We are Alaska’s premier full-service diagnostic Audiology and Hearing Care private practice. We specialize in
It is an honor and privilege
the diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as providing hearing conservation assistance and
to be nominated for “Alaska’s 2017 Top Forty Under 40.”
other communication needs. Alaska Hearing & Tinnitus Center encourages you to enjoy the life that you love, by customizing a treatment plan that fits your lifestyle. Hearing is a crucial part of how we perceive and interact with the world. We are dedicated to
Thank you to those who
improving the quality of life for our
nominated and selected
Tinnitus Center, help you enjoy the
patients. Let us, at Alaska Hearing & sounds around you, enriching your life! 3/21/2017
McMahanE_Headshot1 (1).jpg
me for this prestigious recognition. I am proud to represent my business, Alaska Hearing & Tinnitus Center.
Dr. Emily E. McMahan, Au.D. Board Certified in Audiology
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/15af20811f891a48?projector=1
SOUTHGATE CENTER 1005 E. Dimond Blvd. #3, Anchorage, AK 99515 907.522.4357 HOURS: Mon.-Fri 9:30-5:00 allearsalaska.com
1/1
Alaskan Owned and Operated by a Top Forty under 40
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Every year the Alaska Journal of Commerce honors the talent and outstanding efforts of individual Alaskans in their professions and in their community involvement. We take great pleasure in presenting this year's Top Forty Under 40ÂŽ
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2017
Publisher Deedie McKenzie deedie.mckenzie@morris.com Managing Editor Andrew Jensen andrew.jensen@alaskajournal.com
6 Aurora Agee 7 Ariane Aramburo 8 Chrissy Bell 9 Sabrina Binkley 10 Kate Blair 11 Nancy Boyce 12 Esther J. Cetina 13 Ryan Cropper 14 Yatibaey Evans 15 Bill Falsey 16 Ana Fisk 17 Michael Alison Fredericks 18 Chris Gunderson 19 Andrea Gusty 20 Jess Gutzwiler 22 Haven Harris 23 Corey Hester 24 Ross Johnston 25 Rebekah Lewing 26 Jake Libbey
28 Bill Lierman IV 29 Karli Lopez 30 Candice McDonald Kotyk 31 Dr. Emily McMahan 32 Cycelia McMorris 34 Amy K. Mestas 35 Jeff D. Miller 36 Travis Million 37 Dan Newman 38 Laura Norton-Cruz 39 Lael Oldmixon 40 Jocelyn Pemberton 41 Loren Peterson 42 Victoria Roberts 43 Lori Rucksdashel 44 Trish Skoglund 45 Jasmin Smith 46 Mariajose Echeverria Stewart 47 Greg Stuckey 48 Scott Woodland
Advertising Director Jada Nowling jada.nowling@morris.com Circulation Doug Munn doug.munn@morris.com Account Executives Ryan Estrada ryan.estrada@morris.com Ken Hanni kenneth.hanni@morris.com Photographers Michael Dinneen Michael Photography dinneenphoto.com Todd Paris Paris Photographics parispub.smugmug.com Michael Penn Mike Penn Photography mikepenn.com Graphic Designer Matthew Wilkinson
Alaska’s future is built on conndence Aurora Agee’s ability to work with fellow Alaskans and help them navigate complex nancial decisions makes a telling difference in their success. Aurora is a shining example of Alaska strength and leadership. She demonstrates First National Bank Alaska’s commitment to provide customers with the convenience, service and value they deserve. First National congratulates Aurora and each member Firs of the 2017 Top Forty Under 40 class. We know we can count on you to build a bright future for the state.
FNBAlaska.com
Aurora Agee
NMLS# 1068487
Loan Officer/ Healy Branch Manager
Age 37 Healy
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Aurora Agee
Lending Branch Manager, First National Bank Alaska
Education: Service High School; Montana State University (4 years no degree); bachelor’s degree in management, minor in economics, University of Alaska Anchorage
Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? I need more practice with this.
Community service: Denali Chamber of Commerce, board member, Membership Committee chair, May 2016-present; International Gallery of Contemporary Art, volunteer, service since 2013; Alaska Sudan Medical Project, Wine to Water event organization committee 2013-14; Anchorage Junior Nordic League coach, head coach, site director, 2003-14; Tsalteshi Trails Association Youth Ski program, ski coach 2014-2015; Denali Youth Ski Club, volunteer ski coach, 2016-17
What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Youth ski coaching. I get to teach a lifelong sport, and I get to ski with youth while doing this. But most important is creating a fun, safe space for exploration; seeing the self discovery of what they can do, how they can move their body, and the world around themselves.
Family: Steve and Terri Agee, parents, Siblings: Chase Agee and Logan Hamilton, siblings, Ryze and West Hamilton, nephews Hometown: Born and raised in Anchorage Current city: Healy What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? I am a huge fan of our entire state; it’s hard to pick just one place. One place my family hikes to year round is in Chugach State Park, we call it Birthday Hill. It is a high point between the Upper Huffman and Glen Alps trailhead. I also love hanging out at “the cabin” outside of Seward in the summer, Independence Mine for crusty spring skiing, and hiking Kesugi Ridge. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Again there are so many to choose from, here are a few: Skiing in the middle of the night on the frozen Susitna River during the 2014 Su 100 after 30 miles of mostly ice, it began to snow and it was some of favorite skiing of my life; fighting a great horned owl that tried to fly away with a yorkie puppy I was pet sitting (not a good memory, but memorable), I kicked it, punched it, and eventually hit it multiple times with a stick — the dog was fine! Coaching two hardy Junior Nordic kids on a cold Saturday morning at Kincaid with 20-30 chickadees darting and calling above our heads. Both of these kids went on the ski in college.
As someone who’s been very involved with their growth in the past few years, what has it been like watching 49th State Brewing Co. expand into the successful businesses and brand they have today? Watching the success of 49th State and their various related businesses has been very rewarding. These guys know every aspect of their business, down to the coding of the POS system at their Anchorage location. They put in significant hours and have a strong sense of where they are and where they want to be. One thing we share is a love for Alaska and the desire to find success in a manner that benefits the community, as well as our families, and ourselves. They are an inspiration to find excellence.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Nordic skiing and cooking
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Favorite quote: "A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices." I thought it was an Abraham Lincoln quote, but I’ve also seen it attributed to multiple other people. I’ve loved this quote since high school, but in today’s age of social media I find it even more relevant. We must be willing to intellectually challenge ourselves. What was your first job? Popeye’s Fried Chicken on Dimond What is the book you most often recommend? Anything by Michael Ondaatje, or Sherman Alexie. I also love “The Snow Child” and “Raven’s Gift.”
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40®
6
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Ariane Aramburo
Executive Producer/Morning Edition Anchor, KTUU
Education: Bachelor’s degree in mass communications with concentration in broadcast journalism, Magna Cum Laude, Claflin University, Orangeburg, S.C. Community work: Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska; Anchorage Chamber Military Bowl-A-Thon; Mears Spelling Bee Emcee; Arc of Anchorage Chef Fundraiser Emcee; Fur Rondy Beard Contest Emcee; Celebrity Judge Fur Rondy Talent Competition; YWCA Women of Achievement Emcee; Career Day Speaking; Volunteer with Boys and Girls Club of Alaska Youth of the Year. Family: Husband: Jules Ferguson, husband, Daughter: Amelia Ferguson, daughter; Thalia Ferguson, step-daughter; Alvin & Karen Aramburo, parents; Kyle and Kaylan Aramburo, brothers Hometown: I come from a military family, so I was born in Wichita, Kansas, but grew up and spent most of my childhood in Eagle River. Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Without a doubt, Seward. I love the drive there and back. It never gets old. My husband who’s from Queens, New York, had never been to Alaska, so when I asked him how he felt about moving here, he was open to it, but wasn’t quite sure what he was getting himself into. Soon after we moved here, we drove down to Seward for his birthday and he was hooked. Now, anytime friends or family come to visit, we make the drive down. We also love to eat at Salmon Bake when we’re there. They have the best beer-battered halibut!
Favorite quote: “Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” What was your first job? Hostess at Garcias in Eagle River What is the book you most often recommend? “The Power of I Am” by Joel Osteen. I’ve started practicing mindfulness and being in the “moment.” His book is a true testament to how much power goes behind what you say after those two words. Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Save some for home. It’s that simple, but not so easy to do. Most people have busy lives, but I have learned and especially on this shift not to burn myself out. I have a family to take care of and they deserve just as much attention as I give to my job and viewers. I would also say “unplug” when you can. I’m still working on this, but social media, emails and technology isn’t everything. I’m learning to be more in the “moment” and enjoy the simple things. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Postpartum Depression Awareness. Most people get behind a cause that has a personal tie to them and for me, that’s exactly what going through my own struggle did. It hit me like a ton of bricks, but I’m stronger today because of it. I would tell anyone, if you or someone you know or love is or has gone through some sort of adversity, it’s a cause worth advocating for. You become a voice for it in a whole new light.
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? I would have to say my childhood and the things we did as a family when we first moved here. We drove here from Texas and from the minute we set foot in the state, my parents made sure we had every Alaskan experience under our belt. I’m talking RV trips, camping, hiking, fishing, white water rafting, festivals, food, skiing, cutting down a real Christmas tree and the list goes on. It’s why I moved back. To be closer to my family and to experience those same memories again, this time with my own family.
Journalists are often expected to have a distance between the stories they cover and their personal lives, but your series on postpartum depression was as personal as it gets. What was the key to presenting a professional series on a personal experience, and what was the biggest challenge you had during production? The key to presenting such a private, vulnerable and personal experience was support from my husband, family and friends and the fact that I saw the bigger picture in what sharing my story could do to help other moms given the platform and profession that I’m in. Not to mention, upon my own search for local resources, I quickly saw the network for PPD in Alaska was limited. After hearing and seeing so many other moms in my same position, it ignited in me a passion to want to help others. The result was a months-long personal, journalistic endeavor that culminated in a one-hour special on the topic. The biggest challenge during production was trying not to break down and cry every time I interviewed a mom about her struggle and how she felt. I wanted to be strong for them in their moment of opening up and sharing with me a topic that most people wouldn’t talk about, let alone in front of a public audience. I’m glad I chose to take the first step because the whole staircase was much more than I could have ever imagined.
Name the person you most respect and why. This is always a tough question because I respect a lot of people, from my parents to my husband, friends, colleagues and mentors, but more importantly it’s not so much a person that I have grown to have the utmost respect for, it’s a role – motherhood. What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Cooking! You can ask anyone, but most of all my husband and he will tell you that when it comes to cooking and trying new recipes, I love the challenge. I love to entertain with friends and family and feel it’s one of the best ways to connect with the ones you love. I also enjoy working out. Fitness has become a very important part of my daily routine after the birth of my daughter. It was a big part in helping me come out of Postpartum Depression.
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2017
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Age 34 Anchorage
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 38 Anchorage
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Chrissy Bell
Senior Vice President of Communications and Culture, Credit Union 1
Education: Bachelor’s degree, English, University of Alaska Anchorage Community work: Former Board Member of Alaska Junior Theater; Junior Achievement; Out North Contemporary Art House; and Association of Fundraising Professionals, Alaska Chapter. Former YWCA Alaska Girls Circle Facilitator. Current YWCA Alaska Board Member. Family: Spouse of over 15 years, Shannon, and two “fur-babies” (cats), Howie and Gus. Hometown: Nikiski
— Maggie Kuhn
Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Anchorage! I’m a city girl. Beautiful views of the mountains and inlet with Target just a few minutes away? That’s everything I need. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? In my role at CU1, I get to visit all of our smaller branch communities to put on a member appreciation event that always has a fundraising component for a local and usually small community organization. 2017 will be the seventh year in a row that I get to do this and I still am in awe when we’ve raised thousands of dollars in donations from these communities. Often times when I’ve reported the amount donated back to the organization’s representative, it’s met with a lot of emotion because of the impact it has on their mission. Those are my most memorable Alaska experiences, getting to be a vehicle for the generous “taking care of your neighbors” spirit that runs rampant in this state.
Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? The work will always be there, and to be able to do the work well means allowing the opportunity to rest and recharge. (Full disclosure, I’m not always good at taking my own advice, but I try my best.) What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? This is a hard question! If I had to pick one, I’d say being a YWCA Alaska Girl’s Circle facilitator was my most rewarding experience. Playing the role, albeit a small one, of giving young girls the knowledge and confidence to be anything they put their minds to was a powerful thing. I’m not sure I have a pitch when it comes to getting others involved. I try to just let my passion and excitement for the cause shine through, and that makes the pitch for me.
Name the person you most respect and why. I have a large amount of respect for folks who do social services work as direct service providers. While rewarding, that type of work provides a high amount of stress and burnout with a low amount of recognition. They’re saving the world one person at a time and deserve a lot of kudos for what they do!
Many companies pride themselves on a “culture,” but few enshrine that commitment in an executive title. How have you been able to impact not only the culture within the company workforce, but also among its members through programs like the “One For All Alaska Fund”? When I started at CU1, there was already a strong culture in place. As I grew in my position, I began taking on areas that had a direct impact on our culture so it made sense to include it in my title. Our culture is all about helping people, from our members to our employees to the communities we do business in. I believe wholeheartedly in what we do and the difference we make, but the employees who are out helping our members and the members who are supporting our community efforts through programs like the One for All Alaska Fund are the ones truly making the magic. I’m just lucky enough to get to be the one who sings it from the rooftops as one of their biggest cheerleaders!
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? I’m a big reader. There’s nothing more relaxing than falling into a good book (and maybe a warm beach). Favorite quote: “Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes.” — Maggie Kuhn
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
What was your first job? Video store clerk in high school. My boss was my mother’s best friend. It was a pretty sweet gig. What is the book you most often recommend? The Harry Potter series because not only is it brilliantly written, it teaches us that good and evil are not as black and white as we might think, and is a warning tale of the consequences of doing what is easy over what is right. Plus, everyone can use a little magic in their lives.
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 8
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Sabrina Binkley
Founder and Head, Spruce Tree Montessori School
Education: Bachelor’s degree, petroleum engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 2000; Montessori School Administration Credential, 2017; Seton Montessori Institute, Chicago Community work: Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce Board, 2014-present; GFCC Education & Workforce Development Committee Chair, 2015-present; Alaska Montessori Association Board Member and Secretary, 2015-present; Golden Heart Rotary Club Charter Member, Est. 2006 served as President, Pres-Elect, Secretary over the years; United Way of the Tanana Valley Board Member, 2005-2015, Campaign Co-Chair 2011; Member Downtown Association of Fairbanks, 2013-present Family: Celebrating 15-year anniversary to Ryan Binkley this October; Simon, age 11; Clive age 7. Have a 15-year old English Springer Spaniel named Charlie Brown and a 3-month old Springer named Gladys. Hometown: Grew up in the rural community of Wiggins, Colo., about 65 miles northeast of Denver. Current city: Fairbanks What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? My home on the banks for the Chena River in Fairbanks… the river is very meaningful to my husband and his family and we designed and built our home together there, which we love. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? There are many… rafting the Kenai River when our oldest was just two, the beautiful teal blue water and the bright sunshine was breathtaking. Inaugural helicopter ride with my husband after he got his license. Skiing the North Face at Alyeska with our oldest in 10 inches of powder on a gorgeous winter day. Watching my husband, Ryan, win the Yukon 800 boat race along the banks of the Tanana River and then greeting him in the Chena at Pike’s Landing. Name the person you most respect and why. Tana English, my mom. She’s a great role model and a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, daughter and sister. I have watched her life and priorities change over time to recently having to support and assist my brother who was in a life-changing, fourwheeler accident in which he endured a traumatic brain injury. She’s a smart businesswoman and hard worker, always finding time to wish me well and listen to my trials.
walls, washing the undersides of chairs. What is the book you most often recommend? “Montessori Madness” by Trevor Eisler Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Believe you have the ability to make time. I used to say (and still sometimes do), “I don’t have time,” but I realize now that I do. I just have to make it. I have to calendar “my time,” that “white space” necessary to adjust your priorities, redo your list, go running or to a yoga class, enjoy that cup of coffee, or breathe. Taking in the scenery personally instead of from behind the lens of my phone has helped me to enjoy my children and their activities more, to see people more completely, and to be present in the moment, mindful of the environment. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? It’s a tie. Co-chairing the United Way campaign opened my eyes to the generosity of people, and the breadth of good work good people do all around me. And growing our school community the past five years… hosting our Open House at our new location last fall was surreal. So many friendly faces and well wishers… so many happy families and children… it fueled my fire! You’ve not only been involved in founding the Spruce Tree Montessori School, but also creating a brand new space for it in the former train depot. How did those two challenges compare and what was the secret to pulling them off with such success? Founding Spruce Tree — starting a school — was at first a crazy idea, born from a selfish desire to give my child the best I could give. I quickly realized that many shared that same commitment to their children… and my circle grew. The challenges were many in the beginning years, and I now thrive on the challenges presented as we grow.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Cooking. I love to try new recipes, bake cookies and cakes, and hope to have a large garden someday to supplement my summertime cooking. Favorite quote: “Be the most positive person you know.” — unknown, from a calendar I received in my Easter basket when I was 10 years old. What was your first job? Cleaning my elementary school, as an 8th grade student. Students could apply to work on the janitorial crew at my local school for 6 weeks of the summer … 7 a.m.3:30 p.m peeling gum out of desk drawers, scrubbing crayon off
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2017
That growth provided the opportunity to take on the renovation and expansion project at the historic train depot. I was fortunate to be surrounded by an amazing team: architect (a dad at our school), contractor (neighbor to the depot and long-time Fairbanksan), project manager (my husband) and a parent advisory board supportive of our mission and vision. It’s no secret that being dedicated to your vision keeps your lights on, but keeping your glass half full when the days get long or a wrench is thrown your way separates the winners from the… well, the first losers. A competitive spirit and a desire to raise the bar knowing deep down that I can always do better tomorrow what I did today keeps my flame alive.
