Alaska Business July 2020

FIF TH ANNUAL BEST OF AL ASK A BUSINESS AWARDS JULY 2020

CONTENTS JULY 2020 | VOLUME 37 | NUMBER 7 | AKBIZMAG.COM

FE AT UR E S 22 HEALTHCARE

Immediate Aid for Long-Term Mental Health

The Alaska Mental Health Trust invests in care for Alaska’s most vulnerable

By Isaac Stone Simonelli

8 TELECOM & TECH

Technology to the Rescue Applications support remote work amid the COVID-19 crisis

By Tracy Barbour

14 HEALTHCARE

Getting Ahead of the Curve How Alaska’s medical community tested more than 30,000 Alaskans in first months of outbreak

By Sam Friedman

28 RETAIL

Redefining Business-as-Usual Challenges, innovations, and takeaways on navigating retail commerce during the pandemic

By Amy Newman

62 TOURISM Virtual Visitors

With the 2020 tourist season decimated, businesses look for new ways to serve customers

By Bailey Berg

66 ENVIRONMENTAL

The Art of Arctic Negotiation Finding balance and identifying ‘who’s at the table’ is critical to development

By Isaac Stone Simonelli

72 OIL & GAS Oil in Alaska

Contrasting oil operations on the Slope to the Lower 48

By Julie Stricker

80 CONSTRUCTION

How general contractors tackle the hurdles of building homes in the Interior

By Isaac Stone Simonell

86 ALASKA NATIVE

The Real Results of Real Estate Local facilities and diverse business lines generate revenue for Alaska Native corporations

By Samantha Davenport

Alaska Mental Health Trust

Breaking Frozen Ground

Alaska Business (ISSN 8756-4092) is published monthly by Alaska Business Publishing Co., Inc. 501 W. Northern Lights Boulevard, Suite 100, Anchorage, Alaska 99503-2577; Telephone: (907) 276-4373. © 2020 Alaska Business Publishing Co. All rights reserved. No part of this publication May be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Alaska Business accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials; they will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. One-year subscription is $39.95 and includes twelve issues (print + digital) and the annual Power List. Single issues of the Power List are $15 each. Single issues of Alaska Business are $4.99 each; $5.99 for the July & December issues. Send subscription orders and address changes to circulation@akbizmag.com.

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VISION, COMMITMENT, LEADERSHIP AND

ONE BANK

THAT BELIEVED IN US

Bethel Native Corporation has grown from a $10 million operation to a $99 million enterprise while meeting the challenges of Alaska’s ever-changing economy.

First National has helped Bethel Native Corporation succeed. We believe in strong leadership, clear vision and a firm commitment to growing Alaska’s economy.

BETHEL NATIVE CORP. PRESIDENT & CEO ANA HOFFMAN WITH CONSTRUCTION CREW IN BETHEL.

From custom loan structures and lines of credit to payroll disbursement and dividend pay-outs, First National is the one bank who can help your business sustain success every step of the way.

Promises kept. Trust earned. Since 1922.

CONTENTS JULY 2020 | VOLUME 37 | NUMBER 7 | AKBIZMAG.COM

BEST OF AL ASK A BUSINESS SPECIAL SECTION 32 2020 BEST OF ALASKA BUSINESS 33 FUNDRAISER 34 ACCOUNTING FIRM 34 LAW FIRM 35 SALON 36 COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE 37 HOSPITAL 38 STAFFING AGENCY 39 CELLULAR SERVICE PROVIDER 40 HOTEL 41 CLIENT LUNCH 42 SWAG SUPPLIER 43 COFFEE SHOP 44 LARGE EVENT VENUE 44 SMALL EVENT VENUE 45 CATERING 46 BREWERY

ABOUT THE COVER “But your cover last July was fantastic! How can you have such amazing July covers year after year?” our readers ask. Easy! We reach out to local Alaskan artists and demand their best. This year, Annie Brace of Corso Graphics absolutely hit it out of the riverbed with this cover art that celebrates Alaska’s favorite businesses through Alaska’s favorite fish. Every company in our Best of Alaska Business special section is a catch—just like Brace, who reeled us in with her vibrant color choices and bold graphics. If you haven’t seen her work around the state (unlikely as that may be), check out Corso Graphics on Facebook—we promise you won’t be disappointed.

