportation Special Section Nome Port Director Joy Baker says that expanding the Port of Nome will have numerous benefits, such as lowering the cost of transshipping goods to Western Alaska as well as Arctic coastal communities; serving US national security needs; and allowing the staging of maritime assets to facilitate search and rescue and oil spill response in the Arctic, protecting the marine environment, food resources, and human life. Photo courtesy of the Port of Nome

Building Alaska Special Section 18 | US Army Corps

of Engineers Alaska District Projects

Major military projects include squadron, missile maintenance facilities By Tasha Anderson

22 | Construction Roundup Summer 2017 Compiled by ABM Staff

32 | Grace Greene

A leader for TOTE and a leader for Alaska By Tasha Anderson

36 | The Port of Nome:

Rescoping and Moving Forward Value and potential as a deep-draft port remains intact By Tasha Anderson

38 | Kuskokwim Ice Road: New Funding Necessary for Seasonal Highway

Region is in need of economic development, affordable energy, affordable housing, and cheaper transportation By Julie Stricker

30 | Highways, Roads & Bridges Update

46 | Alaska Business 2017

Central Region STIP Projects for Fiscal Year 2017 Compiled by Tasha Anderson

Transportation Directory

Workers brave the elements on the 250-mile long Kuskokwim Ice Road to make a mill delivery. The frozen river road links villages from Nunapitchuk to Napaimute in the Bethel region. Photo courtesy of Mike Leary

42 | Crowley Meets Extreme

Challenges with Fuel Service to Western Alaska

Tugs, barges, and crews of Crowley Marine battle deadly seas to make vital fuel deliveries By Rob Stapleton

Crowley delivers fuel and other supplies to rural villages and communities throughout Western Alaska. Photo courtesy of Rob Stapleton

42 6

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

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FROM THE EDITOR VOLUME 33, NUMBER 6 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 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; Fax: (907) 279-2900, ©2017, Alaska Business Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Subscription Rates: $39.95 a year. Single issues of the Power List are $15 each. Single issues of Alaska Business are $3.95 each; $4.95 for October, and back issues are $5 each. Send subscription orders and address changes to the Circulation Department, Alaska Business, PO Box 241288, Anchorage, AK 99524. Please supply both old and new addresses and allow six weeks for change, or update online at www.akbizmag.com. Manuscripts: Email query letter to editor@akbizmag.com. Alaska Business is not responsible for unsolicited materials. Photocopies: Where necessary, permission is granted by the copyright owner for libraries and others registered with Copyright Clearance Center to photocopy any article herein for $1.35 per copy. Send payments to CCC, 27 Congress Street, Salem, MA 01970. Copying done for other than personal or internal reference use without the expressed permission of Alaska Business Publishing Co., Inc. is prohibited. Email specific requests to editor@akbizmag. com. Online: Alaska Business is available at www.akbizmag.com/Digital-Archives, www.thefreelibrary.com/Alaska+Business+Monthly-p2643 and from Thomson Gale. Microfilm: Alaska Business is available on microfilm from University Microfilms International, 300 North Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48106.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles or How I Arrived at “Alaska Business”

pring in Alaska is like no other I’ve experienced. As the ice and last dregs of dirty snow disappear, surprising vistas emerge on a daily basis. What I once believed would become a field of flowers and deer when spring finally arrived has turned out to be a boggy swamp teeming with mosquitoes; the massive, pristine, seemingly uninhabited mountains surrounding Anchorage are actually dotted with beautiful clusters of deep green spruce trees surrounding dozens of homes. And the tree in front of my new office here at Alaska Business is not, in fact, dying a slow, winter death but is sprouting tiny green buds I hope will continue to evolve into something new and surprising. When I arrived in Alaska last fall, I didn’t know what the future held for me, but I knew it would be an adventure, and I couldn’t be more pleased that my many travels have led me here—not just to Anchorage but to Alaska Business. It’s taken me many years and many (oh, so many) moves to arrive home. I’ve been writing and editing for business-related publications for longer than I care to admit publicly. I’ve written about healthcare and legislation from my hometown of San Francisco; finance and the worldwide commodities markets while living in the hustle and bustle of West Hollywood; pulp, paper, and newsprint while enjoying the absolute beauty of Montreal; and oil and energy while sizzling in the heat and humidity of Texas. The single thread that runs through each location I’ve lived, worked, and written about is commerce. It exists in every civilization in one form or another and the way people make their living speaks volumes about a place and its people. What I’ve already learned about business in Alaska is that it’s inextricably linked to its exceptional people and their remarkable history, culture, and traditions. Whether discussing oil discovery on the North Slope, mining in the Interior, or fisheries in the Southeast, every tale is told with pride and deep respect for this land, its people, and its resources. My own family has lived here for more than three decades and I am fortunate to be regularly regaled with stories of their hard work on the North Slope, time spent caring for orphaned moose with the guidance of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Nome, and their favorite place to watch the beautiful beluga whales near their home in Hope. Through them I have seen how deep Alaska pride runs. I joined Alaska Business at what I believe is our springtime; our time for growth, renewal, and some exciting surprises ahead, and I can’t wait to get to know you better over the coming months and years. I am thrilled to be part of this truly talented team who all worked so hard to put together our June issue, with our annual Transportation and Pacific Northwest special sections featuring an in-depth look at new trade routes in the Pacific Northwest, a fantastic interview with Grace Greene, TOTE vice president and general manager, and the 2017 Alaska Business Transportation Directory. To (sort of) quote an all-time favorite film of mine, “Alaska, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

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—Kathryn Mackenzie Managing Editor, Alaska Business June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

Landscape Architecture in Alaska Design, collaboration, and foresight By Tasha Anderson

andscape architecture isn’t gardening. This seems to be a common misconception, in that many non-professionals connect landscaping with planting trees or flowers or installing a fire pit. John Rowe, ASLA, is the senior landscape architect for Design Alaska. He explains, “Trees, shrubs, and grass happen to be a unique way in which landscape architects work with what we have, but there’s so much more to it than the soft-scape.” Tamás Deák, ASLA, LEED AP BD+C, principal, landscape architect, and intern architect for KPB Architects, says, “One of the misconceptions about the profession is, just because it has ‘landscape’ in it doesn’t mean that you are gardening, and just because it has ‘architecture’ in it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are building, although you do both.” Steve Callaghan PLA, ASLA, landscape architect for LCG Lantech, Inc., describes landscape architecture as “part civil engineering and part architecture.” Peter Briggs, PLA, ASLA, FCSLA, principal landscape architect for Corvus Design, says, “Under state law, landscape architects’ areas of practice include irrigation, planting, plans, play apparatus, outdoor structures, and grading and shaping of land, which we share with other disciplines like civil engineering. But [as] for being a licensed landscape architect versus a landscape designer, we are tasked with protecting public health, safety, and welfare in what we do.” The Anchorage Museum’s Director of Design Jonny Hayes, also a landscape architect, says, “One of the things that is least understood [about landscape architects] is the breadth of knowledge that we do have, and then all the different ways we can apply it.”

Breadth of Knowledge Callaghan says landscape architects must consider water issues, maintenance, security screening, land-use regulations, Title 21 re8

quirements, and more. In particular, Title 21 requirements are a significant part of planning in Anchorage. “They have very specific criteria on commercial projects,” he says, which include requirements for parking lots, snow storage, access, and landscaping on the property. Callaghan says the nature of the business has an impact on landscape architecture. A building may be located in a commercial zone, but the land-use regulations affect the landscape architecture significantly. “If you’re putting in a warehouse, you have different landscaping requirements than if you were doing an office, or a retail location, or putting in paid parking, or another building/ land use,” he says. LCG Lantech, like many Alaska firms, works statewide, and every community has its own standards and regulations. He says compared to Anchorage, projects in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley may require a project to maintain more natural vegetation if the site hasn’t been previously cleared. For example, if a project is being built on a tenacre parcel of land and building construction requires clearing one acre of trees and vegetation, the project may be limited to clearing that one acre; additional clearing may not be permitted on the whole parcel. The Valley also has maximum height restrictions for business signs that are more restrictive than other parts of the state. Deák says that every project, bar none, includes landscape architecture, which is why such a broad range of knowledge is important. “The thing about the whole landscape architecture idea is that it always assumes that we have to go outside the building. And I don’t look at it that way, because the building comes into the outside,” he says. There’s planning from the very beginning for any building as to how it fits into a space or environment. For example, Deák says that KPB Architects recently completed a project for the Alaska Botanical Garden called the Nursery Greenhouse. “I say greenhouse because that’s what it’s called, but while the project includes a greenhouse component, it’s much more than that,” he says. The building is one step

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

in the Alaska Botanical Garden’s master plan to fulfill its mission of “enhancing the beauty and value of plant material through education, preservation, recreation, and research,” according to the organization. The building also includes a support service space for volunteers, storage and work spaces, a room for mechanical systems, and “it has the first permanent, not port-a-potty bathrooms [on site]. I think that was the biggest reason why people loved this space, to be honest. Sometimes it’s felt like we’re designing a bathroom with some stuff around it,” Deák laughs. In the case of the Nursery Greenhouse, KPB Architects had to design the building with sewer needs in mind; the site wasn’t connected to the public sewer system, and the plan was to avoid a septic system that requires “a flat, dug-up area with a pipe sticking out with grass on top,” Deák says. KPB worked with the appropriate authority to install a tank system. “So it’s all absolutely context driven,” he says. “They ended up with a building which I think is very cool. Actually, it’s beautiful, which is step one—you’ve got to do something beautiful. And also it’s functional, obviously.”

Unique and Long-Lasting Rowe says landscape architecture is unique in terms of the timeline. “When you finish an architecture or civil project, the best it’s going to look is when the building is complete: it’s brand new, it’s shiny. Landscape is different; it’s typically not at its best when it’s installed because we’re dealing with organic material. Especially with plants, we have to understand when we put stuff in what’s going to be the impact and how it’s going to look in five, ten, twenty, or one hundred years.” He says that kind of forward-looking vision makes a huge difference. Recently, Design Alaska completed street scape work in Valdez. Rowe says they made a major upgrade to Egan Drive, the main road in Valdez, “including a bunch of pedestrian issues, such as seating areas and crosswalks.” Rowe says they also completed a gateway arch that spans the Richardson Highway as it comes into the city. “It’s really our job to create spaces outside; we’re architects for the outdoor environment,” Rowe says. “Our job is not just to make safe environments outside, but to give people a positive experience—to understand what’s wanted out of that space, what it needs to accomplish, not just physically but emotionally.” Hayes agrees that understanding the purpose of a space is important for a project to be successful. He says, “I really see my job as a sort of translator, or an interpreter, to understand what behaviors people want and apply it to a space.” He uses Muldoon Town Square Park as an example: Phase I of the project, which is slated for completion in the fall, includes a playground, ice skating ribbon, pawww.akbizmag.com

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vilion, and a space for the Muldoon Farmers Market. In a community park, in which a variety of people use the space for many different activities, something as simple as a bench can be complex. “It may be a seat—it’s also an obstacle, it’s also a skateboard opportunity. Benches can suggest behavior. Take a rest. Take in the view. Tell a story. Eat a snack.” In addition to the “human side of the equation,” the actual layout of the land is important to understand, such as “what is the land doing, where is water going, how do you get there, how do you leave... The seasonality of a space is really interesting to me in the sense that any one day is different than the other in Alaska, so you have to be thinking about that all the time so you’re not creating dangerous situations,” Hayes says. Hayes also expresses that landscape architecture is a field that requires far-forward thinking. “The life of a building may be forty to fifty years; the life of a landscape architect project can be so much longer than that,” he says. It’s not many professions that implement a project and expect to wait ten or twenty years for it to fully come to fruition. “There is a certain level of patience required,” Hayes says.

Community and Collaboration Briggs explains, “When we design for public health, safety, and welfare, not only are we applying codes and requirements but we are taking all seasons into account.” This is especially important in Alaska: long, dark

winters are accompanied by persistent ice and snow cover. “We make sure things grade properly, that you don’t end up with ice in the winter that people might slip on, proper deck designs, handrails, and a big one—an undercurrent to pretty much all we do—is accessibility.” He says the discussion has moved beyond wheelchair ramps to the creation of places that anyone can use in an equitable fashion, regardless of age or physical ability. Corvus Design is currently working on planning for the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area in Juneau, which includes almost six thousand acres. That project is unique because Corvus Design is challenged to design an experience that works for thousands and thousands of cruise ship visitors during the tourism season yet remains pleasant and comfortable for Juneau’s residents. “Monday is typically when most of the [cruise] ships come in,” Briggs says. “So on Monday the place is crazy; it’s like Walmart’s Christmas parking lot.” It is issues like these that make collaboration so important. “For Corvus Design, and for myself, collaboration is everything,” Briggs explains. “Our conditions can be so strange or extreme in Alaska because it’s a combination of climate, people, location, everything.” Briggs says building spaces for a community of people is one of the aspects of his job that he loves, particularly playgrounds. “Play design is important to me because it’s an indicator of social equity,” he says. “If every kid

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

has the same opportunity to play and interact with each other, we don’t have any of these barriers that suddenly create a ‘you’ and ‘me.’ So those projects are pretty important, and they’re fun.” Rowe also says that his favorite type of projects include public involvement, “any project where I can talk with a lot of people, because it gives me an opportunity to really engage with the people that are going to be using the space and [to] make a difference.” KPB’s Deák says landscape architects train to be collaborative. “They’re very much trained in school to be looking at the world as a complex and multifaceted thing, and you can’t just run it on your own and pretend it’s all you.” Callaghan enjoys landscape architecture, in part because he likes collaborative design, “the idea of working with people to solve problems; looking at all these issues and then coming up with a solution.” Hayes adds that he enjoys the design process. “You will always run into personalities, or history, or politics, or otherwise, and you have to overcome that. The fun part of design is to figure out the appropriate solutions and not hope for the best but apply our knowledge in a positive way.” R

Tasha Anderson is the Associate Editor for Alaska Business.

www.akbizmag.com

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PACIFIC NORTHWEST SPECIAL SECTION

Legal Speak

By Renea I. Saade

Know the Rules of the Road Before You Hire Up for the Season Sharing Employees Across State Lines in the Pacific Northwest Introduction by Kathryn Mackenzie

uch of Alaska’s economy is seasonally based. So it comes as no surprise that many Alaska businesses have workforces that fluctuate in size depending upon their business needs. Many of these seasonal businesses also temporarily operate in remote locations, triggering certain logistical and legal considerations other employers are not required to address. While some businesses bring in seasonal workers, others such as Oregon-based Vigor Inc., partner with Alaska organizations to bolster their workforce here. In January, for example, Vigor and Alaska-based Maritime Works jointly announced a private, philanthropic initiative called Advancing Alaskan Workers to help combat high turnover rates at Vigor’s Ketchikan shipyard and elsewhere. Though Vigor is based in the Pacific Northwest, it is Alaska’s largest shipbuilder and shiprepair company; operating with 2,500 employees at ten locations in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington, according to the company website. Doug Ward, director of shipyard development at Vigor says exchanging knowledge between workers across state lines has helped bring new innovation to all of its operations. “The exchange of knowledge, skills, and abilities between Alaska and our Pacific Northwest region is totally awesome. It’s what has to happen and it’s what other regions do. It’s what Oregon and Washington do and now Alaska’s being invited to the party of this knowledge and technology exchange between the Lower 48 and Alaska,” Ward says. Alaskans have a strong work ethic and are innovative, “because you can’t drive across the street to get the part you need, you have to figure out workarounds,” he says. Ward says that sharing employees across the organization and state lines opens the lines of communication and allows for idea sharing. “I’m pleased we’re able to have this common workforce and a common agenda in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. We learn a ton from each other and have a two-way exchange going on. Seeing this collaboration going between state borders makes me a happy man.” Though seasonal hiring and exchanging workforces between state lines don’t necessarily follow the exact same guidelines and laws, there are a few tips that can be helpful if your business is considering sharing workers across state lines.

Hiring Up For the Season If seasonal hiring across state lines describes your business, it is important to know the rules of the road before you hire up for the 12

season. While not exhaustive of all employer rules (state and local laws may impose additional requirements), what follows are some tips from Renea Saade, a partner with the Labor & Employment Group of Stoel Rives LLP. Saade is an Anchorage-based attorney who provides representation and counsel to Alaska employers throughout the Pacific Northwest, including Alaska and Washington.

Travel to Worksite Reporting to work in a remote location often requires a significant amount of travel time. Whether the travel time must be paid depends on whether the employee is engaging in “extra” travel for a job assignment or simply engaged in a “normal” commute from home to work (known as travel from “portal-to-portal”) and whether any work is performed while traveling. To avoid claims for unpaid wages, potential additional penalties, and financial exposure, an employer should determine and make clear to its employees when travel time is paid and when it is not. Uniforms and Safety Gear Seasonal work often includes wearing a uniform or specific safety gear. Employees can generally be asked to bear the cost of a uniform as a payroll deduction as long as the employee’s pay is not reduced below minimum wage. Safety gear and tools, however, usually must be provided at the employer’s cost if they are required for the benefit or convenience of the employer. If the uniform or safety gear can be worn before arriving at the worksite, then time spent dressing for work does not need to be paid. In contrast, if the uniform or safety gear must remain at the worksite; is required by law, the employer, or the nature of the work; or is so specialized that it is impractical to arrive at work with it on, the time spent putting it on should be paid. Training Time Onboarding of new hires often includes training time, especially in some of Alaska’s unique climates. Time spent in meetings, lectures, or training is usually considered hours worked and must be paid unless attendance is voluntary and outside regular work hours, the information learned is not job related, and the employee does not perform any productive work while in attendance. On-Call Time Time spent “on-call” is generally considered paid time if the employee is “engaged to wait” rather than “waiting to be engaged.” The difference between the two boils down to whether the employee’s location or actions while on-call are dictated or restricted in any way. For example,

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

if the employee is required to stay at the worksite and cannot spend time on personal matters while waiting for a job assignment, the employee is “engaged to wait.” However, if the employee is at home or attending to personal matters or tasks while waiting to be called to duty, the employee is “waiting to be engaged” and in most cases is entitled to pay only if called to duty and only if the time spent performing the work is paid.

Employer-Provided Housing Providing housing to employees can create additional payroll and legal obligations for employers as well as expand the employer’s liability exposure. Most employers would benefit from consulting with tax and legal advisors to ensure that all their legal requirements are met, minimizing their risk of legal liability. Minimum Wage/Overtime It is not uncommon for employers new to operating in Alaska or that hire from outside the state to inadvertently violate local minimum wage and overtime rules. Even if a company has operated here for some time, it never hurts to review the rules. Key points to be mindful of include: the state minimum wage rate is higher than the federal rate, the salary threshold for exempt workers is higher under the state minimum wage law than under the federal law, exempt classifications available under state law differ slightly from those under federal law and overtime is calculated on a daily basis (as well as on a workweek basis). Return Travel and Last Paychecks If an Alaska employer terminates the employment of a person recruited and hired from out of state for reasons other than certain misconduct (for example, fighting, intoxication, lying on an application, or unexcused absences for more than three consecutive scheduled days), the employer must provide the employee with return travel (usually airfare) back to their “home” state. The employer may also have to pay for return transportation if the employee resigned because the employer misrepresented certain work conditions. Last paychecks must be delivered to terminated employees within three working days of their termination. If an employee voluntarily resigns, the last paycheck may be delivered by the next regular payday that is at least three working days after the last day worked. More information related to wage/hour and other obligations that employers operating in Alaska should keep in mind is available through the U.S. Department of Labor (www.dol.gov) or Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development (http://labor.state.ak.us/). R Renea I. Saade, a Partner with the Labor & Employment Group of Stoel Rives LLP, is an Anchorage-based attorney who provides representation and counsel to employers throughout the Pacific Northwest, including Alaska and Washington. She can be reached at renea. saade@stoel.com or 907-263-8412. This article is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for legal advice. www.akbizmag.com

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SPECIAL SECTION

Pacific Northwest

New Trade Routes for the Pacific Northwest By sea, air, highway, and byway, the Pacific Northwest is the gateway to world markets By ABM Staff

laska and the Pacific Northwest have a long history of exchanging goods and services by sea, air, and roadway, carrying everything from commodities such as oil and gas to seafood and household goods. It’s a symbiotic relationship that is vital to our economic health and access to goods and services.

The Pacific Northwest, Transportation, and their Deep Ties to Alaska Trade Alaska and the Pacific Northwest have long, deep ties through the transportation industry. Over the years, companies such as Lynden, the Saltchuk family of companies, and Vigor, all headquartered in the Pacific Northwest, have developed unique, specific expertise to meet the unconventional—sometimes unexpected—demands of importing and exporting goods and services throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Saltchuk’s family of companies includes Northern Aviation Services, Carlile, TOTE, Foss, and North Star Petroleum, to name a few. Each of Saltchuk’s businesses focuses on a specific sector of the transportation industry in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and other locations worldwide. To keep up with regional demand for a wide range of transportation services, Saltchuk is often involved

“The purchase of another drydock in Seattle allows Vigor to better service valued customers like Washington State Ferries, the US Coast Guard, and US Navy. It also further strengthens our market position in commercial ship repair on the West Coast and supports our expansion into new markets.”

—Adam Beck Executive Vice President of Ship Repair Vigor

with projects that pursue innovation and the ability to expand service areas and services provided. Earlier this year the company announced it is nearly finished constructing three Arctic Class tugs. The tugs are being built in Oregon but will spend their lives toting cargo through icy polar waters. Also increasing access to new opportunities is shipbuilding and ship repair company Vigor, which this year is acquiring a new drydock from a Korean company to bolster its operations and create another avenue for commercial ships to make portage in Seattle. The 640-foot-long by 116-foot-wide dock will be the company’s largest at its Harbor Island shipyard. “The purchase of another drydock in Seattle allows Vigor to better service valued customers like Washington State Ferries, the US Coast Guard, and US Navy,” Adam Beck, Vigor executive vice president of ship repair, said in a press release. “It also further strengthens our market position in commercial ship repair on the West Coast and supports our expansion into new markets.” The company—which operates through nine locations in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska—expects the dock to be operational by late fall. Vigor also acquired and absorbed Kvichak Marine to design and fabricate a variety of workboats and ships. Kvichak is known for its work with commercial fisheries in Alaska, building gillnetters, seiners, and tenders. Operating under the Vigor name, the combined companies expand the region’s access to North Pacific fishing fleets. Together these companies, and many, many more, open the doors for the more than 80 percent of goods that arrive in Alaska via port each year.

Geographic Advantages and the Growth of Aviation Along with unparalleled beauty, the verdant Pacific Northwest boasts a geographical advantage that allows it to easily facilitate trade between major Asian markets and those throughout the United States, including Alaska, Canada, Hawaii, and the Midwest, making the region the fourth largest gateway for containerized cargo in North America, according to The Northwest Seaport Alliance located in Washington State. Some of the most traded products coming out of the Pacific Northwest include agricul-

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

“The combination expands Alaska Airlines’ existing footprint in California, bolsters its platform for growth, and strengthens the company as a competitor to the four largest US airlines. Combining Alaska Airlines’ well-established core markets in the Pacific Northwest and the state of Alaska with Virgin America’s strong foundation in California will make Alaska Airlines the go-to airline for the more than 175,000 daily fliers in and out of Golden State airports, including San Francisco and Los Angeles.”

—Alaska Airlines

ture (grain, hay, fruit, and vegetables), wood products (pulp, logs, and lumber), textiles (including cotton), seafood, and base metals. While moving freight by sea is often less expensive, the speed at which air carriers can deliver goods and services creates demand for air cargo services, and airlines work diligently to gain market share by regularly adding new routes to the West Coast and the Pacific Northwest corridor. And, of course, the entire Pacific Northwest is a tourism mecca; adding routes to major stops along the West Coast and into Alaska fills a demand for goods and services and keeps the tourism industry booming. Delta Airlines is adding seven nonstop flights from its hub in Seattle in 2017, marking its fifth straight year of growth in the Pacific Northwest. Delta is also expanding service to four additional cities—tripling the number of flights it offers from the Puget Sound since 2012. www.akbizmag.com

Seafood and the Pacific Northwest As the choices for shipping products and goods between the United States, Asian countries, and Canada continue to grow, so too do the amount of items being shipped. Seafood continues to be in high demand, moving between Alaska, Washington, and Hawaii via a network of ports, trucks, and cargo flights. A Northwest Farm Credit Services report expects the next year to be a profitable one for the fisheries industry thanks to strong demand for Pacific cod, salmon, sablefish, and halibut from the Bering Sea and the Aleutian Islands. New vessel construction combined with improvements to existing vessels will also create efficiencies for fisheries, allowing them to expand their product mix, the report notes. Companies such as Ocean Beauty Seafoods, headquartered in Seattle, provide thousands of pounds of fresh Alaska seafood to the Pacific Northwest, operating out of plants in Alitak, Cordova, Excursion Inlet, Naknek, and Petersburg—all in Alaska. Ocean Beauty Seafoods’ Alaska facilities process black cod, caviar, halibut, Pacific cod, sockeye salmon, pink salmon, rock fish, and many other fish species. Other major fisheries using Pacific Northwest routes include Seattle-based Icicle Seafood and Kent, Washington-based Young Ocean Inc., which works with Alaska seafood producers to serve the Pacific Northwest and Asian markets.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST SPECIAL SECTION

Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines is investing roughly $100 million to expand and remodel its rural terminals throughout Alaska and to construct a $40 million hangar at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, creating a home for its new, larger Boeing 737s. Additionally, Alaska Airlines is seeking to cement its place as a leading carrier in the Pacific Northwest by adding twenty nonstop flights in major cities in California including in San Francisco, San Jose, and San Diego. Seattle-based Alaska Airlines went even further to grow its core markets in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska by acquiring Virgin America in 2016 for $4 billion, saying, “The combination expands Alaska Airlines’ existing footprint in California, bolsters its platform for growth, and strengthens the company as a competitor to the four largest US airlines. Combining Alaska Airlines’ well-established core markets in the Pacific Northwest and the state of Alaska with Virgin America’s strong foundation in California will make Alaska Airlines the go-to airline for the more than 175,000 daily fliers in and out of Golden State airports, including San Francisco and Los Angeles.”

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An Old Passage Offers New Opportunities Another growing option for trade routes is the long-fabled Northwest Passage. Modern Pacific Northwest land and sea trade routes have essentially terminated in Alaska. However, rapidly melting sea ice in the Arctic has opened new shipping routes in the summer months that were previously impassable to even the hardiest ice breakers. The dream of following a route from the Atlantic to the Pacific using the Arctic as a byway is becoming a www.akbizmag.com

June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

PACIFIC NORTHWEST SPECIAL SECTION

The Pacific Northwest is home to a thriving economy supported by vital goods and services delivered to Alaska, Hawaii, Asia, and other worldwide markets via a growing network of air, land, and sea routes, through which the transportation industry makes daily trips to ports, airports, warehouses, and other facilities all along the West Coast and into Alaska. Alaska’s future is bright, and as new opportunities arise, it’s certain we can expect to see even more trade routes sprout up throughout the bountiful Pacific Northwest. reality with the retreat of the Polar Ice cap. As a testament to the growth in traffic in the Arctic, vessels docked at the Port of Nome in Alaska increased from 271 dock calls in 2011 to 709 in 2015, and traffic anchored at the port is up an astonishing amount from 30 in 2011 to 369 in 2015, according the port. Nome expects the increase in traffic to continue as it welcomes more foreign fuel tankers, research vessels, and other cargo-carrying ships, according to the Port of Nome Strategic Development Plan.

Driving Forward The Alaska Highway, which connects Alaska to the continental United States through Canada, was constructed for strategic military reasons during World War II and completed in 1942. The completion of the transAlaska pipeline in 1978 resulted in a boom of Alaska infrastructure development, and Alaska’s multimodal transportation options since have only grown, including highways

and roads that stretch north into Alaska and south deep into the Pacific Northwest. In a state that spans more than 570,000 square miles, Alaska only has about 1,400 miles of highway, giving a whole new meaning the term “long-haul trucking.” Even so, the service exists, and each business day trucks move more than 35,000 tons of freight of essential goods such as clothing, electronics, food, and household necessities, according to the Alaska Trucking Association. Companies such as Lynden, which has been operating in Alaska since 1954, offer a variety of equipment and routes for those seeking to ship items to or from Alaska and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Some services Lynden provides are truckload and LTL; heavy haul; Cool Chain logistics, which manages a seafood supply chain, keeping seafood at the right temperature and transporting it at an optimal speed; and QuickTrans, which offers twice-weekly team-driver Alaska Highway

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service between Seattle/Tacoma in Washington and Anchorage, Fairbanks, Kenai, Valdez, and Prudhoe Bay. Other major trucking companies serving the Pacific Northwest and Alaska include Eagle Systems Inc., Graham Trucking Inc., American Fast Freight, PRL Logistics, and Haney Truck Lines. The Pacific Northwest is home to a thriving economy supported by vital goods and services delivered to Alaska, Hawaii, Asia, and other worldwide markets via a growing network of air, land, and sea routes, through which the transportation industry makes daily trips to ports, airports, warehouses, and other facilities all along the West Coast and into Alaska. Alaska’s future is bright, and as new opportunities arise, it’s certain we can expect to see even more trade routes sprout up throughout the bountiful Pacific Northwest. R Story compiled by ABM Staff.

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P Corvus Design, Inc. Landscape architecture, planning and industrial design

s Alaska’s largest independent landscape architecture firm, Corvus Design has a single focus that shapes its mission and distinctive professional approach. “Our goal is to reflect our client’s mission,” says Principal Landscape Architect Peter Briggs, PLA, ASLA, FCSLA. “To do this, we craft people-focused places, design with ecological processes in mind, and keep our eye on the essentials of maintenance, site function, and construction and operations costs.” As landscape architects, Corvus Design shapes the outdoor environment to provide places and amenities for people and to protect and enjoy our natural resources. In its planning services, the company helps clients make smart decisions that optimize positive outcomes. And with its industrial design, Corvus Design focuses on the details (like custom lighting and benches) that add function, uniqueness, and beauty. Highest Expertise and Value Corvus Design has a diverse portfolio of more than four hundred projects in Alaska, ranging from development and ordinance-driven landscapes, recreation projects, visual simulation, environmental permitting, waterfront planning, and design to health facilities and schools. Major recent projects include the Kenaitze Indian Tribe Dena’ina Wellness Center in Kenai; Covenant House

in Anchorage; numerous University of Alaska projects, including the new University of Alaska Anchorage Engineering and Industry Building; the Father Andrew P. Kashevaroff Library, Archives, and Museum in Juneau; and the USDA Forest Service Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area and Visitor Center planning efforts in Juneau.

Operating since 2006, Corvus Design is not tied to working with one architect or one engineer and has collaborated with many partners statewide. The company works with the best consultants to give clients the highest expertise and value for their project type. “We want our scope and fee to be correct to give a good return on investment,” Briggs says. “Our staff and our firm are integrated into the communities we serve. We take great responsibility in being accountable and want our clients and communities to benefit.” With offices and staff in Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks, Corvus Design is well positioned to serve clients in Alaska’s three key regions. This entails –

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understanding project needs, leveraging technology, collaborating with and adapting to clients, and devising appropriate cost-effective solutions. “We have the local knowledge, specific expertise, and ease of access to serve our clients best,” says Juneau-based Principal Landscape Architect Christopher Mertl, PLA, ASLA, ISA. Building Communities Proud of its community-building efforts, the company reaches out through pro bono contributions like the Victims for Justice Memorial in Anchorage and Goldbelt Heritage Foundation’s “A Time for Healing” project in Juneau. “We’re dedicated to our communities,” Mertl says, “and part of our mission is to give back. It’s our home; everybody wins.” Future plans include adding interpretive design and landscape architecture staff in its Juneau office to support the firm’s commitment to deliver client value. “We’re constantly challenging ourselves and refining what we do to ensure we provide that high level of owner value,” Briggs says, “If we help you in delivering your mission, we’ve done what we were supposed to do.” Corvus Design, Inc. Anchorage & Fairbanks (907) 222-2859 Juneau (907) 988-9000 www.corvus-design.com

SPECIAL SECTION

Building Alaska

US Army Corps of Engineers Alaska District Projects

Rendering by McCool Carlson Green and Resolution 3D LLC

A rendering of the F35 Flight Simulator to be built at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, a collaborative effort between McCool Carlson Green and Resolution 3D.

Major military projects include squadron, missile maintenance facilities By Tasha Anderson

he mission of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Alaska District is to provide “a full spectrum of quality engineering, technical, and construction support services in support of peacetime and contingency operations in Alaska, throughout the Pacific Region, and the world.” They provide services for the state from their district headquarters in Anchorage as well as Alaska area offices in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and North Pole and Regulatory Field offices in Fairbanks, Kenai, Sitka, and Juneau.