Photo: Todd Paris | Paris Photographics
Age 39 Fairbanks
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 37 Anchorage
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Kate Blair
Government and Public Affairs Manager, Tesoro Corp.
Education: Bachelor of Science from Rochester Institute of Technology; Master of Science from Mercyhurst College
Favorite quote: “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” – Steve Prefontaine
Community work: Resource Development Council Board; Alaska Resource Education Board; Alaska Chamber Board; St Elizabeth Ann Seton School board; South Anchorage Rotary; Rotary dictionary project lead; YWCA Board (2013-16); Anchorage STREAM Academy Board (2013-14); SEAS Jog-a-thon coordinator; SEAS New Family mentor coordinator; SEAS Teen volunteer coordinator; SEAS Auction procurement; Fools on Ice women's hockey tournament board (2014-15); Organized Thanksgiving blanket and jacket drive for Clare House; Organized sock drive for Covenant House; Supported in various ways events for: Running Free Alaska, Food Bank of Alaska, Soldotna Hospice, Salvation Army, Camp Fire Alaska, Kenai Boys and Girls Club, Catholic Social Services, Boy Scouts, Anchorage Running Club; 1997 Presidential Award of Service for volunteer work with Youth to Youth, a national peer prevention program based in Ohio
What was your first job? Clothes folder at Old Navy
Family: Married to Campbell Blair, with two amazing kids-, James (9) and Avery (8), and two pretty cool dogs, Canoe and Skilak
What is the book you most often recommend? “Fall of Giants”, by Ken Follet (Book One of the Century Trilogy) Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? That it is never going to be 50-50, perfectly balanced, every day or every week, so don’t try to win that battle. Sometimes, things are busy with work and that will take 90 percent of your time, and sometimes there’s something going on at home and that is going to take priority. But if you can take a step back, look at the whole and feel like you have given equally to working hard and developing a life you love, then you’ll know that you have a good work-life balance. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Serving as the New Family Mentor Coordinator for our children’s school. I love bringing people into the tight-knit community and making them feel like they are welcome and supported right away.
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Traveling the Glenn Highway in an RV with nine of my best girlfriends/ running team on our way to and from Skagway for the Klondike Road Relay.
When trying to get people involved with a cause or a group, I like to help them find something that aligns with their values and passions.
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Spending the day floating Moraine Creek in 40 degree weather and sideways rain, catching big rainbows and realizing, “THIS is our fun.”
How do you feel your competitive background in athletics has benefitted you both professionally and in the ways you find to support the community through so many organizations? My background in athletics, both as a player and a coach, have helped me learn to deal with failure. Don’t get me wrong; I love to win. But no matter how hard you work or how well-prepared you are, the game or race sometimes goes to your competition. I would rather lose a close, hardfought hockey game than win a game 20-0.
Name the person you most respect and why. My mom, Barb MacVean. She’s the strongest, most selfless person I’ve ever met and my role model for balancing it all as a working mom. I grew up watching her kick butt in her career as a nursing unit supervisor, all while maintaining her hobbies and friendships, and being there for my brother and I in every way. She supported us and our interests, never complaining about driving to the hockey rink for 5 a.m. practice, even after working a 12-night shift. She taught me it is possible to do it all — work, family, hobbies — and as long as everyone is getting the love and attention they need, it’s okay to order pizza for dinner again.
Whether it’s in athletics, professionally, or philanthropically, things don’t always go our way but showing respect for our opponents, a readiness to learn from failure, and resilience to get back out there and try again make all the difference to the people we work with and the community we serve.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Long trail runs with my dog, and floating the Kenai or skiing in Girdwood with my family.
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 10
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Nancy Ann Boyce Owner, PowerTech
Community work: We provide service and support for marine, industrial and power generation applied diesel engines. Power generation services are provided without assessment of customers ability to pay. We believe intelligent design, installation and maintenance of these systems is crucial to the Alaskan way of life, and back this belief with the investment of our time.
Is there a time that really stands out for you when you’ve broken down the skepticism or harassment that came with being a woman in a male-dominated field, and what was your general approach when faced with people doubting you? The people who have doubted me, didn't know me.
Family: Brilliant father Clell Golden; beautiful, industrious mother Sally; my right and left wing, my partners in crime, best friends and brothers Andrew and Christopher
I know me well and I'm calm, all logic and deep in thought while everyone panics. I just smile at the challenge and beg silently for it to give me its worst...
Hometown: Rural Vancouver, Washington
And sometimes it does.
Current city: Juneau and its beloved outlying villages
And every time I'm better for it.
What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Dutch Harbor, unequivocally. There's a romance. A lore that's present in the people and the sea and the infrastructure. In the cold and dark it wears a veil of sorrow. A slight lace woven of loss and failure, but only if you look too closely. And then the sun will shine and the sea will sparkle.
But, the very last thing worth considering when up against a Goliath of a problem is the uninformed opinion of others.
Its vast life sustaining migrations lend their energy to the same cold souls and dark corners and the place is alive in a way you've never experienced before. The optimism is palpable, effervescent and utterly unforgettable. In its extremes alone, it is the most magical place I've ever been.
But I know me.
Going from an employee with steady work to an owner starting a business can be a daunting challenge for anyone. How have you pulled it off and what would you say to someone considering the path of an entrepreneur? Consider first what you're willing to give up. Would you forsake everything for a slight chance at achieving your dream? If you wouldn't, chances are you won't make it... Save yourself the struggle. Starving and fighting and barely hanging on isn't fun and isn't for everybody. It's taken absolutely everything I have, every bit of energy and will. More resilience and commitment than I thought this heart could harbor to do this.
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Chief Engineer, F/V Icelander
And have I done it?
Name the person you most respect and why. I've got a split this one up between my mother and father... For their intelligence in demonstrating the importance of being a good human as opposed to lecturing about it. Their exclusion of adherence to or recognition of societal definitions regarding what a man or woman must or cannot be. For the insinuated then encouraged then championed the idea that no limitations had been set upon me based on class and sex, and if by some chance there had, it was nothing that intelligent effort couldn't address. They are my biggest fans, the best people I know and responsible, in whole, for every bit of success I've encountered in this life.
I don't know. I don't know and thank God for that because it keeps me furiously at it and diligently focused. And I believe there is no higher calling in this life than self-mastery through pursuance of your true passion. Those words: Passion. Self-mastery. These concepts are dying concepts and if I spent my entire life encouraging the existence of those ideas, or simply the belief in them, it would be a life well invested. Choose something. If it doesn't come to you, if you are unsure what, be still and listen to the vibrations of your mind and heart as they interact with the greater body of nature.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? What is 'away from work?'
Be free. Allow yourself to be harnessed by the unbelievable pull of the sea, the Moon, true love.
What was your first job? Eight years old. Picking strawberries, Erikson's Farm, Felida, Washington.
In these experiences you will find what speaks to you. I promise, you will.
What is the book you most often recommend? “Rant” by Chuck Pahlinuk. Read it. It's every bit as beautiful as it is twisted.
And when you do, embrace that thing like you were holding on to it for dear life, because you likely are. Give yourself wholeheartedly to that thing and pursue it vehemently like a being possessed.
Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Love both of them so much you can't tell the difference between the two.
11 | FORTY UNDER 40®
In doing this alone, you set yourself apart from 90 percent of the world. You set yourself apart as a lover of life and a contributor.
2017
Photo: Michael Penn | Mike Penn Photography
Age 39 Juneau
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 35 Anchorage
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Esther J. Cetina
Senior Administrator of the Corporate Office, Southcentral Foundation
Education: Bachelor’s degree, human services and psychological studies, Alaska Pacific University; master’s degree, counseling psychology, APU Community work: Soldier’s Heart, which helps veterans overcome and cope with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder; advocate against domestic violence and have participated in most of the marches by dancing at the end of the march with our Alaska Native dance group, The Princess Warriors. My passion is for my people and my hope is that our upcoming youth and my generation are able to carry on and progress what our elders have built. Family: Alex Cetina, husband, originally from Mexico; two sons age 14 and 3, and a daughter age 10 with one on the way due in October. We have two dogs, a German Shepherd and a Boston Terrier and a giant saltwater fish tank. Hometown: I was born in Anchorage, lived in the village of Seldovia until I was 4 years old, then moved to Anchorage until I was 18. I moved back to Alaska in 2005 and graduated from Alaska Pacific University and have been here ever since. Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? I love Seldovia! I can fish, gather my own food from the ocean, walk everywhere, ride a 4 wheeler through town, and visit my family. I love the ocean and Seldovia is surrounded by it. When we cannot make it to Seldovia, my family will spend most of the summer in Homer fishing for halibut.
Favorite quote: “Some people see the world as it is and say, why? I dream things that never were and say, why not?” — Robert Kennedy What was your first job? Southcentral Foundation’s Raise Intern Program. A youth program for kids 14-19 to develop professional skills, pursue their education, and learn about their culture and heritage. That’s where I learned that being an Alaska Native woman is something I should be proud of. I learned a lot about the history of Alutiiq people and met many different excellent mentors. What is the book you most often recommend? I don’t. I read books that are suggested by other people. Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? I try to maintain a good work-life balance because my family needs me. I grew up in a house where my parents and sisters all worked and they were gone either traveling or working for most of my childhood. I have always strived to make sure that my children grow up with memories of me in them and pictures of me with them. This is all that’s left once your job is done, you retire. Don’t wait until retirement or later to get those memories made with your family or it will all pass before you know it. Someone once told me that, “No one will have their grave stone read, ‘I wish I would’ve spent more time in the office.’”
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? I love fishing in Kachemak Bay with my family, all of us competing to see who will catch the largest Halibut. I could spend every day of my life on the boat.
You have literally grown up along with Alaska Native health care going back to your days as a young teen intern when the new Alaska Native Medical Center had just opened. Did you envision yourself where you are now 20 years ago, and how have your own experiences guided your career path? I grew up at a very early age. Our house always had people staying in it, whether it was my siblings with their children in between apartments, my cousins, and other family members. This was our “normal.”
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Name the person you most respect and why. That is a hard one. I have many people I respect. The most I would say my husband, Alex. He is a great man, father, husband, and foundation of strength for me and my children. He makes me a better person and inspires me to continue growing and challenging myself. With him supporting me, I know I can accomplish anything!
My parents both worked all the time and I had very little parental supervision. I started my first job with Southcentral Foundation at age 14 in the Raise program and ended up moving out of my house at age 16 to live on my own. I had supervisors in the Raise program who guided me in my choices and direction in life. I left for college at age 18 and came back to Anchorage to work every summer at Southcentral Foundation. I eventually became an Intern Supervisor and helped guide Raise Interns each summer that I came home to work. I have always strived to achieve whatever my goals were. I wanted more help as a “troubled teen” and could not find it, so I decided that I was going to become a therapist and be the person that I needed as a Esther J. Cetina teen. I accomplished continued on Page 49
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? I love animals! I love my 75-gallon saltwater fish tank. I have all the “Finding Nemo” fish. I built it from the ground up and do all my own maintenance on it. I love training my dogs and I love fishing and being on the beach. Any beach! I would probably have a whole zoo in my house if my husband would let me!
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 12
Age 38 Anchorage
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Ryan Cropper
Owner, Able Body Shops and Total Truck Accessory Center; Co-founder, Northern Waste
Education: East High School, 1997 Community work: Former board member of Dimond West Little League; Junior Achievement Board Member; Board of Directors for King Career Center Auto Body program; Coach for Little League for many years and Junior Achievement teacher for the past six years. Founder of Empowering Destinations, which has given away six vehicles to date. Family: Jill, wife; Case (13) and Brek (10), sons Hometown: Born in Salt Lake City and grew up in Anchorage
How did starting your own business while still a teenager lead you into your involvement with the King Career Center, and what’s it like to see your interns move up into working for you or in the field? My first company was a landscaping company I started in high school. Being outside and working with my hands came easy to me. I was always interested in trucks and couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license. After attending the King Career Center for two years in high school I found that working on cars came very natural to me and auto body ended up supporting me in my college years. In 2001, while still in college I found a shop for sale just down the road from where I grew up and the rest is history!
Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? I have two, our cabin in the Caswell Lake area and Prince William Sound. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Spending time in Prince William Sound on a sandy beach with my family. Almost forgot we were in Alaska Name the person you most respect and why. My Grandfather. He had work ethic that I rarely see in anyone and I strive to achieve. What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Being on the boat with family and friends Favorite quote: “Energy and action follow thought. Change your thoughts and you will change your world.” What was your first job? Newspaper route for the Anchorage Times What is the book you most often recommend? “Good to Great”
What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? I love to give cars away to families in need. I haven’t had any trouble getting people involved once I can share what a difference something like having reliable transportation can mean for an Anchorage family. We received the Gold Pan Award for Community Service in 2015.
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2017
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? When you make a commitment, always keep it. You can’t be everywhere and do everything but if you commit, don’t let people down. Make sure to identify the important things to those around you and make that important to you.
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 37 Fairbanks
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Yatibaey Evans
Alaska Native Education Director, Fairbanks North Star Borough School District
Education: Associates of applied science, Pierce College; bachelor’s degree, University of Washington; master’s degree, teaching, Johns Hopkins University Community work: United Way Board of Directors, Vice President; Big Brothers Big Sisters, Big Sister; Bed Tax Re-grant Committee for Fairbanks Arts Association; Elders and Youth Chair for First Alaskans; Native Leadership Community Committee for Alaska Federation of Natives Convention; Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Native Education; Volunteer at FB1st; Volunteer in 2014 for TCC’s Rural Provider’s Conference; Volunteered in 2011 for Alaska Native Elder’s Tea event with Family Centered Services Family: Married Lewis Evans in 2000; four boys, ages 16, 14, 8, and 3 Hometown: Born and raised in Fairbanks. Also lived in Seattle and Marquette, Michigan, as a child. Current city: Fairbanks. What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? My favorite place in Alaska is Mentasta. It has such ancestral depth for me and my family that you can sense the life that surrounds you there. The mountains have stood tall overlooking the valleys. The rivers, lakes, and streams have washed the earth clean and make the environment clean. All the animals, fish, and berries provide the essence of life.
sweet and determined Ahtna mom. He left his entire family and became immersed not only in Yup’ik and Ahtna cultures but within the many cultures in Alaska. He embraced Alaska and everyone here. He came from a strict family and carries those core morals throughout his life to be an incredible father, someone all my friends wished they had, and I took for granted for too long. He has always been there, literally. He was a stay-at-home dad for quite a bit of my life, all the while being a dog musher. My dad has the best sense of humor, he always helped with homework, made sure my siblings and I got to the mountain to snowboard, ski or sled. He makes the best meals and baked goods that you’ll remember for a lifetime. He is someone that will be your best friend and help in any way he can. When my parents were together I never saw them fight, and they remain best friends even though they aren’t together. They are amazing role models to which I am extremely grateful. They embody and exude love, kindness, respect, forgiveness all while still having a lot of fun! What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? I love to snowboard in the winter and hike, bike, and pick berries in the summer. Favorite quote: “Love never fails.” — Paul What was your first job? As I stated on my application for Whole Earth Foods for a dishwashing position, I started working as a pooper scooper for my dad who was a dog musher in the Yukon Quest.
Photo: Todd Paris | Paris Photographics
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? There are so many incredible memories it is difficult to choose: experience with moose, viewing the northern lights while on my tricycle at age 3, snowboarding down the power line to my home, sledding down Coyote trail and “the big hill”, building forts, climbing Mentasta mountain, biking from Tok to Mentasta, fishing with my grandpa and best friend while she caught all the fish and I didn’t, climbing quonset huts and jumping into the snow, climbing my neighbor’s horse stable and viewing the stars, and picking so many blueberries that I still see them when I close my eyes to sleep.
What is the book you most often recommend? For daily life I recommend reading the Book of Proverbs the most. It’s got 31 chapters which makes for one a night, great life-lessons can be gleamed, and it keeps you in check. For general information on Alaska Native cultures I recommend: “Alaska Native Cultures and Issues” edited by Libby Roderick. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Being a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters has been the most challenging and yet the most rewarding. Being a Big directly impacts the life of another human being. However, it’s not like having your own child to raise. When you step in to be a Big you are walking into the life of someone who most likely you do not know anything about.
Name the person you most respect and why. It’s a tough decision to choose between my parents. They both are incredible people in their own individual ways. My mom came from a family where she was the first one to graduate from college and that came years after she had dropped out of high school. My mom experienced racism, sexism, classism, and despite it all she has become a tremendous person in this world. She has gone on to be a medical doctor, inspirational speaker, medical director, president of American Indian Physicians Association, and all around fantastic grandmother.
