In this issue: President’s Letter Department Updates Meet the Team Project Spotlight
Bristol Bay Resource Solutions, LLC
INSIGHTS
BBRS expands, with staff coast to coast
Summer 2014
BBRS has expanded its coverage area, and has positioned itself to provide services to a broader list of clients. Employees are now located in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas. BBRS specializes in providing professional administrative services to clients, including Finance and Accounting, Communications, Contract Administrative Services, Human Resources and Information Technology. For more information, visit our website.
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BBRS can help with any or all of your needs. Visit our website to learn more about our administration services.
President’s Letter
Your impact on the health of your workplace In the last two of editions of our newsletter, I’ve written about keeping stress low for our employees and aligning communication to create a healthier workplace. In this article, I’m going to be a bit more direct: You have the ability to make those around you happier and even healthier. Regardless of your position within your work group (you could be the CEO or you could be the most junior employee), you have an influence on the well-being of those around you – positive or negative. Here are a few simple ways that you can significantly impact those around you for the better: 1. Take responsibility for your work. Stand behind what you do; if you make a mistake, own it. You’ll gain respect for being accountable and avoid the unhealthy trap of blaming others. 2. Take responsibility for your behavior. Everyone in your workplace has a job to do and that’s what they’re there to do; don’t make them listen to whining, outbursts, malicious gossip or criticism. No one is getting paid to deal with that! continued on back page
Meet the Team: Terri Clemens Director of Contract Compliance and General Counsel, Manager of the Contracts and Legal departments. In one sentence, describe what you do all day: I spend most days providing contractual and legal advice. For example, resolving contract disputes before bond claims are filed, obtaining licenses so bids can be placed on new work, completing negotiations so subcontracts can be finalized, and other contracting and legal compliance-type issues. How my job helps BBRS clients succeed: The contracting group takes care of all of the contractual paperwork so that the project groups can focus on pursuing new work and performing awarded work. Education/work experience: Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, associate’s degree in Criminal Justice, Juris Doctor law degree. I started out in private practice and didn’t like it and took an entry-level position with Solutions to Environmental Problems, Inc. (STEP) and established its Contracting and Human Resources departments. Bristol continued on back page
Department Updates Accounting Accounting wraps up fiscal year-end. Team members in Accounting are completing fiscal yearend and various tax demands after they closed the books for 18 companies. They are now working on the annual financial audit and annual tax returns. This is one of the key year-end services Accounting offers clients. This is in addition to services such as payroll, accounts payable and receivable, and budgets, among others.
Communications Communications explores new territory. Sled dogs, sportfishing and role playing. The Communications team has expanded into some new territory. The team collaborated with Bristol Bay Native Corporation on the marketing and communications for BBNC’s sponsorship of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race (which included promoting a cool app to track the race!). A sportfishing adventure is on the agenda for an upcoming BBNC Executive Retreat at Mission Lodge this summer. The lodge, near Dillingham, will host BBNC company managers and strategic partners. BBRS developed an automated digital invite system for the retreat. The team is also working with SpecPro Technical Services, LLC, and Glacier Technical Solutions, LLC, both BBNC subsidiaries, to develop websites, interactive marketing tools and sales kits to promote military training support services. STS and GTS create culturally immersive training opportunities and scenarios for American and foreign militaries to enhance their military skill. The trainings replicate real-world conflict areas and warzones.
Contracts The contracts team continues to grow. Contract Administrative Services is expanding its business line, welcoming several new team members into the fold. Contracts Manager Louise Underwood and Contracts Administrator Lisa Svendsen have worked to build the department since BBRS began. Terri Clemens will direct the group in her new role as General Counsel of BBRS and Director of Contract Compliance. BBRS Contracts welcomes Contracts Managers Jill Armstrong and Beth Poisson, and Contract Administrators Monique Thompson and Mackenzie Kalmbach. This expansion will allow BBRS to offer a broader range of Contract Administrative Services to our clients.
This section relays information about what our department teams are doing for clients or how we are working to improve services.
Human Resources New Hire paperwork gets easier BBRS’s HR Department launched its first client into the RedCarpet onboarding system. All new employees, including temporary and field employees, beginning work with the Bristol Alliance of Companies will now go to RedCarpet to complete all their new hire paperwork and training. Now, instead of handing a new employee a stack of papers to fill out by hand, HR enters new employees into a secure, web-based system. Employees receive login information and may complete their paperwork at their convenience. With RedCarpet, they can be ready to work on day one. The Communications team worked with HR and representatives from Bristol and RedCarpet to customize the system and workflow specific to Bristol’s needs. The portal offers information and links about Bristol and parent company Bristol Bay Native Corporation. Paperwork and training are placed into individual tasks to guide the new employee and ensure all documents are completed correctly and in a timely manner. RedCarpet standardizes the paperwork and orientation process for all new employees, ultimately saving the client time and money while offering all new employees the opportunity to start work on the same footing and without delay. For information or to see how RedCarpet works, contact Rhonda Lamp at rlamp@bbrs-llc.com.