2017 Construction In the coming years two major military projects are moving forward in Alaska’s interior. A little more than a year ago the US Air Force announced that two squadrons of F-35A fighter aircraft (forty-eight planes) would be homebased at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks. “Alaska combines a strategically important location with a world-class training environment. Basing the F-35s at Eielson AFB will allow the Air Force the capability of using the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex (JPARC) for large force exercises using a multitude of ranges and maneuver areas in Alaska. This, combined with the largest airspace in the Air Force, ensures realistic combat training for the [Defense Department],” said Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James at the time of the announcement. “The decision to base two F-35 squadrons at Eielson AFB, Alaska, combined with the existing F-22 Raptors at Joint Base ElmendorfRichardson, will double our fifth-generation 18

fighter aircraft presence in the Pacific theater,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III. “Integrating that fifth-generation force with Navy, Marine, and allied F-35 forces will provide joint and coalition warfighters unprecedented survivability, lethality and battlespace awareness in contested environments. It’s an exciting time for Pacific airpower.” According to a spokesperson for USACE Alaska District, two of the approximately twenty projects that will take place in Eielson in the next few years have been awarded and will begin construction this year. Those two projects are the Flight Simulator, awarded to Watterson Construction, and the Earth Covered Magazines, awarded to a joint venture between Watterson Construction and Callahan Construction Co., which is based in Fairbanks. Last February Missile Defense Agency Director Vice Admiral James Syring announced that more than $325 million would be spent at Clear Air Force Station, a radar base located southwest of Fairbanks, over the next six years. The money will be used to install a new power plant and missile detection radar. In April USACE Alaska District awarded a design-bid-build contract for the Long Range Discrimination Radar’s (LRDR) mission control facility at Clear to UNIT-ASRC Construction LLC, based in Anchorage. The contract is valued at $112.9 million. According to a USACE Alaska District spokesperson, “Funded by the US Department of Defense’s Missile Defense Agency, the project will provide a mission control facility and substation with site development and infrastructure for the entire complex, as well as interim generator and fuel tank for life safety and freeze protection. The scheduled completion date for this contract is August 2019.”

Ongoing Projects The F-35 Beddown Program at Eielson “provides critical facilities” for the two squad-

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

rons. At present projects are scheduled to be awarded over three fiscal years (FY), which for the federal government run from October through September. Seven projects valued at $295.6 million are scheduled to be awarded in FY17 and seven projects are scheduled for FY18, valued at $121.2 million, as seen below:  Hangar/Propulsion MX/Dispatch—Award Date: June 2017. Scope: FY17, Design-bid-build project to construct a 20,796-square-foot two-bay hangar; 4,004-square-foot propulsion maintenance; and 9,128-square-foot corrosion control dispatch.  Add/Alter Field Training Detachment—Award Date: June 2017. Scope: FY17, Design-bid-build project to alter 390-square-meters of Building 4280; add 2,220-square-meters of classrooms; and add a high-bay area to support engine maintenance training.  Aircraft Weather Shelters (Squad 1)—Award Date: January 2018. Scope: FY17, Design-build project to construct a 77,385 square-foot sixteen-bay shelter.  Hangar/Squad Operations/Aircraft Maintenance Unit (Squad 2)—Award Date: February 2018. Scope: FY17, Design-bid-build project to construct a 20,753-square-foot two-bay hangar; 18,901 square-foot squadron operations; and 18,858 square-meter aircraft maintenance unit.  Missile Maintenance Facility—Award Date: April 2018. Scope: FY17, Design-bid-build project to construct an 11,300 square-foot facility.  Earth Covered Magazines—Award Date: April 2017, awarded at $7.8 million. Scope: FY17, Design-bid-build project to construct six magazines with a total of 13,197-square-feet.  Aircraft Weather Shelter (Squad 2)—Award Date: May 2018. Scope: FY17, Design-bid-build project to construct 81,700-square-foot 16-bay shelter.  Aerospace Ground Equipment Facility/Fill Stand— Award Date: January 2018. Scope: FY18, Designbuild project to construct a 2,328-square-meter facility and 166-square-meter fill stand. www.akbizmag.com

n the best case scenario, you could purchase insurance from a local trusted individual who has built a stellar reputation by providing outstanding customer service and tap into global resources offered by one of the world’s largest full-service insurance brokerages to mitigate today’s increasingly complex risks. HUB International’s entry into the Alaska marketplace affords that opportunity. Recognizing the growing need for protection from threats such as cyber security attacks and for expertise in addressing other rapidly evolving risk management issues such as addressing Affordable Care Act compliance, several leading Alaska firms joined the global insurance brokerage to offer superior insurance products and services to their clients. They’ve found that HUB International’s capabilities allow them to attract new customers and better serve their existing clients. Headquartered in Chicago, HUB International operates through a decentralized corporate structure with twenty-six regional hubs that manage local markets. Local experience and presence are integral to service delivery for the largest privately-held brokerage in the world. HUB International began growing rapidly in Alaska in August 2015 when Palmer-based Pippel Insurance joined

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The insurance brokerage serves three HUB International. The Brown Agency in Kenai quickly followed suit. In 2016, primary insurance segments: commercial, prominent Anchorage agencies Patterson personal lines, and employee benefits. Local Insurance Brokers and Gwaltney and HUB International insurance professionals Associates also joined forces with HUB possess an understanding of Alaska needs International, as did 1st Alaska Insurance and have access to the risk management of Soldotna. Denali Alaskan Insurance of expertise and broader array of insurance policy options available through the globAnchorage was added in 2017. “We are committed to serving al brokerage firm. The employee benefits individuals and businesses in Alaska and to industry, for example, has become increascontinue to recognize and honor the ingly complicated because of government unique character of the state,” says Steve regulations requiring legal interpretations Wagner, executive vice president of HUB and detailed reporting for Affordable Care International. “By bringing national Act compliance. Smaller independent inresources to local agencies, we are surance firms typically are unable to reproviding a higher level of brokerage spond to these challenges. Consider consulting with an Alaskan services than was previously available.” The company’s continued growth in HUB International insurance professionAlaska is expected to be realized through al to accurately identify potential areas the delivery of a broad array of tools of risk and keep your business or family available from the large global brokerage secure from financial loss. Contact one of by local professionals with excellent these HUB International offices to discuss reputations and specialized knowledge of your needs and learn about options from Alaska. “HUB International has a very highly-rated insurance companies at compositive view of the state’s long-term growth petitive prices. potential,” says Wagner. He points out that Alaska insurance professionals provide a personal touch and knowledge of Alaska. “Our business model does not centralize; the local ofAnchorage – 907-258-6240 fices operate independently but will also collaborate to bring specific expertise to a Palmer – 907.745.3261; 888.524.3261 specific situation,” Wagner explains. Soldotna – 907.262.4425; 800.478.4425 –

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 Operations Support Squadron/Weapons/Intel Facility—Award Date: January 2018. Scope: FY18, Design-build project to construct a 1,128-square-meter facility.  Consolidated Munitions Admin Facility—Award Date: February 2018. Scope: FY18, Design-build project to construct a 1,951-square-meter facility.  Add/Alter Conventional Munitions Facility— Award Date: April 2018. Scope: FY18, Designbid-build project to add 117-square-meters and alter 100-square-meters.  South Loop Utilidor—Award Date: February 2018. Scope: FY18, Design-bid-build project to construct a new utilidor to the south loop with steam, condensate, and water.  Fuel Truck Covered Parking South Loop—Award Date: March 2018. Scope: FY18, Design-build project to construct a 539-square-meter six-bay shelter.  Satellite Dining Facility—Award Date: January 2018. Scope: FY18, Design-build project to construct a 437-square-meter facility.

Civil Projects USACE Alaska District has civil works and environmental projects throughout the state, ranging from annual port dredging, shoreline protections, port navigation improvements, flood risk management, erosion protection, and Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) remediation. This season, construction is ongoing at the Valdez harbor, including dredging and breakwaters, a project valued at $23 million. This is the final construction season for the three-year contract with Western Marine, with completion required in November. A shoreline protection project is being conducted in Unalakleet. The project includes supply and construction of a new modified-diaphragm sheet pile bulkhead on the west bank of the Unalakleet River, downstream from the existing city dock. According to a USACE Alaska District spokesperson, “The work includes installation of anodes for corrosion protection and installation of appurtenances (sewer line, ladders, and optional bull rail, fenders, and bollards.) The project includes in-water work and must comply with noise monitoring in accordance with permit requirements.” The contract is valued at a base amount of $4.6 million with options of approximately $500,000; the work was awarded to Orion Marine. Construction is slated to begin this month on Navigation Improvements at Port Lions Harbor, an $8.7 million project (program dollar amount). The contract was awarded to Western Marine. A Flood Risk Management program is planned at Salmon Creek near Seward; solicitation bids will go out in Q4 (July through September) for the $3.5 million project (program dollar amount). USACE Alaska District is also working on the following FUDS projects: removal of drums and contaminated soil at Attu; landfarming of contaminated soil at Nome; and contaminated soil removal at Nuvagapak and Sitka Naval base. R Tasha Anderson is the Associate Editor for Alaska Business. 20

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

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Building Alaska

Inset: An insider’s view of the pipe pile rock sockets with Turnagain Marine’s Brightwater Barge. Below: The newly-built Channel Transient Float from Turnagain Marine Construction gives Kodiak’s many visiting vessels space to moor. Photos courtesy of Buck Rockafellow

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

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echniques in winter construction continue to improve year after year, but summer still remains the ideal construction season for the majority of Alaska projects. Alaska Business has compiled a sampling of some of the projects that have been completed, are in progress, or are breaking ground this summer season.

Anchorage: UNIT Company UNIT Company has been selected to construct Muldoon Garden, an approximately $5.5 million project owned by the Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc., a private, statewide, nonprofit organization “working to improve the quality of life for low-income Alaskans,” according to the organization’s website. The Muldoon Garden project expands the units of affordable housing offered by the Rural Alaska Community Action Program in Anchorage from about 254 to 274 and brings the number of affordable housing developments in the city to more than a dozen. Construction on Muldoon Garden commenced in October 2016 and is expected to be complete in November of this year. As part of the Muldoon Garden project, which is about 22,000-square-feet, an adjacent building (the How How Chinese Restaurant) has been demolished and UNIT company will construct twenty www.akbizmag.com

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BUILDING ALASKA SPECIAL SECTION

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BUILDING ALASKA SPECIAL SECTION

The UNIT Co. has been selected to construct the Muldoon Garden project, owned by nonprofit Rural Alaska Community Action Program, and designed by McCool Carlson Green. Architectural Renderings courtesy of McCool Carlson Green

units of permanent affordable housing with office space as part of Rural Alaska Community Action’s Safe Harbor program, which provides transitional housing for homeless families with children with the primary goal of obtaining permanent housing for each family within six months of them joining the program. Currently there are about fifty transitional housing units available through the Safe Harbor program. The Muldoon Garden project will help Rural Alaska Community Action with its goal of providing case management services for families onsite and to create partnerships for other services including childcare, mental healthcare, financial literacy, and employment services.

The Muldoon Garden development is also part of the nationwide Living Building Challenge pilot program, which began in August of 2015 and runs through June 30, 2017. The pilot project calls for seven teams across the United States to build developments with nontoxic, sustainable materials and energy and water systems that have a positive impact on the environment and surrounding community. McCool Carlson Green is the designer for the Living Building Challenge project. To meet the challenge requirements, McCool Carlson Green will design Muldoon Garden in such a way that it is aesthetically pleasing, using Alaska’s Native Culture and spirit as inspiration. It will also be designed

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

in an environmentally sustainable manner, meaning the company will use low-impact building materials and aim to harvest all of the project’s energy and water onsite.

Anchorage: Kumin Associates Kumin Associates is prime architect for the Bartlett Cafeteria Remodel taking place in Anchorage. The remodel is a 15,000-squarefoot, single-story addition and remodel for the Anchorage School District. At press time a general contractor had not yet been selected for the $4.3 million project, which is slated for construction this year, with anticipated completion in August 2018. Confirmed subcontractors for the project include: MBA

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business

rofile

stablished in 1965, LONG Building Technologies focuses on creating better buildings—buildings that are more efficient, more comfortable, more secure, and easier to control. In pursuit of that, LONG is disrupting the marketplace with its open systems for buildings. It provides truly open protocols that interoperate with IT as well as a collaborative set of services that can be combined and adapted for different buildings. “This allows us to offer total integration across our service lines,” says Brian Miller, Vice President Alaska Region. “Ultimately, because we offer this open service system, we know that people can leave us if they don’t like what we’re doing, and that speaks to our confidence in what we do.” LONG’s customers can have multiple systems, so they are not trapped by technology. “What we do is allow them to choose their service provider by using the latest technology and expertise in all areas,” Miller says. “We are able to merge user-friendly components for a better experience for owners and occupants.” SMART, SAFE SOLUTIONS LONG provides smart solutions for buildings. These solutions— which integrate HVAC equipment, security, and monitoring— can be controlled remotely so clients don’t have to be tied to their commercial building. “We bring the intelligence of the buildings to your desktop or mobile device,” says Chris Bracken, Operations Manager Alaska Region. Additionally, LONG is deeply committed to customer service and ensuring a high level of expertise for its twenty-five employees in Alaska. “We hold some of the highest certifications in the state and region for our product lines,” Bracken says. “Another thing that sets us apart is that most of our management have all been senior technicians at one point.”

DISTINCTIVE CULTURE LONG has a distinctive corporate culture that empowers employees to openly contribute new ideas and process improvements. Each of its offices has an entrepreneurial spirit that permeates the work environment. “We are focused on safety first and have a safety committee that addresses concerns and issues proactively,” says Amy Smith, Corporate Human Resources Director. “We have been a top workplace in Denver for the past three years because of our culture, and that disseminates to our Alaska branch.” Employee wellness is another key focus of LONG, which offers reimbursements for gym memberships, new running shoes and even a new golf bag. LONG also encourages employees to have fun and participate in charitable events. Last year, they collected and donated 3,700 pounds of food to Food Bank of Alaska in Anchorage. GROWTH THROUGH SERVICE In Alaska, LONG is growing rapidly, with much of its work involving municipalities and utilities. The firm is actively engaged in Kodiak’s rocket launch facility rebuilding, security projects at Golden Valley Electric Association in Fairbanks, and other projects in Anchorage. Miller attributes this to its ability to provide good service one customer at a time. “That customer tells someone how great their experience with LONG was, and it goes on and on,” he says.

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BUILDING ALASKA SPECIAL SECTION

The Dr. Paul John Calricaraq Project in Bethel calls for renovation of the decades-old YukonKuskokwim Delta Regional Hospital to construct a 190,000-squarefoot primary care healthcare clinic and a fifty-four unit apartment building. Artist renderings courtesy of the Dr. Paul John Calricaraq Project, provided by Bettisworth North Architects and Planners, ZGF Architects, and Jones & Jones

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Bethel: The Dr. Paul John Calricaraq Project Work continues on the Dr. Paul John Calricaraq project in Bethel. Arcadis is the project manager for the $311 million project, with a design team comprised of Bettisworth North

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Architects & Planners, ZGF Architects, and Jones & Jones and contractor ASKW/Davis Constructors & Engineers. The Dr. Paul John Calricaraq Project is a renovation of the 85,000-square-foot Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Regional Hospital, originally built in the 1970s. Construction of a 190,000-squarefoot primary care healthcare clinic and fiftyfour unit apartment building located on the site are already well underway. Structural steel installation began this spring and is slated for completion this fall, with building enclosure scheduled to be complete by the end of first quarter 2018. The entire project is set for completion in the spring of 2021.

Kodiak: Turnagain Marine Construction Turnagain Marine Construction was awarded a design-build contract to construct the Channel Transient Float system, a project owned by the City of Kodiak. Construction on the 12-foot by 300-foot floating dock began in December 2016 and was completed in May of this year. Turnagain Marine Construction worked with Transpac Marinas to propose a complete turnkey design that met and exceeded the city’s design criteria and time constraints, says Kodiak Harbormaster, Lon White. “This was the first design-build project we’ve done. We believed the project was fairly straightforward from an engineering standpoint. So by doing a design-build, it allowed the engineers, designers, and contractors to work together to come

up with a design that was very cost-effective and extremely well-designed. I cannot say enough about the first-class product, design, and service we received from the Turnagain Marine and Transpac teams,” White says. Extreme durability was required for this particular site location, so a thirty-six-inch diameter HDPE pipe was chosen as the flotation medium because it’s well-suited for the extreme wave action and demanding Kodiak climate. The Channel Transient Float system came in under budget and ahead of schedule, says White. “This project literally happened in six weeks and we’re using the float as we speak. This was really a breath of fresh air in the design world.” The 300-foot float facility is being used for transient or visiting vessels to Kodiak. “There’s no exclusive mooring, it’s all on a first-come, first-serve basis. We have a lot of transient vessels come through this harbor, so there is a lot of demand. We really couldn’t be happier with the job Turnagain Marine, Transpac, and all the contractors did to get this innovative project designed and complete with nothing but first-class service and professionalism,” says White. According to Turnagain Marine, the float structure consists of heavy creosote glulam timbers and the decking is made of ADAcompliant steel grating. The surface perimeter is lined with eight-inch galvanized pipe that will be used as a permanent bull rail. The fender system consists of 1.35-inch-thick by 20-inch-deep UHMW-PE; the pile pockets

June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

BUILDING ALASKA SPECIAL SECTION

Consulting Engineers for mechanical and electrical engineering; EHS-Alaska for hazardous materials abatement design; BBFM Engineers for structural engineering; Clevenger Group for the commercial kitchen design; and R&M-Anchorage for engineering. Kumin was also the architect for the Weidner Classroom Remodel at the University of Alaska Anchorage campus. The 1,200-square-foot classroom renovation began in August 2016 and is set to be complete in August of this year. Hebpurn Design completed the interior design for the project. Work is scheduled to begin this summer on the West High School–Romig Middle School Library Wing Renovation & Seismic Upgrade, for which Kumin was prime architect. The Anchorage School District project is 32,700-square-feet, and general contractor Cornerstone General Contractors has been tapped for the project. Other contractors include R&M for civil work; Earthscape to act as the project’s landscape architect; RSA for mechanical and electrical engineering; HMS to perform cost estimating; Schneider Structural Engineers for structural engineering; EHS to handle hazardous materials abatement design; and EEIS as the roofing consultant.

BUILDING ALASKA SPECIAL SECTION

Artist rendering courtesy of UNIT Company

The planned Unmanned Aerial System Hangar at Fort Wainwright. The US Army Corps of Engineers hangar will cost approximately $33 million to construct and includes shops, special foundations, taxiways, aircraft aprons, and organized parking.

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Fairbanks, Fort Wainwright: UNIT Company Continuing with the design-build theme, UNIT Company was awarded a designbuild contract for the cold-climate, FTW376 Unmanned Aerial System Hangar at Fort Wainwright. The US Army Corps of Engineers hangar is 56,658-square-feet and will cost approximately $33 million to construct. Construction began in April 2016 and completion is estimated for November 2018. The scope of work includes an operations and maintenance hangar with shops, special foundations, taxiways, aircraft aprons, and organized parking. The hangar interior includes container storage for the aircraft when boxed and indoor storage for equipment, paint, oil and lubricants, and hazardous materials. The facilities were commissioned to be designed for a minimum lifespan of fifty years and to comply with the Department of Defense’s Unified Facilities Code that includes standards for energy efficiencies, building envelope, and integrated building systems performance. Valdez: Kumin Associates Kumin acted as prime architect for exterior renovations at the Prince William Sound College in Valdez, completed in May. The 36,806-square-foot project is owned by the University of Alaska Southeast. Construction on the Prince William Sound College’s exterior began in July 2016 under general contractor Wolverine Supply and was completed in May this year. The team for the $346,000 (not including design) project also included Coffman Engineers, which was responsible for structural, mechanical, and electrical aspects of the project; EHS-Alaska, which handled hazardous materials abatement design; and HMS for cost estimation. Taking Advantage of the Midnight Sun While some are taking advantage of these long, lingering summer days by hiking, biking, and recreating, others are planning, developing, and building. These and dozens of other projects happening around the state continue show that even in uncertain times, Alaska continues to move forward, improving its communities statewide through innovative, sustainable, uniquely-designed construction projects. R Compiled by ABM Staff. www.akbizmag.com

BUILDING ALASKA SPECIAL SECTION

were internal to the float system and are lined using the same UHMW-PE. Highly durable steel piling was used to secure the float system and the piling were driven through the existing overburden layer and then socketed into the bedrock to attain the designed loads. The float system uses a Mantle Industries aluminum gangway to access the floats from the shore abutment; the gangway and float system are outfitted with an electrical system, potable water, and a dry fire line system. The majority of the float system was constructed at the Transpac Marinas facility in Anacortes, Washington, and then moved to Kodiak.

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Building Alaska

Highways, Roads & Bridges Update Central Region STIP Projects for Fiscal Year 2017 Compiled by Tasha Anderson

ederal statutes require that states have a four-year program for transportation system preservation and development in place in order to qualify for federal transportation funding. The Alaska Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, or STIP, fulfills that requirement in Alaska. The current iteration is the 2016-2019 STIP, updated in April. Below are projects with funding for construction for the Central Region for Fiscal Year 2017 (FY17).

Municipality of Anchorage Seward Highway MP 99–105: Bird and Indian Improvements: Design and construct Seward Highway improvements, including passing lanes and bike/pedestrian trails, including replacing the bridge over Indian Creek. FY17 budget is $500,000. Seward Highway MP 105–115: Passing Lanes Indian to Potter: Improvements in the Windy Corner area of the Seward Highway consisting of highway realignment, auxiliary lanes, safety improvements, wildlife viewing turnouts, and railroad relocation as needed. Calls for a FY17 budget of $5.1 million. Campbell Airstrip Road and Trail Improvements MP 0.3–0.7: Improve multimodal access to the trail system in Campbell Tract-FNBP, improve roadway, address speeding, improve sight distance, and accommodate snow storage needs while retaining the area’s scenic attributes. That FY17 budget is $2 million. Seward Highway MP 75–90: Ingram Creek to Girdwood Road and Bridge Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation of the highway including passing lanes and parking accommodations MP 81–90 and construction of three replacement 30

bridges within this segment at Glacier Creek (bridge #639), Virgin Creek (bridge #638), and Petersen Creek (bridge #636). The project also includes rehabilitation of the highway MP 75–77, including construction of passing lanes and the rehabilitation of the Ingram Creek Bridge. Initial earthwork will be accomplished for the middle section of the project from Twenty Mile River to Placer River to take advantage of existing material sources and allow time for settling on realigned portions of the highway. FY17 budget for this project is $17.4 million. Glenn Highway Airport Heights to Hiland Road Pavement Preservation: Calls for roadway resurfacing. The FY17 budget is $15.7 million.

Bethel Bethel Ridgecrest Drive Rehabilitation: Rehabilitate Ridgecrest Drive between Akakeek and Ptarmagin Streets; raise and widen the road, improve drainage, provide middle land turnouts to reduce congestion, and provide marked and lighted pedestrian crossings at school intersections. The project will be coordinated with and partially funded by the Highway Safety Improvement Program with a FY17 budget of $3.9 million. Dillingham Aleknagik Wood River Bridge Approach Roads: Project calls for constructing a road between Aleknagik (North Shore) with the DillinghamAleknagik Road with a FY17 budget of $100,000. Kenai Peninsula Borough Drainage Improvements for the Anton Anderson Memorial (Whittier) Tunnel: Improvements include a smoother driving surface and better drainage system. Installation of traffic control devices. FY17 budget for the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel Improvement project is $5.2 million. Seward Highway MP 26–36 Rehabilitation Moose Pass to Sterling Wye: The roadway will receive upgrades as needed, including the addition of passing lanes. FY17 budget is $1 million. Snug Harbor Road Paving and Bike Lane

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

will provide a bike path, reduce dust, and ensure a stable driving surface on the Snug Harbor Road MP 0–1.8. FY17 budget for the Moose Pass project is $44,000. Kenai Beaver Loop Road Improvements and Pedestrian Pathway: Beaver Loop Roadway is getting a resurfacing and paved shoulders will be added as will a separated pedestrian pathway of almost four miles. The FY18 Budget for this project is $375,000. Kenai Spur Road Rehabilitation Stage 1: Rehabilitate close to six miles of the Kenai Spur Highway MP 2.4–8.1 between Soldotna and Kenai to increase capacity and improve safety. Phase I will construct a five lane highway from Robin Street to Swires Road (MP 5.2–8.09). The FY17 budget is $19.8 million. Sterling Highway MP 60–79 Skilak Lake Road to Sterling Rehabilitation and Passing Lanes: Calls for resurfacing, minor widening, and the addition of passing lanes as needed. The Sterling Highway improvement FY17 budget is $78.8 million. Funny River Road Improvements: It’s no joke that there are plans to rehabilitate Funny River Road from the Sterling Highway to the Soldotna Municipal Airport, about 6,500 feet. This project may include realigning sections of the road due to minor shifting of the road bed within the right-of-way. The FY17 budget for Funny River Road is $2.8 million. Kalifornsky Beach Road MP 16–22.2 Paving Rehabilitation and Signalization: A bit more than six miles of Kalifornsky Beach Road from Sterling Highway to Bridge Access Road will be repaved. Additional work includes signalization of Gaswell/Kalifornsky-Beach intersection and plumbing for a signal at Ciechanski/ Kalifornsky-Beach intersection. FY17 budget for Kalifornsky is $13.5 million. Kenai Spur Road Rehabilitation Stage 2: Rehabilitate close to six miles of the Kenai Spur Highway MP 2.4–8.1 between Soldotna and Kenai to increase capacity and improve safety. The project will be constructed in two phases. The second phase calls for construction of a five-lane highway to increase capacity and improve safety from Sports Lake Road to Robin www.akbizmag.com

Mat-Su Borough Glenn Highway MP 34–42 Reconstruction Parks to Old Glenn Highway: This project will reconstruct the highway to increase it to four lanes, add a pathway, and shoulders, accommodating turning movements and adding traffic, safety, and intersection improvements as needed. The project may be developed in phases. The FY17 budget is $7.1 million. Glenn Highway Rehabilitation West Chickaloon Grade Section: MP 77.4–78.2: Construct permanent tie-ins to the newly built Chickaloon River Bridge along the Glenn Highway. FY17 budget for this part of the Glenn Highway rehab is$18.5 million. Parks Highway MP 90–99 Rehabilitation: Resurface the Parks Highway MP 90–99. The project may include base stabilization and shoulder widening as appropriate. FY17 budget here is $21 million. Parks Highway MP 99–123.5 Pavement Preservation: Basic resurfacing project. This FY17 budget is $9.5 million. Seward Meridian Road Improvements: The final phase of the Seward Meridian Parkway project consists of upgrading Seward Meridian Road to four lanes with a center turn lane and a pathway from Palmer-Wasilla Highway to Bogard Road and to extend Seward Meridian Road to connect with the portion of Northern Seward Meridian Road upgrade. This FY17 budget is $2 million. Vine Road Improvements Knik-Goose Bay Road to Hollywood Boulevard: Call for rehabilitation including repairing the roadbed, adding drainage improvements, repaving, adding illumination, pedestrian accommodations, and safety improvements as needed. FY17 budget for the Knik Goose Bay project is $1 million. Northern Seward Meridian Road Improvements: Upgrade existing 0.6 miles of the existing Northern Seward Meridian Parkway serving Teeland Middle School, Mat-Su Career and Tech High School, and Fonteras K-8 school. This project also includes the installation of a signal at the intersection with Seldon Road. It has a FY17 budget of $1 million. Parks Highway Bridge Replacement Montana Creek, Sheep Creek, and Goose Creek Bridges: Calls for the replacement of Bridge 215 at Montana Creek and Bridge 213 at Sheep Creek on the Parks Highway. The new bridges will have top widths to match the existing roadway width at the time of construction. Pedestrian facilities will be included if new bridge construction conflicts with existing pedestrian bridges. The FY17 budget for this project is $1.3 million. R

BUILDING ALASKA SPECIAL SECTION

Street (MP 2.4–5.2). The FY17 budget for the Kenai Spur Road rehab is $1.5 million. Kenai Spur Road Environmental Mitigation: Workers will upgrade the existing dirt road and trail with an upgraded hardened surface to mitigate the impact on the wetlands caused by vehicles trying to avoid the worst “mudholes” at the current facility. The FY17 budget for this project is $4.2 million.

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Transportation

Grace Greene, VP and Alaska General Manager, TOTE Maritime Â© Judy Patrick Photography

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

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TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION

Grace Greene A leader for TOTE and a leader for Alaska By Tasha Anderson

ransportation is vital in the Last Frontier, particularly the transportation of goods into the state. By far, the majority of goods and materials for residential and commercial use are brought into the state by sea. TOTE Maritime Alaska has been working to keep Alaska well-supplied for more than forty years. According to the company, their first vessel was the American-made SS Great Land, which could carry up to 386 trailers and 126 vehicles at a cruising speed of twenty-two knots. In 2003, TOTE Maritime Alaska introduced the Orca Class vessels to the trade. These ships, custom-built for Alaska, are some of the most environmentally-friendly ships in the United States and will further reduce their impact on the environment once converted to run on liquefied natural gas.

Teamwork and Making a Difference Another one of TOTE Maritime Alaska’s recent assets is their Vice President and Alaska General Manager, Grace Greene, who has been with TOTE for approximately threeand-a-half-years. Before working for TOTE, Greene attended the Naval Academy and was then commissioned into the Marine Corps. “I flew helicopters in the Marine Corps for about eight years,” Greene says. “In the Marine Corps you’re a pilot first and foremost, but you have other jobs within your squadron. One of my jobs was the logistics officer, so that began my career in logistics and transportation.” After the Marine Corps, Greene performed various types of work, “but I always gravitated back to working with a team, to doing things that made a difference.” It was after moving to Alaska with her family that Greene found work with Shell, running their Aviation Logistics program. “The experiences that I had in the Marine Corps deploying my unit to the middle of nowhere in the desert were actually quite similar to managing very remote Arctic logistics,” Greene says. She continues, “While I was working for Shell, I met so many wonderful people who are part of the Saltchuk family of companies, working closely with folks from Carlile, Foss, Northern Air Cargo, and Delta Western; and then I was lucky enough to find the opportunity here at TOTE.” Day-to-day Greene manages an operations group and a commercial group. The operations group covers customer service and transportation, “everything from overseeing loading and unloading the ship to managing transportation of deliveries and pickups to just general customer service inquiries and managing customer interaction.” On the commercial side are strategic account management, relationship building, business development, marketing, and other related activities. www.akbizmag.com

Greene says that when it comes to leadership, the first thing is to be genuine. “Having the ability to connect with your workforce is really important, and one of the best ways I’ve found to do that is explain the ‘why factor.’” She says that it only helps to improve the big picture if every member of the team understands both the task and why it’s being done.

A Family of Employees TOTE Maritime Alaska has approximately thirty-five employees in-state, which may be surprising considering the sheer amount of cargo the company transports. “We run a lean organization,” Greene says. “But with a small number of folks we make a heck of a lot happen. It really is important, then, that every single person that is here in this office understands how they fit into the big picture, because every person absolutely makes a difference.” Employees are the key to every company’s success, and Greene says that at TOTE they look for potential workers who are competent, can be analytical, and have outstanding customer service skills. “I like people who ask questions, who are never quite satisfied, who are always looking for a way to do something better, to be more efficient, and to create a better experience for our customers,” she says. It’s also important for potential employees to fit in with the company culture. Greene says that TOTE operates like a family in many ways. “Because there are so few of us, you get to know each other really well.” She says that the TOTE Maritime Alaska team is social outside of work, with its own softball team, potlucks in the office, birthday and work anniversary celebrations, and so on. She says the company values employees who are able to give and receive feedback positively. It’s important to be able to ask for help and support, give positive feedback, or help change policies or procedures that could perhaps use improvement. “Those are some of the qualities that really make somebody successful here at TOTE,” Greene says. Positive Change and Open Communication Greene is herself an example of promoting positive change. “One of the things that I brought with me to TOTE was my really strong safety foundation,” she says. “I was very lucky to have worked for Shell because the safety culture at Shell is like none other that I had experienced before. The safety culture in the Marine Corps, too, and in aviation in particular is also very strong.” She continues that she is a positive and inclusive person and builds lines of communication and understanding. “I think that for some of our team in the Lower 48 there was always this mystery of Alaska. June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION

Stuff just happens up there. Nobody’s saying anything, so hopefully it’s going okay. I think I’ve been able to help break down some of the mystery of Alaska, help people understand how our processes work up here, and create better alignment across the company,” Greene says. Additionally, that ability to build community and connections has also helped with building and implementing relationships with key partners. She says TOTE Maritime Alaska and its partners have “deliberate conversations” so that both parties know what they want and can work together toward a positive outcome. “We focus on trying to create conversations and relationships that help drive better performance and deliver a better experience for our customer,” Greene says.

TOTE Maritime Alaska has a variety of partners; among them are other companies in the Saltchuk family, industry entities such as the railroad, and organizations that include local governments and the Port of Anchorage.