The kids are ones who could use another positive influence in their life (couldn’t we all though). Depending on personalities and life’s situations the time together can be rather interesting. You know you’ve signed up to make a difference, to help a human, to be a role model, and you want to see results. It’s challenging to be a Big because you don’t always know if you’ve really helped. You just have to trust the process of mentorship and hope that one day you might hear a story of how your willingness to Yatibaey Evans
My dad came from Massachusetts as a high school exchange student and essentially never left Alaska. He learned how to speak Yup’ik and all the Yup’ik grandmas thought he would marry one of their daughters but he ended up falling in love with my
Alaska Journal of Commerce
continued on Page 49
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 14
Age 37 Anchorage
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William “Bill” D. Falsey
Municipal Attorney, Municipality of Anchorage
Education: Dimond High School; bachelor’s degree in physics, minors in history and political science, Stanford University; juris doctor, Yale Law School Community work: Co-Chair, Alaska Municipal Attorneys Association; Co-Chair, Municipal Law Section of the Alaska Bar Association; Board Member, Commonwealth North; Former Board Member, ARC of Anchorage; Former Board Member, Alaska Common Ground; Former President, Alaska State Society; Former Chair, Federal Agency and Congressional; Practice Section of the Alaska Bar Association; Former Member, Municipal Board of Ethics; Former President, Young Lawyers Section of the Anchorage Bar Association
What is the book you most often recommend? The books that have recently made the biggest impression on me are: Richard Feynman’s “The Character of Physical Law”; Bill Bryson’s “A Short History of Nearly Everything,” and Daniel Walker Howe’s “What Hath God Wraught: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848.” Well worth the investment. Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Have a couple of good kids. You won’t be able to work to the exclusion of your family. (And you won’t want to.)
Family: Jeannette Lee Falsey, wife; Stella and James, children Hometown/Current city: Anchorage (I grew up in a military family; the Air Force moved us to Anchorage when I was in 8th grade). What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? The Ship Lake overlook between the Ramp and the Wedge in Chugach State Park. Alaska-grade views in our own backyard. Went for a long day hike by myself once, and was greeted by a drove of mountain goats just as I reached the crest. Hard to argue with that.
You’ve moved from public to private and now back to public practice, and have served the public and both the federal and local level. How do the challenges of those roles differ, and how has serving in both arenas helped you as an attorney overall? Generally, the level of “process” associated with decision-making scales up in the transition from private practice to the public sector, and from smaller to larger jurisdictions — for good and for ill. The public-sector mission is to fairly advance the public’s interest; the lesson of the private sector is remain focused on results, and the bottom line.
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Backpacking Crow Pass from Girdwood to Eagle River. Somewhere past Raven Gorge our group stopped for lunch and found ourselves across the creek from a group of brown bears. Name the person you most respect and why. Not an original selection, but I’ll pick revolutionary-era James Madison. He shouldered much of the Constitutional heavy lifting, and was a brilliant tactician.
Working in both settings has been invaluable, as the lessons of one have served me well in the other: in public practice, I’ve tried to avoid falling into the trap of process for process’s sake; and, in private practice, the more pieces one can see on the chess board, the better.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Outside: running, hiking, skiing. Inside: playing guitar or banging on the piano.
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Favorite quote: “If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupery What was your first job? Cashier at Act III Cinemas at the Dimond Mall. (The most grueling job I’ve had so far.)
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What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? I had the opportunity to represent a local non-profit, pro bono, in a lawsuit that could have had significant financial ramifications. Ultimately we reached a settlement that saved the non-profit hundreds of thousands of dollars. My pitch is simple: if you think you have something to contribute, don’t be shy — you’re probably right. And we’ll all be better for it.
2017
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 30 Anchorage
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Ana Fisk
Vice President of Operations, Afognak Leasing LLC
Education: Bachelor’s degree in political science, minor in history, University of New Mexico Community work: Afognak Youth Charity Golf Tournament CoFounder and Director; Friends of Pets volunteer; Blood Bank of Alaska supporter Family: Garrett Fisk, husband; Calvin, son Hometown: Placitas, N.M. Current city: Anchorage
What is the book you most often recommend? “The River Why” by David James Duncan. I’ve read it so many times, but I always learn something new when I pick it up again. Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Take time for yourself when you need it. You know when you are not present and when you are not at work to get things done. When you decide to set your priorities and live by those, decisions are very easy. Family comes first no matter what, everything else, including the job you love, comes second. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Co-founding and directing the Afognak Youth Charity Golf Tournament has been my most rewarding experience. It is a labor of love when you are supporting innovative youth development programs like those offered at Dig Afognak camp, and through afterschool activities, preschool activities and Alutiiq language lessons. I cannot think of anything more worthwhile than investing in the Alaskan youth and building a sense of wellbeing, pride and identity through these cultural education activities. I look forward to hosting another successful tournament this summer 2017 and to set a legacy in motion that will continue to benefit the Afognak Alutiiq youth for years to come.
What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Big Lake is my favorite location. My husband’s family has a cabin on the lake and we spend most of our summers together there. From the scenery and watersports, to the quality time spent together as a family, I cannot think of a better place to be. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Taking our boat to Whittier for the first time and seeing a group of sea lions sunning themselves on the rocks. It was so quintessentially Alaskan I have never forgotten that moment. Name the person you most respect and why. My mentor, Matt Thorpe. He has a brilliant mind for business and a generous heart. His mentorship has benefited me in my growth in business and with life lessons. Matt has my highest respect and gratitude for making me the businessperson I am today.
Of the many remote projects on the North Slope you’ve worked on, what was the most challenging or one you were most proud to see to completion? Of the many projects I have worked on, I would say it’s a tie between the Base of Operations Sea Lion Camp for WorleyParsons/ExxonMobil’s Point Thomson Project, and the Eagle Lodge for Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. Each project involved the design, construction and operations of new remote housing facilities in Deadhorse. Both presented unique challenges in project management. I was with both from conception to completion, and also ongoing operations and contract management once the facilities were built which made them special to me. Between schedule constraints, working with our clients through design and construction of the facilities, managing budget, contract and maintaining communication with all parties involved, proved to be a meaningful challenge. Ensuring the product was something my team and I would be proud of makes these projects special jewels in the Afognak crown.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? I like to focus on fitness through yoga and cycling. I also like to read books that focus on leadership skills and business theory.
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Favorite quote: “And so I learned what solitude really was. It was raw material - awesome, malleable, older than men or worlds or water. And it was merciless - for it let a man become precisely what he alone made of himself.” — David James Duncan, "The River Why" What was your first job? I worked for my family’s company when I was 14 years old as the Classified Ads Managers of Cenflo Publications. It was quite a learning experience in the art of cold calling potential clients.
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 16
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Michael Alison Fredericks
President, RIM First People LLC; VP of Business Development-Alaska, RIM Architects
Education: Bachelor’s degree, architectural studies, University of Washington, 1999; master’s of architecture, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2002 Community work: Catholic Social Services Board of Trustees, president/chair, 2011-present; Alaska Child and Family, board member, 2016-present; Girl Scouts of Alaska, Facilities Committee, 2016-present; Anchorage Park & Recreation, commissioner, 20092012 Family: At 39, I had the great fortune to marry into a large, complex and loving family. Though our family is not all connected by birth or blood, we strongly identify as a unit and our success and challenges are very much knit together. William Hughes, husband; Kyndra and Charles Geis, daughter and son-in-law; William and Natalie Hughes, son and daughter-in-law; Crystal and Michael Gause, daughter and son-in-law; Star Torres, Hannah Hughes, Elizabeth Hughes, daughters; David Hughes, Max Fredericks, sons; Natalie Lawless, Lauren Lawless, Andres Gause, Whisper Gause, Winter Gause, Emiliano Molia, Mordrid Rutledge, grandchildren Hometown/Current city: Anchorage
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? With 8 children and 7.5 grandchildren, I don’t have hobbies. I feel like laundry is a hobby. I am invigorated and recharged by travel and experiencing new places! Favorite quote: “Throw me to the wolves and I will return leading the pack.” What was your first job? Babysitting for Larry and Barbara Cash! What is the book you most often recommend? I’m more of a TED Talks type gal. Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Having children has given me a lot of perspective on balance. My life before children was a mile wide in experiences, but an inch deep. Now it’s an inch wide and a mile deep! When I am overwhelmed or out of balance, I think of the acronym P.I.G. – Perspective, Intentionality and Gratitude. Slowing down in any situation to run through these helps me prioritize and find the most efficient and meaningful path forward. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Serving on the Catholic Social Services Board of Trustees has been life changing for me. When I started, I met with the former Archbishop and I asked him about his expectations for Trustees. He said told me to treat everyone we serve with integrity. It was a simple reminder about the fundamentals of human existence. Serving on the board gives me a wider perspective and deeper gratitude.
What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Rather than a place, my favorite thing about Alaska is the people. I feel very rooted here, with over 10,000 years of connections to this place. I love seeing people who remember when I was little or who remember my parents. It makes me feel connected to something bigger than my immediate family and friends. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Flying in a very small plane into Kaktovik, in white out conditions, with a pilot who had never landed on Barter Island. Adventurous to say the least!
How have you developed and implemented your philosophy for incorporating culture into design? I strongly believe that the most successful design projects harness the collaborative thought of a wide stakeholder group. Hospital design should include the patient voice, youth shelters, the youth they serve. Providing a strong process for stakeholder engagement not only empowers the user, but results in a much richer project that injects the culture of the user into the end result.
Name the person you most respect and why. I respect my late mother, Jan Fredericks. Interestingly, much of my life mirror’s hers — a challenging career, deep involvement in the Alaskan community, a large mixed family. I often try to model the ease and grace she seemed to have in juggling all the balls. Most importantly, she made every interaction important and I strive to do the same.
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2017
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Age 40 Anchorage
(Born Jan. 19, 1977)
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 37 Anchorage
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Chris Gunderson
President/CEO, Denali Family Services Inc
Education: Bachelor’s degree, English, University of Alaska Anchorage; master’s degree, English, UAA; master’s of education, counselor education, UAA; Certificate in Non-Profit Leadership, Stanford University; Certificate in Non-Profit Management, Foraker Group Community work: I began my work in behavioral health about 11 years ago, starting in direct care at what was then Alaska Children’s Services, before working through a variety of positions on the way to my current job. Over that time I coached youth track and cross country skiing, did some local board and community council work, judged science fairs, volunteered in schools, and basically did whatever seemed fun and useful. I’m currently serving on the Alaska Mental Health Board and am thoroughly enjoying the experience. Family: Through birth and marriage I’m related to a substantial portion of the northern Mat-Su Valley. Hometown: Talkeetna
What was your first job? My first real job was cashiering for Mahay’s Riverboat Service. I worked at their visitor center out at the junction of the Parks Highway and the Talkeetna Spur Road. It was a great first job; the only down side was that nearly every visitor thought they were at the entrance to Denali National Park. They always seemed a bit put out when I told them they had two more hours of driving ahead of them. What is the book you most often recommend? Jim Collins’ “Good to Great” Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? To be honest, I’m still working on this one. But in general, I try to remember that running a non-profit is like shoveling snow in a blizzard. No matter how hard I work the snow will continue to fall. So I focus on maintaining steady effort, hitting daily goals, and taking the long view. Doing so helps me set reasonable limits around my time while avoiding burnout. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? My job is the most rewarding part of my service to the community, mostly because it’s important to me and I find the work interesting. I’d be elated if more people took up the cause of community mental health, but if that’s not their interest, I would encourage people to do what stirs their passion. Everyone has a social or community issue that drives them crazy; get after it and try to move the needle.
Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? It’s a tough choice, but I’ll say Kesugi Ridge in Denali State Park. In my humble opinion it has the best view of the Alaska Range. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? I couple years ago I was dipnetting in Kasilof. The fishing was lousy, but it was a blue bird day with the full Aleutian Range in the backdrop. The commercial fleet was anchored just off shore and, out of nowhere, this incredible country music starts to play. I thought someone on shore had a stereo going, then I figured out that one of the boats had a PA set-up and one of the crew was serenading us. The whole beach got quiet and, for about an hour, we all just listened to the music, the seagulls, and the waves.
How were you able to turn around Denali Family Services from bankruptcy just a few years ago to a balanced budget? In general it was a lot of hard work, late nights, and short weekends. More specifically I would point to four critical components of our turnaround: • Building a strong leadership team with a good sense of humor and a high tolerance for ambiguity
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Name the person you most respect and why. I’d have to say my parents. They moved to Alaska 40 years ago and built a great life pretty much from scratch. The older I get the more I appreciate how challenging that must have been.
• Getting board, staff, and leadership on the same page • Restructuring our programs to ensure total alignment with our mission
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? In the last few years I’ve started running marathons and ultras. I’m not very fast, but I really enjoy the camaraderie that comes from running with the same group of people for hours on end. By the time you finish, complete strangers feel like old friends.
• Committing ourselves to fiscal restraint and ongoing profitability Beyond that, we basically followed Dennis McMillian’s sustainability model and received a lot of sage advice from our accountant, Bruce Hilton. To be honest, the reorganization was pretty simple conceptually. The hard part was driving the necessary behavioral changes; but we made it and are stronger than ever.
Favorite quote: “If there is no solution to the problem then don't waste time worrying about it. If there is a solution to the problem then don't waste time worrying about it.” — Dalai Lama XIV
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 18
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Andrea Gusty
Vice President of Corporate Affairs, The Kuskokwim Corp.
Education: Bachelor degree, broadcast journalism, Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, Northwestern University Community work: I am currently president-elect for Anchorage Gateway Rotary. Anchorage Gateway is involved with local, national and international service projects, including the Kalskag Water Project on the middle Kuskokwim River, the fourth and fifth grade reading program at Muldoon Elementary. I also serve on the EXCEL Alaska Board. EXCEL provides rural high school students and young adults transitional skills and career exploration through personal, social and career development, service training, urban familiarization, leadership, character, and life skills development. Family: Clinton Bennett, husband since 2011; Wilson Andrew (3) and Randell Charlton (9 months), sons; My parents are Cheryl Jerabek of Aniak and Andrew Gusty Sr. of Stony River, parents
Favorite quote: “Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” — Abraham Lincoln What was your first job? My first job was customer service for Bush-Tell, Inc., a local telephone company based in Aniak. I started working there parttime as soon as I turned 16, and worked whenever I was home from college. I am forever grateful to the late Bob Colliver for hiring me and helping me save for school. What is the book you most often recommend? With two small children, a full-time job, and service on non-profit boards, unfortunately, I have little time for reading anything beyond feasibility studies and proposed project plans. Based on the books I most often read, I would have to recommend anything Dr. Seuss and “Where the Wild Things Are.”
Hometown: I was born in Bethel and was raised in Aniak. Current city: Anchorage
What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? I am most proud of the work Anchorage Gateway Rotary has done to bring drinkable water to Elders through the Kalskag Water Project.
What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? The bank of the Kuskokwim River at Aniak is my favorite place in our state. I can breathe deeper there. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? I would have to say the Polar Bear Jump in Seward for the American Cancer Society is pretty high on the list. Watching guys in wet suits break the ice in Resurrection Bay right before you jump in is pretty wild.
As for a pitch to others looking to get involved, I would say this: don’t think you have to change the world to make a difference. Sometimes the small projects in our own communities have the biggest impact in people’s lives.
Name the person you most respect and why. I most respect my mother, Cheryl Jerabek. It was purely by chance that she ended up in Alaska as a VISTA volunteer to assist in the formation of new programs and tribal entities after the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. She raised me all on her own in Aniak (I was a handful!) When I went off to college in Chicago, she decided to finish her master’s degree, via the distance education program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
You’ve had a quite varied career background from broadcaster to communications director for Sen. Murkowski to managing lands for a large Alaska Native corporation. How have those various roles prepared you for current role as Vice President of Corporate Affairs? I have always tried to follow my passions. I went to school for broadcast journalism because I wanted to share positive stories about Rural Alaska and Native people. After years working in news, and telling more stories about challenges than solutions, I wanted to do more to help. I was so blessed to be able to work for Lisa Murkowski. She has such amazing energy and love for Alaska that she channels into everything she does. I learned so much during my time traveling across the state with her, and I knew I wanted to do more for my own region. Today, I get to help our Shareholders, tribes and our families work together toward a brighter future.
We graduated, me with my bachelor’s, her with her master’s, within weeks of each other. Still working a fulltime job, she then went after her Ph.D. She reached her goal and became Dr. Jerabek in 2014. Shortly after, she started babysitting for us so I could go back to work fulltime. My mother is the strongest person I know. She is who I want to be when I grow up. I can only hope to be able to accomplish even half of what she has with just a fraction of her poise.
Although my career jumps were not made according to some master plan, looking back, I know I followed my heart onto each path, and each role has provided me stronger footing for the next step.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? If I am being honest? Sleep. And going on adventures with my boys.
19 | FORTY UNDER 40®
Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Work is work. Life is the priority.
2017
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Age 34 Anchorage
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 34 Anchorage
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Jess Gutzwiler
American Cancer Society, Senior Market Manager
Education: Bachelor’s degree from Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D. Community work: Anchorage South Rotary, currently serving as Club President. I have been on the board for over 5 years in various areas from Community Service Chair to Director at Large and now Club President. I also represent the under 40 demographic on the pastoral council for Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton parish and serve as the Ministry Lead for Hospitality. Family: Aaron, husband Hometown: I grew up in Forestburg, South Dakota. An incredibly small town of 40 people give or take! Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Hands down Clam Gulch! My husband and I have built our cabin there and was a labor of love and is now my happy place and where I want to spend all my free time!
What is the book you most often recommend? “The Last Lecture” by Randy Pausch Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good worklife balance? Make yourself unplug and enjoy this beautiful state without the distraction of electronics!