Information Technology Need help cutting email clutter? Check out the IT Department’s post, “How to Conquer Inbox Clutter in Outlook” on WikiHow. The post offers steps for cutting the email clutter. Michael Mansfield wrote the piece – and provided screenshots for helpful visuals – as the March Thought Leadership column. See the column on WikiHow at wikihow.com/ConquerInbox-Clutter-in-Outlook. Also, check out our past Thought Leadership columns.
Project Spotlight Bristol’s Total Performance Suite rolled out The BBRS HR department partnered with Bristol Alliance of Companies to introduce and implement the Total Performance Suite (ToPS). This new program, tailored for Bristol, is designed to track job performance, set and review goals, progress, professional development and compensation. click to enlarge HR, with help from the Communications team, worked with Bristol to standardize job expectations and career paths, develop a performance review package, as well as educational and training materials.
HR’s Michael Redmond conducted performance review training for the Bristol management teams throughout the country as part of the effort. BBRS welcomes new client: Pedro Bay Corporation BBRS welcomed Pedro Bay Corporation as a new client. PBC has partnered with all BBRS departments to help fulfill their administrative needs. Accounting, Communications and Human Resources officially began providing services in mid-March, and Contracts helped set up the service contract for PBC. BBRS’ Information Technology team is on call to help where needed. Communications worked to get PBC’s first newsletter to shareholders and has started to revamp PBC’s website, build social media presence and implement new marketing strategies. Pedro (pronounced P-droh) Bay Corporation is a village corporation for Pedro Bay, a small community in the Bristol Bay region. PBC has a diversified portfolio of operations and investments. Forward-thinking CEO Rayn Aaberg wants PBC to be the gold standard of village corporations. With 177 shareholders, PBC is a small Alaska Native Village Corporation with two subsidiaries and plans for future growth. BBRS specializes in helping our clients with individualized, customized services.
Continued from President’s Letter Remember that everyone may not think or communicate in the same way you do. Look for the strengths that others possess and find ways to work together to solve problems and tackle projects. 4. Remember that your co-workers may have difficulties in their private lives (health, family, relationships). Give a smile or kind word (even if you have issues of your own). You’ll make others feel better and you’ll feel better, too. Don’t underestimate the power of your influence on those around you. If you choose to vent your emotions with coworkers, they will “feel your pain,” but not in the form of empathy; eventually, they’ll dodge around corners when they see you coming. If you drag the team down by missing deadlines and blaming the person nearest you for your own mistakes, anxiety will flourish around you. On the other hand, follow the four tips above and you’ll see higher levels of happiness and health spring up all around.
Continued from Meet the Team Bay Native Corporation purchased STEP and later merged it with SpecPro Environmental Services, LLC. I later moved to Business Resource Solutions, another BBNC subsidiary, and managed the Contracts and Legal departments until my move to BBRS. Hobbies: Hanging out on the beach. Family: Husband Curt Clemens, plus two dachshunds, Molly and Ellie. Hometown: Knoxville, Tenn. Famous quote to live by: “It is what it is.” I say it all the time! How I made my first dollar: I was the Genie in the Bottle at Ripley’s World of Illusions in Gatlinburg, Tenn. It was a big tourist attraction. Favorite lunch spot: First Watch, a restaurant chain here in the South. Something most people don’t know about me: I’m shy until I get to know people. Everyone laughs when I say that because I’m too outgoing once I meet people, but until I know you, I am shy.
Community Involvement: Donations to AWAIC BBRS gathered supplies for Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis (AWAIC), a shelter dedicated to helping victims of domestic violence. In late April and early May, BBRS employees donated items on the AWAIC “current needs” list, which included clothing, shoes, personal care items and first-aid supplies. Learn more about AWAIC at awaic.org. Alaska Run for Women A BBRS team will join in the Run for Women June 7. The 5K run/walk is a major fundraising event raising awareness and supporting research to fight breast cancer. For information, visit akrfw.org. BBRS employees chose to support community organizations dedicated to fighting cancer, ending homelessness and improving the lives of children.
Where I hope to be in 10 years and how I plan to get there: Sitting on the front porch of my house that will be on the front row next to the ocean. I’ll need to win the lottery for that to happen, but I sure hope it does!
2013 AK Run for Women in Anchorage.
BBRS serves clients across the country: • • • • • •
Anchorage, AK Bristol Bay, AK Fairbanks, AK Huntsville, AL Camp Pendleton, CA Golden, CO
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Coral Springs, FL Shalimar, FL Jacksonville, FL Joint Base Pearl HarborHickman, HI Augusta, ME Camp Lejeune, NC
Bristol Bay Resource Solutions, LLC, is a subsidiary of Bristol Bay Native Corporation, and 100 percent Alaska Native-owned. Bristol Bay Resource Solutions, LLC 111 W. 16th Ave., Ste.100 Anchorage, AK 99501-6206
Phone : (907) 793-9200 FAX : (907) 375-2924 bbrs-llc.com
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Sneads Ferry, NC Oak Ridge, TN San Antonio, TX Base Quantico, VA Ft. Lewis, WA Marysville, WA