TOTE Invests in Alaska’s Future TOTE is heavily invested in Alaska’s future. “We always like to say: So goes the Alaska economy, so goes TOTE,” Greene says. Upwards of 80 percent of cargo coming into the state goes through the Port of Anchorage, “so we represent basically all consumer products, vehicles, heavy equipment, etc.” TOTE does well when the Port of Anchorage does well, and when the Port of Anchorage is successful it allows the rest of Alaska to function. “It’s

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extremely important for us that we create a long-term, sustainable, predictable environment for continued growth and development in our state,” Greene says. “We need to have continued investment in the state; we need economic development.” Greene says that the plan to upgrade their two ships to run on LNG represents a significant investment. “We’re not only making a significant commitment to our environment but a significant commitment to Alaska,” she says. “We wouldn’t be doing that if we weren’t planning on being here for the long term.” Another development that TOTE is paying close attention to is the Port of Anchorage modernization project. “The Port of Anchorage is in dire need of new infrastructure to support continued operations to support our economy,” she says. “Without the Port of Anchorage, the state cannot function.” It is estimated that in total the Port of Anchorage Modernization project will cost $556 million, of which the port still needs $429 million to complete all of the planned work. “We need to come up with a really good plan to fund this project, and it needs to happen quickly,” Greene says. She says one very positive aspect of the project is how closely the Port of Anchorage worked with key stakeholders at the port to put the plan together. “We’ve been working with them for years in developing a plan, and we believe the final product will be infrastructure that would certainly support our business for the foreseeable future.”

Building Community TOTE is invested in Alaska as a community, as well. “One of the most important things to our company is giving back to the communities that we serve,” Greene says. “We really take pride in that.” She says that each year all Saltchuk companies give 1 percent of their earnings back to the community, and that’s in addition to TOTE’s many in-kind donations. Greene cites their relationship with ALPAR— Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling —as an example. “We donate southbound shipping for recycle materials so the State of Alaska can recycle.” She says other partners contribute to that project, “but we’re probably one of the top three contributors, to the tune of more than $1 million every year.” Greene says her team enjoys giving back to their communities, prompting TOTE Maritime Alaska to look for ways to engage employees in giving back, whether by creating opportunities to perform volunteer work or getting involved with a variety of charitable organizations. “The people who work here are one of the things that I love most about my job,” Greene says. “Any success that I’ve had is because I’ve always had a really amazing team helping me. I couldn’t do what I do today without my team and their great support, so they deserve a lot of recognition for being amazing.” R

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Grace Greene, Vice President and Alaska General Manager for TOTE Maritime, gained much of her experience in remote logistics through her service in the Marine Corps; she flew helicopters and was the logistics manager for her squadron.

SPECIAL SECTION

Transportation The Port of Nome: Rescoping and Moving Forward Value and potential as a deep-draft port remains intact By Tasha Anderson

uch like the Port of Anchorage services more than the Municipality of Anchorage, the Port of Nome is vital infrastructure for Western Alaska. It was a particular disappointment for the region when Shell ceased exploration activities in the Chukchi Sea and the subsequent suspension of the Alaska Deep-Draft Arctic Port System Study, a multi-year examination of various options for port development in the Arctic.

Rescoping and Moving Forward But the Port of Nome’s value and potential as a deep-draft port remains, regardless of oil and gas exploration or production in the Chukchi. Richard Beneville, Mayor of the City of Nome, says that when Shell pulled out the community expected that further development of the port would never happen. “Such is not the case,” Beneville says. “The future has not changed; what is happening has not changed.” Port Director Joy Baker explains that two new pieces of legislation have revitalized plans for the Port of Nome. The first is the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN) passed in January 2016, which, through modified language, allows development of a port to be justified by benefit to a region, not just a specific community. The second is the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2016, which “Requires DOD to submit to Congress an updated military strategy for the protection of US national security interests in the Arctic region.” Baker explains, “Both of those bills provide additional justification for picking up the Nome portion of the existing regional study and moving forward to further investigate the development of Nome as an Arctic deep-draft port.” The Port of Nome has been and remains an optimal choice for an Arctic deep-draft port. “Towards the end of the three-anda-half-year period, [the US Army Corps of Engineers] had determined that Nome was the most economically feasible to become the first site for an Arctic deep-draft port based on the existing maritime and community infrastructure,” Baker explains. The community of Nome already has roads, a hospital, an airport, and existing port infrastructure and maritime operations and services. Baker says that one benefit of the suspended 36

study was that it assessed several site options, and now all of those sites are able to use the study results (even if they are not fully complete) for their own planning efforts. “Nome’s path forward is with the Army Corps investigating all the benefits to the region and the national strategic benefits for the military and the country,” she says. During an April interview Baker said that the US Army Corps of Engineers District Office submitted a plan to their DC headquarters for a rescoping of the Nome port project moving forward.

Serving a Region The Port of Nome operates seasonally, due to a frozen winter sea. Beneville says that, on paper, the port is open from June 1 through October 1. However, with climate change, he says, the port has open water from mid-May through mid-December. Beneville says that in April the ice was already breaking up and was thinner than in previous years. According to Nome: An Arctic Port for the Nation, published in January 2016 by the City and Port of Nome, the port supports 450 seafood harvesters and processors and is home to Norton Sound Seafood Products and the port offers ingress for groceries, construction supplies, gravel, and other goods that are distributed to more than sixty communities. In total, an average of 53,000 tons of rock, sand, and gravel; 34,000 tons of freight; and 13.1 million gallons of refined products move through the port annually. Beneville says, “The expansion that is necessary [at the port] is not just for Nome, but it’s a larger picture than that: it’s a picture of opening western Alaska, and that would be a good thing for the state economy. We all know it needs some help, and the diversification of the economy is, to me, one of the ultimate goals.” Beneville explains that traffic at the Port of Nome has increased steadily in recent years; the port saw 160 vessels in 2000 and 750 in 2016. “You can see that over a long and extended period of time the Port of Nome has been serving not just Nome, but the region.” One ongoing transportation issue in Alaska is the imbalance of imports versus exports. Beneville says that the Port of Nome exports products as well as importing them, for example rock from the Sound Quarry east of Nome where metamorphic rock is mined “that is terrific for sea walls or grinding up for gravel.” He continues, “I really want to bring that point home; Western Alaska has other resources as well.” He says a graphite mine is under development fifty miles north of Nome, and there are other opportunities for exportation as well. Currently the Port of Nome’s existing causeway is approximately 3,000 feet in length. The outer harbor basin depth is 22.5 feet, allowing the port to service medium draft and smaller vessels. The port is dredged annually by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The limitations of the Port’s current basin depth certainly affect development. Baker says that ideally the expansion would extend the existing maritime infrastructure out until the basin reached a depth of 36-to-40 feet, with 40 feet being a “high-end goal,” that would accommodate most deep-draft vessels.

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

Baker says that expanding the port has numerous benefits: it will lower the cost of transshipping goods to Western Alaska as well as Arctic coastal communities; serve US national security needs; and allow staging of maritime assets to facilitate search and rescue and oil spill response in the Arctic, protecting the marine environment, food resources, and human life.

What’s happening now? The City and Port of Nome are working closely together, “internally contemplating and investigating options for funding the city’s costshare for construction down the road in four to five years,” Baker says. “We are fortunate that we received $1.6 million in funding from the Alaska Legislature in 2016 to serve as the city’s cost-share for finalizing the study and moving into design for the port,” especially with the state’s current fiscal climate. “We intend to make good use of it.” Beneville says the Port of Nome project is also fortunate to have the support of local partner Sitnasuak Native Corporation. “They have a vested interest in fuel, and they are in for the long-term on this, and we’re thrilled about that,” he says. It’s estimated that construction will cost approximately $212 million, though Baker stresses this is an extremely rough estimate, which was calculated without final decisions on the type of docks being built, the exact length of the breakwater, and other factors. Cost-share for completion of the study and design will be 50/50 between the City/Port of Nome and the US Army Corps of Engineers, but she says that percentage will likely be different for the actual construction, relying more heavily on the US Army Corps of Engineers for funding. Baker says she anticipates it will take twoto two-and-a-half years to complete study, revision, and design of the expansion. If all goes well, and funding is in place, it’s possible that all parties involved may be ready for construction in three years or so. Beneville emphasizes that the Port of Nome is not just important to the region’s economy, but is a strategic port in terms of national security. “When you look at a map of Alaska, especially on a globe as opposed to a flat map, you see why we are and were, during the Cold War, so incredibly important. A lot of people recognize the importance of development of a port in the far north from a strategic point of view,” he says. Baker says that one absolute fact is that traffic in the Bering Strait is increasing. “That was the consensus of the Arctic Encounters Symposium in Seattle that I attended [in April]; more than half [of the presentations] demonstrated the increase in vessel traffic… Everything pretty much resolved to the fact that, whether oil and gas is at pause or not, the traffic increases are continuing to rise.” She says traffic is increasing in a variety of industries as interest in the region grows. Beneville poses the question, “How many ways can you get from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean in the northern hemisphere by water? There are only two: the Panama Canal and the Bering Strait, and the Bering Strait is beginning to be far more accessible.” R www.akbizmag.com

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Transportation

Kuskokwim Ice Road: New Funding Necessary for Seasonal Highway Photo courtesy of Mike Leary

Region is in need of economic development, affordable energy, affordable housing, and cheaper transportation By Julie Stricker

s the sky turns pink with the approaching dawn on the shortest day of the year, a handful of people from villages along the Kuskokwim River head out onto a jumble of ice to start marking what will become a 250-mile-long frozen road linking villages from Nunapitchuk south of Bethel to Napaimute to the north. The temperature is well below zero and the sun will barely rise above the horizon before it sets in mid-afternoon.

Arrive Alive The river is the only highway linking about 15,000 people in the middle and lower Kuskokwim River, says Mike Leary, director of development and operations for the Native Village of Napaimute. It is a region in need of economic development, affordable energy, affordable housing, and cheaper transportation. The ice road, even if it only exists for four 38

The seasonal Kuskokwim Ice Road drives down transportation costs and offers a conduit for economic growth for thousands of locals in isolated villages in Southwest Alaska.

or five months, drives down costs and offers a conduit for economic growth, Leary says. But the funding for the road is inadequate and unreliable. Workers from local tribal governments and search and rescue organizations build and maintain it. Many are volunteers. “These are our highways—our only highways—and they need to be treated as such with stable funding for annual establishment and maintenance,” Leary says. In 2016, Leary received a $116,000 safety grant from the Federal Highways Administration and is compiling a report on the ice road called “Arrive Alive—a Tribal Transportation Safety Project.” The road itself costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to build and maintain—there’s no defined amount, Leary says. Money comes from a variety of federal and tribal sources. Next year, the safety grant will be gone. “I made a list of everybody that I see out there on the ice road,” Leary says. “Just about every public and private entity in the region uses that ice road. It saves them thousands and thousands of dollars on their operating budget.” Many people use it, but few contribute to the costs related to the road’s upkeep. “The ice road is such a huge social and economic benefit for the region, but there’s just a handful of people out there pulling the load,” Leary says.

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

The Calista Connection The middle and lower Kuskokwim River is part of the region overseen by Calista Corporation, one of the thirteen regional corporations established under the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to benefit Alaska Natives. Calista includes fifty-six villages in southwest Alaska and has about 17,300 shareholders, primarily of Yup’ik descent. The region is one of Alaska’s poorest economically, and Calista Communications Manager Thom Leonard says the corporation has long advocated for more stable funding for the ice road. “The ice road is critical when it’s safe,” Leonard says. “Traveling by air just fifteen miles to [or] from Bethel can easily be in the hundreds of dollars. With the ice road, it can allow a person [or a family] to travel to Bethel to purchase food and supplies more affordably. Others travel to the regional hospital for non-emergency services. In fact, the Lower Kuskokwim School District started traveling on the ice road this academic year in order to manage travel costs.” The village corporation for Napaimute and nine nearby villages, The Kuskokwim Corporation, also supports the tribes’ efforts to strengthen the local economy, says Andrea Gusty, vice president of corporate affairs for The Kuskokwim Corporation. “They’re the ones doing the heavy lifting. www.akbizmag.com

Photo courtesy of Mike Leary

TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION

A lone trucker braves the hazards of traveling on the frozen river. Thinning ice and overflow, as well as caved-in snow banks and dangerous winter storms, make for a long, painstaking journey.

They’re writing the grants,” Gusty says. “They’re coming up with the business plans that work for their tribe, and we’re supporting them.”

Ice Road Opportunities One of the opportunities the ice road is supporting is a local sawmill, which was moved downstream forty miles from Chuathbaluk to near Kalskag in 2013, so workers are able to cut commercial timber on demand. Napaimute means “The People of the Trees.” The tribe bought the mill from a Chuathbaluk family for $600,000, funded by a federal grant. The ice road makes it possible for the corporation to move the wood and equipment economically between harvest sites and customers. Kalskag High School students make trail markers for the road from local spruce. The tribe buys them from the students and the students use the money for their senior trip. Leary is hoping that if the Alaska Legislature increases the gas tax to help maintain roads and airports, a portion of the funds will be dedicated to the ice road. “Back in the day when the state was rich, the state used to fund the ice road,” Leary says. “The city of Bethel would put out a bid for ice road plowing every year. Our family used to do it. We used to have an ice road plowing and trucking business. That all went away.” Today, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has no oversight of ice roads, a spokeswoman says. Building the Road “Every year is different and the River is always teaching us,” says an update on the 2016 ice road construction. “After several days of reconnaissance to figure out the best routes, actual trail and open water marking has begun.” The road starts out as local subsistence trails radiating from the villages as the ice freezes. Crews mark safe routes, connecting them from Napaskiak to Bethel and Bethel north to Akiachak and outward as the season progresses. It’s a careful, painstaking process. Open water and thin ice aren’t the only hazards on the ice road. Rough ice, caved-in banks, shelf ice, overflow, and winter storms can lead to miles-long detours or can even close the road completely for days. As the ice thickens, it may restrict the river flow and www.akbizmag.com

June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION

SEATAC MARINE SERVICES MARINE TERMINAL — BARGE TRANSPORTATION BULK LOGISTICS — CARGO OPERATIONS

email: susie@seatacmarine.com 6701 Fox Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98108 • Tel: 206-767-6000 Fax: 206-767-6015

Photo courtesy of Mike Leary

Workers use chainsaws and ice augurs to drill into the ice to set markers in areas of thin ice and open water with willow saplings. The jumble ice near Chuathbaluk gets so bad, tribal members are forced to chop a path across the river to widen it for travel.

cause blowouts, breaking ice up to three feet thick. Drunken driving is another hazard. Workers use chainsaws and ice augurs to drill into the ice to set markers or to line areas of thin ice and open water with willow saplings tied with blue warning ribbons. The jumble ice near Chuathbaluk was so bad, tribal members had to chop a path across the river before it could be widened for further travel. Once the ice is at least twenty-four inches thick, strong enough to hold heavy equipment, a plowed and graded ice road is next. The plows follow eight-foot-tall markers that show where the ice has been deemed safe. As an additional safety measure, a snowmachine goes out in front of the plow to confirm the measurements and a pickup truck loaded with fuel, tools, and supplies follows, checking the ice again. The equipment Leary and others use on the middle route has seen more than its share of rough conditions. The local legend “Mad Max,” plow truck is more than fifty years old. Companion trucks “Old Miska” and “Little Bull” have also seen decades of service. Some vehicles are World War II surplus. In early 2016, equipment problems threatened to sideline construction entirely until Leary stumbled upon a surplus eighteen-year-old grader at the Kasigluk airport. 40

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

www.akbizmag.com

TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION

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• Ocean towing, harbor towing, ship assist, container and transportation services • Modern fleet of 1,000 - 6,400 hp Z-Drive and conventional tugs from 365 - 4,400 hp • Five 6,000 - 10,500 ton deck barges ready to move bulk aggregate or general deck cargo CALL FOR A TOW QUOTE OR BARGE AVAILABILITY!

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westerntowboat.com I 206-789-9000

“It was going to go up to bid at the end of the month,” Leary says. “Being a state machine, it was well-maintained. Eighteen years old, but that was like brand new to us.” Leary paid for the machine over the phone with a credit card and drove it 150 miles downriver to Kalskag. Shipping one in from outside the region would have cost $20,000.

Everybody Benefits from the Ice Road Use of the road has grown over the years. Leary says he would love to put a counter on the ice to measure traffic, but for now he has to count on anecdotal evidence instead of hard data. “I often thought we could make it a toll road,” he muses. “I don’t know how that would fly. If everybody who used the road paid a dollar.” A stable funding source would allow the tribes to build a 250-mile-long ice road with regular maintenance and standard signage. Leary would also like to see a radio channel broadcast regularly updated travel and weather conditions. He’s presenting his “Arrive Alive” report to a national tribal conference in Tucson, Arizona, in September. “I’m getting on my soapbox whenever I can,” Leary says. “Look, the tribes need help. Everybody benefits from the ice road. ” R Julie Stricker is a journalist living near Fairbanks. www.akbizmag.com

June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

SPECIAL SECTION

Transportation

Crowley Meets Extreme Challenges with Fuel Service to Western Alaska

Photo courtesy of Rob Stapleton

Crowley Marine delivers high-quality petroleum in special fuel barges for aircraft, snow machines, four wheelers, cars, fishing boats, skiffs, and to be used for heating to villages throughout Western Alaska.

Tugs, barges, and crews of Crowley Marine battle deadly seas to make vital fuel deliveries

By Rob Stapleton

hey’ve been seen on the North coast of Alaska, on the television show Deadliest Catch, and by hundreds of welcoming Alaska villagers. They are the tugs, barges, and crews of Crowley Marine delivering fuel to Western Alaska and the North Slope. Working diligently for six months to prepare for a 180-day opening to deliver 50 million gallons of petroleum products, Crowley navigates the rivers and seas of Alaska to provide fuel to more than one hundred villages in Western Alaska. To achieve this feat Crowley uses seven tugs, twelve barges, and forty-eight crew members. Providing fuel for the largest state in the union to some of the most remote areas in Western Alaska is not a just a job, it is a strategy. Crowley’s goal is to make its deliveries between August and mid-September, but inclement weather sometimes forces them to deliver as late as October. The company faces a range of daunting challenges when making their much-needed petroleum deliveries, including break-up ice on the northern coast, low water levels upriver, and ever-changing currents, according to Crowley tug captains. Broken up into two groups, one for the coastal villages and the other for river villages, Crowley delivers highquality petroleum in special fuel barges for aircraft, snow machines, four wheelers, cars, fishing boats, skiffs, and to be used for heating. “Crowley provides the highest quality of fuel, and they provide service here locally year-round; no matter how cold or bitter the 42

weather, you can count on them,” says Nome resident Chuck Wheeler. “They are the tops, one of the big corporations: they don’t screw around.”

Addressing the Challenges Alaska’s weather creates additional challenges for the company as it pushes barges up the Yukon, Kuskokwim, Noatak, and Kobuk Rivers. Crowley’s fleet battles tides, sea and river ice, and dangerous weather conditions as it moves fuel from Bristol Bay to Kaktovik on the coast and from Emmonak to Fort Yukon on the Yukon River. Greg Pavellas, an eighteen-year fuel-delivery veteran and former director of marine operations at Crowley, loved his time as a tug captain. “Delivering fuel to the villages has been rewarding,” says Pavellas. “Where else can you see bowhead whales, then come ashore to the water’s edge and see polar bears, seals, and walrus. This is a very unique career.” A fish and wildlife biologist by trade, Pavellas used his education to run his fuel operation in a way that was safe for workers and the environment. Today, Pavellas is the director of engineering and special projectsfor Crowley. “I feel we’re lucky to have the best equipment possible so that we can make our deliveries in a safe and environmentally sound manner,” says Pavellas. Crowley uses additional crew members on the beach while offloading, adding oversight to each delivery. “We have more eyes on the beach as well as the water,” says Pavellas. “The environment is ours too, and it was my job to ensure that these guys really care. It’s not just

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

about the Environmental Protection Administration and regulations—we live here.” Pavellas says that during his sailing days he keeps a field guide of the animals and conditions on the waterways. “Some of the crew members have [also] started doing that; it helps during the planning stages when we meet as a group before we start the delivery runs,” says Pavellas. Pavellas says that the hardest part of deliveries in Alaska’s waters is calling “stop” to a delivery operation, which may be necessary to ensure the safety of the operation. His first operation to stop was when he was on the beach in Utqiagvik/Barrow when the wind and swells created critically adverse conditions. “When the weather goes bad, it’s time to get off the beach. When the waves are relentless and the wind comes up, it is time to shut down for the safety of the people and the environment.” Pavellas says that stopping an operation can add to the expense of the delivery, but a commitment to safety is key to Crowley’s success.

Working in Crews Crowley organizes their employees into so-called fueling sets so each set is able to work within its comfort zone, using familiar equipment in regions they know. Examples of Crowley’s equipment include powerful shallow draft tug boats, reinforced double hulled barges for coastal use, and special shallow draft barges with ramps for river use. The groups are divided into coastal and river crews, each of which work six months on and six months off. Crews are hired as an entire set, training before and during deployments. “We go over the contingency plan, drill response equipwww.akbizmag.com

TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION

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ment, and we encourage training,” says Pavellas. “The more training you have, the better you get.” He adds that the company has quarterly and monthly drills, in addition to table top safety discussions while on board. Pavellas stresses that hiring the right people for each crew adds to the safety and planning equation. Because of the remote locations and the danger involved in delivering fuel over water, Crowley hands are hired based upon their ability to reason, follow rules and policies, and work autonomously to create solutions. All Crowley employees have the authority to give a stop work command should they determine a situation to be unsafe. This is a powerful tool that owner Tom Crowley feels is important for every employee to possess, from senior management to entry level workers, says Mark Miller, director of corporate communications. “Safety is a core value of Crowley’s operations, whether it be Western Alaska or the North Slope or elsewhere, safety is our number one concern,” says Miller. “I am proud to work for a company that does the right thing. Even if we can’t make a delivery or [provide] the amount required, Crowley will have the fuel flown in to make up the difference,” adds Pavellas.

The Dangers of Climate Change Much has been said about changing conditions at the polar ice cap and in the ice conditions on the coast along the North Slope of Alaska due to climate change. Crowley—in operation in Alaska since 1953—has experienced these changes firsthand. “It’s been a long, long, time since I’ve seen shore fast ice,” says Pavellas. “And the pack ice has moved way away from the shore on the North Slope. This has created different operational conditions.” When the pack ice was grounded, it acted like a shield for the tug and barge operations, according to Pavellas. Without the pack ice the wind and water move right to the beach, making it harder to stay stationary while pumping fuel. “This old black ice is dangerous, and we try to avoid it,” he says. “We rely heavily on local knowledge,” says Pavellas. “And we have very friendly relationships with the local villagers. They live, eat, and breathe the conditions on their river or coastline, so they are a valuable resource.” In some cases, the tug captain calls ahead to the villages to get ice and water and sand bar conditions. If a situation exists that is far from the normal docking scenario, Crowley crews will put a skiff in the water ahead of the barge and tug to take soundings to create a track line or to put out buoys to work around. Crowley is a good company to work for, reflects Pavellas.“We work hard for six months on, and the rest of the time we spend with our families and play hard. It is comforting to know that during the winter months that our friends in the many villages we service will have fuel for hunting and gathering and to keep warm in the coldest of climates.” R Rob Stapleton is an Anchorage-based journalist and professional photographer. He owns Alaska Foto.

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

www.akbizmag.com

Top 10 reasons to fix Port of Anchorage 10 9 8 7 6 5

Not everybody owns a boat Volume – handles half of Alaska’s inbound, marine freight – half of which is delivered outside of Anchorage Connected – to Alaska’s marine, road, rail, pipeline and air transport systems Designated National Strategic Seaport – about 20 percent of all Port cargo is military related Critical infrastructure – vital to Alaska’s economy and regional natural disaster response Location – adjacent to key markets and hundreds of millions of dollars of freight-related infrastructure

4 3 2 1

Corrosion – aging wharf piles have lost up to three-quarters of their original thickness and are unlikely to survive another significant earthquake Most Alaskans don’t want to leave the state to live with Lower-48 relatives Anchorage budgets $3 million annually to install pile jackets that extend docks’ operational capacity – but do little to enhance operation efficiency or earthquake resilience Time is running out – pile jackets are a temporary fix and docks will lose load ratings and/or close starting in about 10 years, regardless of seismic activity or anything else

“Alaska deliveries were a lot easier when Anchorage had a dock.”

THE FIX: Anchorage Port Modernization Program Improves operational safety and efficiency Accommodates modern shipping operations Improves resiliency – enable facilities to survive extreme seismic events and Cook Inlet’s harsh marine environment for at least 75 years

● ● ●

Project construction will take at least seven years and employ 300 Alaska workers during peak construction phases (scheduled to begin in 2017).

Port modernization is projected to cost approximately $556 million and will benefit all Alaskans. Anchorage asked the Legislature to support a $298 million, statewide general obligation bond referendum or other funding mechanism in 2017 to help replace the Port’s main cargo terminals. All remaining project funds are in hand or will come from other sources, including Port revenues. Visit www.portofanc.com to learn more.

GOODS FOR ALASKA • SINCE 1961 PA I D A D V E R T I S E M E N T

TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION | 2017 TRANSPORTATION DIRECTORY

AIR CARGO

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

ACE Air Cargo 5901 Lockheed Ave. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-334-5100 Fax: 907-245-0243 Ace Delivery & Moving, Inc. PO Box 221389 Anchorage, AK 99522-1389 Phone: 907-522-6684 Fax: 907-349-4011 Air Land Transport 11100 Calaska Cir. Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-248-0362 Fax: 907-248-2695 Alaska Air Forwarding 4000 W. 50th Ave., Suite 6 Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-248-4697 Fax: 907-248-9706 Alaska Air Transit 2301 Merrill Field Dr. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-276-5422 Alaska Airlines 4750 Old Int’l Airport Rd. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-266-7200 Fax: 907-266-7229 Bald Mountain Air 3758 FAA Rd., Suite B Homer, AK 99603 Phone: 907-235-7969 Fax: 907-235-6602 Commodity Forwarders, Inc. 4000 W. 50th, Suite 1 Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-1144 Fax: 907-243-1149 Deadhorse Aviation Center PO Box 34006 Prudhoe Bay, AK 99734 Phone: 907-685-1700 Fax: 907-685-1798 Desert Air Transport, Inc. 4001 Old Int’l Airport Rd. Unit #9 Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-4700 Fax: 907-243-4705 Egli Air Haul PO Box 169 King Salmon, AK 99613 Phone: 907-246-3554 Fax: 907-246-3654 Era Helicopters LLC 6160 Carl Brady Dr., Hangar 2 Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-550-8600 Fax: 907-550-8608 Erickson Incorporated 5550 SW Macadam Ave., Suite 200 Portland, OR 97239 Phone: 503-505-5800 Everts Air Cargo PO Box 61680 Fairbanks, AK 99706 Phone: 907-450-2300 Fax: 907-450-2320 Express Delivery Service, Inc. 701 W. 41st Ave., Unit D Anchorage, AK 99503-6604 Phone: 907-562-7333 Fax: 907-561-7281 Grant Aviation 4451 Aircraft Dr. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 888-359-4726 Fax: 907-644-4321 Kenai Aviation PO Box 46 Kenai, AK 99611 Phone: 907-252-5935 Fax: 907-283-5267 Lynden Air Cargo 6441 S. Airpark Pl. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-7248 Fax: 907-257-5124 Lynden International 6441 S. Airpark Pl. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-6150 Fax: 907-243-2143 Lynden Logistics 6400 S. Airpark Pl. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-245-1544 Fax: 907-245-1744

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

Mike Bergt, Pres. Mike@aceaircargo.com aceaircargo.com Hank Schaub, GM alaskanace@gci.net alaskanace.com John Snead, Pres. Dispatch@airlandak.com airlandak.com Jeff Dornes, Co-Owner 4help@alaskaaircargo.com alaskaaircargo.com Daniel Owen, Pres./Owner/Operator Charters@FlyAAT.com FlyAAT.com Brad Tilden, Chairman/CEO AK Air Group alaskaair.com Gary Porter, VP coordinator@baldmountainair.com baldmountainair.com PJ Cranmer, Reg. Ops Mgr. Pac. NW anccs@cfiperishables.com cfiperishables.com Tim Cudney, Dir.

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

125 125

1994 1994

9 9

1976 1976

62 62

1969 1969

36 6

Air freight, trade shows, shipment consolidations, nationwide purchase order procurement service and international shipping.

1984 1984

16 16

Anchorage based air charters, serving Alaska, Canada, and the Lower 48. Aircraft include the fast, pressurized, increased weight capacity Pilatus PC-12/47, or our factory new Grand Caravan EX featuring increased power and an advanced ice protection system.

desertair@alaskan.com desertairalaska.com Sam Egli, Pres. egliair@bristolbay.com egliair.com Mandy Nelson, Account Mgr. AK

1993 1993

2003 2003

18 18

Single and multi-engine; nineteen passenger, cargo, and fuel delivery; VFR and IFR capable; turbine fleet for reliability; off-airport and arctic operations; flight safety trained crews; services on wheels, floats, and skis; aerial scientific platforms; 100NM+ off shore survey capability. 400+ Transporting perishable products worldwide. Provides logistical services for perishable 12+ products worldwide by providing transportation, documentation, warehouse and consulting services. Freezer storage in Anchorage.

2012 2012

8 5

2000 2000

6 6

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 2 large hangars, laydown yard for storage rental, office space, terminal, bedrooms, and a full dining facility. We transport cargo directly from Anchorage International Airport to more than 200 rural communities in Alaska.

1979 1982

7 7

Helicopter and airplane charter, aviation fuel sales, aircraft maintenance and hangar space rental.

1948 1948

erahelicopters.com Andrew Mills, VP Business Dev.

1,000 Founded in Alaska in 1948, Era not only serves the oil and gas industry in Alaska, but pro50 vides services for state and government business, executive charter services, flight-seeing tours, environmental surveys, utility and construction work.

1971 1985

800 20

1995 1995

312 287

Erickson is a leading global provider of aviation services specializing in, government services, legacy aircraft MRO and manufacturing, oil & gas, and commercial services such as firefighting, HVAC, powerline, and construction. Erickson operates a fleet of 90 rotarywing (light, medium, and heavy). Everts Air Cargo is an Alaskan owned and operated air carrier providing scheduled and charter (domestic and international) air freight service using MD-80, DC-9, & DC-6 aircraft.

1977 1977

22 22

Air courier services, local and Valley delivery services, special warehousing and storage. Specializing in serving the medical community. Open 24/7/365.

1971 1971

200 200

1961 1961

3 3

A made-in-Alaska airline known for a strong track record of safety, community involvement and for being one of the friendliest airlines in Alaska. Provides scheduled and charter passenger, mail, freight and air ambulance services in the YK Delta, Bristol Bay and the Aleutians. Air taxi. Charter, Aircraft Maintenance.

1996 1996

171 171

Charter air cargo service. Scheduled air cargo and express package service.

1980 1980

214 44

Domestic and international freight forwarding and logistics.

1984 1984

13 5

Arrangement of freight transportation, information management and logistical services.

ericksoninc.com Robert Everts, Pres./CEO info@EvertsAir.com EvertsAir.com Ed Hoffman, Pres.

On Demand passenger charters throughout the State of Alaska. Cargo transportation provider offering scheduled cargo service to twenty-one locations in Alaska. ACE Logistics freight-forwarding and logistics provider. ACE Air Services offers aviation ground-handling for commercial and private carriers. Air cargo and express-package services, air courier services, arrangement of transportation of freight, freight-transportation services, local delivery services, local trucking with storage and third-party logistics. Residential and office moves. Hot shots, and white glove residential deliveries. Air Land Transport has been serving Alaska’s transportation needs since 1976. We provide LTL and Full Load trucking services to many destinations within the state. We have the knowledge, fleet, and personnel to deliver your freight efficiently and economically.

1932 19,100 Alaska Airlines, Virgin America, and regional carrier Horizon Air, provide passenger and 1932 1,800 cargo service to more than 100 destinations in Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, and the Lower 48.

deadhorseaviation.com Dennis Gladwin, Pres.