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? I really enjoy fishing out of Homer with my husband and friends. I would have to say the first time I reeled in a halibut over 100 pounds. I remember that day like it was yesterday and it always brings a smile to my face. There is nothing like a great day out on the water!
What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Joining the Anchorage South Rotary club by far was not only the best decision professionally but personally. With Rotary’s moto of “Service Above Self” there is only one way and only one direction it will lead and that is a good one!
Name the person you most respect and why. My parents. They raised my brother and I with an incredible work ethic from leading by example. They taught to always love your family and to be active in your community. When I told them I wanted to move to Alaska they allowed and encouraged me to follow my dream and have been supporting me ever since!
How did your own battle with melanoma influence your passion for your job with the American Cancer Society? I started with the American Cancer Society in 2010 and knew a lot of cancer survivors; friends and family and unfortunately several who have lost their battle. When I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in 2014 it ignited a new passion for the mission I had grown to love and raise funds for. I’m honored to be part of the army that has beat cancer!
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Halibut fishing and spending time at our cabin in Clam Gulch.
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Favorite quote: “Work like a captain, play like a pirate!” What was your first job? Growing up on a farm, it was likely feeding a bottle lamb or calf. But my first paying job was working as the morning weekend disc jockey at a local AM radio station…KORN, appropriate since it was in Mitchell, S.D., where the World’s Only Corn Palace is!
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 20
Award Winning Leadership Credit Union 1 is excited and honored to celebrate Chrissy Bell, our Senior Vice President of Communications and Culture, as a Top Forty Under 40 award recipient! Bell’s efforts to expand CU1 community outreach and positively impact the lives of our Alaskan membership truly exemplify the One for All spirit of our organization. As a young leader within our credit union and state, we proudly support her ongoing success and congratulate this milestone.
Congratulations, Chrissy! 21 | FORTY UNDER 40ÂŽ
2017
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 38 Anchorage
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Haven Harris
Director of Strategic Development, Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association
Education: Bachelor’s degree, political science, University of Michigan, 2002; MBA, general management, University of Alaska Anchorage, 2010 Community work: Alaska Housing Finance Corp. Board of Directors, July 2016-present; Alaska Native Heritage Center Board of Directors, December 2013-present Family: Genevieve John, fiancé; Katie Denise John Harris, daughter (due date March 2) Hometown: Nome Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? I still love going home to Nome. I have a feeling of calm falling over me when I am there.
Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Find a person who presents a good balance to your life. Without my fiancé’s help, I don’t believe I would have any version of a work-life balance. She does a great job of reminding me there is more to life than work. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? I’ve really loved my time on the Alaska Native Heritage Center. The programs ANHC provides have helped so many Alaska Native students who have been at risk to not graduate high school, take substantial steps forward and achieve this base educational need. My pitch is this: Alaska is such a small state, that one person who cares, can make a huge difference. We see it every day. So many of the awardees here today are great examples of this.
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? No one experience, but what is memorable and meaningful to me is the amazing amount of support/mentorship I have received from people in the state of Alaska. This has been consistent from people from all corners of the state.
You’ve worked for Bering Straits Native Corp. and the Norton Sound Regional Hospital. What’s different about working for a Community Development Quota group and how have your previous roles prepared you for this job? The unique thing about working for a CDQ group is the direct investment in the communities. Alaska Native Corporations invest in their shareholders, hospitals invest in the health and welfare of its service area. CDQs are fascinating to work for because we are investing in the economic welfare of the communities and it really allows for the CDQ to mold itself into being whatever is needed for each community.
Name the person you most respect and why. This is a tough question, there isn't one person that I can say I respect the most. I have so many people that I respect for so many reasons. My parents for their unwavering support and love, Rick Foster for his mentorship and willingness to teach, Gail Schubert for her dedication to our region, Larry Cotter for his continued optimism, even when times are tough. These are just a few people that I really respect that come to mind.
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? I love University of Michigan sports, reading, Twitter, and being with friends and family. Favorite quote: “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” — John Wooden What was your first job? Procurement assistant, State of Alaska Department of Transportation What is the book you most often recommend? “Roots.” Best book I have ever read.
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 22
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Corey Hester
Executive Directior, Alaska Airmen's Association
Education: Bachelor’s degree, journalism and public communications, University of Alaska Anchorage; HBX CORe graduate, Harvard Business School; Non-Profit Management Certificate, The Foraker Group Community work: Commissioner, Anchorage Sister Cities Commission; commissioner, Municipal Airports Aviation Advisory Commission; Board member, Alaska Workforce Investment Board; President, Downtown Community Council; Honorary Military Commander at JBER Family: I have one really cool little brother! Hometown/Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Denali National Park. I love driving back to Wonder Lake! Great scenery, no cell service, and fantastic picture opportunities. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Flying to my family’s cabin and spending time there on Redshirt Lake or running right into a pack of wolves near Healy.
stimulating material two of my favorites are The Economist and Harvard Business Review. Great mental workout. A good book that has been incredibly eye-opening is “Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell. He’s a fantastic author. Currently reading “The Originals” by Adam Grant. It’s fascinating to learn how the subconscious mind works with respect to decision making. I’m trying to find time to read “Game of Thrones”!! Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? “If you do something you love you’ll never work a day in your life.” All the jobs I’ve worked at I’ve really enjoyed. It makes it that much easier, for me, to balance work-life if it’s wrapped up into one. I need to be passionate about what I’m doing. That type of motivation lasts longer and far outweighs salary, benefits, title etc. I think you really need to find something that continuously fuels your interest, something that drives your curiosity, and motivates you to learn more and better yourself, the people you surround yourself with, and your organization.
Name the person you most respect and why. All the various mentors and supporters I’ve had throughout my educational and professional career so far. I wouldn’t be where I am without support from family, friends, teammates, and several great mentors.
You also need to schedule time to completely detach from work — even if you’re passionate about it. Burn out is almost more inevitable if you immerse yourself and don’t come up for air. Detach, do something you don’t normally do. Something with no screens either. You need to find time to rejuvenate, to disrupt your work cycle every now and then.
I really admire Arnold Schwarzenegger. As an immigrant, he came from nothing, started from the bottom and went to the top. His passion drove him to a different country, and despite the struggles and setbacks, he worked his way up and conquered the athletic, movie, and political industries. His “Six Rules of Success” are on my wall.
What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? The most rewarding has been starting Alaska’s National Society of Leadership & Success. The tangible impact that we made on student’s lives, academic, personal, and professional was incredible. The feedback we received from students telling us how much the Society changed their lives is something I will always remember. As with any pitch, you need to know your audience. Knowing what their goals are and what they want to accomplish can help align your persuasive efforts to find a common goal and rally around a cause. You need to be excited about what you’re selling — it’s contagious.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? I love photography and videography and have been lucky enough to have my work featured in various magazines and publications. I’ve gotten pretty savvy with social media branding and marketing. Across a couple of my accounts I’ve got about 100,000 followers and close to 10 million views. Favorite quote: “Some men see things as they are and say why? I dream things that never were and say why not?”
What’s been the growth been like for the Young Professional Group since you were involved in founding the organization? It’s really taken off! A couple colleagues and I saw a void in Alaska for young professionals and filled it. It’s been great to see YPG collaborate with other organizations and get involved in various aspects of the community!
What was your first job? I’d hustle to sell crab apples from my backyard on the streets when I was 9. We moved a lot of weight. Had a monopoly on the whole block at one point. First real job was working at the Northern Lights Fred Meyers. I loved that job and the people there. What is the book you most often recommend? Being a journalist I read the news 24-7. I tell people that if they want to read intellectually
23 | FORTY UNDER 40®
2017
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Age 25 Anchorage
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 37 Anchorage
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Ross Johnston Owner, Fine Point
Education: Bachelor’s degree, marketing, College of William and Mary, 2002; MBA, Australian Graduate School of Management, 2006 Community work: American Marketing Association, Past President; Startup Weekend, organizer; Entrepreneurship Week, organizer; Million Cups, board member; North By North, Co-Founder; Pitch. Click.Give – Founder Family: Grace, wife; Faith, (10 and a half months), daughter Hometown: Born in Fairbanks. Moved to Anchorage when I was 10. Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? On a warm, sunny day there is nothing quite like glacading down the backside of Flattop in the spring.
What was the inspiration for Pitch.Click.Give. and how do you see that effort growing into the future? I pitched the idea of marketers helping non-profits to Jason Grenn who was then the head of Pick.Click.Give. He loved it. The American Marketing Association and Association of Fundraising Professionals partnered together with the Pick.Click.Give. office to work out the details. We got some very talented event marketers, Toast of the Town, who helped with logistics.
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? I was 13 at the time and we were at Norman Vaughn’s cabin for New Year’s. A friend and I shot at each other with roman candles while red Northern Lights danced overhead. Name the person you most respect and why. My dad. He has instilled in me a sense of community development through his actions. What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Indoor rock climbing.
It was an idea that took flight because we were able to get all the right people on board. The non-profits were excited about getting help, companies were excited to donate services, and marketers were excited to participate. Wins for everyone. The best part was we created a greater sense of community among marketers through a purpose driven event.
Favorite quote: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” — Gandhi What was your first job? Ski instructor at Alyeska. What is the book you most often recommend? “Illusions” by Richard Bach
While I can see the event growing locally with bigger prizes and more participants, our vision is for American Marketing Association chapters across the U.S. to pick up this event. One of our AMA members will be in Chicago at a national conference representing Pitch.Click.Give. to other chapters. It would be rewarding to see some version of it spread across the world.
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Most people max out about 20 hours of meaningful work a week. The rest is busy time. Don’t sacrifice your family’s wellbeing for busy time. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Being president of AMA was deeply rewarding because it took so much out of me but I received so much that made me a better person. I am forever grateful for the opportunity. I have one recruiting pitch for all non-profit endeavors that I am involved in. It’s not about what you can get back from it, it’s about the impact we have.
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 24
Age 30 Anchorage
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Rebekah Lewing
Owner, Timber Coffee House and Lewing Photography & Design; Assistant to CEO, Great Land Events
Education: Degree in strategic communication, University of Alaska Anchorage, 2008 Community work: Hearts Apart member; King Career Center volunteer speaker Family: Timothy, spouse, William, Cody, Ronan and Legend, children Hometown/Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? My favorite place is in Sterling, on the Kenai River, fishing, in late July, with my family, parents, grandparents and siblings.
Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? It is struggle to choose where your time is best spent because time is so valuable. My husband and I have been blessed with the ability to structure our schedule to spend a great deal of time with our boys. Our teenagers work the shop with us during the summer and we have been fortunate to be able to design our schedule to drop off and pick up our boys to and from school. If I have learned anything, it is to keep your family, first and foremost. Period! Everything else comes after that. Give your hard working best in every role you play whether it is parent, spouse, employee, entrepreneur or vacationist. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? The most rewarding community service is when I’m made aware of a need and seek to help, whether that be educating, direct assistance, and/or support. It starts with simply looking around to see what you can do. Then, quietly, going about filling that need. The reward, although somewhat of a dichotomy, is in the procedure and process with no expectation of reward.
Name the person you most respect and why. The person I most respect is my mom, Teresa. She has taught me most of what I know; without her I wouldn’t have the ability or confidence to run Timber Coffee House. Working for her at Great Land Events is, well, hard to put into words… immeasurable in experience, unsurpassed joy and unbreakable bond. From all she has taught me about business to proper grammar to her advice and example of how to be a good mother and wife, has served me well. Having her as someone I can always turn to is priceless, both personally and professionally.
With three businesses of your own you must have learned some lessons about being an entrepreneur along the way. What was the hardest lesson to learn and what guidance do you share with others planning to start their own business? Recognize your strengths and your weaknesses. Owning a business presents the potential challenge of being knowledgeable in multifaceted areas. Just because you are good at making coffee doesn’t mean you have great customer service. You may have an amazing product but that doesn’t mean you know how to market that product. Knowing your strengths will help you utilize them to the greatest benefit. Learning about my weaknesses is the most difficult. Among the many lessons I have learned and the lessons that are coming, I would share that lessons come in light of a short coming, and instead of giving yourself an excuse, take responsibility and make a change, no matter how scary that may seem.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? It’s cliché, but my favorite pastime is time spent with Tim and our boys. We enjoy taking canoes out on the lake at my grandparent’s cabin, hiking, having a water balloon fight, pizza and gaming nights or heading out of town for a mini vacation. Routine isn’t something we do well and our lifestyle reflects it. What was your first job? Pizza builder at Papa Murphy’s.
25 | FORTY UNDER 40®
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
What is the book you most often recommend? I understand the question asked for one singular book, however, it is impossible for me to narrow the list down. “Crime & Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoyevsky has always been a favorite. I like a good history book, other Russian authors, Dr. Dobson books on strongwilled children, and, of course, the Harry Potter series.
2017
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 39 Wasilla
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Jake Libbey
CEO, Crystal Clear Creative
Education: U.S. Navy College Community work: Rotary International, Choices Family: Lacey Libbey, wife; Alera and Lilly, daughters; one sheepadoodle named Susitna Hometown: Raised mostly on a sailboat in Valdez
—Thomas Jefferson
Current city: Wasilla What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? My favorite place is Prince William Sound because it is the birthplace of my imagination, and the home of my best adventures. My father and I spent countless hours rowing around coves and sailing between the islands, and that unequivocal childhood molded me in as many ways.
Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? When you do what you love, balancing work against life is like balancing spaghetti against meatballs. They intertwine and are better together. If you truly delight in what you do, then work is like weather, there will always be more of it. If you’re working so much you have insufficient time for friends and family and other things, don’t be afraid to say no or raise your rates. When you consider the alternative, being in demand is one of the best problems to have.
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? On a windless, clear night in the waters of Irish Cove, I stepped on deck to a mesmerizing sight. In the utter darkness and starlight, the horizon line had vanished on an ocean as flat as a sheet of pane glass and I spent over an hour seemingly adrift among the heavens and floating islands, marveling at stars above and stars below in the reflections of the night sea. In tens of thousands of miles on the water sailing around the world, I have never seen another night so special.
What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? My time in Rotary International. Rotary is an organization that is a microcosm of a welllived game of life. You have many players, each doing their part, and in an almost musical concert that somehow defies the polarization of politics to achieve one noble goal: service above self. My time in Rotary, as president, and as Sergeant-at-Arms was witness to exceedingly good fellowship and humor, and as a choices presenter, some of the most rewarding interactions of my life.
Name the person you most respect and why? Gilbert Keith Chesterton. A modern man has rarely been made with a better gift of explaining what is important, and what is absolute nonsense. A hundred years ago Chesterton was battling identical philosophy and theology as we in current day with arguments which were as salient then as they are now, and would have to be, as he was the man who with pen alone converted CS Lewis from atheist Oxford don into the titan of Christian thought he became.
How did your Naval service help you in starting your business and growing it into a successful organization? First and foremost, Naval service showed me the wider world outside of North America, and gave me a unique perspective on the worth of American values and freedoms that it seems too many take for granted. Our self-evident truths, are not so enshrined elsewhere, and the circumstance bears witness. When you see how poorer nations live, America shines like a city on a hill, and my time in the Navy taught me to have exceeding gratitude for our liberty. Military service also taught me the value of self-discipline and hard work, which are two of the most indispensable qualities of an entrepreneur.
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Writing. Favorite quote: “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” Thomas Jefferson What was your first job? Grocery bagger at Safeway What is the book you most often recommend? Tie. “Mere Christianity” vs. “Wheel of Time”
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 26
CONGRATULATIONS! On your Top Forty under 40 award! We are proud to welcome you to AHCAC!
ahcac.net
907.561.0222
Congratulations! Congratulations to Jasmin Smith, owner of, “The Business Boutique,” and Laura Norton Cruz, program director of the Alaska Resilience Initiative at the Alaska Children’s Trust. These amazing Alaskans have made it onto the Alaska Journal of Commerce’s Top 40 Under 40 list because of all of their dedication, hard work, and commitment to community.
Thank you for all you do!
– Representative Geran Tarr & Senator Tom Begich
ALASKA PERMANENT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
Congratulations to Bill Lierman, CFA® and all of the 2017 Honorees!
27 | FORTY UNDER 40®
2017
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 39 Eagle River
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Bill Lierman IV
CIO-Fixed Income, Alaska Permanent Capital Management
Education: Bachelor’s degree, economics; Western Washing University Community work: Sit on the board of Chugiak Eagle River Foundation; building batting cages and fields; high school baseball coach (13 years); youth baseball and hockey coach (5 years) Family: Megan Lierman, Wife; Liam and Brennan, sons; Keri Lierman, sister Hometown: Born at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; grew up in Eagle River Current city: Eagle River What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Any remote place, as it is a time to unwind, take in majestic beauty, and realize that not too many people have been there What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Making my first solo flight from Merrill Field to Talkeetna Name the person you most respect and why. My father, he was a humble person who never talked about himself. He was a straight-forward person who allowed me to make mistakes, told me where and what I did wrong, and made sure he supported me. What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Being with my family and people I enjoy being around. There is only one certainty that is life is too short. Favorite quote: “Intent and Resolve” by Roger Sparks. I use those three words and apply it to everything I do. What was your first job? Scrubbing the underbelly of planes for Short Brothers Sky Vans What is the book you most often recommend? “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Compartmentalize and set time aside for work, family, friends, and yourself. When you are with one of the four, you give your full mind and effort to it. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Talking with my former high school players or their parents who reach out and tell me something that had a lasting effect on them or son is the most rewarding. At my father’s funeral, one of his former players came up to me to tell me that they would not have succeeded and gotten to their current point in life without my father. I realized at that moment that community service is not necessarily instant gratification but something that evolves over time.