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

1988 1988

e.hoffman@expressdeliveryak.com Bruce McGlasson, Pres. flygrant.com flygrant.com James Bielefeld, Chief Pilot kenaiav@yahoo.com KenaiAviation.com Rick Zerkel, Pres. charters@lynden.com lynden.com/lac John Kaloper, Pres. ancall@lynden.com lynden.com/lint Alex McKallor, Pres. information@lynden.com lynden.com/llog

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

www.akbizmag.com

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

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

TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION | 2017 TRANSPORTATION DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

Lynden Transport 3027 Rampart Dr. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-276-4800 Fax: 907-257-5155 Maritime Helicopters 3520 FAA Rd. Homer, AK 99603 Phone: 907-235-7771 Fax: 907-235-7773 Northern Air Cargo, Inc. 3900 Old International Airport Rd. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-3331 Fax: 907-249-5191 Pathfinder Aviation, LLC 2238 Kachemak Dr. Homer, AK 99603 Phone: 907-226-2800 Fax: 907-226-2801 PenAir 6100 Boeing Ave. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 800-446-4228 Fax: 907-334-5763 Ravn Alaska 4700 Old International Airport Rd. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-266-8394 Fax: 907-266-8391 Ryan Air, Inc. 6400 Carl Brady Dr. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-562-2227 Fax: 907-563-8177 Security Aviation 6121 S. Airpark Pl. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-248-2677 Fax: 907-248-6911 TGI Freight 4001 Old International Airport Rd., Unit 7 Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-522-3088 Fax: 907-562-6295 TransGroup Global Logistics 3501 Postmark Dr. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-4345 United States Postal Service 3720 Barrow St. Anchorage, AK 99599 Phone: 800-ASK-USPS UPS Forwarding 4000 W. 50th Ave., Suite 5 Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-3302 Fax: 907-243-8761 Ward Air, Inc. 8991 Yandukin Dr. Juneau, AK 99801-8086 Phone: 907-789-9150 Fax: 907-789-7002 Wright Air Service PO Box 60142 Fairbanks, AK 99706 Phone: 907-474-0502 Fax: 907-474-0375 YRC Freight 431 E. 104th Ave. Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-344-0099 Fax: 907-344-0939

Paul Grimaldi, Pres.

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

1954 1954

trananccs@lynden.com lynden.com/ltia Robert Fell, Dir. Ops info@maritimehelicopters.com maritimehelicopters.com David Karp, Pres./CEO customercare@nac.aero nac.aero Charles Constant, CEO info@pathfinderaviation.com pathfinderaviation.com Danny Seybert, CEO missy.roberts@penair.com penair.com Bob Hajdukovich, CEO sales@flyravn.com flyravn.com/ Wilfred “Boyuck” Ryan, Pres. ben@ryanalaska.com ryanalaska.com Stephen “Joe” Kapper, Pres. sales@securityaviaition.biz securityaviation.biz Todd Clark, Pres. toddc@tgifreight.com tgifreight.com Rich Wilson, Station Mgr.

Full-service, multi-modal freight transportation to, from and within Alaska.

1973 1973

46 46

1956 1956

384 379

2001 2001

54 52

1955 1955

700 400

We support petroleum, construction & marine industries as well as federal/state agencies. 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. 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. Pathfinder Aviation, LLC supports Petroleum, Mining, Survey, Film, and various other industries utilizing twin-engine Bell 212s & single engine Bell 206 series helicopters with OAS-approved pilots and aircraft. They operate field bases throughout Alaska with a main base in Homer. Passenger Transportation throughout SW Alaska, with hubs in the lower 48 in Portland, OR, Boston, MA and Denver, CO. Also specializing in Charters and Freight service throughout the State of Alaska.

1948 1948

1,022 Transportation; scheduled passenger service, scheduled cargo and charter service. 1,022

1953 1953

120 120

From Platinum to Kobuk, from Gambell to Mt. Village, we know the challenges of transportation in Alaska. For more than 50 years, we’ve developed the skill, perfected the processes and implemented the technology required to efficiently move freight across the Bush.

1985 1985

25 25

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.

1989 1989

10 10

Local freight cartage, freight consolidation, logistics and hazardous material services.

1987 2011

karic.anc@transgroup.com transgroup.com Ron Haberman, District Mgr.

3,000 U.S. owned full service freight forwarder and global logistics provider. We provide trans2 portation, warehousing and specialized logistics solutions, coupled with software tailored to meet the specific needs of each individual customers-for every link in your supply chain. Areas Served: Worldwide. 1775 493,381 Mailing and delivery of letters, magazines and parcels weighing up to 70 pounds. 1915 1,472

usps.com 2004 444,000 Worldwide air freight-transportation services. 2004 3

Duane Kujala, Supervisor ups-scs.com

1995 1995

Ed Kiesel, Pres. Reservations@WardAir.com WardAir.com Bob Bursiel, Pres. bob@wrightairservice.com wrightairservice.com Roslyn Mitchell, Terminal Mgr. yrcfreight.com

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

251 123

alaskanace@gci.net alaskanace.com Jared Lastufka, Ops Mgr. youtube.com/americanfastfreight americanfast.com John Snead, Pres. Dispatch@airlandak.com airlandak.com Jeff Dornes, Co-Owner 4help@alaskaaircargo.com alaskaaircargo.com Andy Brinkman, GM alaskapark.com

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

Air transportation nonscheduled.

1924 38,000 YRC Freight operations in Alaska, give you an integrated solution for moving LTL and TL 1981 4 freight between key markets using just one carrier from beginning to end. In addition, YRC has comprehensive coverage throughout North America, including cross-border to and from Canada and Mexico.

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

Hank Schaub, GM

20 20

1967 90-100 Scheduled passenger and freight charter service. Cessna Caravans, Piper Navajos, Cessna 1967 90-100 206s, and Helio couriers.

LAND RAIL & TRUCK Ace Delivery & Moving, Inc. PO Box 221389 Anchorage, AK 99522-1389 Phone: 907-522-6684 Fax: 907-349-4011 AFF Distribution Services 5491 Electron Dr. #8 Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-563-7094 Fax: 907-563-7094 Air Land Transport 11100 Calaska Cir. Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-248-0362 Fax: 907-248-2695 Alaska Air Forwarding 4000 W. 50th Ave., Suite 6 Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-248-4697 Fax: 907-248-9706 Alaska Park 5000 Spenard Rd. Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-222-4002

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

1994 1994

9 9

1988 1988

500 120

1976 1976

62 62

1969 1969

36 6

Air freight, trade shows, shipment consolidations, nationwide purchase order procurement service and international shipping.

2013 2013

30 30

Alaska Park is a full service valet airport parking facility, serving Ted Stevens International Airport and the Coast International Inn Hotel. During the winter, come back to a warm, running car and a cool one in the summer. We take the stress out of airport parking.

Air cargo and express-package services, air courier services, arrangement of transportation of freight, freight-transportation services, local delivery services, local trucking with storage and third-party logistics. Residential and office moves. Hot shots, and white glove residential deliveries. Third-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. Air Land Transport has been serving Alaska’s transportation needs since 1976. We provide LTL and Full Load trucking services to many destinations within the state. We have the knowledge, fleet, and personnel to deliver your freight efficiently and economically.

www.akbizmag.com

EXPERTISE. RESOURCES. RELIABILITY. Serving more of Alaska than any other carrier.

Rated #1 Ocean Carrier in the world 2014, 2015, 2016 Logistics Managementâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Quest for Quality Awards

Alaska Service Center 1-877-678-SHIP

matson.com/Alaska

TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION | 2017 TRANSPORTATION DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

Alaska Railroad Corp. PO Box 107500 Anchorage, AK 99510-7500 Phone: 907-265-2300 Fax: 907-265-2443 Alaska Terminals, Inc. 400 W. 70th Ave., Suite 3 Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-349-6657 Fax: 907-349-2045 Alaska Trucking Association 3443 Minnesota Dr. Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-276-1149 Fax: 907-274-1946 Alaska West Express 1048 Whitney Rd. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-339-5100 Fax: 907-339-5117 Alison’s Relocations, Inc. 310 E. First Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-345-9934 Fax: 907-344-4504 American Fast Freight, Inc. 47693 Michelle Ave., Unit 7 Soldotna, AK 99669 Phone: 907-262-6646 Fax: 907-262-1925 American Fast Freight, Inc. 3501 Lathrop St., Suite L Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: 907-452-7129 Fax: 907-451-7103 American Fast Freight, Inc. 5025 Van Buren St. Anchorage, AK 99517 Phone: 907-248-5548 Fax: 907-243-7353 American Relocation Services 47693 Michelle Ave., Unit 7 Soldotna, AK 99669 Phone: 907-262-6646 American Relocation Services 5491 Electron Dr., Unit 1 Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-248-2929 Fax: 907-561-4244 American Relocation Services 3411 Lathrop St., Suite L Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: 907-456-3097 Fax: 907-456-3098 AMS Couriers 5001 Arctic Blvd., Unit 2 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-278-2736 Fax: 907-258-4293 Best Rate Express Transport PO Box 39193 Lakewood, WA 98496 Phone: 253-535-1000 Fax: 253-535-2060 Black Gold Express 1648 Cushman St., Suite 205 Fairbanks , AK 99701 Phone: 907-490-3222 Fax: 907-374-5133 Carlile 1800 E. First Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501-1833 Phone: 907-276-7797 Fax: 907-278-7301 Commodity Forwarders, Inc. 4000 W. 50th, Suite 1 Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-1144 Fax: 907-243-1149 Crowley Fuels LLC 201 Arctic Slope Ave. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-777-5505 Fax: 907-777-5550 Deadhorse Aviation Center PO Box 34006 Prudhoe Bay, AK 99734 Phone: 907-685-1700 Fax: 907-685-1798 Express Delivery Service, Inc. 701 W. 41st Ave., Unit D Anchorage, AK 99503-6604 Phone: 907-562-7333 Fax: 907-561-7281 Fairchild Freight LLC 401 E. 100th Ave., Building B200 Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-331-3251 Kenworth Alaska 2838 Porcupine Dr. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-279-0602 Fax: 907-258-6639

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

Bill O’Leary, Pres./CEO corpinfo@akrr.com alaskarailroad.com Todd Halverson, Owner/Pres. dave@akterminals.com akterminals.com Aves Thompson, Exec. Dir. info@aktrucks.org aktrucks.org Scott Hicks, Pres. information@lynden.com lynden.com/awe Alison McDaniel, Pres. alisonsrelo@gci.net alisonsrelo.com Ron Moore, AK Sales Mgr. youtube.com/americanfastfreight americanfast.com Ron Moore, AK Sales Mgr. youtube.com/americanfastfreight americanfast.com Ron Moore, AK Sales Mgr. alaska@americanfast.com americanfast.com Damian Naquin, GM youtube.com/americanfastfreight americanrelocationservices.com Damian Naquin, GM youtube.com/americanfastfreight americanrelocationservices.com Damian Naquin, GM youtube.com/americanfastfreight americanrelocationservices.com Jaime Fink, Mng. Shareholder info@amscouriers.com amscouriers.com Young Summers, Member yksummers@qwestoffice.net bestrateexpress.com Jeremy Huffman, CEO info@blackgoldalaska.com blackgoldalaska.com Terry Howard, Pres.

1914 1914

1981 1981

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

600 600

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

Freight rail transportation, passenger rail transportation, and real estate land leasing and permitting. Year-round employees 575-585; Seasonal (summer) employees 125-135; Total employees 700-720.

70-80 As the Atlas Van Lines agent for Alaska, we perform local, interstate and international 30 moving services for corporate, government and private clients. Website: www.akterminals. com.

1958 1958

4 4

1978 1978

186 175

1997 1997

30 30

1984 1984

500 120

1984 1984

500 120

1984 1984

500 120

1988 1988

500 120

1988 1988

500 120

1988 1988

500 120

1964 1964

12 12

2004 -

0 0

Best Rate Express Transport: flat, step, vans, reefers and heavy haul. Rail: containers and flat cars. Air: next-day, two-day and deferred service. Marine: steamship and barge service.

1984 1984

45 25

1980 1980

484 320

From civil work to oilfields services, from interstate moves to heavy hauls, Black Gold Express has the experience and knowledge to handle all your transportation needs. In the most extreme conditions or in the most remote locations, Black Gold Express does all your heavy lifting. Transportation and logistics company offering multi-model trucking as well as project logistic services across Alaska and North America.

2003 2003

400+ Transporting perishable products worldwide. Provides logistical services for perishable 12+ products worldwide by providing transportation, documentation, warehouse and consulting services. Freezer storage in Anchorage.

1892 1953

5,000 CPD operates fuel terminals in 22 locations in the Railbelt, western AK and SE AK, providing 500 home heating oil, jet fuel, diesel, gasoline and propane. Our fuel barges make direct deliveries to over 200 western Alaska communities. Crowley proudly celebrates over 60 years of service to Alaska. 8 The Deadhorse Aviation Center is Fairweather, LLC’s multi-modal aviation facility designed 5 to meet the needs of onshore and offshore oil and gas development on the North Slope. The DAC has 2 large hangars, laydown yard for storage rental, office space, terminal, bedrooms, and a full dining facility. 22 Air courier services, local and Valley delivery services, special warehousing and storage. 22 Specializing in serving the medical community. Open 24/7/365.

An authoritative voice in trucking; the Alaska Trucking Association provides regulatory guidance, a bridge between industry and DOT, as well as a voice in Juneau via our registered lobbyist. ATA provides DMV services to both members companies and the general public. Alaska West Express provides 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. Full service household goods moving and storage company. Providing customized moving packages-residential, commercial and industrial offices, national and corporate accounts. Via Ocean and Over The Road to ALL Cities and States. Palletized shipments to Full Trailer loads. Worldwide Service. Ocean freight forwarding, freight consolidation of all kinds, LTL/LCL, full loads & single shipments, temperature protected, dry vans, specialized equipment, heavy haul, project logistics, barge, steamship, intra-state trucking, warehousing, distribution, military shipments, etc. Ocean freight forwarding, freight consolidation of all kinds, LTL/LCL, full loads & single shipments, temperature protected, dry vans, specialized equipment, heavy haul, project logistics, barge, steamship, intra-state trucking, warehousing, distribution, military shipments, etc. Ocean freight forwarding, freight consolidation of all kinds, LTL/LCL, full loads & single shipments, temperature protected, dry vans, specialized equipment, heavy haul, project logistics, barge, steamship, intra-state trucking, warehousing, distribution, household goods, military shipments & more! Commercial/residential relocations, moving and storage, temperature-controlled facilities, ocean freight forwarding, complete packing and crating services, free detailed estimates, military approved, service in and outside Alaska, certified moving consultants, budget service available. Commercial/residential relocation, moving & storage, temperature-controlled facilities, ocean freight forwarding, complete packing and crating services, free detailed estimates, military approved, certified moving consultants, budget service available. Also locations in Fairbanks, Soldotna & Kodiak. Commercial/residential relocations, moving and storage, temperature-controlled facilities, ocean freight forwarding, complete packing and crating services, free detailed estimates, military approved, service in and outside Alaska, certified moving consultants, budget service available. Specializes in Route, On-Demand, and Same-Day Deliveries in Alaska. Provides Transportation, Warehousing, and Logistics solutions for the Medical, Legal, Telecommunications, and Financial industries. Open 24/7/365.

carlile.biz PJ Cranmer, Reg. Ops Mgr. Pac. NW anccs@cfiperishables.com cfiperishables.com Bob Cox, VP bob.cox@crowley.com crowleyfuels.com Tim Cudney, Dir.

2012 2012

deadhorseaviation.com Ed Hoffman, Pres.

1977 1977

e.hoffman@expressdeliveryak.com Jason Fairchild, Pres. sales@fairchildfreight.com fairchildfreight.com/ Marshall Cymbaluk, CEO/Mgr.

2005 2005

175 10

Fairchild Freight specializes in the transportation of consumer food commodities such as fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and beverage products throughout North America.

1974 1974

250 30

Kenworth Alaska provides support for parts, sales, and service needs for the heavy duty truck market Monday through Friday 7am to Midnight and Saturday 8am to 4pm.

sales@kenworthalaska.com kenworthalaska.com

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

www.akbizmag.com

TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION | 2017 TRANSPORTATION DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

Kodiak Transfer, Inc. 5152 Tom Stiles Rd., Bldg. A Kodiak, AK 99615 Phone: 907-487-9765 Fax: 907-487-2198 Lynden International 6441 S. Airpark Pl. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-6150 Fax: 907-243-2143 Lynden Logistics 6400 S. Airpark Pl. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-245-1544 Fax: 907-245-1744 Lynden Oilfield Services 1048 Whitney Rd. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-339-5100 Fax: 907-339-5117 Lynden Transport 3027 Rampart Dr. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-276-4800 Fax: 907-257-5155 Minn-Alaska Transport PO Box 2409 Palmer, AK 99645 Phone: 907-346-3950 Fax: 406-245-8598 North Star Terminal & Stevedore Co., LLC 790 Ocean Dock Rd. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-263-0120 Fax: 907-272-8927 Northstar Trucking, Inc. 13135 Old Glenn Hwy., Suite 200 Eagle River, AK 99577 Phone: 907-373-4400 Fax: 907-373-4407 Power And Transmission, Inc. 711 Van Horn Rd. Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: 907-456-2230 Fax: 907-456-3234 PRL Logistics, Inc. 421 W. First Ave., Suite 250 Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-261-9440 Fax: 907-261-9441 Samson Tug & Barge Co. 329 Harbor Dr. Sitka, AK 99835 Phone: 800-331-3522 Fax: 907-747-5370 Sea Wide Express 3400 C Industry Dr. E. Fife, WA 98424 Phone: 253-279-4685 Sourdough Express, Inc. 600 Driveways St. Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: 907-452-1181 Fax: 907-452-3331 Span Alaska Transportation, Inc. 2040 E. 79th Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 253-395-7726 Fax: 253-395-7986 Specialized Transport & Rigging 2525 C St., Suite 112 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-222-2750 TrailerCraft | Freightliner of Alaska 222 W. 92nd Ave. Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-563-3238 Fax: 907-561-4995 TransGroup Global Logistics 3501 Postmark Dr. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-4345 United States Postal Service 3720 Barrow St. Anchorage, AK 99599 Phone: 800-ASK-USPS UPS Forwarding 4000 W. 50th Ave., Suite 5 Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-3302 Fax: 907-243-8761 Waste Management National Services, Inc. 1519 Ship Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-274-0477 Weaver Brothers, Inc. 2230 Spar Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-278-4526 Fax: 907-276-4316

Kirk Rasmussen, Pres.

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

kodiaktransfer@alaska.net kodiaktransfer.com John Kaloper, Pres. ancall@lynden.com lynden.com/lint Alex McKallor, Pres. information@lynden.com lynden.com/llog Scott Hicks, Pres. information@lynden.com lynden.com/loil Paul Grimaldi, Pres. trananccs@lynden.com lynden.com/ltia John Corcoran, Mng. Member dispatch@minn-ak.com minn-ak.com Jeff Bentz, Pres. scottv@northstarak.com northstarak.com Michael Foster, Pres. rkb@mlfaalaska.com nstialaska.com Daniel Gorrod, Pres. parts711@yahoo.com powerandtransmission.com Ron Hyde, Pres./CEO info@pacrimlog.com pacrimlog.com George Baggen, Pres./CEO sales@samsontug.com samsontug.com Phil Hinkle, GM quotes@seawideexpress.com seawideexpress.com Jeff Gregory, Pres./CEO sourdoughtransfer.com sourdoughexpress.com Tom Souply, Pres. billm@spanalaska.com spanalaska.com Curtis Spencer, Pres. sales@stralaska.com stralaska.com Lee McKenzie, Pres./Owner Facebook, Instagram and Twitter trailercraft.com Rich Wilson, Station Mgr. karic.anc@transgroup.com transgroup.com Ron Haberman, District Mgr.

1962 1962

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

26 26

Local and nationwide trucking, commercial and military household goods relocation, and storage.

1980 1980

214 44

Domestic and international freight forwarding and logistics.

1984 1984

13 5

Arrangement of freight transportation, information management and logistical services.

2015 2015

28 28

Lynden Oilfield Services, a division of Alaska West Express, provides support for exploration, production, and service companies on the North Slope working to develop Alaskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil and gas resources.

1954 1954

251 123

Full-service, multi-modal freight transportation to, from and within Alaska.

2007 2007

15 15

Services include reefers, vans, flatbeds, stepdecks, and lowboys. Minn-Alaska Transport is committed to meeting all of your over-the-road needs with excellence.

1950 1950

20 20

2003 2003

15 15

Stevedore, Marine logistics, specializing in providing crane and equipment operated, rental solutions. We also offer state of the art ABI Mobil Ram machines, for large diameter drilling, with vibratory and hammer attachments built for driving pile. We are DOT approved for bridge foundation work. Heavy-haul specializing in bridge beams, cranes, double-side dumps and construction equipment.

1972 1972

7 7

We sell bearings, seals, filters, air valves, compressors, brakes, exhaust, suspension, lights, fittings, wheel studs and nuts for semi trucks and trailers. We make hydraulic control cables. We sell cargo tie down chains & straps, Tire Chains and many more misc parts.

2002 2002

40 40

1937 1937

150+ 80+

2015 2016

10 2

PRL 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. Alaskan owned, we offer the full range of barge freight & cargo hauling services, transporting cargo to Sitka, Cordova, Valdez, Fairbanks, Prudhoe Bay, Seward, Anchorage, Kenai Peninsula, Kodiak, King Cove, Dutch Harbor, Juneau, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Wrangell, Prince of Whales Island & Metlakatla. We specialize in surface transportation to Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico and Guam.

1898 1902

150 150

Freight-transportation services, moving and storage services. Steel Connex Container Sales/Lease.

1978 1978

210 170

Freight transportation services to and from Alaska, less-than-truckload and truckload. Steamship and barge service to Railbelt area of Alaska. Barge service to Juneau and Southeast Alaska. Overnight service from Anchorage to Fairbanks and the Kenai Peninsula.

2014 2014

38 34

Transportation and logistics services across Alaska, Canada and the Continental US. STR specializes in heavy haul transport for the Oil & Gas, Construction and Mining Industries.

1969 1969

50 50

Parts, sales and service for trucks, tractors, trailers, Sprinters, transport equipment, snow plows and sanders.

1987 2011

usps.com Duane Kujala, Supervisor

2004 444,000 Worldwide air freight-transportation services. 2004 3

ups-scs.com Mike Holzschuh, Sr. Territory Mgr. mholzschuh@wm.com wm.com Jim Doyle, Pres.

1971 43,000 Hazardous and nonhazardous waste disposal, project management, complete logistical 1971 10 oversight, complete US and Canadian manifesting, rail transportation, over-the-road transportation, marine transportation, and turnkey remedial services. 1946 1953

126 126

Trucking, local drayage, linehaul, dry bulk, liquid bulk, fuel, chemical, hot oil, heavy haul, hazmat and specialty transport as well as Oil Field support.

info@wbialaska.com wbialaska.com

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

www.akbizmag.com

UNMATCHED SERVICE EXTREME RELIABILITY Span Alaska recently won a 2016 Quest for Quality Award for best regional LTL carrier, and just received a NASSTRAC Award as 2017 Specialty LTL Carrier of the Year. NASSTRAC recognizes carriers that demonstrate excellence in key areas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; customer service, operational excellence, pricing, business relationships, and leadership and technology. Span would like to thank our customers for this honor and our employees for their commitment.

For a rate quote, contact us at rate@spanalaska.com â&#x20AC;˘ 1.800.257.7726 www.spanalaska.com

TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION | 2017 TRANSPORTATION DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

Western Peterbilt, LLC. 2756 Commercial Dr. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-276-2020 Fax: 907-276-2164 YRC Freight 431 E. 104th Ave. Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-344-0099 Fax: 907-344-0939

Gene Mountcastle, GM

1987 1987

khanson@westernpeterbilt.com westernpeterbilt.com Roslyn Mitchell, Terminal Mgr. yrcfreight.com

MARINE

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

Alaska Logistics LLC PO Box 604 Seward, AK 99664 Phone: 206-767-2555 Fax: 206-767-5222 Alaska Marine Coatings LLC PO 2636 Seward, AK 99664 Phone: 907-422-7640 Alaska Marine Lines 100 Mt. Roberts St. Juneau, AK 99801 Phone: 907-586-3790 Fax: 907-463-3298 Alaska Traffic Co. PO Box 3837 Seattle, WA 98124 Phone: 425-282-6610 Fax: 425-282-6611 Alison’s Relocations, Inc. 310 E. First Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-345-9934 Fax: 907-344-4504 Anderson Tug & Barge Co. PO Box 1524 Seward, AK 99664 Phone: 907-224-5506 Fax: 907-224-7446 Ashbreez Boatworks, LLC 3705 Arctic Blvd., #106 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-529-1907

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

sales@alaska-logistics.com alaska-logistics.com Mike Ritz, Project Mgr. mikeakmarinecoatings@gmail.com facebook.com/paintingboats/ Kevin Anderson, Pres. amlcsc@lynden.com lynden.com/aml Andrew Schwaegler, GM/VP info@alaskatraffic.com alaskatraffic.com Alison McDaniel, Pres. alisonsrelo@gci.net alisonsrelo.com Ben Stevens, GM

500 30

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

Full-service Peterbilt dealership. Offer truck sales, rentals and leasing, and contract maintenance. Full parts and service department. Additional locations in Fairbanks and Prudhoe Bay.

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

Allyn Long, Owner/GM

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

2003 2003

50 20

Scheduled barge service from Seattle to Western and Central Alaska. Provides services to receive customers’ freight, consolidate, manifest and track from origin to final destination. We also provide charters.

2014 2014

12 12

Marine Coatings.

1980 1980

352 118

1956 1956

18 2

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. Arrangement of transportation of all types of cargo, freight-transportation services and logistics services. Scheduled LTL, TL and consolidation services via steamship and barge.

1997 1997

30 30

1978 1978

60 5

2011 2011

2 2

Full service household goods moving and storage company. Providing customized moving packages-residential, commercial and industrial offices, national and corporate accounts. Via Ocean and Over The Road to ALL Cities and States. Palletized shipments to Full Trailer loads. Worldwide Service. Ship and barge assist, line handling, and pilot boat.

andersontug.com Chad Morse, Owner ashbreez@alaska.net ashbreezboatworks.com

Services include major boat repair, new aluminum boat construction, fiberglass repair, systems installation, electrical work, outboard repowers, repainting and refinishing and bottom painting. See our website for full details!

15th 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 54

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

•

Sales@Alaska-Logistics.com www.akbizmag.com

Bering Marine Corporation 6400 S. Airpark Pl. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-248-7646 Fax: 907-245-1744 Bering Pacific Services Co. 8315 216th St. SE Woodinville, WA 98072 Phone: 206-390-3260 Best Rate Express Transport PO Box 39193 Lakewood, WA 98496 Phone: 253-535-1000 Fax: 253-535-2060 Bowhead Transport Company LLC 4025 Delridge Way SW, Suite 160 Seattle, WA 98106 Phone: 800-347-0049 Fax: 206-957-5261 Boyer Towing PO Box 8000 Ketchikan, AK 99901 Phone: 907-225-2090 Brice Marine LLC PO Box 73534 Fairbanks, AK 99707 Phone: 907-277-2002 Catalyst Marine 1806 Alameda St. Seward, AK 99664 Phone: 907-224-2500 Coastal Transportation Inc. 4025 13th Ave. W. Seattle, WA 98119 Phone: 800-544-2580 Fax: 206-283-9121 Commodity Forwarders, Inc. 4000 W. 50th, Suite 1 Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-1144 Fax: 907-243-1149 Crowley Fuels LLC 201 Arctic Slope Ave. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-777-5505 Fax: 907-777-5550

www.akbizmag.com

Rick Gray, Pres.

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

information@lynden.com lynden.com/bmc Mike Brazier, Mgr. mikeb@beringpacific.com beringpacific.com Young Summers, Member yksummers@qwestoffice.net bestrateexpress.com Luther Bartholomew, GM info@bowhead.com BowheadTransport.com Boyer Halvorsen, Pres. boyer@boyertowing.com boyertowing.com Alba Brice, GM albab@briceinc.com briceinc.com Joe Tougas, Pres./Owner shop@catalyst-marine.com catalyst-marine.com J.P. Amo, Mng. Dir. cs@coastaltransportation.com coastaltransportation.com PJ Cranmer, Reg. Ops Mgr. Pac. NW anccs@cfiperishables.com cfiperishables.com Bob Cox, VP bob.cox@crowley.com crowleyfuels.com

1985 1985

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

23 23

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.

1997 2004

5 2

Barge transportation from Seattle to Western Alaska and between Western Alaska villages. Gravel and rock supply to most Western Alaska villages. Reliable on time deliveries at reasonable rates. Our motto is “We do what we say we’ll do!”

2004 -

0 0

Best Rate Express Transport: flat, step, vans, reefers and heavy haul. Rail: containers and flat cars. Air: next-day, two-day and deferred service. Marine: steamship and barge service.

1982 1982

34 27

1935 1959

75 15

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. Contract charter service tugs to 4000 hp and barges to 14,000 tons, lighterage, cargo handling, stevedoring and terminal services in Seattle and Ketchikan.

1974 1974

16 16

2008 2008

1984 1985

2003 2003

1892 1953

Brice Marine LLC owns and operates all ocean, coastwise, and shallow draft marine equipment designed specifically for delivery of cargo and materials in remote Alaskan locations. The fleet includes 2ea. ATB sets and 1ea. conventional shallow draft set-all with bow ramps for RO-RO operations. 20 Since 2008 Catalyst Marine has provided Project Management and Vessel/Fleet support 20 services for clients in all Marine Industries. Along with staged equipment in Prudhoe Bay, Kodiak, and Valdez our team of ABS & USCG certified welders are ready to deploy anywhere in Alaska. 81 A family owned U.S. flag marine transportation company. Coastal operates six vessels with 14 scheduled year-round sailings between Seattle and ports throughout Western Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. Thirty-two years in Western Alaska provides a level of expertise that is unmatched. 400+ Transporting perishable products worldwide. Provides logistical services for perishable 12+ products worldwide by providing transportation, documentation, warehouse and consulting services. Freezer storage in Anchorage. 5,000 CPD operates fuel terminals in 22 locations in the Railbelt, western AK and SE AK, providing 500 home heating oil, jet fuel, diesel, gasoline and propane. Our fuel barges make direct deliveries to over 200 western Alaska communities. Crowley proudly celebrates over 60 years of service to Alaska.

June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION | 2017 TRANSPORTATION DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION | 2017 TRANSPORTATION DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

Crowley Marine Solutions, Inc. 201 Arctic Slope Ave. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-777-5505 Fax: 907-777-5550 Cruz Marine LLC 7000 E. Palmer-Wasilla Hwy. Palmer, AK 99645 Phone: 907-746-3144 Fax: 907-746-5557 Foss Maritime Company 188 W. Northern Lights Blvd., Suite 1020 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-782-4950 Fax: 907-782-1185 Harley Marine Services 910 SW Spokane St. Seattle, WA 98134 Phone: 206-628-0051 Fax: 206-628-0293 Lynden International 6441 S. Airpark Pl. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-6150 Fax: 907-243-2143 Lynden Logistics 6400 S. Airpark Pl. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-245-1544 Fax: 907-245-1744 Lynden Transport 3027 Rampart Dr. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-276-4800 Fax: 907-257-5155 Matson, Inc. 1717 Tidewater Rd. Anchorage, AK 99501-1036 Phone: 907-274-2671 Fax: 907-263-5043 North Star Terminal & Stevedore Co., LLC 790 Ocean Dock Rd. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-263-0120 Fax: 907-272-8927 Ocean Marine Services, Inc. PO Box 7070 Nikiski, AK 99635 Phone: 907-776-3685 Fax: 907-776-3681

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

1892 1953

Bruce Harland, VP

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

175 23

crowley.com 1989 1989

Kevin Weiss, GM info@cruzmarine.com cruzmarine.com John Parrott, Pres./CEO info@foss.com foss.com Matthew Godden, SVP/COO info@harleymarine.com harleymarine.com John Kaloper, Pres. ancall@lynden.com lynden.com/lint Alex McKallor, Pres. information@lynden.com lynden.com/llog Paul Grimaldi, Pres. trananccs@lynden.com lynden.com/ltia Kenny Gill, VP AK

1889 1922

1987 1987

214 44

Domestic and international freight forwarding and logistics.

1984 1984

13 5

Arrangement of freight transportation, information management and logistical services.

1954 1954

251 123

Full-service, multi-modal freight transportation to, from and within Alaska.

1882 1964

1950 1950

scottv@northstarak.com northstarak.com Kelly McNeil, VP

1,600 Foss Maritime offers marine services without equal across the globe, in remote ports & in 65 extreme environments. Our experienced crews specialize in pioneering cargo transport and project services using cutting edge technology, with a steadfast commitment to quality, safety & the environment. 757 Harley Marine Services, Inc. is a leading provider of marine transportation services in the 25 United States, providing the transportation and storage of petroleum products, ship assist and tanker escort, the transportation of general cargo and rescue towing.

1980 1980

matson.com Jeff Bentz, Pres.

20 20

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

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. Shallow 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.

1982 1982

1,997 Containership cargo transportation service between Tacoma, WA, and Anchorage, Kodiak, 576 and Dutch Harbor. Delivery services to the Alaska Railbelt. Connecting carrier service to other water, air, and land carriers. Less-than-container-load freight consolidation and forwarding services. 20 Stevedore, Marine logistics, specializing in providing crane and equipment operated, rental 20 solutions. We also offer state of the art ABI Mobil Ram machines, for large diameter drilling, with vibratory and hammer attachments built for driving pile. We are DOT approved for bridge foundation work. 85 OMSI owns and operates offshore supply vessels, landing crafts and research vessels in 75 support of Cook Inlet oil and gas development.

omsi-ak.com

Local Presence, Now with National Reach!