—Roger Sparks
What has it been like carrying on your father’s legacy with the College Coaches Clinic and what’s your vision for the future of the program? I enjoy it as I get to think about my father and continue his vision and tweak it with the evolution of the baseball community. I would like to continue to reach as many players as possible within Alaska and provide an opportunity for them to reach there max potential.
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 28
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Karli Lopez
Executive Director, Alaska Health Care Apprenticeship Consortium
Education: Associate’s degree, general curriculum, University of Maryland-University College; University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Human Development LEND Fellow, 2016-17 Community work: Developmental Disability representative for the state Inclusive Community Choices Council; Member and Past Chair of the Early Intervention Committee for the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education (Council Member from 2012-15); Member of the LEND Family Advisory Council; Former President of the Board of Directors for Stone Soup Group; Past Co-Chair of the United Way Emerging Leaders Advisory Council Family: Ernesto, husband, Corbin (5) and Mia (4), children Hometown: Soldotna Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Where Slikok Creek meets the Kenai River. I loved going to the creek in elementary school for science lessons and as a teenager, I’d spend time there writing poetry and reflecting. It’s unassumingly inspirational. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? In high school, my boyfriend and I were chased out of a makeout spot by a bear. I don’t think it gets much more Alaskan than that.
Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Work-life balance is a myth. I was raised to believe I could “have it all,” but I’ve learned I can’t have it all at the same time. It is a constant juggling act where you decide which balls stay in the air each day — a tough reality that no one talks about. When your time is divided, it’s impossible to give 100 percent to anything without reducing effort in another area. Some days I crush it at work and feel guilty for the time my kids spend on their tablets. Other days I take PTO to be there for my kids and worry about falling behind on deadlines. I try my best to find balance, but it looks more like a pendulum than a scale. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Connecting families to resources that can improve their lives is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. Being a parent is hard enough, and adding any complication can be overwhelming. I want to help parents find their village. It’s so hard to navigate the system which is why I’m so passionate about advocacy. I tell parents that you don’t have to travel to Juneau or D.C. to make a difference. Start with an email or a phone call, go to a town hall, maybe join a committee. Our voices, on behalf of our children, just need to be at the table in any way possible.
Name the person you most respect and why. My son. He is nonverbal, so he has spent his entire life struggling to communicate his needs. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to go five years without being able to fully participate in a conversation. He’s amazing.
You’ve been closely involved with efforts to diversify the economy and to grow the state’s health care workforce. What’s been your inspiration to focus your career on these areas that are so important to the future of Alaska? My entire life I have been frustrated by people that complain but fail to act. I’m drawn to opportunities where I can change things for the better. When I decided to reenter the workforce after I had my children, Anchorage Economic Development Corp. was a chance to help create the community I want to live in.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Karaoke. I used to moonlight as a KJ hosting “Karlioke.” I can’t resist an opportunity to perform “Bodies” by Drowning Pool — no one ever sees it coming. Favorite quote: “Republicans fall in line, Democrats fall in love, and Progressives multiply through division.” – Wade Henderson at the 2017 Disability Policy Seminar
When I learned about the new Alaska Health Care Apprenticeship Consortium growing apprenticeships in health care, I was elated. During these difficult economic times, I get to help employers grow a skilled workforce while helping Alaskans secure jobs that pay a livable wage while they learn new skills. There’s not much I enjoy more than being part of a solution.
What was your first job? Cleaning Twin Cities Veterinary Clinic in the evenings after school when I was 15. What is the book you most often recommend? “The Pout-Pout Fish,” because preschool books are the bulk of my reading these days. I also suggest the timeless classic “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.” I couldn’t put it down, mostly because my children wouldn’t let me.
29 | FORTY UNDER 40®
2017
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Age 33 Anchorage
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 39 Anchorage
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Candice McDonald Kotyk
Co-Owner, Salmon Berry Travel and Tours
Education: Bachelor of business management, University of Alaska Anchorage, 2005; Master of science in global supply chain management, UAA, 2008 Community work: Adopt-a-Family, Salvation Army; Visit Anchorage "Bears on Parade"; donation to Engine 557 Restoration Project, Big Brothers Big Sisters “big” for four years Family: Chris, husband; Olivia (4), daughter; Benjamin & Nicholas (17 months), twins Hometown: Born in Anchorage, spent my school years in Palmer Current city: Anchorage What was your first job? Working for my dad at Carlile, filing papers when I was 12.
What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Homer! I love the small-town, welcoming feel of Homer. It always feels like I am welcome there, and that they take pride in having a friendly and close community. In addition, the natural beauty cannot be beat.
What is the book you most often recommend? My favorite books are the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling.
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Taking my daughter in my dad’s airplane for the first time was very memorable. She loves flying with her grandpa. Spending nights out in the wilderness with my children will hopefully get easier, but the flying part is awesome!
Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good worklife balance? Think hard about your entrepreneurial desires, and the demands of having a business. Think ahead about your growth schedule, and plan your family accordingly. Then when all of your good planning only halfway works out, refocus and make specific plans for adventures, outside of work, where you can disconnect and be with your family. Don’t try to always be in both worlds. Even the smallest children know you are doing this and will react badly.
Name the person you most respect and why. My father, Harry McDonald. Despite spending much of his life energy on his own business, he has always been and still is a calming and encouraging force in my life. He also taught me work ethic by being a serious hard ass about coming to work EARLY, every single day, NO excuses. His business experience is also invaluable, and he shares it openly with me, on a daily basis.
What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Big Brothers Big Sisters. Being a big really made me feel that I was directly impacting a child in a positive way, with measureable results.
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
I can ask him anything, and he will give an honest opinion, or help me run my numbers, or whatever I need any particular day. Now that my personal life has changed so drastically, he finds time to help with my kids so that I can continue to build my own business, following in his footsteps.
What do you feel has been the key to your success growing your business from a single van 11 years ago to what it is today? The key was the first few years of countless hours of dedication, and zero personal life, followed by slowly growing a good team. This has resulted in finally being able to have a family life, and step back and let others shine.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Spending time with my children. I have not had a lot of time to develop hobbies, but my biggest hobby is making fun cakes. This fits in well with my new, expanded family of small children, as I have a great time coming up with their birthday cakes and theme parties to go along with them. I enjoy international travel as well, and hope to get back into that as my children get older. Favorite quote: “No one is dead, no one is in jail.” This quote has helped me bring problems into perspective. A little unexpected van maintenance: no big deal! Needing to pick up a sick kid in the middle of my work day: no big deal! Computer crash: no big deal!
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 30
Age 30 Anchorage
|
Dr. Emily McMahan
Owner, Alaska Hearing and Tinnitus Center
Education: Bachelor’s degree, communication sciences disorders, University of Cincinnati, Doctor of audiology, Salus University Community work: President of Alaska Dog & Puppy Rescue; President of Peak Missions International; Anchorage South Rotary Family: I have an incredible family support system. My husband, Ashley, is my foundation and has offered guidance, structure, and encouragement during this journey. I also have two adorable children who push me to be a better person and my dogs who keep me active on our Alaskan trails. Without my family, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish half of my achievements on my own. Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Homer! I love the town, the view, the amazing seafood, and walking along the beach searching for whales, otters, and treasures! However, I am happy to hike anywhere in our incredible state! You can find me out on the trails all year round. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? The first time I saw the Northern Lights. I remember calling my parents and waking them up to tell them I saw the lights! I was so excited, but I didn’t have the words to describe the experience. They are so magical and I continue to “hunt” them every season since that first night! Name the person you most respect and why. The people that I most respect are my mom and dad, Beth and Gary McMahan. They taught me respect, encouraged me to pursue my dreams, supported me through difficult moments, and have always been my biggest cheerleaders. My dad taught me the importance of following through with hard work and staying true to your convictions, even if it is not always the easier route. He showed me how to balance a successful professional career and a successful and happy family life. My mom has taught me about service about self, patience, and empathy. I cannot imagine not having such amazing people as parents. I can see their influence in my life every day and hope that I have that impact on my family and community too.
What was your first job? I worked in a local hospital lab where I collected blood and started IVs. What is the book you most often recommend? “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Alaska Dog & Puppy Rescue has been an incredible way to not only serve my community but also encourage others to become involved. ADPR is financially responsible, it costs you nothing to foster! Who doesn’t love puppy kisses? How did you get involved with Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue and how do you find the time to balance that role with a busy practice? I was at the Blueberry Festival and stopped at their booth. Five years later, I’ve served on the board as both the vice president and currently the president for the past two years. I have an awesome team of volunteers behind me. I couldn’t lead ADPR without the other board members, vets, foster coordinator, foster homes, transporters, groomers, and photographers! What was your motivation to go into audiology as a specialty and what do you enjoy most about it? I fell in love with American Sign Language and was immersed in the deaf community. Through the deaf community I became further introduced to audiology, and I haven’t looked back since! As an audiologist, I develop a relationship with each of my patients, and I enjoy those personal connections. Audiology reconnects people to their surroundings and loved ones. I love being able to encourage my patients to enjoy the life they love by reconnecting them to their hearing needs. Hearing is a crucial part of how we perceive and interact with the world; giving someone back the gift of their hearing is priceless.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Hiking and adventuring in our amazing parks in Alaska! You can also find me on the ball diamond playing intramural softball with my friends. Favorite quote: “Courage: The questions isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me?” – Ayn Rand
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2017
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 38 Anchorage
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Cycelia McMorris
Counselor/Teacher, Crossroads High School
Education: Bachelor’s degree, English; master’s degree, teaching; master’s degree, curriculum and instruction mathematics; master’s degree, school counseling K-12 Community work: Baxter Elementary (PTA/Parent Volunteer); Girls Scouts (Assistant Troop Leader/Treasure); active member of Christian House of Prayer Family: Don, husband; Dondres, Diondre, and Chaunti, children Hometown/Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Any place with family. I enjoy taking walks and bike rides with my hubby and kiddos on the trails. I love the sunshine, fresh air, and Alaska’s beauty. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Alaska’s wildlife brings many memorable experiences for me. I was in 10th grade and I was running late for my school bus and had to take a water sample to my biology class. When I left the house, it was very dark outside. I was running and looking down making sure I wasn’t spilling the water and ran into the backside of a moose. We both were shocked the moose ran one way and I ran the other to barely catch my bus.
do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” — Philippians 4:13 What was your first job? (Besides babysitting) Popeye’s Chicken What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Working with children – younger children look up to me, are so loving and forgiving, and easy to make happy. Preteens to young adults can be mentored, encouraged, and loved on. Children are our future. They reflect our society. When we invest in them we invest in our world. How has your personal experience helped you in reaching your students who are going through a similar situation and what are they key points you emphasize as a counselor? I can relate with the students who attend Crossroads in different ways. I am who I am because people cared about and invested in me. As a counselor, I focus on caring for the students and connecting students with external resources that will increase their skill set and stabilize their lives outside of the classroom. I help them to graduate school and reach their goals. I help to encourage students to make big goals. I want students to be successful as a parent and in life. I like to think I am an example of the belief that teen pregnancy doesn’t mean you have to set limits on how successful you can be in life.
My oldest son was able to feed a red fox in front of our apartment when he was 3 or 4. I was able to catch a fish dip netting with my family. About three years ago, the kids and I were able to see a grizzly bear by Service High School. We followed it in the car and recorded it trash a garbage can and run back in the woods by Service. My daughter has a special bald eagle that we see most Sundays on the way to church.
As a teacher, how do you approach different subjects like teaching math and science versus a subject like maternity health? Math is my thing — I have been teaching math for 15 years and I had to take pre-algebra for two years because I moved from California before the end of the school year. In ninth grade I was placed in prealgebra and it was so easy. In 10th grade in algebra I had a teacher that was very encouraging and math become my favorite subject. Math has a right or wrong answer. It’s logical and makes sense. I can solve problems in various ways and I enjoy leaning from students. I make math applicable to real life. I have had three children and I love to learn. I use the same tactic in maternity health. I believe strongly that students retain and use knowledge they can immediately apply to their own lives. Our students are essentially operating on a countdown before their babies arrive and their lives become even more difficult and hectic.
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Name the person you most respect and why. My maternal grandparents. Not only did they love me but they were awesome role models. They knew how to make my brothers and I feel special but not spoil us at the same time. They often gave good advice and taught me many life lessons. They were married over 50 years. My grandparents have gone through a lot in life growing up black in the south in the early 1900s. My grandmother, who is still alive and in her early 90s, rasied 10 children (9 pregnancies with 3 set of twins — only one set lived). They were both hard workers and were able to retire from their jobs. They owned their own business, which was where I was able to learn so much. My grandmother would let me run the record store at 14 years old. My grandparents owned property. I love how my grandpa took care of my grandma and was able to leave a business, a paid off home, and his retirement for my grandmother when he passed away.
The dynamic that results is that students are very open to education that is relevant and immediately applicable to their current situation. It’s my job as an educator to seize that opportunity and give them as much information in the most useful engaging way possible.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Spending time with my family Favorite quote: A quote I like as an educator: “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” A quote I live by: “I can
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 32
Congratulations
Amy Mestas!
Congratulations Trish!
Forty rounds of applause for BP’s Trish Skoglund, who was recognized as one of the state’s top professionals in The Alaska Journal of Commerce’s 2017 Top 40 Under 40.
Your committment to design innovation and mentoring our youth inspires us all!
Trish Skoglund, BP, 36, Performance Analyst, Global Operations Organization
Congratulations to Travis Million, CVEA COO, for being honored as one of Alaska’s Top Forty! Travis’s positive attitude, friendly disposition, and can-do work ethic are tremendous ts to CVEA. uence on the organization e re isn’t much that goes on at CVEA that he doesn’t uence in one way or another. He is a class act and our Cooperative feels fortunate to have him as a leader on the team.
alaska.bp.com
Congratulations Jeff!
Travis, our Co-op and our Community are Proud of you!
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2017
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 35 Anchorage
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Amy K. Mestas
Senior Associate, Structural Engineer, PDC Engineers Volleyball Coach, South Anchorage High School
Education: Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Civil Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology Community work: Coach in Anchorage since 2005; student speaker and Smart Girls Rule speed-mentoring event at Dimond High School; vice president of the Structural Engineers Association of Alaska; represent SEAAK as a board member on the Alaska Professional Design Council; last year chaired the Math and Science Night at Northern Lights ABC school Family: Devin Mestas, Physical Education teacher at Wonder Park Elementary School, husband; Allison (6), daughter; Damon (3), son; Galileo, Australian cattle dog Hometown/Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? My favorite place in Alaska is my family’s cabin. It is located about 50 miles north of Anchorage and is not accessible by road. I learned to fish, hunt, canoe, build, snowshoe, and just enjoy the quiet of being away from the city at our cabin on a “no name” lake. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? I went on a trip to Denali with a couple of my friends when I was home from college during the summer. After a long fun day of sightseeing and hiking in the park we heading back to our campsite to setup camp. That is when we realized we had forgotten the tent! The three of us girls were all engineering students, so we made a makeshift tent out of a tarp and the other supplies we had brought along with us. It was one of the first times I had ventured out as an adult and experienced Alaska, and it ended up being an experience I will never forget.
What was your first job? I am still working at my first job! I was hired at PDC Engineers right out of college. I love my work here and I plan on attending my own PDC retirement party. What is the book you most often recommend? “The Boys in the Boat” by Daniel James Brown Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Be present. Whatever hat you are wearing (for me that is usually Mom, Engineer, or Coach), deserves your full attention. A big step to success is to not let your cell phone be in charge of your life. Put it down and focus on developing relationships with the people around you. You could have received your structural engineering certification under a grandfathering process but elected to take the 16-hour licensing exam anyway. Why was that important to you? The State of Alaska has some of the most demanding conditions for structural engineers to design for in the world. We have huge snow loads, hurricane-scale wind forces, and the potential for massive seismic events. I believe in the licensure process that Alaska has in place. To get your license you must have adequate education, experience, and successfully pass and exam proving proficiency. Because I believe in this process, I felt a sense of duty to show that I am proficient in my skills by passing the exam instead of applying to get my license by grandfathering in. As an engineer in Alaska, what has been your most challenging and/or rewarding project to complete? I was the structural engineer of record for the freshman dorms at the University of Alaska Southeast. The new residence hall presented many challenges and opportunities for innovative design.
Name the person you most respect and why. I have a tremendous amount of respect for my parents, Walt and Dale Kephart. They have instilled the values of hard work, gratitude, and selflessness in me.
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
My mother was an Olympic gymnast, as well as achieving many other accolades in the gymnastics and teaching world. You would never know of all of her accomplishments by just meeting her because she is very humble and focused on whatever she is involved with. You will hear her speak of working with my sixyear-old’s gymnastics team and of coaching Olympians with equal enthusiasm because both were rewarding and of value to her. My parents have taught me what a good relationship, good parents, good coaches, and good community members should look like.
I complete the construction administration tasks from my couch as I was on bedrest with my second child during construction. When I was able to tour the building in 2015, I was thrilled with how it turned out. The student who gave me a tour of the building actually thanked me for being a part of the team that designed the building and gave me a hug on my way out. The project was recognized with an Engineering Excellence Honor Award in the category of Structural Systems at the 2016 Engineers Week Banquet.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? I love being active whether that is by playing at the park with my kids or fishing on the Kenai. I love to play and coach volleyball, jog, hike, play softball, bowl, and anything else that keeps me moving and enjoying our community.
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 34
Age 38 Palmer
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Jeff D. Miller
Senior Executive Vice President of Operations, Cruz Companies
Education: Bachelor’s degree, construction management, Oregon State University
engineering
Community work: Volunteer/certified youth coach: wrestling; soccer; gymnastics; Mat-su Matmen Club President; Volunteer logistics specialist for various remote villages; host and plan multiple annual CrossFit competitions in order to raise money for local Mat-Su Valley charities; Iditarod and Junior Iditarod volunteer; Alaska Laborers’ Trust Fund Trustee
— Albert Einstein
Family: Monica, wife; Taylor, Graycen, & Cole, children; Brownie, horse; Kaya, dog; Tik-Tak, cat Hometown: Born in Corvallis, Oregon, and raised in Springfield, Oregon
What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? The Wrangell Mountains. I love traversing the mountains and I love sheep hunting. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Any hunting trip with my family or weekend at the cabin with my family.
These four items are listed in the critical order. You can let 3 of these slip at times, but if you prolong the bad habits it will eventually catch up with you and then something will give, ultimately resulting in an unwanted outcome.
Name the person you most respect and why. I respect my wife the most. She is the hardest working and most honest person I have ever met. I hold her opinion in the highest regard, thus I respect her the most. What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? I enjoy teaching my kids how to be resourceful and hard-working.
What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? I enjoy raising money for Heartreach. Making a difference at the start of a child’s life is one of the most important things you can do for a person and a community.
Favorite quote: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” — Albert Einstein; “Good is the enemy of great.” — James C. Collins
In the past decade Cruz Cos. has gone from $6.5 million in revenue to more than $200 million. What has been the key to the company’s success and how do you feel about your role in helping the company grow? The key to the company’s success has been employing and retaining the right people. I just happen to be one of those people that was privileged with the opportunity to work for Dave and Dana Cruz early on and given the chance to perform.
What was your first job? Yard maintenance business and paper route What is the book you most often recommend? The Bible and “Gates of Fire”
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2017
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Current city: Palmer
Based on your own experiences having to travel all over the state and country, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? The most important thing I did was pick an amazing and supportive spouse at the start of my career. A person needs pick a career path in something they enjoy so that they can remain passionate about it throughout their career. Once you have picked that path you need to maintain 4 cornerstones in your life if you want a sound and productive life: spiritual strength, sleep, healthy diet, exercise.
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 37 Glenallen
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Travis Million
Chief Operating Officer, Copper Valley Electric Association, Inc.
Education: Associate’s of applied science, electrical engineering Community work: Copper Valley Telecom Board of Directors; ARECA Training Counsel; Alaska Power Association Safety Committee; Copper Valley Electric Association Board of Directors (former); volunteer youth basketball coach; FPU/Legacy Journey Coordinator; Guest speaker in schools, career fairs, science presentations; active in Copper River Chamber of Commerce, Copper Valley Recycling. Family: Emily, wife; Sophie (5) and Reese (almost 2), daughters; Laney bearded collie Hometown: I was born and raised in Garfield, a small farming town in eastern Washington Current city: Copper Center What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? I have had the opportunity to travel and see most of the state, however, my favorite place in the state is the area where I live and work: the Copper River Basin and Valdez. The views of the Wrangell mountains, the quiet and solitude, the outdoor activities, and most of all...it's home. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? I was working on an electrical generation upgrade project in Prudhoe Bay over the weekend, three weeks before my oldest daughter was due to be born. I received a phone call from my wife Sunday morning that her water broke; unfortunately, there were severe weather conditions and all flights were grounded. I finally got on a flight at 5 p.m. and arrived at the hospital just as my wife was going into labor. That weekend taught me that babies and the weather in Alaska are very unpredictable. Name the person you most respect and why. Dr. Rob Jacobsen, my former boss at the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program, or HAARP. Having escaped from South Africa during a very tumultuous time in history, he moved to the United States and earned his Ph.D. in Physics. He
Alaska Journal of Commerce
is probably the smartest person I have ever met, humble, and has an amazing ability to breakdown very technical topics so anyone can understand. I am the leader that I am today because of his great guidance. What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Besides spending time with my family, I enjoy hunting, fishing, or just being outdoors. Favorite quote: "Hard work opens locked doors" — Dave Ramsey; or "People don't follow titles. They follow courage." — William Wells Brown What was your first job? Growing up, I worked for my family's farm, hardware and grocery stores. My first job after college was working for Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories as an Electrical Engineering Technician. What is the book you most often recommend? For pleasure reading I often recommend any of the Alex Cross series by James Patterson. I suggest "The Ideal Team Player" by Patrick Lencoini for leadership and personal growth. Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? This has been one of the more difficult challenges for me. I'm still perfecting it, but one of the biggest is saying "no" to things that try and pull you away from spending time with your family. Also, try and be in the moment in whatever you are doing. If you're at home with your family, be at home with your family put your phone away. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? I really enjoy serving on the various boards and multiple volunteer groups, but by far the most rewarding has been coaching youth basketball. I've coached since 2007 and it has been so rewarding to see so many kids develop their individual skills in basketball but also as a teammate. It is a worthwhile endeavor that kids treasure. Many who are now in high school continue to call me "coach" when they see me. What was your background in workplace safety when you began to rewrite the manual for the cooperative, and how did you help implement it to result in a company record stretch of no lost-time accidents? Prior to working for the cooperative, I oversaw the safety program at HAARP. The biggest contribution I made to the cooperative safety program was to provide the leadership and guidance that was needed to change the safety culture. To have a truly successful safety program, there has to be ownership throughout the entire organization. It was the team working on the power lines, in the power plants, and throughout the offices that ultimately contributed to the success of the program.
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 36
Age 30 Anchorage
|
Dan Newman
Senior Account Executive, KTUU
Education: Graduated from Service High in 2005 and started my career in the broadcast television industry the same year working my way up through the operations and engineering department. In 2010 I transitioned over to the sales department and became IAB (Internet Advertising Bureau) Digital Media Sales Certified since 2014. Community work: Anchorage South Rotarian; Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Ambassador; BNI Alaska Business Pipeline Chapter Leadership Team; Mayor’s Charity Ball Silent Auction Committee Member; Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Group Board Member; Peak Missions International Board Member Family: Jordana, my lovely wife who I have known and been friends with since 2008; Anthony (9) & Xavier (18 months) are our amazing boys.
by Robert Kiyosaki. He teaches the principals of learning to not work for money, but instead, have money work for you. I look forward to one day applying these principals for myself when I decide to start my own business, whatever that may be. Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Happy wife, happy life! I’m a very social person, so business networking mixers can be just as fun as a close friend’s birthday celebration. But when it comes to family, nothing compares to spending time with my wife and our boys and visiting new places and building new life memories together. So the best advice I would give is to take care of your responsibilities but never pass up a chance to try something new or visit a new place with those you love the most.
Hometown/Current city: Anchorage born and raised and proud of it. What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Downtown Anchorage, in the summertime, on the kickball fields of 9th and C Street. Because I’m getting exercise and having a great time with a little friendly competition and awesome friends. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Having the Blue Angels fly overhead on our wedding day (July 30, 2016), as we celebrated on the sunny outside deck at the Top of the World Restaurant at the Hilton Anchorage Hotel.
It’s like the quote says, “You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most”, then Rotary is a great place for me to be, and I recommend it to anyone else looking to get involved in their community.
Name the person you most respect and why. I would have to say my mother above all else. She raised both myself and my sister by herself, in a foreign country to her, and never made excuses for anything even when it was extremely difficult, all while always providing us with everything we ever needed. She raised me to be the person I am today and taught me the values of hard work, helping others and to always take care and be kind and friendly to those around you.
We have several members of the South Anchorage Rotary in this year’s class. How have you found your involvement in that group to help you in both your professional work and personal time? The organization has helped me create new friendships that will last me a lifetime, as well as the opportunity to get involved in my community and give back to such an amazing city and it’s individuals that has given me so many great opportunities for so much, both personally and professionally.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? I love riding my Ducati Monster 1100 motorcycle when time allows for it. Favorite quote: “Don’t talk about it, be about it” What was your first job? Besides babysitting for the neighborhood families back when I was around 12-13, I started working at Arby’s when I was 15.
Our club is involved in many different community service projects, so there is never a lack of things to do or ways to help out and get involved. It’s also nice to know that whenever I travel, there is always another club I can visit and new friends to be made.
What is the book you most often recommend? I am a big fan of the “Rich Dad Poor Dad” series
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What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Anchorage South Rotary holds a special place in my heart. Rotary International is a fantastic organization that helps communities both locally and internationally. In my opinion, it’s all about giving back to those that need a helping hand and surrounding yourself with worthwhile, positively contributing members of society that are looking out for more than just themselves.
2017
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 35 Anchorage
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Laura Norton-Cruz
Alaska Resilience Initiative Program Director, Alaska Children’s Trust
Education: Bachelor’s degree in critical social thought and studio art from Mount Holyoke College in 2004; K-8 teaching credential from Alliant International University in 2005; masters in social work from University of Michigan School of Social Work in 2009
parka and say, “Aarigaa! Where did you get that parka?” or even hug me. I felt so blessed to have this magical thing with so much history in it, and blessed that it kept me comfortable in temperatures colder than anything I’d ever imagined.
Community work: Visionary Council for the Advancing Native Dialogues on Racial Equity (ANDORE) project through First Alaskans Institute, and was previously a member of the group of ANDORE volunteer dialogue hosts. As a volunteer host, organized and/or facilitated nine dialogues about racial equity, ranging from a small dialogue with family members and family friends, one with fellow artists, a continuing education-eligible dialogue for the Alaska Chapter of the National Association of Social Work, and an emotionally-intense series of weekend dialogues for teachers and school staff in the village of Hooper Bay.
Name the person you most respect and why. My most beloved hero and example is crusading journalist and activist Ida B. Wells, active around the turn of the century and early 20th century. She worked tirelessly to expose and end the practice of racially-targeted extrajudicial lynchings, and advocated for many other feminist and anti-racist causes. In fact, I named my daughter after her in order to bless my daughter with Ida’s spirit of fighting against inequity and the brilliant, strategic mind and words with which she did so.
Family: 3-year-old Ida Luna Avellaneda-Cruz, and 9-month-old Rio Esteban. I co-parent with their father, Oscar Avellaneda-Cruz. Barbara Norton, mother; Bradley Cruz, father; Claire Norton-Cruz, sister Hometown: I was born on Travis Air Force Base and grew up in Vacaville, Calif., until age 10. After that, I’ve lived in Anchorage except for eight years of schooling and work in adulthood and a few months spent living in México and Colombia. Current city: Anchorage
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
I have many things I enjoy doing and many things I do out of a sense of moral commitment, such as social justice activism. One of the most enjoyable and regular of my pastimes is dancing with my baby and my 3-year-old, Ida Luna. Ida is a natural performer and it is such a pleasure to watch her grow into herself as a dancer and enjoy movement. Dancing brings me extraordinary joy and I know it is good for my children to have a connected and happy mama. And oh how it makes baby Rio laugh to watch us, especially his sister, dance! He giggles uncontrollably and does his own little musical movements. Favorite quote: "When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak." — Audre Lorde
What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? The two places in Alaska that have most moved me are Lost Lake (at the top of a mountain summit on the Kenai Peninsula) and the Iñupiat village of Unalakleet. The natural beauty of these two places — where land meets water and sunsets glint off the water’s surface — touches me on a spiritual level. Unalakleet was also one of the kindest and friendliest places I have ever been.
What was your first job? I taught children’s climbing classes and cleaned at the Alaska Rock Gym when I was 14. I’ve worked ever since. What is the book you most often recommend? In my line of work or with fellow parents, it often tends to the more practical: “Birthing from Within” for birth preparation, or “No Drama Discipline” for parenting (a compassionate, neurobiology-imformed approach to guiding and teaching children). But outside of that context, it would be “The Fire Next Time” and/or “Going to Meet the Man” by James Baldwin, because Baldwin is the most insightful artist-philosopher-sociologistconscience I know, whose observations of race, racism, and humanity in general were so prescient of today’s situation and are so urgently needed now.
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? That really cold winter of 2011-2012, I was doing a project in the Northwest Arctic, which involved travel to multiple villages. I had learned the first trip that my current cold weather gear was inadequate, so for the second trip, I borrowed a wolf parka from a friend (who had received it as a gift from her aunt), and I invested in a sealskin and beaver hat, bunny boots, and quilted Carhartts.
Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? I would say that I prioritize getting adequate sleep, because this is key to everything else: key to keeping Laura Norton-Cruz continued on Page 49
They came in handy when in Noatak it was -49 degrees and we had to trudge from one side of the village to the other. Everywhere I went, cozy and warm bundled up in the beautiful parka, people would compliment me – they would touch the
Alaska Journal of Commerce
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work?
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 38
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Lael Oldmixon
Executive Director, UA College Savings and UA Scholars Program
Education: Bachelor’s degree, American studies, Saint Michael’s College; Master’s of education, University of Vermont, Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs; Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Fairbanks Class of 2015 Community work: Fairbanks Children’s Museum, Board President; Spirit of Youth, Board Secretary; Alaska Post-secondary Access and Completion Network, member; Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce, Education and Workforce Development Committee, member; Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Team in Training, mentor; American Heart Association, Heart Walk Captain, Leadership Team; 100 Golden Heart Women Who Care, member; KUAC fund drive, volunteer, on-air talent Family: Mark Oldmixon, husband, Quinn (6), son; Mae (4), daughter. No pets but lots of plants Hometown: Keene, New Hampshire Current city: Fairbanks What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? On Cleary Summit, I can sit with a bucket and pick as many blueberries as I want or need. Cleary Summit looks out over the White Mountains, which I believe offers one of the most spectacular views in Alaska. There is also a stretch of trail after the Alder Shute of the Equinox Marathon trail that is filled with birch trees that produce golden leaves each fall. Running that trail gives me great peace.
Michael’s College in Winooski, Vermont. What is the book you most often recommend? I have been reading mostly children’s books (to my kids). I always recommend the book “The Dot” by Peter Reynolds or “Red, a Crayon’s Story” by Michael Hall. They both have incredible life lessons. Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Make it happen. I’ve learned over time to let the little things go in favor of balance. I pursue things that I love and try to remember what makes me happy and keeps me centered. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? I started running with Team in Training in 2011 and have completed countless miles, two marathons, and helped to raise thousands of dollars for blood cancer research. Last year was the most impactful and rewarding for me because our team, Team Deere, raised over $105,000 to honor a child, Bryant Ante, who died in 2009 from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. My pitch when I’m seeking others to get involved: I ask directly (I find that people who aren’t asked won’t join) and I share why the organization has personal meaning to me. I’m a fairly passionate person about the organizations I support — it’s easy to tell their story!
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? My husband and I went backcountry camping in Denali National Park in 2008. I was pretty confident I was going to be eaten by a bear, which clearly didn’t happen, thank goodness. It snowed (it was July 22), we saw a variety of critters including caribou, lynx, and bears (from a distance).
How does it feel to be in a position where your job is to help people achieve their aspirations for higher education and what kind of relationships have you developed with the students you’re helping? I love that I can be a part of a student’s success story. Over the course of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to recruit students into the university, help them persist through graduation, help them careers and watch them succeed after college.
Name the person you most respect and why. My mom. As a single mother of two girls, she did everything she could to ensure we were fed, clothed, and educated. She’s has only ever asked that my sister and I work to be responsible citizens of this world and has been an amazing role model. She’s been recognized in my home state for her commitment to community health and as a woman of distinction (she’s pretty awesome)!
My favorite days of the academic year are orientation and graduation. During orientation, students are at the front door of their college career and at graduation, we celebrate their successes together as they embark on the rest of their life. Recently, I ran into a former student who said she’d always wanted to tell me that I had changed her life with a scholarship. She said wouldn’t have graduated without me. That meant the world to me and though the feedback loop doesn’t always come back directly, through the UA College Savings Plan and UA Scholars Program I’m able to influence the college going culture in Alaska through a broader scope. I’m happy knowing that decisions I make to support students can change lives.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? I have so many pasttimes! Gardening in the summer. Favorite quote: “There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going.” — Beverly Sills What was your first job? First professional job was admission counselor at Saint
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2017
Photo: Todd Paris | Paris Photograpjics
Age 39 Fairbanks
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 39 Anchorage
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Jocelyn Pemberton
Executive Director, The Alaska Hospitalist Group LLC
Education: MBA, University of Alaska Anchorage Community work: Parent coordinator co-leader, CEC board member for Chugach Optional Elementary School; American College of Medical Practice Executives Forum representative for Alaska Medical Group Management Association Family: Prentiss, husband; Marin, Rylan and Presley, daughters; Tara, dog Hometown: Girdwood Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Homer. I enjoy the small community friendly feel of Homer. Our family goes halibut fishing on my Dad’s boat in Kachemak Bay every chance we can get. I love being out on the ocean surrounded by mountains. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Kayaking in Prince William Sound. It’s pretty incredible to be at the level of the water with the curious seals following you and glaciers calving around you.