• 30 years based in Alaska with offices in Anchorage and Fairbanks • Full service independent commercial insurance agency • Comprehensive surety bonding • Innovative employee benefits consulting • Now an Acrisure Agency Partner with over 100 locations nationwide 907.564.6188 56

insurancebrokersak.com

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

www.akbizmag.com

Offshore Systems Kenai PO Box 8505 Nikiski, AK 99635 Phone: 907-776-5551 Fax: 907-776-8836 Offshore Systems Kenai (Nikiski) PO Box 8505 Nikiski, AK 99635 Phone: 907-776-5551 Fax: 907-776-8836 Offshore Systems, Inc. PO Box 920427 Dutch Harbor , AK 99692 Phone: 907-581-1827 Fax: 907-581-1630 Olson Marine, Inc. PO Box 1417 Ward Cove, AK 99928 Phone: 907-247-1417 Fax: 907-247-1418 Olympic Tug and Barge 910 SW Spokane St. Seattle, WA 98134 Phone: 206-628-0051 Fax: 206-628-0293 Pacific Coast Maritime PO Box 920086 Dutch Harbor, AK 99692 Phone: 206-628-0051 Fax: 206-628-0293 Pacific Environmental Corp. (PENCO) 6000 A St. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: 907-562-5420 Fax: 907-562-5426 Petro 49 1813 First Ave. Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-562-5000 Fax: 907-273-8242 Samson Tug & Barge Co. 329 Harbor Dr. Sitka, AK 99835 Phone: 800-331-3522 Fax: 907-747-5370 Sea Wide Express 3400 C Industry Dr. E. Fife, WA 98424 Phone: 253-279-4685

www.akbizmag.com

Kelly McNeil, VP

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

1983 1983

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

Dock facilities in Nikiski, Dutch Harbor, and Adak servicing the oil and fishing industries. Services include dock space, warehousing, cold storage, stevedoring services, heavy equipment, and fuel.

1982 1982

55 50

Vessel support services to Cook Inlet Oil and Gas companies, full service dock facility, fuel, storage and material handling services.

1982 1982

60 50

Since 1983, Offshore Systems, Inc. (OSI) has been the premiere fuel and dock facility in Western Alaska. 1,500 linear feet of dock space, around-the-clock stevedoring services, secure, dry warehousing and cold storage, and material handling equipment.

2000 2000

20 20

Olson Marine, Inc. is a tug and barge company that offers their services in the Pacific Northwest to Western Alaska.

1987 1987

757 25

Olympic Tug & Barge is a subsidiary company of Harley Marine Services and provides petroleum transportation, rescue and general towing and energy support services.

1975 1975

757 25

1985 1994

150 100

1959 1959

240 240

Pacific Coast Maritime, subsidiary of Harley Marine Services, operates out of Dutch Harbor, with a state of the art, 4,000 HP tractor tug and a 240’ x 60’ deck barge equipped with a Manitowoc 4100 Vicon Crane. Primary business functions include ship assist, general towing and deck cargo transport. 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. 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.

1937 1937

150+ 80+

2015 2016

10 2

offshoresystemsinc.com Kelly McNeil, VP

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

140 30

offshoresystemsinc.com Jeff Savage, GM offshoresystemsinc.com Rick Olson, Pres. olsonmarine.com Sven Christensen, GM info@harleymarine.com harleymarine.com Chris Iszler, Captain/Ops Mgr. info@harleymarine.com harleymarine.com Brent Porter, AK Area Mgr. alaska@penco.org penco.org Kurt Lindsey, Pres./CEO facebook.com/PetroMarineServices/ petromarineservices.com George Baggen, Pres./CEO sales@samsontug.com samsontug.com Phil Hinkle, GM

Alaskan owned, we offer the full range of barge freight & cargo hauling services, transporting cargo to Sitka, Cordova, Valdez, Fairbanks, Prudhoe Bay, Seward, Anchorage, Kenai Peninsula, Kodiak, King Cove, Dutch Harbor, Juneau, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Wrangell, Prince of Whales Island & Metlakatla. We specialize in surface transportation to Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico and Guam.

quotes@seawideexpress.com seawideexpress.com

June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION | 2017 TRANSPORTATION DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION | 2017 TRANSPORTATION DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

Span Alaska Transportation, Inc. 2040 E. 79th Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 253-395-7726 Fax: 253-395-7986 TOTE Maritime Alaska 2511 Tidewater Rd. Anchorage, AK 99501-1044 Phone: 800-426-0074 TransGroup Global Logistics 3501 Postmark Dr. Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 907-243-4345 UIC Bowhead-Crowley LLC 4025 Delridge Way SW, Suite 160 Seattle, DC 98106 Phone: 206-957-5300 Fax: 206-957-5261 UIC Qayaq Marine 8(a) 4025 Delridge Way SW, Suite 160 Seattle, WA 98106 Phone: 206-957-5260 Fax: 206-957-5261 United States Postal Service 3720 Barrow St. Anchorage, AK 99599 Phone: 800-ASK-USPS Vigor Alaska 3801 Tongass Ave. Ketchikan, AK 99901 Phone: 907-228-5302 Fax: 907-247-7200 Vigor Alaska Seward PO Box 2069 Seward, AK 99664 Phone: 907-599-0167 Vitus Energy LLC 113 W. Northern Lights Blvd., Suite 200 Anchorage, AK 99503 Phone: 907-278-6700 Fax: 907-278-6701 Waste Management National Services, Inc. 1519 Ship Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-274-0477 Wrangell Marine Service Center Box 531 Wrangell, AK 99929 Phone: 907-874-3736 YRC Freight 431 E. 104th Ave. Anchorage, AK 99515 Phone: 907-344-0099 Fax: 907-344-0939

Tom Souply, Pres.

1975 1975

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

210 170

125 40

TOTE Maritime Alaska’s Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro/Ro) cargo ship operation provides fast, ontime service between the Port of Tacoma, Washington and the Port of Anchorage, Alaska.

totemaritime.com 1987 2011

Rich Wilson, Station Mgr. karic.anc@transgroup.com transgroup.com Bruce Harland, VP Contract Services Bruce.Harland@Crowley.com Crowley.com Luther Bartholomew, GM BowheadTransport.com UICalaska.com Ron Haberman, District Mgr.

2013 2013

1995 1995

3,000 U.S. owned full service freight forwarder and global logistics provider. We provide trans2 portation, warehousing and specialized logistics solutions, coupled with software tailored to meet the specific needs of each individual customers-for every link in your supply chain. Areas Served: Worldwide. 27 Marine Cargo Transportation & Logistics Support, Vessel Operations, Chartering, Project 20 Management, Ocean and Coastal Barge & Lighterage Services, Terminal Services, Oilfield Services & Logistics. 7 7

Qayaq Marine Services, LLC is a UIC Marine Services (UICMS) wholly owned company, which in turn is a holding company owned by Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation (UIC). Qayaq owns specialized vessels and barges for shallow draft remote site lighterage operations in Western and Arctic Alaska. 1775 493,381 Mailing and delivery of letters, magazines and parcels weighing up to 70 pounds. 1915 1,472

usps.com 1994 1994

Adam Beck, Pres. info@akship.com vigor.net/facilities Frank Foti, CEO

2000 2014

Marinesales@vigor.net Vigor.net Mark Smith, CEO

2009 2009

info@vitusmarine.com vitus-energy.com Mike Holzschuh, Sr. Territory Mgr. mholzschuh@wm.com wm.com Greg Meissner, Harbor Dir. harbor@wrangell.com wrangellmarineindustry.com Roslyn Mitchell, Terminal Mgr. yrcfreight.com

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

1978 1978

billm@spanalaska.com spanalaska.com Grace Greene, VP/AK GM

PORTS

City of Craig PO Box #725 Craig, AK 99921 Phone: 907-826-3404 City of Homer Port & Harbor 4311 Freight Dock Rd. Homer, AK 99603 Phone: 907-235-3160 Fax: 907-235-3152 City of Whittier Harbor PO Box 639 Whittier, AK 99693 Phone: 907-472-2327 Fax: 907-472-2472 Hoonah Harbor PO Box 260 Hoonah, AK 99829 Phone: 907-945-3670 Fax: 907-945-3674 Kenai City Dock 210 Fidalgo Ave., Suite 200 Kenai, AK 99611 Phone: 907-283-8240 Fax: 907-283-3014 Petersburg Port & Harbor 223 Harbor Way Petersburg, AK 99833 Phone: 907-772-4688 Fax: 907-772-4687 Port of Anchorage 2000 Anchorage Port Rd. Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-343-6200 Fax: 907-277-5636 Port of Bellingham PO Box 1677 Bellingham, WA 98227 Phone: 360-676-2500 Fax: 360-671-6411

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

harbormaster@craigak.com craigak.com Bryan Hawkins, Port Dir. port@cityofhomer-ak.gov cityofhomer-ak.gov/port Kyle Sinclair, Harbormaster harbormaster@whittieralaska.gov whittieralaska.gov Sherry Mills, Harbormaster

70 70

2005 2005

6 6

Wrangell Marine Service Center is a full service boat yard and storage area. It is comprised of a haul out dock and washdown area, three lifts (300 and 150 ton lifts, and 40 ton trailer), boat storage areas, self work areas, and contractor facilities. Services are provided by permitted vendors. 1924 38,000 YRC Freight operations in Alaska, give you an integrated solution for moving LTL and TL 1981 4 freight between key markets using just one carrier from beginning to end. In addition, YRC has comprehensive coverage throughout North America, including cross-border to and from Canada and Mexico.

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

publicworks@kenai.city www.ci.kenai.ak.us/node/117 Glorianne Wollen, Harbormaster gwollen@petersburgak.gov ci.petersburg.ak.us Steve Ribuffo, Port Dir. wwport@muni.org portofalaska.com Rob Fix, Exec. Dir.

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

1922 1973

4 4

Harbor Department.

1964 1964

18 18

1970 1970

7 7

1901 1901

3 3

Homer Port & Harbor has 24/7 harbor officers, & includes a small boat harbor with over 800 reserved stalls & 600+ linear transient moorage, two deep water ports, a commercial barge ramp, steel & wood tidal grids, a 5-lane load & launch ramp, & fish dock with eight cranes & ice delivery. The Whittier Harbor is your Gateway to Prince William Sound. We are an ice-free port, open year round. There are 350 slips for both transient and permanent berth holders, to lengths of 54’. The Whittier Harbor is a full-service establishment that tries to meet the needs of all boaters. We are a small boat harbor, with shore power for most of the 274 stalls, fresh water, a two-lane launch ramp; a tidal grid; a transient dock with no breakwater; and a 220ton Travelift haulout.

1959 1959

100 100

1910 1910

8 8

Petersburg port and harbor.

1961 1961

21 21

1920 -

90 0

Port is Alaska’s main in-bound cargo terminal. It handles 4 million tons of fuel and cargo annually that reaches 85 percent of all Alaskans. It is an intermodal transport hub that links State’s marine, road, rail, pipeline and air cargo systems. It is one of 16 U.S. Commercial Strategic Seaports. We are the southern terminus for the Alaska Marine Highway System at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal.

hoonahharbor@gmail.com Sean Wedemeyer, Public Works Dir.

Vitus Marine specializes in meeting the marine transportation and fuel distribution needs of Western Alaska maritime communities. Vitus currently provides fuel and freight delivery services across Western Alaska.

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

Hans Hjort, Harbormaster

2,500 With twelve locations and more than 2,500 workers Vigor is the leading provider of 220 shipbuilding, ship repair and complex fabrication in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska employing 220 Alaskans in Ketchikan and Seward shipyards able to travel to the most remote locations. Industrial services. 1,800 Ship repair. ~40

The City of Kenai owns and operates the Port of Kenai’s City Dock, which has three seventon cranes and a launching ramp and is equipped with fresh water, diesel fuel, gas, and restrooms.

facebook.com/PortofBellingham portofbellingham.com

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

www.akbizmag.com

Port of Bethel PO Box 1388 Bethel, AK 99559 Phone: 907-543-2310 Fax: 907-543-2311 Port of Cordova PO Box 1210 Cordova, AK 99574 Phone: 907-424-6400 Fax: 907-424-6446 Port of Dillingham PO Box 889 Dillingham, AK 99576 Phone: 907-842-1069 Port of King Cove PO Box 37 King Cove, AK 99612 Phone: 907-497-2237 Fax: 907-497-2649 Port of Kodiak and Shipyard 403 Marine Way Kodiak, AK 99615 Phone: 907-486-8080 Fax: 977-486-8090 Port of Nome PO Box 281 Nome, AK 99762 Phone: 907-443-6619 Fax: 907-443-5473 Port of Pelican PO Box 737 Pelican, AK 99832 Phone: 907-735-2202 Fax: 907-735-2258 Port of Sand Point Sand Point Boat Harbor Sand Point, AK 99661 Phone: 907-383-2331 Fax: 907-383-5611 Port of St. Paul PO Box 901 St. Paul Island, AK 99660 Phone: 907-546-3140 Fax: 907-546-2451 Port of Valdez PO Box 307 Valdez, AK 99686 Phone: 907-835-4564 Fax: 907-835-4479

YEAR FOUNDED / ESTABLISHED IN ALASKA

cityofbethel.org

Anthony Schinella, Harbormaster harbor@cityofcordova.net cityofcordova.net Jean Barrett, Port Dir.

1940 1959

WORLDWIDE / ALASKA EMPLOYEES

2-7 2-7

1909 1909

6 6

695 Slips, 1300 feet of transient dock space, 2 launch ramps, boat storage and Shipyard with 150 ton Travelift.

1961 1961

3 3

1970 1970

4 4

Freight Dock which ships and receives all freight for the Nushagak drainage. Dillingham Small Boat harbor is home port for up to 500 Bristol Bay drift boats. Offers docking, potable water, public restrooms and showers. Boat repair and haul out are available in close proximity. Ports and harbors.

1958 1958

17 17

1985 1985

5-6 5-6

1940 1940

10 10

The Pelican Harbor is operated by the City of Pelican. The City has 98 berths, which includes permanent berthing spaces and transient moorage.

1988 1988

5 5

We are a fishing community that caters to a local fleet of vessels 32 to 60 feet.

1990 1990

3 3

Fuel sales, water cargo handling.

1901 1901

4 4

Port services include a Container Terminal with a 700 ft. floating dock (1,200 ft. with dolphins), 21-acre storage yard, electricity for reefer units, water, and garbage service. The Port has Foreign-Trade Zone #108 with industrial land available for development. Wharf at the Kelsey Dock is 600 ft.

harbor@dillinghamak.us Charles Mack, Harbormaster harbor@kingcoveak.org cityofkingcove.com Lon White, Port Dir. lwhite@city.kodiak.ak.us KodiakShipYard.com Lucas Stotts, Harbormaster lstotts@nomealaska.org nomealaska.org/port Walt Weller, Mayor cityhall@pelicancity.org pelican.net Richard Kochuten Sr., Harbormaster

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

Operate freight dock and yard, petroleum dock and berths for mooring boats and barges and a small boat harbor.

Kodiak Shipyard is state of the art and fully environmentally compliant with the largest Marine Travelift in Alaska (660 Tons). Port facilities: 3 deep draft piers: Pier 3 Container Terminal 900ft, Pier 2 Fishermans termainal 1025ft, Pier 1 230ft. 30,000 LF of moorage for vessels up to 250ft. Nome is a new staging point for an Emergency Towing System (ETS) for use in the region.

sdpmoonak@yahoo.com Phil Zavadi, City Mgr. jason@stpaulak.com Jeremy Talbott, Ports/Harbor Dir. portofvaldez@ci.valdez.ak.us ci.valdez.ak.us/port

MARINE TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS Serving the Arctic and Northwest since 1982

With a diverse fleet of vessels, we provide our customers with valuable, comprehensive marine solutions. We offer a wide range of flexible services to the federal government, petroleum and construction industries, and to coastal communities in the Arctic and Pacific Northwest. • ABS certified • Shallow draft vessels • Marine Cargo Transportation • Barge & Lighterage Services • Oilfield Support Services • Logistics A M E M B E R O F T H E U K P E AĠ V I K I Ñ U P I AT CO R P O R AT I O N FAM I LY O F CO M PA N I E S www.akbizmag.com

• Vessel Leasing & Operations

UIC Marine Services 4025 Delridge Way SW, Suite 160, Seattle, WA 98106 (800) 347-0049 www.bowheadtransport.com

June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SECTION | 2017 TRANSPORTATION DIRECTORY

COMPANY TOP EXECUTIVE

ENERGY

Another Year of Renewable Energy Growth Alaska remains a bastion for renewable and alternative energy

By Tom Anderson

laska is a bastion for renewable and alternative energy sources statewide, and 2017 is set to meet or even surpass last year in terms of new project financing and construction. Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP) Executive Director Chris Rose says that his organization is focused on how to finance and maintain renewable energy projects in rural Alaska. “The $257 million in grants the state made through the Renewable Energy Fund really jumpstarted the industry here in Alaska and made the state a world leader in putting renewable energy into remote diesel systems. Now we’re looking at how to keep the momentum created by the fund going,” says Rose. According to the Alaska Energy Authority, the sixty-six projects built in part through fund money saved an estimated 30 million gallons of diesel fuel in 2016. Since state grant funds have been drastically diminished by the state’s revenue problems, Rose says Alaskans must find ways involve the private sector in financing renewable energy and energy efficiency across the state. One of the paths REAP is exploring is a state “green bank.” “Green banks are quasi-state institutions that work to bring private investors into deals to finance clean energy projects. Since 2011, the Connecticut Green Bank has been highly successful in leveraging a relatively small amount of state money into large investments by private banks in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in that state. REAP has been studying how Alaska might do the same thing,” says Rose. REAP is also putting significant energy into how these remote “microgrids” are operated, maintained, and optimized. REAP recently hired a full-time employee to launch the Alaska Network for Energy Education and Employment. “Without a trained and educated workforce, Alaska will be missing out on opportunities to both get the most out of the projects we build in the state and continue to build a new energy sector that can provide good, well-paying jobs that contribute a slice of the state’s future economy,” adds Rose. For similar reasons, the Alaska Center for Energy and Power at the University of Alaska Fairbanks recently launched the Arctic Remote Energy Networks Academy (ARENA). Rose says, “[ARENA] is another way Alaskans are working to keep our leadership position in the development of remote microgrids. In Alaska, we have about 60,000 people making 60

electricity with diesel, and all of them want to decrease their dependence on imported diesel and keep precious dollars in their communities. But across the planet there are an estimated 700 million people who rely on diesel. That’s a big market worth focusing on.” REAP is also working to ensure that more renewable energy is installed in the Railbelt. “For the last three years we’ve been working with various stakeholders in our coalition of over eighty organizations to get an independent system operator established in the Railbelt [to] centralize the dispatch of electricity for the entire region, making it easier to integrate electrons from sources like wind and solar. It would also create regional planning mechanisms so additions of renewable energy to the grid are something we plan for years ahead of time. Today, it’s pretty difficult for an independent renewable power producer to sell into the Railbelt grid. There are six utilities and very few clear market rules. If we’re going to use renewable energy to hedge against the inevitable volatility of natural gas prices, the region needs to work together more closely,” notes Rose.

Let there be Lime! Lime Solar, That Is Lime Solar is one of Alaska’s premier renewable energy companies. Owner and cofounder Chester Dyson explains the company has grown steadily because of Alaska’s affinity for new and clean energy sources. Headquartered in Anchorage, the company operates statewide with seven employees, including a journeyman electrician, two installers, and sales personnel with deep knowledge of alternative energy applications. Lime Solar’s primary technologies are solar applications. Solar cells, also known as photovoltaic (PV) cells, convert sunlight directly into electricity. PV gets its name from the process of converting light (photons) to electricity (voltage), which is called the “PV effect.” Some projects on the horizon for Dyson and team include Grass Creek North, a Cook Inlet Housing Authority contemporary-housing project located off of Muldoon Road, north of Fred Meyer, in Anchorage. The project consists of eleven buildings for which Lime Solar will provide and install a solar PV system of 83.4 kW and fifty-one solar thermal panels. In Southeast Alaska, the Volunteers of America—Alaska Chapter is building a Juneau housing project, and a Lime Solar crew is installing what will result in Juneau’s largest solar array at 18.3 kW. Also this year, the company is preparing to break ground in Kodiak on a four-building project with 15 kW of solar and eleven solar thermal panels. Vista Rose is another project under construction. Solar panels have already been installed on the building and were wired in April. The Valley Residential Services’ website notes, Vista Rose Senior Apartments is under construction by The Pacific Companies on Lucille Street in Wasilla. The project will house seventy-eight

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

units, constructed in two phases, with a plan to open the initial forty-two units by August 2017. Dyson points out that the Vista Rose project is nearly three times larger than any other solar array on Matanuska Electric Association’s (MEA) grid, coming in at 31.2 kW. Phase 2 of the project will boast a solar array of 28.2 kW and a solar thermal array comprised of twenty-seven solar thermal panels.

Sage Mechanical Brent Linegar, owner of Sage Mechanical, says his company focuses on customer service and installation of renewable energy systems. “Our customers can talk directly to one of the owners of the company 24/7… We are a fully licensed plumbing, electrical, and HVAC contractor. The majority of our work is commercial in nature, but we also perform a lot of new residential construction, remodels, and service,” he says. Sage has eleven employees with plans to hire three more in the early summer. Sage’s staff is composed of journeymen plumbers, electricians, and sheet metal experts. It also offers an ABC apprenticeship program. This year Sage is partnering with Lime Solar to install solar thermal and PV panels at its Kodiak project, as well as in west Anchorage in the Turnagain neighborhood, among other smaller solar installs. “I have found that renewable energy in Alaska can be cost effective and reliable if applied correctly,” says Linegar. “Every commercial building, house, and cabin from downtown Anchorage to Fairbanks can benefit financially while lowering emissions and keeping Alaska as beautiful as ever.” Susitna Energy Systems Kirk Garoutte’s vision is to help Alaskans produce and maintain energy while keeping costs down and longevity in mind. He started Susitna Energy Systems eighteen years ago and has been selling and installing renewable energy projects across Alaska ever since. Headquartered in Anchorage, with a large sales department and showroom full of modern renewable energy technology, Garoutte says, “Our focus really is to help Alaskans who are off the electrical grid survive Alaska’s environment and seasons. We sell, install, and repair everything someone needs to live off grid, which includes solar panels, wind turbines, appliances, telecommunications, lighting, heating, and generators.” When asked about projects and where he and his team have worked, he smiles and responds, “A lot of places, urban and remote, throughout the state.” He adds that the company’s specialty and niche remains village and remote cabin renewable energy applications. “We have assessed and helped install numerous solar and wind systems for cabin owners, lodges, and villages. Off grid and grid-tied wind and solar applications for residences in less remote areas of the state are also increasing,” he says. www.akbizmag.com

Renewable Energy Systems Renewable Energy Systems (RES) is another powerhouse in the Alaska renewable energy market. In business for more than fourteen years, and with offices in Anchorage, Wasilla, and Fairbanks, the company’s staff includes North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners-certified Sales and PV installation experts, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, and highly trained installation crews. The company covers the spectrum of renewable energy sources. “RES has a combined forty-five years of experience in designing and installing solar PV, solar thermal, hydro power, telecommunications, wind, and home and commercial backup systems all over Alaska and the Lower 48,” says Fairbanks Store Manager and Design Engineer Edward Davidson. “We offer complete site assessment, design, installation, [and] commissioning for all systems. RES also offers training classes on all aspects of Renewable Energy,” he adds. In 2017, RES has projects planned across Alaska including in Anchorage, Bethel, Cake, Fairbanks, Juneau, and Togiak, among a number of remote areas. More than 200 kW of solar infrastructure is scheduled for installation during the short Alaska season. Davidson says most installations are designed to offset cost of power that ranges from $0.14 per kW/hour to more than $1.00 per kW/hour, which is ten times the national average. He says several installations are intended to provide solar pumping for agricultural village projects, while others will reduce thousands of gallons of diesel required in remote areas that have historically run generators 24/7, year-round. RES works with many private home owners, municipal and borough governments, and commercial businesses. “Solar is a great investment with a guaranteed return of 10 to 15 percent annually,” adds Davidson. “Alaska does not have any rebates or incentives for Renewable Energy, but currently there is a 30 percent federal solar tax credit available that is set to expire in the near future.” No End in Sight for Alaskan Renewable Energy Projects The continued growth and expansion of alternative energy applications in all regions of the state is indicative of a prosperous commercial climate for harnessing renewable energy. “Alaska is on the cutting edge of the renewable energy boon because of the size of the state, interest in modern technologies, and urgency for efficient energy that people can afford,” says Dyson. “I feel blessed that we’ve been able to grow in five short years to such a broad range of geographic clients, with the largest residential solar installs from Anchorage to Juneau.” Indeed, with visionaries like Dyson and his colleagues on the renewable energy front, Alaska is sure to be a bright spot and example for clean, efficient, and continuous power growth. R Tom Anderson writes from across Alaska. www.akbizmag.com

June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

OIL & GAS

Staying Safe in Alaska’s Oilfields in Good Times and Bad Whether expanding or cutting costs, there’s one area that oil companies are always investing in: safety By Kathryn Mackenzie

eeping oilfield workers safe is more than just a full-time job for the many companies, contractors, and organizations operating in Alaska’s extreme conditions, it’s a way of life. So much so that before they are allowed to even pick up a drill or step on an oil rig, all workers on Alaska’s legendary North Slope are required to complete a mandatory Unescorted Course through the North Slope Training Cooperative (NSTC). Founded in 1997 when British Petroleum and ARCO Field managers signed the NSTC Health, Safety, and Environmental Guidelines, the NSTC is a collaborative training organization designed to develop and maintain standardized health, safety, and environmental training programs for employees and contractors on the North Slope and other industrial worksites in Alaska. “Keep in mind that every North Slope employee has to go through the North Slope CoOp, which is an eight-hour session that deals with a lot of safety awareness. It’s that kind of commitment that, even if you’re a worker who’s never been in this environment, you are starting off with safety as the dominant conversation. It doesn’t matter if that’s in January or June, in down times or not,” says Mark Hylen, vice president of Beacon Operational Health and Safety Services, one of the state’s preeminent providers of workplace safety services. Energy companies began flocking to Alaska after California-based Richfield Oil Company made its first commercial discovery on the Kenai Peninsula before Alaska even became the 49th state. That 1957 discovery drew interest from dozens of energy companies, ready and willing to brave the extreme terrain and inhospitable conditions for the promise of striking it rich with liquid gold. It only took a few decades for that promise of oilfield riches to be fulfilled. Today, the petroleum industry supports one-third of all Alaska jobs, and since those heady days in the 1950s, the oil and gas industry has invested more than $55 billion in North Slope and Cook Inlet infrastructure to continue their exploration efforts. More than 17 billion barrels of oil have been produced on the North Slope since the discovery of the Prudhoe Bay 62

“Keep in mind that every North Slope employee has to go through the North Slope Co-Op, which is an eight-hour session that deals with a lot of safety awareness. It’s that kind of commitment that, even if you’re a worker who’s never been in this environment, you are starting off with safety as the dominant conversation. It doesn’t matter if that’s in January or June, in down times or not.”

—Mark Hylen Vice President Beacon Operational Health and Safety Services

oil field in 1958 by the company that would later become ExxonMobile.

Slumping Oil Prices and Their (Lack of) Effect on Safety Despite today’s depressed economy, oil production still drives economic growth in Alaska, funding up to 90 percent of the state’s unrestricted General Fund revenues and accounting for more than $180 billion in total revenue since statehood, according to the Resource Development Council of Alaska. Still, the past few years have been rough on the oil industry and the state’s economy. Falling oil prices required many industry companies to economize, resulting in the loss of 2,800 jobs in the oil and gas sector last year. As oil prices fell from highs of more than $100 per barrel in 2014 to under $40 per barrel in 2016, the state started seeing employment losses not just in the industries directly related to oil production but in other energy-dependent industries as well. A domino effect of job losses, budget cuts, and stalled oil and gas projects helped contribute to a statewide decline in consumer confidence and spending that eventually resulted in a recession. And though more job losses are expected for 2017—some estimates say 2.3 percent, or about 7,500 jobs—there is one area that companies continue to invest in without fail: safety. Whether they’re in the middle of a major expansion project or looking for ways cut costs—such as ConocoPhillips’ May announcement it intends to give up its stake in the Point Thomson field on the North Slope to focus on other core initiatives—oil supplier investment in safety programs and equipment stays relatively consistent. David Wulf, vice president of Health, Safety, and Environmental operations at ConocoPhillips Alaska, says the company’s Incident Free Culture (IFC) is a testament to the effectiveness of empowering employees to take control of their own and their co-work-

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

ers’ safety whether the oil and gas industry is booming or in a slump. “Even though the scope of what we’re doing out there may change, and with that comes either more people or less people, the underlying fundamentals of our culture do not change,” says Wulf. “I think historically we’ve grown to be a safer industry because of the business we’re in; we have to be. There are inherent dangers in oil and gas, so to be the best at what we’re doing, if we don’t operate safely, we don’t operate. It just goes with nature of the business.” Hyland of Beacon agrees, saying that safety has to be a commitment throughout the organization, starting with the employees. He notes one of the least effective ways of implementing a safety program is to force safety procedures on employees without helping them understand why such programs are so vital. “It can’t just be, ‘I’m going to enforce this in a way that employees aren’t going to buy into it.’ It has to be bottom-up driven in order for it to be truly successful, and I think that’s what’s been achieved throughout the North Slope… and really the oil companies have led that because they’re the ones who empower these organizations to take the time to make sure they’re pausing to do the proper permitting, the job hazard analysis, and everything pre-job-related to make sure that all the workers involved are aware of the hazards and they have behavior-based safety programs in place.”