What is the book you most often recommend? I love historical fiction. “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr is fabulous Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? I’m realizing the importance of building in adventure in my adult life. It doesn’t have to be much, but having that time away from the “normal” opens your spirit. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? On a professional level, serving Alaska Medical Group Management Association over the years has been very rewarding. Personally, my volunteer work at my daughters’ school fills me up in many ways. I believe that you will only get out of life what you put into it. I’ve taken my father-in-law’s advice to heart: “Just show up. It’s that easy.”
Name the person you most respect and why. My mom, Mary Klopfer. She exemplifies the values and traits that I strive incorporate in my own life. My mom is the most positive and kind person I know, able to find the good in situations and people. She taught junior high for 20+ years in Girdwood and I’ve had many of her past students over the years tell me that she was the best teacher they ever had. My mom could always be identified from the sound of her laughter echoing down the hallway at school. I love her spirit! She is always up for an adventure, has traveled the world and many times will out fish my father (not that he would ever admit that!). She is adored by her grandkids and the first person I call when I need to talk.
My work with The Alaska Hospitalist Group has allowed me to gain business experience, a deeper understanding of the patient experience and build important relationships in the medical community. I’m a strong believer in the economics of trust; when you have high trust, it creates opportunities to be innovative and increases the speed at which business can be done. My recent work with primary care physicians in Alaska Innovative Medicine has allowed me to advocate for a new approach, with care coordination and primary care at the helm ensuring that the patient needs are put first. The objective is to improve care and reduce cost.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Kayaking or paddle boarding on Sand Lake.
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Favorite quote: “You might not be able to change the wind, but you can adjust your sails.” What was your first job? Out of college I worked for a small software startup company in Boston. I was fortunate to travel the world with them as their Worldwide Sales Trainer, responsible for market analysis and training our sales partners across the globe.
Alaska Journal of Commerce
You’ve been highly involved in improving Alaskans’ access to health care at The Hospitalist Group, Alaska Trauma and Acute Care Surgery and Alaska Innovative Medicine. What were the greatest challenges to getting these organizations running and what do you see as the important factors to both improve access and reduces costs for in-state care? Unfortunately, our current heath care system is made up of silos of treatment episodes with the patients struggling to navigate the confusing industry. We are faced with many challenges, from political, regulatory, and technological and it is my belief that we need to be part of the solution.
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 40
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Loren Peterson
Chairman & President, Azachorok Inc.
Education: Undergraduate degree from University of Oregon and University of Alaska-Fairbanks; university graduate courses, George Washington Community work: I started community work when I was 16 in Mountain Village by establishing a teen activities committee. I have served as a Asa'carsarmiut Tribal Council Member and a lead member at the Institute of the North. I am currently on the Board of Directors for the Alaska Native Village Corporation Association. Family: Youngest son to William (deceased) and Lucy Peterson. Siblings include Marlene, Geraldine, David, Karen, Ella Mae, William Jr. (deceased), Frederick, and over 30 nephews and nieces Hometown: Mountain Village Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? The Mighty Lower Yukon River in Western Alaska. I have many fond memories of family trips for subsistence harvests, moose and bird hunting, fish camp, berry picking and visiting relatives upriver. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? I think the most Alaskan-esque experience was learning to snowboard at Eaglecrest in Juneau. It’s now become one of my favorite hobbies in nature. Name the person you most respect and why. I’d have to say my mother, Lucy. She is very sweet and thoughtful. She instilled in me very strong values of family, nature, and treating others with respect. What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? I enjoy traveling and catching up with friends, discovering new music, trying new local food (yes, I’m a foodie) and reading fiction books. Favorite quote: “You cannot find peace by avoiding life.” — Virginia Wolfe What was your first job? Delivering meals to patients at Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium and assisting chefs in the kitchen. I was a freshman at Mt. Edgecumbe High School and worked for $5 per hour. What is the book you most often recommend? Lately, it’s “The Circle” by Dave Eggers which is a compelling read about how modern technology is advancing and its impact on society and privacy. Also, I’ve read all Tom Robbins’ books and would recommend “Another Roadside Attraction” as it helped my brain let go of
2017 Alaska40® Journal of Commerce 41 | FORTY UNDER
destructive beliefs and become more creative. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Creating the Alaska Native Language Preservation & Advisory Council when I worked as a legislative aide for Sen. Donny Olson. My pitch is to find your passion and leap into it in as many ways as possible. The more methods you use, the more doors will open for you. How would you describe the experience of seeing legislation passed to create the Alaska Native Language Preservation & Advisory Council and being able to play a major role in that? As a freelance journalist for the Delta Discovery, I wrote about the effectiveness of language nests which are a way to revive indigenous languages at risk of dying out. It was sobering to learn the history of our lost languages. The more research I did, the more I became convinced we needed a way to preserve Alaska Native languages. As a legislative aide, I got the chance to make a difference. Sen. Donny Olson was very supportive of my idea for the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council. An unbelievable amount of organizations and individuals reached out to champion the legislation. We received letters and resolutions from a large array of organizations, both Alaska Native and nonNative. The more support it received, the more it felt like a long overdue acknowledgement of mistakes made in history. It also further reinforced that languages are a critical component of cultural identity. When the legislation passed, language revitalization felt closer with so many potential opportunities. Now, when I read about language nests, I get a sense of something close to fruition. It is very rewarding to know I contributed to keeping Alaska a culturally rich, diverse and independent state. What lessons have you learned from a mentor like Sen. Ted Stevens that you are now able to pass on to others? When working for Sen. Stevens, I often thought of what Helen Keller said, "Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much." My first assignment was to seek support from all 100 senators to establish the World War II Memorial. At first, this seemed like an almost impossible task, but he teamed me up with Sen. Daniel Inouye’s office. It was through this collaboration I realized teamwork leads to greater success than any individual ever can attain alone. That’s why I am guiding efforts through Azachorok Inc. to establish a coalition of communities, businesses and tribes to work together to improve the economy and living conditions in the Kusilvak Census area, which ranks consistently as one of the poorest regions in our nation. I believe through the Kusilvak Economic Development & Advocacy Alliance, we can design solutions for healthy and vital communities that have eluded leaders for generations.
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Age 39 Anchorage
Age 33 Anchorage
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Victoria Roberts
President, Vicinity Commercial Management
Education: Associate’s degree in business management, University of Phoenix Community work: Contribute to AWAIC, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska Family: Walter Roberts and Johnye Sharp, dad and stepmom; Catherine and Donn Petty, mom and stepdad; Shawn Roberts, brother; Anneliese Roberts, sister and very best friend Hometown: Born in Bitburg, Germany, grew up in Anchorage Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Anchorage is home. My family and friends are in the city; my business is in the city. I love to be close to those with whom I’m most familiar, so Anchorage is, by far, my favorite.
We drove around midtown visiting with some of the most interesting people living on the streets. I think the reward was in the surprise and gratitude we received. One man stood out that morning, as he asked if he could give his coat to his wife who was without. Selfless, as he, too, was without. How did you go from getting your real estate license at age 19 to owning your own firm just 10 years later? I got lucky. I worked for 10 years at Bond, Stephens & Johnson Property Management under the best mentors anyone could ask for. Since I was so young I wasn't afraid to show I didn't know something and since I was allowed to learn from my many mistakes, I developed a lot of confidence. I asked for responsibility for tough projects and then I had to reach! I discovered that both employers and clients develop trust when you 1) say what you will do 2) do it and 3) repeat No. 1 and No. 2. What piqued your interest in the idea for solar panels to reduce building energy costs, and how do you see those kinds of improvements becoming more standard in Alaska? Increasing costs on energy in Anchorage had me thinking of ways I could help save my clients money and through this I learned about the benefits of solar. Decreased costs and the federal tax credit make solar a compelling investment opportunity as utility rates continue to rise. The positive environmental impacts are important to people and generating some of one's own electricity seems like a very Alaskan thing to do.
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Kayaking in Kodiak with my sister. We were surrounded by massive, playful sea lions who came right up to us, allowing us time to take their pictures, while also enjoying our apparent fear. One came right up and spit a stream of water into my sister’s face. Name a person you most respect and why. As a strong female entrepreneur, real estate investor and fashion designer, I must say I hugely respect and admire Ivanka Trump. Class, style, grace. What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Golf with my dad. And shopping. Favorite quote: “I like to crack the jokes now and again, but it’s only because I struggle with math.” — Tina Fey What was your first job? I sold lemonade and radishes in the summers as a child… photographer at JC Penney at 16… furniture mover at 18… I still miss the lemonade days.
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
What is the book you most often recommend? “Century Trilogy” by Ken Follet, Fall of Giants What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? My most rewarding service wasn’t an organized charity. One Saturday morning last fall, my mom and I bought coats, hats, socks, sandwiches, bottles of water and hygiene products.
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 42
Age 39 Anchorage
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Lori Rucksdashel
Director, Early Childhood and Elementary Special Education, Anchorage School District
Education: Bachelor of Science in Education with Special Education, Baylor University (Sic ‘Em Bears!); Masters in Educational Administration, University of Hawaii at Manoa Family: Eli Rucksdashel, son; Ray and Cindy Rucksdashel, parents (Waco, Texas); Richard and Jacki Rucksdashel, brother and sister-inlaw (Katy, Texas) Hometown: Houston, Texas Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Seward. My 7-year-old son, Eli, and I love to camp and fish in Seward. He loves to beach comb and explore the beautiful natural habitats along the rocky beaches.
What was your first job? I worked in a daycare. Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Based on my own experiences, I may need to gain advice on getting a good work-life balance. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? I would have to say, without a doubt, the most rewarding community service is chairing the FASD Support Group. The goal of this group is to provide teachers and parents, and caregivers with a clear understanding of the needs of students with FASD by: • defining fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) • examining the common learning and behavioral characteristics of children with FASD
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? 15 miles into a 40-mile, multi-day backpacking trip across Resurrection Pass, my three friends and I had a bear encounter. Mama grizzly bear, three baby cubs, fresh moose kill, every trigger event possible. It was a blur of chaos, bear spray, and a loaded magnum 44! All ended well…whoosh!
• providing strategies that are helpful in meeting the needs of these children in the classroom and at home The pitch to get others involved is to provide a quick set of statistics about the number of students effected by FASD in our public schools today.
Name the person you most respect and why. My parents, Ray and Cindy Rucksdashel. They have taught me how to work hard and play harder. It is because of my mother, a lifelong educator, that I naturally went into the field of education. My parents took us to all 50 states over a 10-year period. It was this crosscountry experience that introduced me to Alaska and therefor altered my course.
How have you been able to help improve outcomes for special education in Anchorage, and what are the challenges both locally and statewide that still need to be overcome? The answer to this question is so exciting to me. It is the work of Inclusive Schools. The journey to becoming an Inclusive School can be long and challenging at times, but ultimately this journey can strengthen a school community and benefit ALL children. "Inclusion" does not simply mean the placement of students with disabilities in general education classes.
My life in Alaska, it is due to my parents. They encouraged my love of travel, supported my cross country move, and continue to manage family across the United States. It is because of them that I have a life goal of traveling to all seven continents. I was overjoyed to be able to celebrate their goal completion as we traveled to Antarctica in December of 2015. It was a full circle moment. Everything I am, everything I will become…Thank you!
Our process incorporated fundamental change in the way a school community supports and addresses the individual needs of each child. As such, effective models of inclusive education not only benefit students with disabilities, but also creates an environment in which every student, including those who do not have disabilities, has the opportunity to flourish. Inclusive education continues to be a challenge we face at a local, state, and national level.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Traveling Favorite quote: “Fair doesn’t mean giving every child the same thing, it means giving every child what they need.” — Rick Lavoie
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2017
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 36 Anchorage
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Trish Skoglund
Performance Analyst, BP, Global Operations Organization
Education: Spanish, Academia Hispano Americano; bachelor’s degree, management and marketing, Portland State University; MBA, global business, University of Portland; PMP, Project Management Institute Community work: Executive team member Go Red for Women; Campaign co-chair BP United Way; Vice President West Bluff Association; Co-Founder Anchorage Leadership Series; Committee member 100+ Women Who Care Anchorage; Volunteer Alaska Women’s Summit; Volunteer YWCA Economic Empowerment Summit Family: Joyce and Rowland, parents; David, brother; Karen, Jeni, Danita, Allie, Dakota, Jennifer, sisters Hometown: Born in Minnesota. Raised on the Oregon coast in Coos Bay. Current city: Anchorage
Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Find out what is important to you in your life and set your priorities around that. Many people will want your time and attention but it is not always for your benefit, be conscious of who and what you give your energy to. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? The most rewarding is being a part of the 100+ Women Who Care Anchorage organization. This is a grassroots philanthropy group of 100+ women who meet quarterly to donate about $10,000 to needs in our community. This group demonstrates the power of coming together to fund and solve a need. One quarter we funded a paid baking position at the Soup Kitchen Hope Center that provided a job to a homeless woman.
What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Standing outside on top of Alyeska on a clear and sunny day, there is no better view.
Your job is heavily oriented toward finding cost savings that have amounted to millions of dollars for BP. Efficiency in these low price times appears even more important now, so what is your guiding strategy when looking for savings without compromising safety or outputs? It is important to not take “how we have always done it” as the best way to continue to work. Look for ways to improve the process, remove inefficiencies, integrate with other work groups and/or search for new technologies. By improving how work is performed, the work can become even safer and the outputs greater.
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? I will never forget opening my front door only to look a large moose straight in the eyes as he stood on my doorstep. Name the person you most respect and why. My mom, Joyce because she was the one that taught me what it means to be a strong woman through adversity and still have love to give back. My aunt Cindy who has been a pioneer in her industry and shown me what can be accomplished through drive, ambition and work ethic. I can only hope to become as strong of a woman as my mom and aunt are. What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? I enjoy mentoring other’s and helping them realize their full potential. Favorite quote: “What if I fall? Oh, but darling, what if you fly?” — Erin Hanson
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
What was your first job? I was the drive-in waitress at a 50s diner. What is the book you most often recommend? “Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman” by Gail Evans. This was the first book that taught me how to be successful while maintaining my strength as a woman. I had the pleasure of discussing this book over pie with the author and what she learned in her career as an executive at CNN.
Alaska Journal of Commerce
2017
FORTY UNDER 40® | 44
Age 31 Anchorage
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Jasmin Smith
Owner, The Business Boutique; Founder, Alaska Music Leaders Association; Adjunct Faculty, UAA Continuing Education Dept.
Education: Sheldon Jackson College, Georgia State University, University of Alaska Anchorage, Wayland; associate’s degree, historical studies; bachelors in business administration. Community work: Vice President of the Mountain View NAACP; Economic Development Chair, NAACP Anchorage; 2016 Presidential Award Winner for Community Activism (NAACP); 2015 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year- Leadership (Women Entrepreneurs of Alaska); State Chair, Alaska Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (Appointed by the governor). Family: Twins Elohim and Akaiya Todd (age 2); Belisha Jefferies, mom; John Carter, dad; Kaykoa, dog Hometown: Eagle River
What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Sitka. In high school I always loved Alaska studies and had a connection with southeast Alaska, when the opportunity came to attend college there I was so excited. I visit and handle business in Sitka to this day and am a proud chamber member. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? When a bear ran into our van on the way home to Eagle River! Name the person you most respect and why. Of course my parents but also Kaleem Nurideen, my supervisor at Nine Star. He was the one who introduced me to trainings and workshops and started a lifelong passion that turned into a business.
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What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Hanging out with my twins and finding new activities to try with them Favorite quote: "My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style." — Maya Angelou What was your first job? Summer volunteer in the surgery clinic at the Veteran Affairs Clinic What is the book you most often recommend? “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Sometimes my clients are too hard on themselves and I ask them to read it to lighten up and tap into their carefree childhood days. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Volunteering for Special Olympics Anchorage. I have done that since I was 2-years-old with my mom. It reminds me to treat everyone the same and really taught me how to see disabilities as secondary and the person first. I tell people that could be us or our kids! Is there a success story you’re most proud of from your work mentoring new business owners? I am proud of all the clients I have mentored, I feel most proud when they come to me with a complete business plan that they wrote thanks to my class and when they see their first profit and loss statement that is in the black! What inspired you to start The Boutique and how have you enjoyed watching it grow? I was inspired by meeting so many people in my community and in rural Alaska with amazing business ideas who just needed a little bit of support and guidance on getting started. I also wanted other single mothers to know success IS possible and paycheck to paycheck is not your destiny.
2017
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Current city: Anchorage
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 38 Anchorage
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Mariajose Echeverria Stewart
Partner/Creative Director, Yuit Communications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale Community work: Kaladi Brothers New Year’s Day Giving campaign, 2012-16; I first worked on this project in 2012 with friends Dale and Sandra Yi. We developed new ways to build awareness and raise funds for selected non-profits. I’ve given many hours of time and effort to achieve goals and create a new annual tradition for our community. UAA Smoke-Free Campaign, 2013-16; I volunteered to create a brand for this campaign while collaborating with students. I worked closely with Professors Joy Mapaye and Gabriel Garcia. The campaign was a success and the UAA campus is now smoke-free. UAA Register to Vote Campaign, 2016; our account coordinator, Carla Hanley mentioned in a meeting that her professor was developing a get out and vote campaign and I just couldn’t resist helping. The campaign increased voter turnout and Professor Marsha Olson was not only pleased with the materials but was able to show the process of developing a campaign to her students. Nilda's Party Creations, 2012; Nilda Veras wanted to start a bakery specializing in Latin American baked goods. I volunteered more than 100 hours of graphic design., helping her with a website and the interior decoration of her new retail bake shop. Honestly, I was just looking for free piña filled cakes, but Nilda’s appreciation for my time was far more gratifying! Change Point youth ministries, 2008-12; I served as a youth leader for five years and I also volunteered my graphic design skills for many different ministries. American Marketing Association, Alaska Chapter, 2016; I had the privilege to serve as the Brand Chair for the American Marketing Association, Alaska Chapter. I worked on multiple projects with the serving president Ross Johnston.