Taking Safety Home Operating with the proper safety measures in place is a way of life for ConocoPhillips Alaska’s workers. A giant in Alaska oil production and one of the largest owners of state and federal exploration leases with operations in all of the state’s major oil fields, the company decreased its rate of injury by 32 percent between 2014 and 2015 and continues to see decreasing rates of injury each year. “If you follow the injury rates, they’ve dropped significantly since 2012. We use the www.akbizmag.com

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IFC program to teach people that each of us is a safety leader. We teach people how to engage with others and how to do it in a positive, proactive manner, so there’s no conflict and you can feel good about going to a coworker saying, ‘Hey, I’ve been observing your work and you’re doing a really good job. You’re wearing your safety goggles; you’re following all the procedures. I just wanted to recognize you for that,’” says Wulf. “Everybody responds better to positive feedback, we offer more positive reinforcement than just coaching. If someone’s doing everything spot on and that person is recognized for it, during the course of the week you will see other people telling that person the same thing, and pretty soon he’s going to feel empowered and want to continue to operate in the same, safe way,” Wulf explains. “We’re of the belief that it’s really about the fundamentals. We use the term ‘Stay the Course.’ Being really good at the fundamentals, being really good at performing daily tasks, that’s what gets you good safety. If you throw all these different programs at it, a program-of-the-month, then it just gets cloudy. IFC is a cornerstone that people follow inside work and when they get back home.” Wulf and Tim Green, supply chain manager at ConocoPhillips Alaska, point out that the company’s employees are encouraged to work interdependently in an effort to ensure all workers “go home in the same condition they arrived at work.” Teams and individuals work collaboratively to bring best practices to the workplace and home again, ensuring safety is the primary focus of every activity, whether it’s in the middle of the busy season or the peak of an economic slow-down. “It’s a line of accountability, but it’s also peerto-peer. We have our behavioral-based safety systems, which is our peer-to-peer system where we look out for each other. So we’ll do formal observations to make sure everyone is working safely. I might do an observation on Dave one day and fill out a card and the next day he may do one on me [with permission from the worker being observed]. Some of the principles of the Incident Free Culture are independence and teamwork, that’s what we point to,” says Green. “Our ability to get people to do that [peer reporting] has a lot to do with management and supervision showing that safety is really our first priority. We have to get oil out of the ground and we have to do our projects within schedule and under budget, but our first priority is always safety,” he continues. ConocoPhillips collaborated with other oil and gas companies in Alaska to develop the Alaska Safety Handbook, which lays out standardized safety procedures for Alaska oil and gas operations with the primary goal of creating a safer workplace by identifying and implementing best practices, giving all employees and contractors a single set of safety rules and requiring implementation of safety best practices, procedures, and policies throughout the industry. According to Hylen, those safety procedures are becoming the industry standard. “It’s slope wide; it’s the safety culture. And it’s taken a long time to get here. It’s one thing to www.akbizmag.com

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Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

Dressing for Safety in Alaska’s Oilfields

he average person getting dressed for work likely doesn’t have to put a whole lot of thought into what to wear on a daily basis. Maybe one spends a few minutes deciding whether that paisley tie goes with that striped shirt or if those new six-inch heels are actually work-appropriate, but, in general, your life doesn’t depend on your outfit—unless your workplace is a vast sheet of ice with no natural barriers to protect you from fierce, hurricaneforce winds teeming with tiny ice daggers. When you work in Alaska’s extreme conditions, your uniform becomes your lifeline. Oilfield workers don’t just face danger from weather, they also risk being exposed to fire, falls from great heights, shocks from electrical equipment, and myriad other dangers that could easily end in disaster. Requiring workers wear proper gear at all times is part and parcel of an effective oilfield safety program. Brian Hoshiko, corporate sales director at Big Ray’s; Michael Stoddard, safety sales specialist at Matheson Tri-Gas; and Tim Green, supply chain manager at ConocoPhillips, offer tips on how to make sure workers are properly dressed for life in Alaska’s oilfields. take care of yourself, but when you’re working in hazardous environments how do you make sure that you’re continually aware you’re working in hazardous conditions? Even in slow times it’s vital that nobody becomes complacent,” he says. All agree that it can be difficult for one worker to approach another with advice about how to operate in a safe manner. Green and Wulf say they appreciate that peer-to-peer feedback may not always be welcome initially; however, they say regularly-held workshops in which workers act out such scenarios have really helped hammer home the idea that safety is a full-time job for everyone in the oilfield. “I’ve had people tell me stories of being off work and seeing something unsafe happening and they debate with themselves about whether www.akbizmag.com

Gearing Up from Head to Toe The first step each employer should take is to provide workers with a detailed list of all the items needed to complete their specific jobs. This includes the gear, the tools, and all the equipment because those needs change based on the facility and the hiring company, says Hoshiko. “Generally, a worker will need steel-toe boots or a cold weather boot and anti-slip traction devices. And, depending on conditions and the facility, coveralls or work clothes, cold weather gear, a coat, and gloves. Many petroleum facilities require flame retardant [FRC], outer-layer clothing, such as FRC coveralls.” Frequently, the company provides Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as hearing protection, hard hats, and safety glasses. In some cases a respirator or a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus may be required onsite. If there are other specialized tools or equipment required of the worker, often an employer will provide those items. ConocoPhillips provides essentially all the equipment and gear workers need as they head to oilfield sites. “I can’t speak for every provider or every situation, but in most cases the employees don’t have to foot the bill for that stuff. For our employees, we provide these items. Most contractors I know of, their employers provide that, but I can’t say carte blanche that everyone offers that,” says Green. Green notes that basic gear includes a hard hat with a cold-weather liner; ear protection; eye protection of various styles, including goggles and/or a full-face shield for welding; special materials for working in certain areas including Nomex, a flame retardant material; knee pads; steel toe boots; and gloves. “There are twelve or thirteen different styles of gloves, gloves designed for impact, those for chemicals, nitro, [and] cutresistant. The task you’re doing will dictate what kind of protection you need,” Green says. Since most employers will provide all OSHA mandated, safety-related PPE required for a position, workers generally don’t have to cover those costs, which can easily reach $1,000 or more. “What the employer will not pay for, but is equally important, are base-layers, such as socks, sweatshirts, or specific garments the employee

is already familiar with wearing. Sometimes employers purchase specific types or brands of items that meet safety requirements but may not be as comfortable or familiar to the worker. It’s like that favorite sweatshirt you have; it just feels right. Wearing another sweatshirt just doesn’t feel the same,” says Hoshiko, who notes that Big Ray’s offers discounts for items employees must purchase on their own.

to intervene. One guy told me about how he saw a guy he didn’t know using his weed whacker with sandals on. He wanted to tell him he needed to be wearing proper footwear and at first he walked past, but he had to go back. And he had that conversation and the guy actually thanked him. It’s those types of stories, and we hear them all the time, that let us know what we’re doing is working,” says Wulf. The ability for workers to take safety into their own hands and act autonomously to remedy an unsafe situation is part of a decades-long evolution of safety procedures that in part started when oil companies began using results-driven data to form their best practices. ConocoPhillips, like all energy companies, seeks to operate a zero-injury workplace. Their particular method of reach-

ing that goal is to analyze situations, identify potential problem areas, and implement key activities, all the while giving employees full reign to step in when they see danger ahead. “That’s kind of been the last step in this evolution, is that people have that ability to take action and not feel they’ll get punished for it,” Hylan says.

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Dress for the Season Seasons create a whole new level of complication when it comes to dressing for work in Alaska’s largest oilfields. The winter season requires more expensive gear in larger quantities, while the summer season usually creates an increase in general worker PPE since new projects require oil companies to bring on a larger workforce. Many Alaska workers wear lighter-weight FRC coveralls for summer. Even in Prudhoe Bay, wearing protective gear can be hot on a warm day, says Stoddard. A multi-seasonal, comprehensive package for a new oilfield worker includes but is not limited to: hard hat and FR hard hat liner; FR facemask; FR Arctic parka or bomber jacket; FR Arctic bib; insulated gloves and non-insulated gloves; non-slip, safety-toe Arctic boots; uninsulated FR clothing (coveralls, shirts, pants, and bibs); and eyewear, including goggles and safety glasses. “It’s quite an investment to employ someone to work on the Slope because of the cost of FRC. A new-hire package consisting of Arctic gear, uninsulated FR clothing, Arctic safety-toe boots, and non-insulated safety-toe boots can top $2,000. This is quite an expense but is critical to the safety and welfare of all workers on the North Slope,” says Hoshiko. Some popular brands companies use to outfit workers include Bulwark and Carhartt for clothing; Mechanix Wear, Wells Lamont, Honeywell Safety Products, and Ansell for gloves (which vary greatly depending on the job and style required); MSA and Honeywell for hard hats; SERVUS or XTRATUF for boots; Uvex and Gateway are common for eyewear requirements; Occunomix and Ergodyne are widely-used providers of hardhat liners; 3M and Howard Leight are popular for hearing protection; and many companies look to 3M or Honeywell Safety Products for respira-

Stopping the Job A vital aspect of most oil company’s safety programs is the ability for any worker, of any level, to stop a job for any reason, without the fear of retaliation or punishment, says Hylan. “At ConocoPhillips the culture is such that it’s more than just permission to stop a job if you see something happening that you don’t think is right or safe, it’s become an expecta-

tory protection. “There are many components to consider for a worker’s PPE needs on the North Slope; it really depends on what type of work the employee is doing,” says Stoddard of Matheson. Hoshiko concurs that dressing for success in Alaska’s oilfields comes down to being prepared for any weather conditions during any given season. He reiterates the need for fire resistant clothing and non-slip, steel-toe footwear and “layers, layers, layers. No matter the season, Alaska’s climate can change quickly and so, too, will your attire. In order to stay comfortable and safe, you’ll need to find a balance between the varying temperatures and climates and the different types of work activities with the clothes you have.” Anyone considering work on the North Slope, in Middle Earth, or in Cook Inlet should be prepared for extreme cold and hazardous conditions, says Stoddard. Along with dressing for safety, everyone should be familiar with the North Slope Training Cooperative programs, the Alaska Safety Handbook, and the North Slope Environmental Field handbook. Make sure workers know the eight elements of Operating Management Systems and follow the Golden Rules of Safety: permit to work; energy isolation; ground disturbance; confined space entry; working at heights; lifting operations; driving safely; and management of change. “Safety is the number one rule,” says Stoddard.

About the Suppliers Big Ray’s is an Alaska-owned company celebrating its 70th year in business this October. The company provides a full range of clothing and gear suitable for those working and living in Alaska from locations in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Kodiak. www.bigrays.com Matheson Tri-Gas offers a full line of safety products, consulting, training services, and onsite safety surveys as well as safety equipment and supplies for energy and construction contractors, and maintenance and repair operators. www.mathesongas.com R

Kathryn Mackenzie is Managing Editor of Alaska Business.

tion,” says ConocoPhillips Communication Specialist Amy Burnett. The stop work authority (SWA) is becoming a welcome industry-wide standard. In order to empower workers to stop work if they suspect they or their coworkers are in a dangerous situation, ConocoPhillips and other oil companies including BP, Brooks Range Petroleum, Eni Petroleum Co., ExxonMobil Alaska, Pioneer Natural Resources Alaska, and Repsol, among others, educate workers about the SWA policy during their new-hire orientations. On a day-to-day basis, the SWA policy is reinforced by company leaders to help workers learn when a situation could be potentially hazardous and how to intervene without creating defensiveness or fear among their coworkers. “Just the other day a guy who wasn’t June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

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Complacency is the Enemy From signage reminding workers of the tenets of IFC to peer-to-peer observations and the authority to stop a job at a moment’s notice, safety is deeply embedded in each worker’s daily life, both on and off the job. If there’s one factor that can derail those safety efforts in slow times, it’s complacency. “Complacency is something you fight all the time. [People] like to be busy up there. When they’re not busy they’re worried about other things, and when they’re worried about other things their minds aren’t where they should be. And that’s when people get hurt,” says Wulf. “That’s why we really drive home the idea that safety is not a program, it’s ingrained in our way of thinking. It becomes second nature. IFC is not just a concept or a poster on a wall—it’s a way of life.” Whether navigating through gale force winds on the icy tundra of the North Slope, taking the bus from the airport to the jobsite, or just heading in for some recreation time during a work slowdown, oilfield workers are taught to keep safety at the forefront of their thought processes at all times with the overall goal that even during the slowest of times the lessons they’ve been taught will continue to keep them safe. “What this is really all about is making sure our workers get home to their families. On one end of the spectrum you have slowdowns and the risk of complacency and distraction; on the other end you have workers rushing to beat the weather or make deadlines, but we’re always here to remind them that safety comes first. That worry or that deadline means nothing if you’re not operating with safety in mind,” says Wulf. As the oil industry continues to undergo changes and new discoveries are made, projects are planned and cancelled, prices rise and fall, and demand fluctuates, one thing remains constant in this highly volatile industry: safety. R

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even working on this particular job called for it to be stopped. He saw something that concerned him and he told them to shut it down. It turned out to be a false alarm, but we’d rather that happen than the opposite,” says Green. “In the past, people were told to never stop production and just keep their heads down and keep working. They were not empowered to stop a job nor were they encouraged to observe and report on unsafe conditions. But over the years all that has changed, and we’ve come a long way toward giving workers the ability to keep themselves and each other safe,” says Hylan. “We work with all the contractors and all the oil companies so it’s nice to see the overall level of commitment. There are different ways to approach it with staffing or training and programs, and I think that what you see are pretty mature safety programs throughout the North Slope, and, especially in down times, that priority hasn’t changed,” he says.

Kathryn Mackenzie is Managing Editor of Alaska Business. www.akbizmag.com

OUR STRENGTH Netiye’ means ‘our strength’ in Ahtna Athabaskan

SMALL BUSINESS

Companies Offer a Variety of Options to Meet the Equipment Needs of Small Businesses in Alaska Shared office space one way small businesses keep equipment costs down

By Tracy Barbour

mall business owners in Alaska have an assortment of options and resources when it comes to acquiring office equipment. National and Alaska-based companies offer everything from telephone equipment and copiers to computers and full-scale security solutions. Clearly, the telephone is one of the most basic pieces of equipment needed by an office or other commercial space. Alaska businesses have access to a bevy of suppliers who provide the equipment and services needed to connect with customers, vendors, and employees. Matanuska Telephone Association (MTA) offers AVAYA PBX (private branch exchange) systems for purchase or lease. AVAYA PBX gives customers access to an affordable multiline phone system that is easy to upgrade and expand, allowing users to connect multiple locations and work remotely. With AVAYA PBX, customers don’t have to purchase, set up, or manage their own phone system; MTA provides and maintains the equipment for them. This can help reduce business communication costs while increasing employee productivity. MTA also offers a Hosted IP Business Supreme option that gives small businesses the opportunity to take advantage of Voice over IP (VoIP) technology. 70

VoIP equipment, servers, and services are hosted by MTA, which manages calls and routes them to and from the existing telephony system and equipment providing a flexible solution for small business owners, says Carolyn Hanson, MTA’s director of sales and community development. MTA says it has seen growth in the healthcare and educational Hanson markets, particularly when it comes to the use of wireless devices. They are also increasingly relying on Internet services, Hanson notes. “We were the first provider to offer unlimited broadband Internet packages to our members,” she says. MTA recently received approval for its Alaska Plan from the Federal Communications Commission. The plan restores $8 million in federal high-cost support that MTA needs to continue investing in its service area, Hanson says. This enables MTA to embark on a longterm construction program to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in fiber optic infrastructure in Alaska communities, with the goal of creating a state-of-the-art network that rivals any comparable network in the country, the company says. “Through our AlasConnect subsidiary, which we acquired in 2016, MTA is now the state’s leading provider of data center,

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

future-focused managed IT, and cyber-security services,” Hanson says. In addition to MTA, there are a number of other providers that offer telephone equipment and services to satisfy the needs of Alaska’s small businesses. They range from statewide companies like Alaska Communications to national providers such as AT&T.

Shared Office Space Features Array of Amenities Shared office space is giving entrepreneurs and other business owners a creative way to gain access to affordable equipment and other benefits. For example, Premier Business Center of Anchorage leases executive office suites on a monthly or annual basis. The Midtown suites are fully furnished with phone lines, highspeed Internet access, and other office equipment. They also offer access to a shared lobby, receptionist, secretarial services, conference room, lunch room, and free parking. Business owners wanting to avoid the cost of leasing a permanent office can rent virtual office space by the hour, day, week, or longer. And whether they are renting an executive or virtual office, renters can use the company’s mailing address to enhance their business image. www.akbizmag.com

Pacific Office Center also provides options to cater to different companies. Its executive suites offer an all-inclusive solution for fulltime clients, providing a downtown Anchorage business address, private offices, multiline telephone service, high-speed Internet, office equipment, on-site video conferencing, conference rooms, and a receptionist. Pacific Office Center also has virtual offices that work well for home-based ventures and other small businesses. The virtual office program offers part-time access and many of the same amenities as the full-time offices. The Boardroom represents a unique Anchorage-based option for shared office space and equipment. The innovative facility features an open floor plan, with dedicated desks, private offices, and tech-enabled meeting and conference rooms. Users can choose from different membership plans to gain access to various amenities, including high-speed Internet, phone booth access for private conversations, printing/copying, office supplies, mail handling, and a kitchen with free coffee and tea. Members also have access to the facility’s library, white/smart boards, on-site storage, and even space to park their bikes. The Boardroom also offers the 1 Million Cups program where entrepreneurs and others meet for coffee to discuss their business ideas. “Our members enjoy a constantly expanding network of contacts and potential clients, the synergy of being super-connected to a powerful community, and all the advantages of working in an environment that

www.akbizmag.com

supports mutual growth and collaboration,” states the company’s official website.

Security Solutions Help Protect Business Assets Security equipment is an essential asset for any business that wants to protect its office, retail, or other space. Guardian Security Systems Inc. offers a broad range of solutions to help keep employees, customers, and property safe. The company, which has been operating in Alaska since 1974, sells everything from basic alarm systems to state-of-the-art security, automation, and surveillance products. It operates multiple locations in Anchorage, Mat-Su, Kenai, and Fairbanks. Guardian Security Systems is reportedly the only locally-owned and-operated, full-service security company in Alaska. It installs, services, and monitors security systems for residential and commercial clients of all sizes. Guardian performs all of its monitoring in-state. “We are the only company that does that; every other company monitors out of state,” says Sales and Marketing Manager Danielle Bowman. As part of its fire monitoring service, Guardian employs a private radio network for fire and burglar radios. Businesses that have a fire radio in their building do not need a phone line for monitoring purposes. Guardian recently completed testing that shows it exceeded the required response time for fire codes, according to Jeff Pifer of Guardian’s dispatch operations.

Guardian also offers commercial camera systems for an enhanced level of security and business intelligence. The systems, which can include interior and exterior cameras, allow users to control the video content being uploaded at their location. Increasingly, businesses are combining automation to enhance the benefit of Guardian’s security solutions, Pifer says. Automation offers the ability to use computers or smart devices to interact with security or camera systems, allowing the user to arm or disarm the system, turn lights off, open doors, and perform other functions remotely. They can also track employees and add them to the system as needed. “Automation gives the commercial customer a lot of control over their security,” Pifer says. Access control is another important security area that businesses should monitor. Guardian and other security companies like them can facilitate electronically-controlled access to help regulate where, when, and how people enter a facility. For example, the main door could be an access point that employees enter using a swipe card or badge. The type of access control required generally depends on the nature of the business. “A storefront probably wouldn’t have access control for its main door, but a company with high-dollar items may have certain areas of their building that they do want to control,” Bowman says. R Tracy Barbour is a former Alaskan.

June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

FINANCIAL SERVICES

How Alaska Organizations Use Financing Solutions to Fund Infrastructure and Large-Scale Projects Southcentral Foundation, Wells Fargo, ADEA among those financing large projects By Tracy Barbour

ecently, Southcentral Foundation broke ground on a massive children’s dental clinic and health services facility in Anchorage. The 110,670-square-foot structure—under construction off Tudor Road in the former parking lot east of Alaska Native Medical Center—will house five stories and a sky bridge leading to an attached garage. A children’s dental clinic will occupy the basement and first and second floors of the building. The remaining floors will house OB-GYN, behavioral health for children, and specialties for youngsters with developmental needs. “The theme of the building was inspired by the Chugach Mountains and incorporates Alaska Native culture in its design,” says Chris Bryant, a special assistant to Southcentral Foundation’s Resource and Development Department. “It’s going to be a beautiful building.” The project, slated for completion in July 2018, allows Southcentral Foundation to finally separate its dental services—and younger patients— from the main hospital. “It will be nice to have a place where kids can feel safe taking care of their teeth and avoid other distractions,” Bryant says. Southcentral Foundation is a nonprofit healthcare organization that provides statewide health, dental, and other wellness services to Alaska Native and American Indian beneficiaries of the Indian Health Service. Part of the funding to construct Southcentral Foundation’s new structure is being facilitated by Wells Fargo and the city of Wasilla through tax-exempt bond financing. “They will finance up to $55 million with a fifteen-year term,” Bryant says. “The interest rate will be determined.” Once the municipal bond is issued, Wells Fargo will purchase the bond and receive a tax exemption. Ultimately, the financing translates into cost savings for both Wells Fargo and Southcentral Foundation. “We don’t have to pay taxes on the interest income that we earn, and we pass that savings on to the customer,” says Wells Fargo Alaska Commercial Real Estate Manager Patti Bozzo. Tax-exempt bond financing allows nonprofits like Southcentral Foundation to finance capital projects with significant interest rate reductions. For example, Bozzo says, “If the market interest rate is 5 percent, the equivalent tax-exempt rate would be approximately 3.5 percent.” Southcentral Foundation’s new medical facility is just one example of the many methods organizations statewide are employing to finance infrastructure and other large-scale projects. This article takes a closer look at how public and private sources can be used to fund or facilitate growth in Alaska: from roads and dams to healthcare facilities and housing developments. 72

Wells Fargo Facilitates Funding for Large Projects In Alaska, Wells Fargo finances large-scale projects that are typically related to affordable housing, multi-family housing, retail projects, medical facilities, and office buildings. These kinds of projects are generally financed by conventional commercial loans. The loans, which can be characterized by their complex structure, require a guarantor and underwriting similar to traditional financing, Bozzo says. Wells Fargo works with the federal low-income housing tax credit program to fund affordable housing projects. The low-income housing tax credit program is a valuable resource for project sponsors because it makes financing more economical. It also allows for the construction of more affordable housing to meet the needs of individuals in low- to moderate-income households. “These types of projects are fun, and they do amazing things for our community,” Bozzo says. Wells Fargo is also an active investor in low-income housing tax credit projects. Essentially, the bank purchases tax credits from project sponsors, helping offset the taxes it must pay for making an equity contribution into the project. “That investment is basically a fifteen-year investment,” Bozzo says. “It’s definitely being a partner with the sponsor for the long haul of the project.” In recent times, the biggest area of growth for large projects in Alaska has been healthcare, an industry that Bozzo says was underserved for a number years. Bozzo also says she is seeing more and more partnerships between doctors and developers. In some cases, people are purchasing buildings for their own use and leasing space to other businesses. “A lot of developers are looking to see how they can best use the capital they have to leverage it into income-producing properties,” she says. Regardless of the project or industry, Wells Fargo has made itself available to help business owners explore different funding options, Bozzo says. “We are always happy to talk with folks who are considering projects and need help with strategies on financing the opportunity,” she says. AIDEA Uses Financing to Promote Economic Development The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) focuses on strengthening Alaska’s economic and financial capacity within an economic development mandate to grow and diversify the economy and provide jobs for Alaskans. AIDEA works with Alaskans to grow and diversify the economy by helping them take advantage of long-term capital options, according to Business Development and Communications Director Mike Catsi. “Our programs offer a great deal of flexibility,

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

not only in what can be financed, but how,” Catsi says. “AIDEA is able to issue debt, either directly or through a commercial lending institution, provide loan and bond guarantees, and take an ownership position in appropriate projects. We serve the commercial, industrial, for-purpose, and public sectors, with enterprise projects in all sizes from several hundred thousand dollars to multi-million dollar infrastructure projects. AIDEA’s current capacity limits direct investments to $50 million for an individual project.” AIDEA’s loan and investment portfolio covers a broad variety of commercial and industrial sectors including oil and gas, office space, warehousing, tourism, recreation, retail, logistics, federal facilities, shipbuilding and repair, and hotels. Catsi emphasizes that all of the companies AIDEA supports have viable business plans, and the financial services provided are on commercial terms. AIDEA does not provide grants, subsidies, or incentives to any industry. AIDEA uses its readily available tools to finance enterprise infrastructure for resource development. Enterprise infrastructure includes projects that provide support for private sector activity, economic opportunity to grow and diversify the economy, and create wealth. “For projects in the $1 million to $25 million range, we will use to the greatest extent possible our Loan Participation Program,” Catsi says. “In partnership with other investors, we will use our Project Development Program to make direct investments up to $50 million. For projects in the $50 million to $500 million range, we will use our Infrastructure Development Program to issue bonds for enterprise infrastructure.” Catsi says infrastructure financing adheres to a process that’s similar to regular financing. But the complexity of the financing increases with the size of the project because of the inherent risk increases, and this often leads to complicated transactions with multiple parties involved. “Most transactions of this type will require the use of a number of instruments, including a combination of senior and junior debt, bonds, equity, guarantees, and a variety of different sources that are dependent on the industry,” he says. Recently, AIDEA partnered with Northrim Bank to provide funding for the construction of a cruise ship dock and upland facilities at the Icy Strait Point tourism facility in Hoonah in Southeast Alaska. The new dock increased passenger use of the facility, enhancing revenues and long-term sustainability. AIDEA also supplied a loan of up to $30 million to BlueCrest Energy Inc. for an on-shore drilling rig to support development of the Cosmopolitan oil and gas lease blocks in southern Cook Inlet. The rig is a 3,000-horsepower unit with more than 30,000 feet of reach capability. Other prominent financial undertakings made by AIDEA include the DeLong Mountain Transportation System in support of the Red Dog Mine, construction of the FedEx maintewww.akbizmag.com

nance hangar at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, and issuance of $122 million in tax-exempt, conduit revenue bonds on behalf of Providence Hospital’s expansion efforts.

Denali Commission Relies on Multiple Financial Resources In keeping with its mission, the Denali Commission is engaging in a number of infrastructure projects. The commission primarily focuses on providing power generation, transition facilities, modern communication systems, water and sewer systems, and other infrastructure needs in rural Alaska. It’s also involved in the planning and construction of healthcare facilities and addressing surface transportation infrastructure and waterfront transportation projects. The commission’s projects are mainly funded through two sources: the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Liability Interest Fund (TAPLF) and discretionary funds, according to Joel Neimeyer, federal co-chair of the Denali Commission. Last year, the Denali Commission began a Mooring Point Program that will impact eight communities around the state. The $10 million project, which involves driving an anchor at the edge of the coast or river so barges can chain off to the mooring point, is designed to create a more stable platform for the delivery of fuel. Funds for the modest but important project are being provided by TAPLF and the state. “That is an example of how, in a time with reduced federal and state funding, you can still make a significant impact,” Neimeyer says. The Mooring Point Program is expected to be complete next summer. The Denali Commission also recently started a Rural Power System Refurbishment project that requires spending at least $2.6 million (and possibly up to $6.6 million) for fiscal year 2017. The refurbishment is designed to support similar work by the Alaska Energy Authority and to help bring about a comprehensive power plant rebuild with the overarching goal of improving the assets’ performance and longevity. “It is the question of how do we get our core community assets to last the full economic life in a time with little state and federal funding,” Neimeyer says. Building and refurbishing infrastructure is extremely important in Alaska, Neimeyer says. As a relatively young state, Alaska has a considerable amount of first-generation infrastructure that needs to be repaired or replaced. That’s also the conclusion of the 2017 Alaska Infrastructure Report Card by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Overall, Alaska received a Cminus for the condition of its infrastructure. It garnered a B-minus for bridges; Cs for aviation, dams, solid waste, roads, and energy; and Ds for drinking water, ports, and marine highways. Alaska’s low scores don’t surprise Neimeyer. “We live in a very harsh environment, and it really isn’t easy to maintain, sustain, and protect assets,” he says. “I believe the funders over the years and owner/operators have fallen into the trap of the project management role and didn’t recognize how harsh our environment is and how important the facility management role is.” Neimeyer says that he, too, once had a standard project management mindset of building a project and immediately moving on to the next. Now, he is more focused on protective www.akbizmag.com

and preventive maintenance. “We have fewer dollars, [so] how do we leverage those fewer dollars and [still] have a meaningful impact in Alaska?” he says. “It’s less about building new and more about rebuilding what you have.”

Alaska Railroad Projects The Alaska Railroad uses a variety of funding sources for its basic infrastructure projects. Unlike other state-owned entities, the railroad is a primarily self-sustaining operation in that the state doesn’t provide it with a set budget, says President and CEO Bill O’Leary. “We don’t go to the legislature for our regular and operating funds,” O’Leary says. “We earn revenue from freight, passenger, and real estate activities, and we take the cash flow that we generate and plow it back into our infrastructure.” In addition to its primary funding sources, the Alaska Railroad is eligible for federal formula funds from the US Department of Transportation. It also has the ability to issue debt by either borrowing from banks or generating debt on the public debt market through bonds. However, this type of funding is often reserved for very large projects that don’t necessarily benefit the railroad. And these projects, which may also receive money from the state, are typically one-off situations, O’Leary says. The railroad’s Positive Train Control (PTC) project is a prime example of one of these situations and of how the railroad employs diverse funding mechanisms. The colossal undertaking is being funded through a combination of federal grants ($82.7 million), state money

($34.1 million), internal cash ($6.1 million generated from operations), and public debt ($41.5 million worth of bonds). The project is expected to be completed by 2019. Another upcoming project connected to the Alaska Railroad is Anchorage’s new luxury housing development known as Downtown Edge. The railroad is leasing The Petersen Group land for the project, which will be situated near West Second Avenue and Christiansen Drive. Downtown Edge is the first phase of a unique mixed-use development featuring high-end condominiums within easy walking distance of retail space, restaurants, entertainment, and recreation. “We’re excited about it,” O’Leary says. “We think it’s a neat first project for this area.” Developer Bob Petersen is also enthusiastic about Downtown Edge, which, he says, will help add to the vibe of the city. The condos will feature unique floor plans—ranging from 1,300- to 2,000- square feet—in a modern industrial design. The open floor plans will include professionally-designed kitchens, floor-to-ceiling windows, attached garages and outside decks with scenic views. “Our first phase is seventeen units, and they were sold in about five weeks,” Petersen says. “I believe it’s the fastest-selling condo project in my career.” As of early April, Petersen was pursuing financing to build Downtown Edge. “We have several interested banks, but we need to complete the lease agreement with the railroad and public offering statement,” he says. R Tracy Barbour is a former Alaskan.

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www.superiorpnh.com • P.O. Box 230387 • Anchorage, Alaska 99523 June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

FISHERIES

The Commercial Side of Alaska Sport Fishing The Alaskans who make their living sport fishing By Tom Anderson

laska’s sport fishing industry is a mainstay for many locals who make their living as guides on river and ocean boats. Using everything from deep-sea poles to the classic fly rod—the fishing guide’s aim is to keep each client happy with an ice chest full of aquatic bounty.

How Many Guides Are There in Alaska? The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) Division of Sport Fish compiles data from freshwater sport fishing businesses, including participation and harvest data. It also oversees sport fishing on 3,000 rivers, 3 million lakes, and 6,640 miles of coastline. Guide and business licenses are mandatory for sport fishing, and guides are required to keep a logbook of trip dates, locations, client names, amount of fish caught, and licensing details. Bob Powers, Commercial Licensing Supervisor for the Division of Sport Fish, is busy compiling 2016 sport fishing statistics, with the goal of releasing updated numbers in 2017. But since ADF&G, like other state departments, has suffered from budget and staff cuts, the most recent numbers available on sport fishing licensure are from 2014. Powers and Sigurdsson reports that in 2014, ADF&G received 1,115 license applications from sport fishing businesses and 2,788 from sport fishing guides. The report notes that of the 1,115 issuances, 983 were combination owner/guide licenses. Of the businesses, 87 percent were Alaskan, 63 percent of guides were Alaskan, and 37 percent were non-residents. The Southcentral sport fishing region is issued the most business and guide licenses, at a ratio of three-to-one compared to the Southeast. There is also a small percentage of licensure in rural Alaska. Drifting on the Fly Alaska may be a long way from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia geographically, but not in spirit, especially for someone who picked up his first fly rod at the ripe old age of eight. Scott Sager launched his Alaska guided services in 2002 in Cooper Landing on the Kenai Peninsula. After working for four years as a guide on the Kenai River, he started his current guiding business that runs from May 20 to October 5. Sager starts his guides on the Kasilof River in late May for the early run of King salmon, between June 11 and June 25 the Kenai River opens for rainbow trout—his signature specialty with fly rods. July also brings red “sockeye” salmon and Kings to both the Kasilof and Kenai Rivers. The trout run slows between June 25 and July 25, and returns from late July to October 5. He adds that steelhead and silver salmon fishing is also offered to and enjoyed by his clients. His customers include novice and seasoned 74

EXPENSE

NET SALES

$142,312 $61,462 $5,263 $209,037 $469,993 $26,213 $437 $496,643 $26,345 $85,467 $0 $111,812 $1,808 $0 $1,808

$4,071,631 $2,154,279 $214,321 $6,440,231 $12,821,842 $1,450,447 $20,353 $14,292,642 $787,936 $2,513,083 $60 $3,301,079 $55,338 $2,590 $57,928

$4,570 $116.267 $120,837

$143,680 $5,545.043 $5,688,723

$50,761 $246.608 $297,369

$558,444 $2,498.112 $3,056,556

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 $0 $1,237,505

3,600.00 13,600.00 0.00 0.00 $17,200 $32,854,358

1,919 $307 $11 $327 $2,563 $1,240,068

$36,610 $6,249 $459 $3,044 $46,361 $32,900,719

This summary report shows statistics for licenses, stamps, and big game tags reported issued during calendar year 2016. Division of Administrative Services, License Accounting Prepared January 18, 2017. Compiled from CYTD Collection Statistics 1/3/2017. Includes prior and future year licenses that were reported sold during this calendar year. The # ISSUED represents the total number of privileges to which the license type allows. For example: A combination license (Hunt/Fish) is one license type but represents two different privileges. Thus the# ISSUED is reported under both Hunting and Fishing. Expenses are the commission and postage retained by license vendors Includes complimentary Senior Resident Licenses (Included in Hunt/ Fish/Trap/Kin g Salmon Stamp Qty) and Disabled Veteran Resident Licenses (Included in Hunt/ Fish/Kin g Salmon Stamp Qty) which were issued during this calendar year Includes complimentary National Guard/Military Reserves licenses (Hunt/Fish) issued durin g this calendar year.

anglers who go out on a twenty-foot McKenziestyle drift boat and a Willie Predator twentyfoot powerboat. “I’d say 40 percent of my clientele are local Alaskans and 60 percent are from out of state, either in the Lower 48 or foreign,” Sager says. “We see professionals taking time off to catch some fish, or a family or couple who want to experience some of the best fishing in the state, with a helping hand,” he says. Sager typically sees approximately three hundred clients during his one hundred day guiding season. He offers eight-hour packages available for multiple days, with a maximum capacity of four guests and himself. “I’m in the business because I value nature’s bounty, and since I was a kid, the magic of catching a fish is something I’ve wanted to share with everyone.”

Afishunt Charters rian Baker purchased Afishunt Charters B three years ago to share his love of fishing. The iconic company’s claim to fame is inclusivity to the Kenai Peninsula with “premium Alaska halibut and salmon fishing at Ninilchik’s largest full service RV Park.” This year, Afishunt is celebrating twenty-five years in the sport fishing charter business. Baker’s business is licensed to fish for hali-

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

but and salmon in the ocean and on the Kasilof River for salmon. Afishunt has a fleet of seven boats, including four ocean boats operated by four US Coast Guard licensed captains and four first mates and two river guides. Three boats are thirty-two-foot Almar Sounders, custom built for the Cook Inlet. The sister ship is a twenty-nine-foot Almar Sounder. The company also has three river drift boats. Each of Baker’s ocean vessels is equipped with top of the line Avets fishing reels and salmon trolling gear. “We use anything from herring, octopus, salmon, or cod for bait,” says Baker. The seasons and specifics depend on location. Halibut and salmon are targeted in the ocean, while King, silver, and red salmon are sought after in the Kasilof. The season begins May 1 and runs until Labor Day. This year Afishunt is adding rock fish and lingcod trips in July. One unique aspect of the sport fishing adventure with Afishunt is that the boats are launched out of Deep Creek. “Because of the extreme tides… we are put in with a tractor. When we come back in we have to drive onto the tractor. You can see a video of it on YouTube and it’s referred to as ‘deep creep carnage.’ There are only three of these types of boat launches in the world,” says Baker. www.akbizmag.com

SOURCE: State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game

2016 Calendar Year Licenses And Tags Issued DESCRIPTION QTY GROSS FISHING & HUNTING LICENSES AND STAMPS Resident Fishing License 203,413 $4,213,942 Resident Hunting License 116,997 $2,215,741 Resident Trapping License 39,303 $219,584 RESIDENT LICENSE TOTAL 359,713 $6,649,268 Nonresident Fishing License 300,862 $13,291,835 Nonresident Hunting License 20,135 $1,476,660 Nonresident Trapping License 126 $20.790 NONRESIDENT LICENSE TOTAL 321,123 $14,789,285 Resident King Salmon Stamp 88,967 $814,280 Nonresident King Salmon Stamp 113,051 $2,598,550 Collector’s King Salmon Stamp 6 $60 KING SALMON STAMP TOTAL 202,024 $3,412,890 Waterfowl Conservation Stamp 11,429 $57,145 Collector Waterfowl Stamp 518 $2,590 WATERFOWL STAMP TOTAL 11,947 $59,375 BIG GAME TAGS Resident Big Game Tag 5,341 $148,250 Nonresident Big Game Tag 20.088 $5.661.310 TOTAL 25,429 $5,809,560 COMMERCIAL CREW MEMBER LICENSES Resident 10,725 $609,205 Nonresident 10.946 $2,744.720 TOTAL 21,671 $3,353,925 PROFESSIONAL LICENSES Resident & Non-Resident Totals Fur Dealer 24 3,600 Taxidermy 65 13,600 Game Bird Farm 0 0 Sport Fishing Guide Registration 3,385 0 TOTAL 3,474 $17,200 TOTAL 945,381 $34,091,863 Duplicate Licenses Duplicate Fishing and Hunting License 8,307 38,529 Duplicate King Salmon Stamp 1,311 $6,555 Duplicate Big Game Tag 94 $470 Duplicate Crewmember License 674 $3,370 TOTAL 10,386 $48,924 GRAND TOTAL 955,767 $34,140,787

The charter takes up to eight people. The US Coast Guard has approved up to ten passengers on three of the boats, but Baker only allows that for entire families. One of his boats is limited to only six passengers. During the 2016 season, Baker took 3,200 clients out fishing. He estimates that 25 percent of his clients are from Alaska and 75 percent are from out of state. The majority of his US out-of-staters are from the Midwest; about 5 percent are from outside the United States.

Valdez Outfitters Valdez Outfitters’ owner Tim Bouchard began working in the charter industry in the summer of 2003, guiding raft trips for grayling and salmon in Alaska’s Interior. Soon after he earned his first captain’s license and worked on the Yukon River guiding pike fishing trips during June and July and then in Valdez in August for Silver salmon. He enjoyed Valdez enough to relocate there in 2011. Bouchard has a 200 Ton Master Captain’s License, sport fishing guide license, halibut sport fishing charter permits, and is registered as a big game guide. Valdez Outfitters is permitted on state and federal lands, which means it is able to offer the gamut of fishing services in Prince William Sound. Valdez Outfitters stays busy with five to six guides running four halibut charter boats ranging from twenty-eight-feet to thirty-four-feet long from May through September. During the July and August salmon season the charter adds two twenty-two-foot to twenty-five-foot fishing boats. Valdez Outfitters also offers multi-day sightseeing adventures on the Christian, a sixty-

eight-foot steel vessel. They also have eight small skiffs from twelve-to-eighteen-feet in length for smaller excursions and rentals. The charter provides all the fishing gear for their clients, using high-end Shimano rods and reels, including a large variety of in-house crafted terminal tackle and plenty of fresh bait on board. Twelve rods are on every halibut vessel for six clients. Bouchard says his bottom-fishing trips target halibut, lingcod, black bass, and yellow eye rockfish. “We don’t just go out and try to catch two halibut and come back to port; we are out there for a variety of fish for our customers,” he adds. “You never know what you may pull off the bottom. We see octopus, greenlings, copper rockfish, tiger rockfish, skates, and even sea cucumbers come up regularly. We do these kinds of trips from the start of May through September 5, each season. Lingcod does not open until July 1. We also fish for silver salmon come mid-July to September 5.” Valdez Outfitters estimates this summer will yield more than 1,600 clients. Bouchard notes that booking early is important in order to secure a charter. His clientele are split evenly between residents and non-residents. The charter’s foreign demographic is very low, maybe 1 percent, not counting Canadians, which total nearly 10 percent some years. This past season Valdez Outfitter’s clients won the local Valdez Halibut Fish Derby. The winning fish was 253 pounds. “Valdez is one of the hidden gems on the road system for fishing. People can take a beautiful drive from Anchorage or Fairbanks and arrive

in Valdez at some extremely good fishing opportunities. Our lingcod fishing is second-tonone in the state. Year after year we have people fish with us, and they’re hooked. And that’s the most rewarding part of my job,” he says.

Crazy Rays Adventures Ray Nix of Crazy Rays Adventures was born and raised in Alaska. He and his wife Brenda run their charter sport fishing service out of Whittier. The company has three guides, seven deckhands, and a summer 2017 docket of anxious anglers that is filling up quickly. With two custom-built boats—one a thirty-two-foot by ten-foot North River Offshore and the other a thirty-foot by approximately nine-foot custom Sea Raider—the charter has a solid presence in the Prince William Sound. Nix and his team help passengers hunt for halibut, lingcod, Pacific cod, and King and silver salmon from May 1 to October 1. They typically maintain eighteen Okuma rods on each boat, as well as Kodiak Custom Fishing Tackle, TUF-LINE, Savage Gear, and Fish Cracker Baits equipment. Nix says most of his clients are Alaskan. “We’ve won the KTUU Channel 2 News ‘Viewers’ Choice Award’ twice in the Best Halibut Fishing Charter in Alaska category. We’ve landed two halibut over 300 pounds in the last five years, while both boats caught 3,200-plus pounds of fish last season, with the largest weighing in at 267 pounds. R Tom Anderson writes from across Alaska.

Be a part of getting wild, healthy, and sustainable seafood from Alaska harvesters to consumers worldwide. Find jobs in Alaska’s seafood industry at jobs.alaska.gov/seafood/

Alaska’s seafood industry is the largest private sector employer in the state employing thousands of Alaskans. We are always looking to increase Alaska hire.

PSPA Member Locations

PACIFIC SEAFOOD PROCESSORS ASSOCIATION: ALASKA GENERAL SEAFOODS ALYESKA SEAFOODS, INC. GOLDEN ALASKA SEAFOODS NORTH PACIFIC SEAFOODS PETER PAN SEAFOODS PHOENIX PROCESSOR LIMITED PARTNERSHIP TRIDENT SEAFOODS CORP. UNISEA INC. WESTWARD SEAFOODS, INC. www.akbizmag.com

June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

VISITOR INDUSTRY

Photo courtesy of Juneau Food Tours

Juneau Food Tours Founder and Owner Midgi Moore (far right, orange jacket) speaks to a Tour with Taste group in Juneau.

Southeast Alaska Art, culture, food, and adventure in Alaska’s Panhandle By Tasha Anderson

laska’s southeast region is a star in Alaska’s tourism industry. While stunning vistas, spectacular wildlife, and unique excursions can be found anywhere in the state, the Southeast is home to many of Alaska’s most popular cruise destinations, with a perfect adventure for every guest. Whether it’s boating, fishing, animal viewing, hiking, glacier trekking, shopping, or pausing for a bite to eat, Southeast Alaska does it all and does it well.

Juneau As Alaska’s capital city and a major cruise ship port, Juneau is no stranger to tourism; the city receives more than 1 million visitors each year from cruise ships alone. Midgi Moore, owner and operator of Juneau Food Tours, says that 76

Alaska and its once-in-a-lifetime excursions are often part of people’s bucket lists. From visiting glaciers and taking helicopter rides above Juneau’s majestic mountain peaks to boating, fishing, and dog mushing, Southeast bucket list options are nearly endless. Moore says a growing trend in Juneau’s tourism scene is walking tours, including the one she created. This summer will be the third season that Moore operates Juneau Food Tours (juneaufoodtours.com). The company was borne from her passion for food. “I moved here from Utah and a lot of my friends and family back home were asking me how to make this recipe or that recipe, so I started up just a little blog called Meals with Midgi,” she says. Soon after, Juneau’s local newspaper tapped Moore to write a food column, and she shared her passion for food with the community through the Capital City Weekly for about seven years. “I developed this really great rapport with the Juneau dining scene because I’m very passionate about it. We’ve had this amazing growth in the industry over the last four to five years, and through that, because I made

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

all those relationships, I was able to take the knowledge that I learned from the visitor industry and my passion for the food scene and create this company.” Juneau Food Tours’ basic tour is “Tour with Taste,” which focuses on Alaska’s sustainable seafood. She says that many visitors to Alaska don’t realize that Alaska’s fish are wild-caught, not farmed, so the tour focus is on the story, the history, and the importance of Alaska Seafood. “We start at the Alaska Fishermen’s Memorial, and we talk about the commercial fishing industry and the importance of that industry because we don’t feed just Alaskans, we feed the world with our seafood, and I want to give them that big picture.” The tour visits seven tasting locations; several of which focus on seafood, one location has a beer tasting, and one has a wine pairing with soba noodles and duck confit. “Everything is local,” Moore says. “All of the chefs are local; all of my partners are local businesses.” The tour takes about two-and-a-half hours and groups can have as many as fourteen members, though Moore says if she’s providing a private tour for a family reunion www.akbizmag.com

or business retreat she allows groups of up to twenty. The Tour with Taste walking tour is approximately a mile long. Every guest receives a reusable, recyclable shopping bag containing two additional desert “tastings”: gingersnaps from Taku Glacier Lodge and a special treat created by a Juneau candy confectioner. “The only way to get those cookies is to go on the Taku Glacier Lodge excursion and fly out to the lodge or on my tour,” Moore says. “They’re not sold anywhere; they’re an exclusive tasting.” Moore is launching a new tour for this summer season that is not seafood-centric. Given the moniker Bits and Booze, it will focus on small bites (from local food trucks and restaurants that have small to-go options) and spirits, many provided by local brewers and a new distillery. Moore’s business is growing; she says this year she’ll hire seven to eight people to help run the tours. “Tour with Taste is sold on Holland America and Princess Cruise Line ships; a lot of those ships are here at the same time and the tours overlap, and I can’t do them all,” she says. Moore is focusing on hiring local employees, “because I want the visitor and the guest to truly experience what it’s like to live, eat, and drink here and to be a part of our community for the two-and-ahalf to three-hours we’re with them.” While in Juneau, guests interested in the area’s history should consider visiting the Juneau-Douglas City Museum (juneau.org/ library/museum/index.php) located across from the Capitol building. Beginning in May, the Museum offers historic downtown walking tours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. The tours are led by local guides who have lived in Juneau for many years and are able to offer a unique perspective to Juneau’s story. The tour includes entrance to the City Museum and tea time at Alaska’s Capital Inn, which was built in 1906 and has been restored and is now run as a bed and breakfast. The Juneau-Douglas City Museum has several permanent exhibits, including the General History Gallery, which features a Juneau Timeline, Juneau’s Changing Shoreline, Northwest Coast Woodwork and the Tlingit People, Outdoor Recreation: Skiing & the Dan Moller Cabin, and the US Bureau of Mines: Assay Lab. A hands-on mining gallery gives visitor information on drilling and mining, a history of hydropower in Juneau, rocks and minerals, and the Treadwell Mine cave-in. Beginning June 30, the museum will feature a new fishing exhibit that combines an existing fishing exhibit with “history about Tlingit fishing methods, recreational fishing in Juneau, and the commercial fishing industry,” according to the museum. Of course there are numerous adventures waiting outside the city as well. Above & Beyond Alaska (beyondak.com) is an employee-owned guiding company that offers exploration opportunities by foot, kayak, plane, boat, or helicopter. According to the company, “Our goal is to provide a complete Alaskan wilderness experience by sharing www.akbizmag.com

with our clients our passion, technical knowhow, and natural history knowledge.” Above & Beyond Alaska has a variety of trips that grant access to the Southeast’s amazing glaciers: the Glacier Canoe & Paddle Trek, Glacier Lake Kayak Paddle, and Mendenhall Glacier Trek are all day trips that get up close and personal with Mendenhall Glacier, which is thirteen miles long and ends at Mendenhall Lake. The different trips offer canoeing or kayaking, waterfall viewing, hikes on Mendenhall, and ice cave exploration. The company’s other day trips include Admiralty Brown Bear Viewing & Kayak, Tongass Coast Kayak, and Channel Island Kayak & Wildlife Experience. Above & Beyond Alaska also offers overnight trips, including the Helicopter Glacier Base Camp trip, which may take place on Mendenhall or Lemon Glacier. Guests ride a helicopter to a base camp and then engage in glacier trekking, ice climbing, glacial edge exploration, photography, and camping. Juneau’s Channel Islands Kayak Camp offers kayaking along the Coast Mountain Range and the Tongass forest, beach combing, and a variety of wildlife encounters. Many of Above & Beyond Alaska’s trips are easy-to-moderate in terms of skill level, meaning no experience is necessary to enjoy their excursions. The company says, “Our guides have received in-depth training that complements their personal experience in traveling and camping in the ocean and mountain environments. Additionally, they

are certified in both CPR and a minimum of advanced first aid. However, it is their passion for the outdoors and their ability to blend expert instruction and interpretive knowledge for individuals, couples, families, and small groups of any ability level that make our trips unique and memorable.” Above & Beyond Alaska also offers private and customized trips, and, in addition to acting as guides, they provide rental and retail gear appropriate for their outdoor excursions, as well as for transportation and film production services.

Ketchikan Ketchikan is blessed with rich Alaska Native culture and a long history of maritime exploration, such as fishing, logging, and mining. The Tongass Historical Museum, which gives insight to this rich history, (ktn-ak.us/Tongass-Historical-Museum-Exhibits) closed its doors in September of 2016 to accommodate a $1.3 million renovation on the main floor of the building. Demolition began in October and the museum reopened in April. In May, a new permanent exhibit opened exploring the “enduring and inspiring stories of Ketchikan’s history and heritage.” The museum states, “Ketchikan has been a mining center, fishing port, cannery town, transportation hub, timber town, regional center of government and commerce, and tourist destination. It has been called a variety of names, from ‘The Salmon Capital of the World’ to the ‘Wickedest City in Alaska.’ Through it all,

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our town has been friendly, resilient, independent, resourceful, and proudly Alaskan.” Ketchikan is also the home of the Saxman Totem Park (capefoxtours.com), one of the largest gatherings of totems in the world. Tours of the park are conducted by Cape Fox Tours. The tour begins with a short video that introduces visitors to the culture and history of Saxman, after which guests are welcomed by song and dance by the Cape Fox Dance group before visiting the totem park itself. Travelers learn how modern carvers differ from their ancestors and about current carving projects around the world. For those looking for adventure, the Bear Creek Zipline Adventure (spiritofalaskatours. com) is operated by Alaska Canopy Adventures

and features eight dual cable ziplines with an aerial view of Bear Creek. The “eco-rainforest” zipline adventure takes approximately threeand-a-half hours, including transfers, and is suitable for beginners or zipline experts. The Bear Creek Zipline Adventure begins with 4x4 ATV ride to the briefing camp, where guests participate in an outfitting and orientation. After which, visitors experience a unique descent from platform-to-platform mounted on huge Western Hemlocks, finally rappelling from the last platform to the ground. Animal sightings aren’t guaranteed, but many guests catch a glimpse of eagles or bears among the stands of spruce, hemlock, and cedar; panoramic ocean, forest, and mountain views from the platforms are a sure thing.

For a different experience, small groups can take advantage of Mindfulness Rainforest Treks, which are designed for “people who want a more intimate, local-flavored tour with a particular fitness level and sensibility,” according to the company. The tours are guided by a local Ketchikan, Alaska resident and take place regardless of weather conditions. The hike is approximately one mile to Coast Guard Beach, where the group can do tai-chi, write, meditate, or explore the area. Any adventure works up an appetite, and Burger Queen is a popular locally-owned option in Ketchikan. Burger Queen began as a food truck on the dock in Ketchikan in 1980, offering hand-made burgers made on a customized charcoal grill. Burger Queen remains a family restaurant today, known for their burgers, fish and chips, and salads. The restaurant only has a few tables, so most diners get their “relatively quick food” to-go. For a fine dining experience, visitors can check out Bar Harbor Restaurant, which offers delicious food and a view from the deck overlooking Bar Harbor. Bar Harbor is locally-owned and has been in operation for thirteen years, opening for dinner Monday through Saturday and featuring a variety of dishes from rack of lamb, seared ahi tuna, and ribeye steak to crispy beef tacos and a barbeque pork loin sandwich.

Sitka Sitka has the reputation of being one of the most beautiful communities in Southeast Alaska and is the home of one of Alaska’s unique nonprofits, Fortress of the Bear, which provides protection and care to rescued bears. The rescue center opened in 2007 and now houses eight bears. The not-for-profit 501(c)3 relies solely on admission fees and donations to continue their mission of rescuing cubs, nursing them back to health, and providing them with a long life full of enrichment and care. According to the nonprofit’s website, “We’ve sent bears to the Bronx Zoo, Montana Grizzly Encounter, and the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Boyd, Texas. Our goal is to work with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game to someday release rehabbed bears back into the wild.” More than 20,000 visitors head to the center every year. The center’s eight bears are named Toby, Balloo, Lucky, Killisnoo, Chaik, Smokey, Bandit, and Tuliaan. Biographies of the bears can be found online (fortressofthebear.org). Because of the nature of wildlife in Alaska, this is one of the few opportunities when visitors are guaranteed bear sightings. Animal enthusiasts are able to get within twenty-five feet of one of Alaska’s brown bears in a naturalized setting. The bears are kept on a threequarter acre habitat, and guests view them from large, covered viewing platforms. Tours last approximately thirty minutes. For Sitka visitors who want to both see and do, Sitka Sound Ocean Adventures (kayaksitka.com) offer guided half- and full-day sea kayak tours, guided multi-day expeditions, kayak skills instruction, and kayak rentals and sales. According to the company, “It is our intention to earn a reputation for run78

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

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Photo courtesy of Juneau Food Tours

A Tour with Taste group sits to sample the local cuisine from Deckhand Dave’s, a Juneau food truck.

ning the finest-quality kayak tours available. And then re-earn that reputation every time we head out on the water with a new group of paddlers.” Their tours include a Harbor & Islands Guided Paddle, Half Day Sitka Sound Paddle & Cruise, Islands Paddle & Lost Fort Trek, Full Day Wild Coast Paddle & Cruise, and the Volcano Coast Cruise & Paddle.

The Volcano Coast Cruise & Paddle allows adventurers to get up close and personal with Kruzof Island, which is a “dramatic jumble of steep volcanic formations and poorly-charted reefs. Large vessels stay well offshore, and it is almost impossible terrain to transit afoot. The only way to really investigate this coast upclose is by sea kayak,” the company says. The

tour includes traveling over kelp forests, exploration of sea caves, and stunning beaches, home to one of Alaska’s population of brown bears. The trip also includes a picnic lunch on the beach. The Islands Paddle & Lost Fort Trek is an appropriate venture for any age or skill level that begins in Sitka’s harbor and includes a stop near Sitka’s decommissioned Naval Base. After traveling out past the breakwater, guests stop at the Causeway Islands and explore the remains of a World War II-era fort. For adventurers looking to explore independently, the Indian River Trail in Sitka is a good option. It’s close to Sitka and travels through moderate terrain. It’s named after the Indian River, which it follows through the wilderness, up the valley, and to a waterfall. The river attracts wildlife, making it a good place to spot birds or deer. The woods along the trail are comprised of Sitka spruce, Alaska yellow cedar, and western hemlock and evidence can still be seen in the trees of age-old hand-logging. The entire trail is about five miles long, be sure to rest up for that last mile because it’s more difficult than the rest, but the final views of a seventy-foot waterfall make all the hard work well worth it. No matter one’s inclination or expectations, Alaska’s Southeast region is sure to meet the mark. R Tasha Anderson is the Associate Editor for Alaska Business.

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Business Events 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

9-13

JUN

IRWA Education Conference

Dena’ina Center, Anchorage: The International Right of Way Association’s 63rd Annual International Education Conference providing educational and learning opportunities as well as networking events. irwaonline.org

11-14 JUN

15-19

Mining History Association Annual Conference

University of Fairbanks: The Mining History Association is an organization of individuals interested in the history of mining and metallurgy. Members include independent scholars, laypersons, college and university professors, historians, miners, geologists, retired mining industry personnel, and many others. mininghistoryassociation.org

JUN

19-23

7th 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

WASHTO 2017

Centennial Hall Convention Center, Juneau: WASHTO 2017 ALASKA will be attended by State Department of Transportation CEOs, chief engineers, and execu-

25-28

Compiled by Tasha Anderson tive leadership from the eighteen westernmost states in the country, as well as executives from the US Department of Transportation and Federal Highways Administration. washto.org/default.asp

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 Alaska high school students. alaskachamber.com

15-22 JUL

ALASBO Summer Leadership

Sitka: This event opens with an evening reception and dinner on Friday and closes with a group activity in beautiful Sitka on Sunday afternoon. alasbo.org

21-23 JUL

Alaska ASA Annual Conference

University of Alaska Fairbanks: Mark Bravington, a statistician from Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Marine Lab in Tasmania, Australia, will give a two-day workshop on the topic of “Close-Kin Mark-Recapture,” an innovative population estimation method with tremendous potential for contributing to research and management of fish and wildlife species. community.amstat.org/alaskachapter/home

24-25

AUGUST

AUG

AML Winter Legislative Meeting

Haines: 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

15-17

SEPTEMBER

SEP

7-8

Alaska Recreation & Park Association Conference

Valdez: The focus of the conference is threefold: opportunities for continuing education and the exchange of best practices, a chance to network with peers, and to recognize

accomplishments through the ARPA Awards Ceremony. alaskarpa.org

SEP

Alaska Inbound Marketing Summit

SEP

NADO Annual Training Conference

SEP

APA/AIE Annual Meeting

AIMS i s a gathering of business owners, marketing agencies, nonprofits, content writers, web developers, bloggers, and the like. It includes speakers and workshops to educate the business community on marketing skills and to build connections. alaskainbound.com

Dena’ina Center, Anchorage: This is the National Association of Development Organizations’ annual training conference and will celebrate NADO’s 50th anniversary. nado.org/events/2017-annual-training-conference

9-12

Kodiak Convention Center, Kodiak: 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

12-15 SEP

16-20

Alaska Association of REALTORS Convention

Cooper Landing: The annual convention includes keynote and guest speakers and opportunities for ECE credits. alaskarealtors.com

SEP

IEEE/MTS–OCEAN 2017

SEP

Alaska Fire Conference

Dena’ina Center, Anchorage: Jointly sponsored by the IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society and the Marine Technology Society, this international conference is a major forum for scientists, engineers, and those with an interest in oceans to gather and exchange their knowledge and ideas on the future of the world’s oceans. ieee.org

18-22

Sitka: Includes training, workshops, lectures, and a firefighter competition. This year’s keynote speakers are Paul Urbano, a thirty-one-year fire service veteran, and Loren C. Rotroff, who began his fire service career in 1957. alaskafireconference.com R

15-30

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Inside

Alaska Business June 2017

Compiled by Tasha Anderson

Photos courtesy of SEARHC

SEARHC employee and artist Sydney Akagi brought the Alaska outdoors into the Children’s Dental Clinic. Akagi is a dental case coordinator at the Clinic and sought to make the art inviting and comforting for children undergoing dental procedures.

SEARHC

outhEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) is delighted to announce the opening of their new Children’s Dental Clinic in Juneau. The new clinic is on the first floor of the SEARHC Dental building at 3245 Hospital Drive. Pediatric dental staff began seeing patients in the new space in May, with a public ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house planned for June 22. The expansion into a larger space had been in the planning stages since 2014 and was the logical next step toward providing all children in the community with adequate access to dental care, many of them recipients of Denali Kid Care. Simply put, more space and more dentists mean SEARHC can care for the oral health of more children in Southeast Alaska. It also allows for more flexibility and convenience when scheduling appointments, which will be helpful for parents trying to juggle busy schedules. searhc.org

GCI

eneral Communication, Inc. (GCI) and Liberty Interactive Corporation announced the signing of an agreement that will combine GCI’s business with certain assets and liabilities of the Liberty Ventures Group into a company to be called GCI Liberty. “This transaction is a win for our shareholders, customers, and employees,” said Ron Duncan, GCI co-founder, president, and chief executive officer. GCI will remain a freestanding operation within GCI Liberty. GCI’s leadership team, brand, operations, and products and services will not

change as a result of the transaction. GCI will remain headquartered in Anchorage. This transaction is subject to regulatory review and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2018. gci.com

PACRIM COAL

acRim Coal suspended all permitting activities related to the Chuitna Coal Project as of March 31. The company says, “Following several months of internal review and discussions, the partners in PacRim Coal, LP have decided to suspend pursuit of its permitting efforts to invest in other projects.”

MATANUSKA-SUSITNA BOROUGH

he Matanuska-Susitna Borough has a new eCommerce site through which businesses can purchase or renew their Mat-Su business license using a credit card. Some 8,000 businesses hold licenses in the Borough. “We anticipate 10 percent to 15 percent participation the first year, increasing to 30 percent to 35 percent in year three. The goal is to exceed 60 percent participation,” said Joe Quickel, the Borough’s eCommerce Project Manager. The new eCommerce site is located at https://ecommerce. matsugov.us/Pages/default.aspx matsugov.us

ALASKA HEART & VASCULAR INSTITUTE

he Alaska Heart & Vascular Institute has acquired a state-of-the-art rapid CT scanner that virtually eliminates patient claustrophobia and uses substantially lower doses of radiation. The newly procured Siemens SOMATOM Definition Flash CT uses the world’s first fully-integrated Stellar detector, which allows for exceptional image quality and a simplified patient process. This fast, non-invasive CT scanner became available April 10 at the Anchorage office. “The advancements associated with the Siemens SOMATOM Definition Flash CT have the potential to change the way physicians evaluate patients with chest pain and with heart and vascular problems,” said Dr. Finley, medical director, CT department. alaskaheart.com

PEOPLE MOVER

ayor Berkowitz and Transit Director Hassan announced a new transit system for the Municipality of Anchorage that will reduce wait

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INSIDE ALASKA BUSINESS times, expand service hours, and provide better service to residents. The new transit system will launch in October. The new, innovative system is based on eighteen months of community outreach to design a transportation network that gives residents reliable service and contained costs. The design was based on an analysis of the transit market, more than 1,200 public comments, and more than twenty-five community meetings. “These changes are about moving Anchorage forward,” says Berkowitz. “The new schedule will increase ridership and provide better and faster service, helping our neighborhoods, businesses, schools, and commuters.” muni.org

MIDNIGHT SUN HOME CARE

idnight Sun Home Care announced the acquisition of another highly respected local provider’s in-home care division. CareNet, Inc. was recently approached by a national franchise for acquisition of their home care division but chose instead to sell their home care line of business to Midnight Sun Home Care, citing the agencies’ similar values, philosophies, and Alaskan business roots as deciding factors. The acquisition provides Midnight Sun Home Care clients and their loved ones with additional coverage thanks to an expanded agency staff. The transition also allows CareNet, Inc.’s caregiving staff to continue working for a locally-owned company. midnightsuncare.com

US COAST GUARD 17TH DISTRICT ALASKA

he Coast Guard commissioned the fast response cutter John McCormick during a ceremony in Ketchikan in April. Built under the Coast Guard’s Sentinel-class FRC program, the CGC John McCormick is the first of six fast response cutters to homeport in Alaska and the first to be homeported on the Pacific Ocean. Designed to meet the needs of potential mission necessities, the CGC John McCormick is capable of supporting a range of missions, including maritime law enforcement, port, waterways and coastal security, fishery patrols, search-and-rescue, and national defense. Set to replace the aging 110-foot Island-class

cutters, the Sentinel-class FRCs can house a crew of twenty-four and features a stern launch system used to deploy a twenty-six-foot rigidhull inflatable boat to carry out rescue and interception missions. The 154-foot-long vessels boast flank speed of twenty-eight knots while also featuring the latest command, control, communications, and computer technology. news.uscg.mil

NORTHWEST ARCTIC BOROUGH TECK ALASKA

he Northwest Arctic Borough and the operator of the Red Dog Mine, Teck Alaska, announced that a new ten-year Payment in Lieu of Taxes Agreement has been finalized by the parties. The agreement will provide an increase in annual payments to the borough, facilitating enhanced benefits and long-term sustainability for the region including funding aimed at socioeconomic investment in the eleven borough villages, while also supporting the Red Dog mine’s long-term viability. The new agreement has a total estimated value in the range of $20 million to $26 million per year over ten years. The agreement exempts Teck Alaska from payment of NAB’s severance tax for the Red Dog Mine for the ten-year agreement term. With the new agreement, Teck agreed to discontinue the legal action relating to the severance tax. nwabor.org | teck.com

TRILOGY METALS

rilogy Metals is pleased to announce the results of a recently completed metallurgical test work program using sample material from the Arctic deposit collected during the 2016 field season. This metallurgical test program was carried out as a follow-on program to confirm previous metallurgical results completed in 2012 and in support of advancing the project to a pre-feasibility study planned for completion in Q1 2018. Highlights are: copper recoveries improved from 87 percent to 92 percent; zinc recoveries improved from 87 percent to 88 percent; copper concentrate average grade remains high at 29 percent; zinc concentrate average grade improves from 56 percent to 60 percent; in-pit geotechnical and hydrology studies are now completed to a PFS level. The company says,

“The results demonstrate that excellent recoveries and clean concentrates of copper and zinc can be generated from the polymetallic copper, lead, zinc, gold, and silver ores at Arctic.” trilogymetals.com

HUGHES WHITE COLBO WILCOX & TERVOOREN

he attorneys and staff of Hughes Gorski Seedorf Odsen & Tervooren, LLC are ushering in fresh changes to the firm starting with their moniker. Starting in April, the firm’s name changed to Hughes White Colbo Wilcox & Tervooren, LLC. “With the retirement of three members of the firm, it was time to update our name to reflect the current membership,” says attorney Kimberlee A. Colbo. “We kept Hughes to honor John Hughes, one of the firm’s most impactful attorneys who passed away at age 101½ in December 2016.” A new logo, featuring HW in its center, is meant to provide a simple way for people to remember the name of one of Alaska’s oldest law firms—shortening it colloquially to Hughes White. Along with the name change, the firm is moving downtown to Resolution Plaza nearer to Anchorage’s courthouses. hugheswhite.com

GLOBAL DIVING & SALVAGE

lobal Diving & Salvage, Inc. is pleased to announce they have expanded their regional operations with the addition of a new office in Juneau. The new Juneau office will support southeast Alaska through several of Global’s primary service lines: marine construction, marine salvage and emergency response, diving operations, and more. Devon Grennan, president and CEO of Global, says, “The addition of a Juneau office rounds out Global’s commitment to have established, resident capabilities throughout the west coast of the United States. It represents our belief that clients are best served with dedicated personnel and equipment in the region, to respond immediately to their unique needs and project requirements.” gdiving.com

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

tarting in May, the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation began charging day-use fees

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Compiled by ABM Staff at fourteen state park sites in the Fairbanks area as well as entrance fees at three state historical parks located in Hatcher Pass, Ketchikan, and Delta Junction. The division charges the same $5-per-vehicle day-use fee at other state park sites throughout Alaska. Adding these new fee sites will further the division’s goal of making park operations more self-sustaining and less reliant on the State of Alaska’s general fund. Please note that visitors can purchase the Alaska State Parks’ $50 annual parking decal in lieu of paying day-use fees. dnr.alaska.gov/parks/asp/fees.htm

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS

research team led by the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Colorado College has solved a century-old mystery involving a famous red waterfall in Antarctica. New evidence links Blood Falls to a large source of salty water that may have been trapped under Taylor Glacier for more than 1 million years. The team’s study, published in the Journal of Glaciology, describes the salty water’s 300-foot path from beneath Taylor Glacier to the waterfall. This briny path has been a mystery since geoscientist Griffith Taylor discovered Blood Falls in 1911. The National Science Foundation sponsored the research, titled “An Englacial Hydrologic System of Brine Within a Cold Glacier: Blood Falls, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica,” Journal of Glaciology, April 24, 2017.” cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-glaciology

BRISTOL BAY INDUSTRIAL

ristol Bay Industrial, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bristol Bay Native Corporation overseeing its industrial services business line, finalized the purchase of Alaska Directional, LLC in March. Alaska Directional was established in 2013 in Wasilla, by Billy and Melissa Long. A market leader in the utility and telecommunications industries, Alaska Directional provides directional drilling, underground utility installation, trenching, plowing, and cathodic protection services to the telecommunication and utilities sector. Billy and Melissa Long will continue to oversee company operations with the help of BBI. The Alaska Directional team will be based in

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Palmer and will provide services throughout the state. bbindustrial.com

CHUGACH ELECTRIC

hugach Electric Association canceled its efforts exploring the possibility of a hydroelectric project along the Snow River on the Kenai Peninsula. After a series of meetings with government and non-government agencies, and two public meetings in April, the electric cooperative announced the Board of Directors accepted a staff recommendation to stop all work on the potential project. “As a member-owned cooperative that values the opinions of Alaskans and the communities we serve, we have decided to end the Snow River study,” says CEO Lee Thibert. “We are committed to sustainable energy, but we’ve heard from many Alaskans who do not want us to study this option, and we appreciate and respond to those voices and concerns.” Thibert added the utility will not spend any more time, money, or resources on the project. chugachelectric.com

EXPLORE TOURS

xplore Tours launched a new website at exploretours.com creating a seamless, fun experience for future Alaska travelers and travel planners. The new site features online booking capability, interactive and visually appealing search capability, and exclusive travel planner resources. The current site launch highlights the first phase of features, tools, and design intended to make planning the trip of a lifetime an exciting and enjoyable experience from the beginning of the customer journey. exploretours.com

ANCHORAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT

he Anchorage School Board approved a proposal for ASD’s first STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) elementary school to be located at Campbell Elementary School. The schoolwide alternative program will open next school year and feature an interdisciplinary STEM curriculum, intentionally embedding science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into every subject. Principal Michelle Johansen says the school’s staff and students

will combine hands-on inquiry, the engineering process, place-based learning, and real-world problem-solving to foster the joy of discovery and understanding about the world to prepare the school’s diverse students for citizenship in the 21st century. The school will remain open to neighborhood students. As space is available, students outside of the attendance boundary may attend the school through a lottery system. Campbell STEM Elementary School will apply for the new state STEM accreditation for schools in Alaska. Currently, no schools have received this new state accreditation. asdk12.org

CONSTANTINE METAL RESOURCES

onstantine Metal Resources Ltd. announced 2017 plans for the Palmer VMS Project, Alaska. A budget of $7 million has been approved that includes plans for 7,000 meters of drilling. With the formation of the joint venture (see news release dated January 5, 2017) a new multiyear plan for advancing the Palmer Project has been developed. The plan includes a dual focus of exploring for new resources across the districtscale property and expanding and upgrading the current inferred copper-zinc polymetallic resource of 8.1 million tonnes grading 12.6 percent zinc equivalent to evaluate the Project’s mine potential. The majority of 2017 drilling is dedicated to discovery of new mineral deposits. The balance is for expansion and upgrade of the existing South Wall-RW Zone resource, and geotechnical studies. constantinemetals.com

HILCORP ALASKA

t the Resource Development Council Breakfast Forum on May 4, Hilcorp Alaska’s Senior Vice President David Wilkins announced that the company is planning to seek regulatory approval to cease operations at the Drive River Terminal. Instead, the company will modify existing infrastructure and build additional pipeline to send oil directly to the Tesoro Refinery. The project will cost an estimated $75 million. Wilkins described this project as unique and demonstrates Hilcorp Alaska’s long-term commitment to Cook Inlet. hilcorp.com R

June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

RIGHT MOVES BSNC

Bering Straits Native Corporation announced that it has hired Karla Grumman as its new Senior Director of Human Resources. Grumman is responsible for leading the overall administration, coordination, compliance, and Grumman evaluation of human resource services, policies, procedures, and programs for the company and its subsidiaries. Grumman has twenty-five years of experience in human resources and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Manley & Brautigam, PC

Maribeth Conway joined Manley & Brautigam, P.C. as Senior Counsel. Conway focuses on estate and tax planning, probate and trust administration, business succession, and asset protection planning. She also represents corporate and individual fiduciaries and other parties engaged in trust and will Conway contests or construction disputes, and accounting actions.