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Family: I married my high school sweet-tart, Mikey Stewart. I have two precious little monsters, Ingrid Olivia (7) and Eric Lee (5). Hometown: I was born and raised in Guayaquil, Ecuador. I moved to Anchorage when I was 18, left for college in Florida and returned to make Anchorage my permanent hometown in 2004. I consider myself an Alaskan and I have a pink Swiss army knife to prove it! Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Homer, because I fell in love with Mikey there. And most recently, I discovered Miller’s Landing and it’s just breathtaking.
What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? When I moved back to Anchorage from Miami, Florida, I was still a city girl. My most memorable experience was when our BFFs, Tara and Andre Horton, invited us for a weekend on Capt. Frank’s luxury sailboat. This sounded fantastic! Little did I know we were going to be dropped off on an island to rough it while Capt. Frank and his wife explored the sound. Well, let’s just say I survived the rocky sleeping, freezing ocean swim, junk food eating and yes, “going” in the woods! I had so much fun and the place was so beautiful. That weekend will always be close to my heart. Name the person you most respect and why. My parents, Carlos and Ingrid, because they’ve taught me to never give up no matter how I feel. My sister, because she encourages me to never get tired of doing what’s right. My husband, Mikey, because he’ll always choose me. And my close friends and colleagues because they stretch me and lovingly call me out helping me grow. What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? I love Dancing! And, of course, hanging out with family and friends. Favorite quote: “A goal without a plan is just a dream.” — Dave Ramsey What was your first job? Graphic designer at Warner Brothers TV station in Florida, WB39 What is the book you most often recommend? Pantone Swatch Book. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? It is hard to narrow down just one rewarding moment, however, being a youth leader back in my 20s to an amazing group of teens was so rewarding — I learned so much from them and am thankful to remain friends with them all. When did you realize, you had a creative streak and needed to find an outlet for it? When I was 15 someone explained to me what advertising was and I knew right then, that’s what I wanted to do professionally. I see it as a tool to make a change and help businesses grow. How do you ensure that each branding project enjoys a unique look and feel? When I start developing a brand I do two things: I ask key questions like “Has this been done before?” and “where am I getting my inspiration from?” The second is to get my coworkers’ input before I go too deep into a project. I find that is it crucial to get reactions and thoughts from trusted colleagues. I believe what makes a brand unique is the balance of high quality, clever design with meaning behind it. Design that tells a story … design that makes you feel a certain way … design that speaks. I call it “design with meat.”
Alaska Journal Commerce 2017 Alaska ofJournal of Commerce 2017
FORTY UNDER 40®||46 2 FORTY UNDER 40®
(Born April 6, 1977)
Palmer
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Greg Stuckey
Director of Single Family Housing Programs, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Education: Bachelor’s science in business administration, University of Texas (2003); MBA, Walden University (2008); Project Management Professional credential (2009); Started my Ph.D. program in management specializing in finance in February 2017 Community work: I have served on many non-profit boards over the past 10 years, pre-school, chamber of commerce, public library, school district, and the nonprofit for a charter school. I am currently on the Advisory Board for both NeighborWorks Alaska and Benteh Development Corp. Family: My future wife, Kathleen McConnell and I have a total of 7 children all of which are teenagers except for the youngest Jessica who is 8 years old. We have two dogs and now two chinchillas as pets. Hometown: I was born in Baltimore, Maryland, but grew up all over the place. I consider Bossier City, Louisiana, my hometown where I lived from sixth grade through high school. Current city: Palmer What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? Hard to answer this question so many places in Alaska are so amazing. If I just want to relax and have a good time boating or at a cabin I would say Homer. If I want to hunt probably Kotzebue takes the cake.
What is the book you most often recommend? Any of the Lee Child Reacher novels. Tough, sarcastic, and very well written. Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give on maintaining a good work-life balance? Just understand that you will wax and wane in your priorities. Sometimes you will need to become obsessed with your work because you are doing something very important but if that obsession remains for too long you need to force yourself to focus on your family or something in your life that brings you joy besides work. What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? When I was working for the Birchtree Parents Guild, which is the non-profit that supports the Birchtree Charter School. I think it was so rewarding because my children were going to go to this brand new school and I had a chance to sculpt the foundation of the school with my volunteerism. So it had a direct impact on my children’s lives and I think that made it even more special to me. The needs in rural Alaska are so great and the challenges are so large. What has it been like to help meet those needs and overcome challenges since you first started working for the Chilkoot Indian Association in Haines back in 2004? It was the most rewarding work I have ever done in my entire life. It has been hard to move forward with my career sometimes because I compare it to the feelings I had with the Tribe.
What is your most memorable Alaska experience? I went up to Kotzebue for a hunting trip and managed to take two caribou with one bullet. Thrilling experience and an absolute joy to be up there with my girlfriend, Kat.
You are in a small community of 2,500 so you can see every impact you make through your work at the Tribe. We built a subdivision, expanded the funding streams for the Tribe what felt like tenfold, lobbied to have language put in the Defense Bill that would return an old village site to the Tribe. I cannot put it into words the satisfaction you feel working in rural Alaska.
Name the person you most respect and why. Again I have so many people in my life that I respect and use for advice that this is a tough choice. I would say Dr. Chuck Iliff because he has so much knowledge and wisdom to provide it is truly amazing. Even with all of that he always makes you feel like he is being helpful and not judgmental at all. Frankly he might not have a judgmental bone in his body.
The challenges are immense as well so you savor every victory. Every time you build a strong partnership with another entity in the community you know you are making both of them stronger and more able to meet their mission. Incredible truly incredible experience and I am grateful every day that I had the opportunity to do that work for the almost six years I did it. It changed my life forever.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Fishing and reading Favorite quote: “Limits, like fear, is often an illusion.” — Michael Jordan. I think often we decide what we can and cannot do and so limit ourselves when in reality those limits are self-made. What was your first job? McDonalds when I was 15.
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2017
Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
Age 40
Alaska Journal of Commerce
Age 39 Anchorage
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Scott Woodland
CEO, Snow White Inc; CEO/Owner, Alaska Cleaners, DonDees Laundromat, Homer Golf Course; Founder/Owner, Hot Dog and Ski Bunny Party
Education: Bachelor’s degree, finance, University of Utah Community work: Raising money for youth skiing using the Hot Dog and Ski Bunny Party as the engine; hosting charitable golf tournaments for the Hospice of Homer, Special Olympics, and the Homer Ice Rink; donating business services to community organizations to help further their missions wherever possible. Hometown: Born in Anchorage, moved to Aspen in high school, then to Vail, to Salt Lake City, then back to Anchorage, Girdwood, and Homer. I haven’t grown up just yet. Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? To be honest, not to plug the place, but sitting on a small deck at the Homer Golf Course, off the back of the house, sun rising, sipping coffee, watching the greens get manicured by Doug, glaciers, ocean, fireweed, and the spit. It’s an amazing thing that Dave Schroer created and that Esa worked so hard to finish. Tough to beat. It’s something that seems only possible in Alaska. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? That’s a broad question. Alaska is the place where I was born. The place I learned to ski. The place I made lifelong friends and family, the place I brag is home. There is no one experience that makes this Alaskan life memorable. Ask my friends about the last time we had the “Best Day Ever!” and it seems to always be one upping itself. All other stories can be saved and divulged on any bar stool, anytime, anywhere that someone is willing to listen.
What is the book you most often recommend? “The E Myth” What has been your most rewarding community service, and what is your pitch when you are seeking others to get involved in a cause? Our company has an element of community service. I’ve said over the years that most people that walk through our doors are either just getting started or are starting over. To see people begin working with us, and really make something of it, is the most rewarding part of my career. When you think about their alternatives you can’t help, but respect their decision to try instead of giving into the ease of not starting at all. Most people would probably think of laundry as a low-tech affair, but you’ve transformed it into a paperless, high-tech process. How have you seen the embrace of technology help grow your business? Our business is one where price is king and competition is the expectation. To react and grow in a competitive market, with high barriers to entry, we have had to be first and foremost lean.
What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Without a doubt, sled skiing in the backcountry. I got my first sled in 2005. I knew nothing about the machines. I was an accomplished skier, but I literally had never ridden a snowmobile. I knew I wanted one, and I wanted to go skiing with one. I’ve learned a lot over the last 12 years trying to figure it out. It started out rather rough.
Favorite quote: “You don’t know, til you go.” Photo: Michael Dinneen Photography
We are the furthest thing from top heavy and it has produced a loyal staff, efficient processes, and an optimistic culture. We have achieved a consistent year over year growth, and I think we will always feel like we are just getting started. It takes effort and homework to stay ahead of our customers’ expectations. You’ve given many people a second chance by hiring them at your businesses. What inspired you to look for quality employees where other businesses won’t? I’d like to say that I did it with a social purpose, but I can’t lie. Finding quality laundry personnel is not the easiest task in the world. It has taken us years to get the staff we have now. The reason we got so many second chance people is we are a second chance kind of place. If I didn’t hire them, who would?
I wasn’t a natural. I got frustrated while getting stuck all the time. I would watch riders and see how they solved problems in the mountains with these machines. I found very quickly that this was a skill that took time to figure out. Finding your way to the top of a mountain in the backcountry of Alaska is an experience that can’t be duplicated. Crashing, struggling, then finding the perfect line over the top, is a worthwhile pursuit.
I have found a group of wonderful people over the years who just needed an opportunity, some tight guidance, a form of inspiration, and an incentive to win. I tell them the opportunity is there: either you are coming with me, I am coming with you, or you are going home. The kind of people I am looking for excel in that environment and they are always the ones that seem to bounce back.
What was your first job? Working at DonDees laundromat as an attendant when I was 14. I sold rolls of quarters, cleaned the place, closed up, and emptied the machines. I used to ride my bike there from Ocean View to Minnesota. Ironically enough my brother and I bought the business in April 2015. It gives me a lot of pride to know all about its history and be part of its future.
Alaska Journal of Commerce
I built systems in the early years to be paperless before paperless was a term. I knew for us to manage cash flow shortages and aggressive growth we had to put our money into positions that only served the customer. Non-essential staff doesn’t exist in our company.
2017
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that goal in 2011 and worked at the Pathway Esther J. Cetina continued from Page 12 Home as a therapist for teens in residential. I started feeling like I wanted more and wanted to be able to start making changes for our people on a larger scale.
My path started heading more toward the administrative world and less towards clinical. I started managing the Behavioral Health clinic in Primary Care Center and was also accepted into the Southcentral Foundation Executive Leaders Experience Program and because of that I eventually ended up working in the Corporate Office of Southcentral Foundation. I love my job, I feel great coming to work, I believe in the leadership that Southcentral Foundation has and feel privileged to be able to work so closely with them and learn directly from them. I have spent most of my life working for Southcentral Foundation and I am invested and passionate about making sure the company succeeds and continues to provide the best for our Alaska Native people.
Yatibaey Evans continued from Page 14
take an hour out of your week impacted the lifetime of another person.
My pitch: All it takes is one hour a week to impact the life of a child. You can take your lunch and meet with the “Little” at their school during recess and lunch. How does your current role as Director of Alaska Native Education inform your position as president of the National Indian Education Association? Being involved with Alaska Native Education provides the ground level experience that brings to life all that National conversations discuss. The ANE Director position provides the drive, heart, soul, and passion to the advocacy work that is done through the National Indian Education Association. When working within Native Education and having conversations with leaders of tribal nations, education organizations, and members of congress it is the time spent making children laugh and learn, listening to parents, and working with educators that makes the discussions meaningful and valued. Are there lessons you’ve been able to pass along to the Lower 48 and vice versa about successful Alaska Native and American Indian education strategies? The national influence began in 2014 and the presidential role is a one-year term which began for me in October of 2016 and will be up in October 2017. I hope that in this time I have imparted some long lasting lessons people will hold dearly. As for education strategies, they are often similar across Alaska as well as Indian Country, humor and respect, or perhaps respect and humor. Recently, I shared with a friend that when you are working with Native people if you are being teased and joked around with that it’s all good, it’s when folks lose their humor that you have to worry. Over the years though, I’ve presented workshops sharing some of the cultural connections that have been done through the ANE program. A great way to share Native cultures is to incorporate learning about the people. When you learn about the history makers, the cultural knowledge bearers, the elders, the grandmas and grandpas, aunties, uncles, moms and dads and what makes them unique, you bring to life a people that are too often presented only in a historical context. Sharing the dreams, the visions, and hopes of one another connects crossculturally, which is important when working within a western education system. In order to create change, we first must create connection. National lessons that have impacted me are often reciprocal in nature and expand in-depth into Native language revitalization. Native Hawaiians have had tremendous success within the Native language immersion schools. The graduation rates and post-secondary success have gone through phenomenal changes. Similarly, in pockets across the contiguous U.S. there are Native language immersion schools that are seeing positive results as well. There are also incredible culturally based schools where students are doing exceptionally well. It is through these excellent examples that I get inspired to do more and continue to advocate for programs and services that can benefit kids of all different backgrounds.
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a strong enough immune system so that I Laura Norton-Cruz continued from Page 38 don’t get knocked out by illness, to being a patient and effective parent, and to getting my job done. I know that I need exercise at least a few times a week in order to think effectively, so this sometimes edges out other priorities — but not to an extreme; this is probably why I am no longer a very competitive athlete. I would say that especially now, as a single/divorced mom of very young children, I do a little bit of everything that is necessary and maintain a bare minimum balance in order to get by. Knowing when to say no is crucial to this balance, but so is knowing when to say yes to help others, because help given out usually comes back in some way or another. In my experience, a strong and mutually-supportive social network is crucial for work-life balance as a parent. Although the state has some way to go on preventing domestic and sexual violence, do you feel we are making progress and what has it been like seeing your efforts begin to make a difference? One of the hard things about violence prevention and getting it the funding that it needs is that it’s tricky to evaluate. However, we are fortunate to have data showing that our efforts have paid off: UAA conducted the Alaska Victimization Survey in 2010 and again in 2015, and they found a decrease in the percentage of Alaskan women reporting that they had experienced physical intimate partner violence and/or sexual violence in their lifetime, from 59% in 2010 to 50% in 2015. Many in the field believe that this decline came from addressing the problems on multiple fronts and by having a coordinated effort. It likely came from filling in systemic gaps in the legal system and in victim services, and supporting evidence-informed and culturally-adapted approaches like the safety cards and trainings I helped create. I feel great when I know that the resources I invested so many years into creating are being used and when it appears they are making a difference, because it means that the voices of the hundreds of Alaskans who shaped the resources are being heard and prioritized. What inspired you to get involved with the Advancing Native Dialogues on Racial Equity (ANDORE) project and how do you feel it is meeting its goals? In general, there is an ask by people of color that white people step up and that white people “come and get (our) cousins,” that we do the vital work of helping transform other white people and take apart the systems of privilege and oppression. I have always taken this seriously and attempted to do what I can to heed this call. It is not every day, though, that I am approached specifically and asked to participate in a project for racial equity. I certainly could not have said no to such an opportunity, especially the opportunity to learn from my Alaska Native colleagues how to conduct healing dialogues using indigenous dialogue principles. I am so glad that I participated in the ANDORE project as a dialogue host, and so glad that over the years I’ve been able to maintain a close relationship with First Alaskans Institute, collaborating with them in many arenas. The evaluation we designed and conducted of the racial equity dialogues showed that we reached thousands of people and that on a whole they found the dialogues to be eye-opening. Beyond that important outcome, what I am seeing in Alaska is a much broader understanding that Alaska Native voices and the voices of other marginalized groups need to be at the planning and decision-making tables, and need to be heeded. I see a more widespread understanding in the DV/SV and child trauma world that historical and ongoing systemic trauma matter and that we must be informed about Alaska Native history and the strengths of Alaska Native culture. Even the office of the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor just requested and underwent training on these topics. I believe this signals an awakening awareness, built slowly by many groups but very significantly by the ANDORE project of First Alaskans Institute.
2017
Alaska Journal of Commerce
KEYNOTE SPEAKER Joe Everhart Executive Vice President Business Banking Manager for Alaska, Oregon and Washington
Joe Everhart is a 26-year Wells Fargo veteran. He was named Business Banking Division Manager for Alaska, Oregon and Washington in October 2016. Most recently, he served as Alaska Region President, overseeing 48 branches and more than 400 team members.
Everhart began his career as a Management Trainee in Alaska, learning the inner workings of the bank and connecting with community leaders from Ketchikan to Barrow. He held Branch Manager positions in Barrow, Homer and Kotzebue, where he met his wife Gayla. Everhart served as Southeast Alaska Community Banking President for four years before being promoted to Alaska Regional Business Banking Manager in 2006.
Top Forty Under 40, 2003
Everhart is a 2005 graduate of the Wells Fargo Leadership Mastery Program. The program provides advanced leadership opportunities to strengthen management skills. He is a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School, and he earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Gonzaga University.
Everhart has held numerous business, community and economic development leadership positions. He currently serves as a board member for the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation, Foraker Group, United Way of Anchorage, Alaska Bankers Association, and Rasmuson Foundation audit committee member.
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