Spirit of Alaska Federal Credit Union

Spirit of Alaska Federal Credit Union promoted Christy Waters to Chief Operating Officer. In her new leadership position, Waters reports directly to the President/CEO and oversees branch operations, operations/call center, and consumer loans. Waters began her financial industry career in 1994 as a loan officer. In late 2005, Waters joined Spirit of Alaska Waters Federal Credit Union as consumer loans manager before being promoted to Vice President of Consumer Loans in 2010. In late 2016, Waters was promoted again, adding the operations department to her supervision.

Mt. McKinley Bank

Mt. McKinley Bank promoted Gary Roderick to Senior Vice President and Manager of Commercial and Consumer Lending. Roderick was also named Department Head of Loan Servicing. A banking career spanning thirty-eight Roderick years has given Roderick an in-depth and well-rounded understanding of the financial services industry with a strong concentration in commercial lending,

commercial real estate, portfolio managements, investments, and retirement strategies. Roderick attended Pacific Coast Banking School, a multi-year education specializing in executive bank management. The bank also promoted David Durham to Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Administrator. Durham began his banking career in November 1992 as a teller for National Bank of Alaska. Durham holds an associate of science degree from the Antelope Durham Valley Community College and a BS in finance and accounting from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He graduated from the Pacific Coast Banking School in 2014 and is a Certified Fixed Income Practitioner.

KPMG

KPMG LLP promoted Amber-Rae McCampbell to Audit Manager in the firm’s Anchorage office. McCampbell, who moved to Alaska five years ago to join KPMG, specializes in providing financial statement and compliance audits to a range of Alaska-based private companies. She earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Montana. She is an Alaska-licensed CPA.

Alutiiq Museum

The Alutiiq Museum hired Amanda Lancaster as its Collections and Exhibits Manager. Lancaster will oversee the daily administration of the museum’s holding, a collection of more than 250,000 artifacts, photographs, recordings, docu- Lancaster ments, and pieces of artwork. Lancaster received a BA in history in 2010 and a MA in 2015. The museum also hired Rosanne Wilson as its Assistant Director. Wilson will oversee the organization’s daily business as a member of the museum’s management team. Her responsibilities include operations, grant management, human resources, facilities care, and Wilson sponsorships. Wilson earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Fairbanks and a MBA from the University of Alaska Anchorage.

AECOM

AECOM hired Jack Colonell to serve as Senior Consultant for Coastal & Ocean Engineering for its Alaska operations. Colonell brings more than forty years of global expertise in coastal and offshore environments to this role. Since 1980,

he has held multiple leadership roles with AECOM-acquired firms, including Woodward-Clyde Consultants and URS. Colonell holds BS, MS, and PhD degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado, Washington State University, and Stanford University, respectively.

Colonell

AEDC

Alaska Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) announced several new staff members. Emma Kelly joined the AEDC team as their new Business & Economic Development Director. Kelly loves to be involved in her community and is the chair of the Anchorage Chamber Young Professionals Group. Prior to joining the team at AEDC, Kelly worked Kelly in Marketing and Public Involvement in the private sector. Samantha Luban joined the AEDC team as their new Business & Economic Development Coordinator. Luban is graduating from UAA with a bachelor of business administration in economics and a minor in Russian. She’s worked as a research assistant in the Experimental Luban Economics Laboratory, where she assisted professors in conducting social science experiments. Connor Keesecker is AEDC’s new Live. Work. Play. Coordinator. Keesecker attended UAA and earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies with minors in political science and history in 2016. While attending UAA, Keesecker served as a news reporter and later station manager of UAA’s radio station, KRUA Keesecker 88.1 FM.

Stantec

Stantec recently announced the promotion of three leaders in its Anchorage office. Francis Wiese was named Senior Principal, Andrew Niemiec was named Senior Associate, and Giovanna Gambardella was named an Associate of the firm. Wiese serves as Stantec’s technical leader for marine science in Alaska and Canada. He has twenty-four years of experience working in the marine environment throughout the world. Wiese joined Stantec in 2013 after working Wiese

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Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

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Compiled by Tasha Anderson for six years as the science director of the North Pacific Research Board in Alaska. Wiese earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Victoria and his PhD from Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Niemiec, PE, serves as Alaska transportation manager in the Anchorage office. He has nearly thirty years of engineering experience on design and construction projects in Alaska. Prior to joining Stantec, Niemiec held management positions with the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Niemiec Authority and the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities. He is a graduate of the University of Alaska Fairbanks and joined Stantec in 2015. Gambardella, AIA, NCARB, is a senior architect in Anchorage. She has seventeen years of experience, with fifteen of those in Alaska. Gambardella has contributed to the design of buildings of different scope and complexities in various sectors including education, community, Gambardella industrial, and healthcare. Gambardella graduated from the University of Architecture in Genoa, Italy, and joined Stantec in 2015.

RE/MAX Dynamic Properties

RE/MAX Dynamic Properties welcomes Josh Nelson to the team. Nelson is a seasoned real estate professional who has spent the past eleven years working on multiple multi-billion-dollar energy projects throughout the United States as an expert negotiator for land and right-ofNelson way acquisitions. Nelson was previously a real estate licensee in Missouri and has been a licensee in the state of Alaska since 2013.

Sitnasuak Native Corporation

Sitnasuak Native Corporation (SNC) announced that Roberta “Bobbi” Quintavell has been selected as its new President and CEO. Quintavell was hired as an outstanding candidate with strong leadership and successful executive experiences that merge corporate priQuintavell orities with community service. She received a bachelor of business administration from the University of Alaska in Anchorage and graduated with an executive MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business. SNC also promoted Cameron Piscoya to Director of Human Resources. Piscoya is a SNC shareholder and will

lead the Human Resource Department for SNC. Piscoya was identified in 2014 as an excellent candidate to participate in a succession plan to learn all aspects of human resources with the ultimate goal of being promoted to lead the department. Piscoya successfully completed human Piscoya resources training, mentoring, the Sitnasuak Shareholder Executive Leadership Program, and practical applications.

worked as a teller, customer service representative, personal banker, and operations supervisor. At North Star, she will be responsible for business development, consumer loans, branch operations, and customer service. Debra Whitbeck is the Accounting Nicklos Unit’s Loan Servicing Supervisor. She will oversee a team of six who are responsible for ensuring accurate and timely servicing of the bank’s loan portfolio and the production of loan documentation relating to the opening, servicing, and closing of all loans. Her team also ensures compliance with state and federal laws, Whitbeck regulations, and bank lending policies and procedures. Whitbeck’s banking career began in 1988.

Mat-Su Regional Medical Center

David Wallace has been appointed CEO of Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, effective June 5. Wallace previously served in leadership positions at hospitals in California, Ohio, Oklahoma, and New York. Wallace holds a master’s degree in health administration from Ohio State University and bachelor’s degrees in business administration and health science from California State University Fresno.

Alaska USA Federal Credit Union

Alaska USA Federal Credit Union is pleased to announce that Jayson Schmett has been promoted to Vice President of Secondary Marketing. He previously held the position of secondary marketing operations manager. Schmett has been with Alaska USA for thirteen years, holding a variety of positions with increasing responsibilities. He holds a BS in finance from the University of Wyoming.

RIM

RIM announced that Pearl-Grace Pantaleone joined the company as a Marketing Coordinator in the Alaska office. She will be responsible for marketing in Alaska as well as other firmwide initiatives. With almost three years Pantaleone of experience in the A/E/C industry, Pantaleone brings new and innovative skills to the RIM team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and public communications from the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Kelly Services

Kelly Services announced Christopher St. John as their new District Manager in Alaska, based out of Anchorage. St. John joins Kelly with eight years’ experience in the staffing industry. Previously, St. John worked as an account manager in the mar- St. John keting and advertising industry. St. John is an Alaska American Marketing Association board member and holds a bachelor degree in business management.

Small Business Development Center

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) announced Jon Bittner as their new Alaska State Executive Director. Bittner comes to the SBDC from the AEDC where he served as the corporation’s Vice President. In addition to his work at AEDC, Bittner also served as the Deputy Bittner Commissioner for the Alaska Department of Commerce for Community and Economic Development.

RAVN

RAVN Air Group welcomes Bruce Joseph as Executive Vice President of Safety, Security, and Compliance. Joseph will be instrumental insupporting RAVN in its drive to continue to enhance safety, security, and compliance across the entire Joseph RAVN network. He earned a BS in safety and aviation management as well as a BS in business administration at Southern Illinois University; he continued his education with graduate coursework in law at Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, and the University of Southern California, Aviation Safety Program. R

First National Bank Alaska

First National Bank Alaska’s Board of Directors appointed a new Branch Manager at the North Star Branch and a Loan Servicing Supervisor in the Accounting Unit. With nine years of banking experience, Danielle Nicklos is the new Branch Manager at the North Star Branch on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Nicklos has previously

Gillnets. Crab pots. Catch of the Day. Whatever you need, we deliver. Connect with us / 800.727.2141 / www.nac.aero /

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June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

BED & BREAKFAST

EAT

SHOP

PLAY

STAY 

hen it comes to lodging, where you choose to stay often dictates the perks you receive; larger hotels offer access to business centers, workout rooms, and other complimentary services. Bed & Breakfasts offer a whole different experience, catering to travelers looking for smaller lodging and a cozy breakfast with new friends.

Anchorage Walk About Town Bed & Breakfast is located at 1610 E Street in Anchorage. It has three rooms that offer a variety of sleeping configurations for singles, doubles, or parties of up to five. They offer a large, full-service breakfast, which can be eaten outdoors, weather permitting. Features include guest-favorites such as sourdough pancakes and waffles, reindeer sausage, breakfast burritos, and Mom’s Famous rhubarb sauce and homemade yogurt. anchoragewalkabout.com In Juneau, Alaska’s Capital Inn Bed & Breakfast is located at 113 West Fifth Street. The Inn features six rooms and one suite in a restored mansion. Each room is unique and with its own set of amenities including whirlpool tubs and fireplaces, king and queen beds, and private sitting areas. A home-cooked breakfast is served every morning, with delectable tidbits such as Dungeness crab eggs benedict and their own Alaska sourdough pancakes with thick cut smoked bacon. alaskacapitalinn.com The Soldotna Bed & Breakfast Lodge has sixteen guest rooms. Located at 399 Lovers Lane in Soldotna, the lodge features a solarium overlooking the Kenai River. Their signature breakfasts are eggs benedict and fruit-filled pancakes. alaskafishinglodges.us Camai Bed & Breakfast is located in Anchorage at 3838 Westminster Way and has three suites, two of which can accommodate four guests and one that can fit five. Onsite amenities include a fireplace, hot tub, piano, and laundry. Their signature breakfast dish is oat and blueberry pancakes with birch syrup. The sap for the syrup is harvested

each spring in the Talkeetna area. camaibnb.com Southern Bluff Bed & Breakfast is in Soldotna at 35860 Southern Bluff Street, three miles from the Kenai River. There are two rooms that can sleep two each and a living area with a double bed. Breakfast is free; Southern Bluff’s signature dish is barbeque. facebook.com/SouthernBluff/ The Beary Patch Bed & Breakfast is located in Homer at 644 Soundview Avenue, approximately fifteen minutes from the Homer Spit. The Beary Patch has four rooms, with a maximum capacity of two per room. Their signature dish is Bears’ Delight, a stack of blueberry pancakes with hot, sizzling, fresh-sliced bananas between each pancake; butter and homemade berry sauces; and whipped cream on top with a fan of reindeer sausage on the side. alaska-beary-patch.com Alaska House of Jade Bed & Breakfast is in Anchorage at 3800 Delwood Place. This full-service bed and breakfast has five suites, each with a private bath that can sleep four, except one suite that sleeps three. Their signature breakfast dish is homemade granola and blended yogurt accompanied by a fresh fruit salad. alaskahouseofjade.com Fireweed Manor Bed & Breakfast has three rooms, each of which have private baths and sleep two. Fireweed Manor is located at 1013 East 28th Avenue. Onsite amenities include a spacious private deck with a fire pit and outdoor grilling. fireweedmanor.com Wasilla Bed & Breakfast is located at 5960 South Pavilof Circle in Wasilla. It has a woods-view room and a mountain-view room, both of which have private baths and can sleep four, and a hot tub suite. Wasilla Bed &

Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

Compiled by Tasha Anderson Breakfast is located on Settlers Bay Golf Course and is pet friendly. wasillabedandbreakfast.com Alaska Heritage House Bed & Breakfast is in Fairbanks at 410 Cowles Street and has eight rooms available that can sleep a range of one to four guests, depending on the room. Alaska Heritage House was built in 1916 and has a rich history. Their signature dish is sourdough waffles and reindeer sausage; their sourdough is six years old and counting, and their jams and preserves are made in-house. alaskaheritagehouse.com Alaska Garden Gate Bed & Breakfast and Cottages are located at 950 South Trunk Road in Palmer and offers stand-alone luxury cottages that sleep two, stand-alone guest cottages that sleep four, and a variety of rooms and apartments that sleep two to five guests. Their signature breakfast is sourdough pancakes with warm cinnamon apples. gardengatebnb.com Hatcher Pass Bed & Breakfast is in Palmer at 9000 North Palmer Fishhook Road. It has two cabins, one that can sleep four and the other sleeps six. Onsite facilities include outdoor grilling and a fire pit. hatcherpassbb.com Alaska Knotty Pine Bed & Breakfast has five room options, each of which sleep two. It’s located on eight acres at 3525 North Clark Wolverine Road in Palmer. Guests have access to a common living room and custom kitchen. alaskaknottypine.com The Summer Inn Bed & Breakfast is located in Haines at 117 Second Avenue. The house was built one hundred years ago and has three rooms available. Their signature dish is Alaska sourdough pancakes, homemade and served with butter; syrup; bacon, ham, or sausage; and juice, coffee, tea, or cocoa, all served in a bright, inviting dining room. summerinnbnb.com R

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SHOP

Anchorage JUN

Three Barons Renaissance Fair

3-4 & 10-11 This annual renaissance fair offers entertainment, live music, local vendors, and great food at the Tozier Sled Dog Track at 3400 Tudor Road. 3barons.org JUN

Slam’n Salm’n Derby

This king salmon derby is an annual fundraiser for the Downtown Soup Kitchen. Tickets to participate are free. Derby headquarters are located across from the Ulu Factory at 211 West Ship Creek Avenue. shipcreeksalmonderby.com

9-18

Anchorage

PLAY 

Alaska to celebrate diversity with more than twenty events. The Equality Parade and PrideFestival take place on the Delaney Park Strip. alaskapride.org JUN-JUL

Seminar

Blue Chair Productions and Cyrano’s Theatre Company partner to bring Theresa Rebeck’s provocative comedy Seminar to the stage. In Seminar, four aspiring young novelists sign up for private writing classes with Leonard, an international literary figure. Under his recklessly brilliant and unorthodox instruction, some thrive and others flounder, alliances are made and broken, sex is used as a weapon, and hearts are unmoored. Wordplay is not the only thing that turns vicious as innocence collides with experience in this biting Broadway comedy. Seminar is recommended for older teens and adults. cyranos.org

30-9

Fairbanks JUN

Midnight Sun Festival

More than thirty thousand people attend this festival to enjoy live entertainment, great food, and a variety of vendors, open from Noon to Midnight in Downtown Fairbanks. downtownfairbanks.com

JUN

Anchorage Mayor’s Marathon & Half Marathon

Nearly four thousand runners and walkers will run the scenic trails of Anchorage at the annual summertime Anchorage Mayor’s Marathon and Half Marathon. The event is timed to coincide with the summer solstice, when the longest day of the year brings twenty-two hours of functional daylight to the city. The event also has a four-person marathon relay, Coastal 5K and Buddy Half Marathon, where teams of two split the half marathon course. mayorsmarathon.com

JUN

Downtown Summer Solstice Festival & Hero Games

Anchorage celebrates the solstice with several events, including the Hero Games, a friendly competition between Alaska’s first responders who charge through obstacle courses, bucket brigades, and relays (law enforcement, each military branch, and the fire department all participate); the Children’s Rainbow Factory, which includes puppet shows, a kayak pool, and giant sandbox; and a Teen Pro Skateboarding Demo, showcasing skateboard skills from professional skateboarders and local team members. Events will take place in Downtown Anchorage on Fourth Avenue between C Street and L Street. anchoragedowntown.org JUN

JUN

This is the 112th Midnight Sun Game, which takes place on the summer solstice and is played entirely without lights. This year the Goldpanners will host the Oceanside Waves from California for the game, which starts at 10 p.m. at Growden Memorial Park. goldpanners.com JUN

supporters, and the LGBT community from all over the beautiful State of www.akbizmag.com

Palmer JUN

Alaska Scottish Highland Games

24 The games feature amateur Highland Athletes, piping, drumming, and dancing competitions, as well as live music, vendors, food, and a Scotch tasting at the Alaska State Fairgrounds. alaskascottish.org include a car rally, craft fairs, farmer’s market, kids games, bike rodeo, parade, and live entertainment in Downtown Palmer. palmerchamber.org

Seward JUN

Seward Halibut Tourney

The Seward Halibut Tourney runs for the entire month of June and highlights the halibut fishery, attracting early season visitors and anglers from throughout Alaska. Because the tournament takes place early in the season, anglers will find it is easier to reserve a seat on one of the many charter vessels and ramp space and trailer parking is plentiful for those wanting to launch their own boats. seward.com

1-30

Skagway JUN

Duff’s Skagway Marathon

Duff’s Skagway Marathon, Half

Marathon, and Walking Half Marathon is a twenty-six-mile run that climbs multiple hills as it traces its way through pristine Southeast Alaskan fjord coastline, through a glacially-carved valley, an enchanting Sitka Spruce wood, over the Taiya River trestle bridge, past numerous trickling streams, and up West Creek Valley, before finally reaching a forest opening with a spectacular view of West Creek Glacier. skagwaymarathon.org

Yakutat JUN

Yakutat Tern Festival

One of the largest and southernmost known breeding colonies of Aleutian Terns exists in Yakutat. Participants of the Tern Festival enjoy birding activities, natural history field trips, art exhibits, educational events for kids and adults, Native cultural presentations, and more. yakutatternfestival.org R

1-4

JOIN THE ANCHORAGE CHAMBER! ADVANCING BUSINESS. ADVANCING ANCHORAGE.

Great Alaskan Foodstock

23-25 Foodstock’s slogan is, “We play for food.” Entry to the rock, bluegrass, blues, folk, and funk country music festival is $5 or five cans of food; proceeds are donated to the Fairbanks Rescue Mission. Activities also include dancing, volleyballs, horseshoes, arts and crafts, and food vendors, all at the Howling Dog Saloon in Fox. greatalaskanfoodstock.com

Serving Anchorage for 102 years!

Girdwood JUN

Fiddlehead Festival

This festival is hosted by Alyeska Resort and is a celebration of the fiddlehead fern season and summer music in the mountains; the family-oriented, outdoors event features live music, local arts and crafts booths, beer and wine garden, cooking demos, 5K Fun Run, kid’s activities, and more. Menu items will feature fiddleheads, and Alyeska Resort’s talented chefs will host hands-on demonstrations and share techniques for cooking with fiddleheads. alyeskaresort.com

3-4

Palmer

Anchorage PrideFest

annual event joins local 17-24 This businesses, organizations,

Midnight Sun Baseball Game

STAY

Compiled by Tasha Anderson

JUN

Colony Days Celebration

This festival is in honor of the 1935 Colonists who started the Palmer farming community. Events

9-11

PARTNERING IN YOUR SUCCESS! The Anchorage Chamber provides opportunities for members to grow their business. From advertising to connectivity, there is a multitude of reasons to be a member with the Anchorage Chamber. Call 272.2401, email info@anchoragechamber.org or go to AnchorageChamber.org to inquire about membership.

ask about the new multi-tiered investment structure! anchorage chamber of commerce 1016 w 6th ave., ste. 303 anchorage, ak 99501

June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

EVENTS CALENDAR JUNE 2017

EAT

ALASKA TRENDS ANS Crude Oil Production 05/01/2017 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 565,887 May. 1, 2017

09/01/2004 05/01/2003 01/01/2002 09/01/2000

0 400,000 800,000 1,200,000 SOURCE: Alaska Department of Revenue Tax Division

ANS West Coast Crude Oil Prices 4/28/2017 09/01/2014 09/01/2012 09/01/2010 09/01/2008

On-Time Arrival Performance

09/01/2006

ANS West Coast $ per barrel $51.19 Apr. 28, 2017

09/01/2004 09/01/2002

Ted Stevens Anchorage International Anchorage, AK (2/2016-2/2017)

Fairbanks International Fairbanks, AK (2/2016-2/2017)

Seattle/Tacoma Internat Seattle, WA (2/2016-2/2017)

09/01/2000 $0

$20

$40

$60

$80 $100 $120 $140 $160

SOURCE: Alaska Department of Revenue Tax Division

Statewide Employment Figures 10/1976—3/2017 Seasonally Adjusted 03/31/2017 11/01/2012 01/01/2010 03/01/2007 05/01/2004

Labor Force 364,710 Mar. 2017 Employment 340,934 Mar. 2017 Unemployment 6.4% Mar. 2017

Diverted: 0.14%

Diverted: 0.15%

Diverted: 0.14%

Cancelled: 0.87%

Cancelled: 0.95%

Cancelled: 0.57%

01/01/1993

Aircraft Arriving Late: 3.46%

Aircraft Arriving Late: 3.31%

Aircraft Arriving Late: 5.53%

03/01/1990

Security Delay: 0.23%

Security Delay: 0.06%

Security Delay: 0.07%

07/01/1984

National Aviation System Delay: 3.61%

National Aviation System Delay: 3.86%

National Aviation System D

09/01/1981

Weather Delay: 0.44%

Weather Delay: 0.47%

Weather Delay: 0.49%

Air Carrier Delay: 4.03%

Air Carrier Delay: 4.08%

Air Carrier Delay: 4.22%

On Time: 87.23%

On Time: 87.12%

On Time: 82.51%

07/01/2001 09/01/1998 11/01/1995

05/01/1987

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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Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

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tional

Delay: 6.47%

Compiled by Alaska Business Staff

87% of Alaska’s International Airport Flights Depart On-Time

here are many parts and pieces that need to come together for air transportation to be a success. It is not surprising that there are many factors that can affect a flight’s ability to depart on time, late, or at all. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics provides data on the causes for delayed flights for airports nationwide. Here, Alaska Business presents data from February 2016 through February 2017, the most recent data available, on two of Alaska’s major airports as well as the Lower 48 hubs Alaskans routinely route through. It’s a testament to the hard work of aviation personnel that, for the majority of flights in the majority of places, planes get off the ground safely and on time.

Salt Lake City International Salt Lake City, UT (2/2016-2/2017)

Denver International Denver, CO (2/2016-2/2017)

Los Angeles International Los Angeles, CA (2/2016-2/2017)

Diverted: 0.14%

Diverted: 0.37%

Diverted: 0.18%

Cancelled: 0.48%

Cancelled: 1.42%

Cancelled: 0.97%

Aircraft Arriving Late: 5.61%

Aircraft Arriving Late: 6.01%

Aircraft Arriving Late: 6.85%

Security Delay: 0.02%

Security Delay: 0.04%

National Aviation System Delay: 3.14%

National Aviation System Delay: 5.18%

National Aviation System Delay: 11.77%

Weather Delay: 0.43%

Weather Delay: 0.54%

Weather Delay: 0.69%

Air Carrier Delay: 4.17%

Air Carrier Delay: 4.23%

Air Carrier Delay: 5.58%

On Time: 86.02%

On Time: 82.24%

On Time: 73.93%

* For purposes of this data, a flight is considered delayed if it arrived at (or departed) the gate 15 minutes or more after the scheduled arrival (departure) time as reflected in the Computerized Reservation System. ** The information is based on data submitted by reporting carriers. The number of reporting carriers varies as follows: 14 from 1987 to 1988, 13 in 1989, 12 from 1990 to 1991, 10 from 1992 to 1999, 11 in 2000, 12 in 2001, 10 in 2002, 18 in 2003, 19 in 2004, 20 from 2005 to 2008, 19 in 2009, 18 in 2010, 16 in 2011, 15 in 2012, 16 in 2013, 14 in 2014, 14 in 2015, 12 in 2016, 12 in 2017. Major Carriers refers to the 10 major carriers that reported for all years (1987 to present) or merged into another major carrier. They are Alaska Airlines, America West (merged into US Airways starting January 2006), American Airlines, Continental Airlines (merged into United Airlines starting January 2012), Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines (merged into Delta Air Lines starting January 2010), Southwest Airlines, Trans World Airways (merged into American Airlines starting January 2002), United Airlines, and US Airways (merged into American Airlines starting July 2015).

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June 2017 | Alaska Business Monthly

ADVERTISERS INDEX Acrisure LLC..................................................................................................56 Ahtna Inc........................................................................................................69 Alaska Air Cargo - Alaska Airlines.......................................................11 Alaska Crane Ltd.........................................................................................23 Alaska Logistics...........................................................................................54 Alaska Marine Transport & Salvage...................................................39 Alaska Mergers & Acquisitions LLC....................................................35 Alaska Oil & Gas Assoc. (AOGA)..........................................................63 Alaska PTAC..................................................................................................23 Alaska Railroad............................................................................................44 Alaska Regional Council Carpenters.................................................16 Alaska Satellite Internet ASI..................................................................68 Alaska Traffic Company..........................................................................33 Alaska USA Federal Credit Union.......................................................79 ALSCO...............................................................................................................10 American Fast Freight..................................................................................3 American Marine / Penco.............................................................88, 89 Anchorage Chamber of Commerce..................................................87 Anchorage Messenger Service............................................................66 ARCADIS.........................................................................................................27 Arctic Chiropractic....................................................................................86 Arctic Office Products..............................................................................71 AT&T..................................................................................................................... 9 C & R Pipe and Steel Inc..........................................................................64 Calista Corp. Brice Marine......................................................................41

Carlile Transportation Systems..................................................37, 43 CIRI....................................................................................................................80 Conam Construction Co.........................................................................29 Conrad-Houston Insurance Agency..................................................16 Construction Machinery Industrial.......................................................2 Cornerstone Advisors..............................................................................65 Corvus Design Inc......................................................................................17 Cruz Companies.........................................................................................26 Davis Constructors & Engineers Inc.................................................20 Fairbanks Materials Inc............................................................................29 First National Bank Alaska.........................................................................5 Foss Maritime................................................................................................15 GCI.....................................................................................................................92 Great Originals Inc.....................................................................................15 HUB International.......................................................................................19 Judy Patrick Photography.....................................................................90 Loken Crane..................................................................................................20 LONG Building Technologies...............................................................25 Lynden Inc.....................................................................................................47 Matson Inc.....................................................................................................49 N C Machinery..............................................................................................21 New Horizons Telecom, Inc..................................................................40 Northern Air Cargo.........................................................................84, 85 Olympic Tug & Barge...............................................................................35 Pacific Coast Maritime.............................................................................35

Pacific Pile & Marine............................................................. 81, 82, 83 Pacific Seafood Processors Association..........................................75 Pacific Tugboat Service..........................................................................39 Parker Smith & Feek...................................................................................51 PenAir..............................................................................................................55 Port of Anchorage.....................................................................................45 Port of Valdez...............................................................................................57 Quality Asphalt Paving.............................................................................31 Ravn Alaska....................................................................................................61 Ritchie Brothers Auctioneers...............................................................68 Samson Tug & Barge.................................................................................44 Seatac Marine Service..............................................................................40 Span Alaska Transportation LLC.........................................................53 Stellar Designs Inc.....................................................................................86 Superior Group...........................................................................................73 The Plans Room...........................................................................................31 TOTE Maritime Alaska...............................................................................91 Tulalip Casino Resort................................................................................13 UA Local 367 Plumbers & Steamfitters............................................28 Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation.............................59, 64, 66, 77 Vigor Alaska..................................................................................................34 Washington Crane & Hoist.....................................................................24 Waste Management National Services............................................78 Western Towboat Company..................................................................41

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Alaska Business Monthly | June 2017

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