47 CANNABIS RETAILER 48 PIZZERIA 49 FURNITURE STORE

Cover by Annie Brace

54 PLACE TO WORK 1-250 EMPLOYEES

50 PRINTER

54 PLACE TO WORK 250+ EMPLOYEES

52 FLORIST

56 GYM

56 CREATIVE/DESIGN AGENCY 58 AIR CHARTER SERVICE 58 AUTO MECHANIC 60 CORPORATE CITIZEN

QUICK READS 7 FROM THE EDITOR

90 I NSIDE ALASKA BUSINESS

94 ALASKA TRENDS

90 ECONOMIC INDICATORS

92 RIGHT MOVES

96 OFF THE CUFF

6 | July 2020

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VOLUME 37, #7 EDITORIAL STAFF Managing Editor Kathryn Mackenzie 257-2907 editor@akbizmag.com

Associate/Web Editor Tasha Anderson 257-2902 tanderson@akbizmag.com

Digital and Social Media Specialist Arie Henry 257-2910 ahenry@akbizmag.com

Staff Writer Danny Kreilkamp danny@akbizmag.com

Art Director Monica Sterchi-Lowman 257-2916 design@akbizmag.com

Art Production Linda Shogren 257-2912 production@akbizmag.com

Photo Contributor Kerry Tasker

BUSINESS STAFF President Billie Martin VP & General Manager Jason Martin 257-2905 jason@akbizmag.com

VP Sales & Marketing Charles Bell 257-2909 cbell@akbizmag.com

Senior Account Manager Janis J. Plume 257-2917 janis@akbizmag.com

Advertising Account Manager Christine Merki 257-2911 cmerki@akbizmag.com

Accounting Manager Ana Lavagnino 257-2901 accounts@akbizmag.com

Customer Service Representative Emily Olsen 257-2914 emily@akbizmag.com

CONTACT

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FROM THE EDITOR

Remembering Our Mission

W

riting this letter, this month, at this time in history is difficult. How do I write about whether we’re all enjoying the long, languid days of an Alaska summer at a time when the nation is engulfed in fear and anxiety? From COVID-19 to rioting in the streets, and news that, yes, we’ve officially entered a recession, it's been a tough 2020 so far, and none of us knows what’s next.

Our stated mission at Alaska Business is to “promote economic growth in the state by providing a thorough and objective discussion and analysis of the issues and trends affecting Alaska’s business sector.

“We feature stories about individuals, organizations, and companies that shape the Alaska economy.”

In practical terms that means our end goal is to provide our readers with information that supports the growth of a strong economy so that all Alaskans have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams. Whether that’s opening a corner hot dog stand or exploring for oil, we want to help lift up the communities we live and work in so every person—no matter age, sex, or race—is happy, healthy, and safe.

Yes, passing along information is important, but we are also deeply invested in profiling and championing the vast range of brilliant minds and extraordinary talent in this state.

We are here because Alaska’s business owners, workers, and clients form a community unlike any other because here we rely heavily on each other and rely heavily on each other to succeed.

No community can call itself “good” if it turns a blind eye to the abuse of any of its population. We know, as Alaskans, when things get really hard—the storm comes in, the boat breaks down, or darkness falls early—making it through is a lot easier if you’ve got a community looking out for you. We encourage all of our readers to look within to determine if you’re looking out for your neighbor. If ever there was a time, it’s now.

AKBusinessMonth alaska-business-monthly AKBusinessMonth

Kathryn Mackenzie Managing Editor, Alaska Business

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Alaska Business

July 2020 | 7

TELECOM & TECH

Technology to the Rescue Applications support remote work amid the COVID-19 crisis

By Tracy Barbour

W

hen the COVID-19 pandemic made social distancing compulsory, many organizations were forced to implement programs to allow staff to work from home. They had little choice as the world responded to the health crisis by locking down and staying home.

For instance, Anchorage’s “hunkerdown” order initially required noncritical businesses, such as hair salons, barber shops, clothing stores, gyms, and movie theaters, to close their premises and asked residents to stay home as much as possible. The restrictions have since eased, but all businesses—and people—are expected to follow physical distancing and other safety practices to the maximum extent possible.

By the end of May, numerous organizations—banks, professional service firms, utility companies—had employees working from home to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

The widespread work-from-home trend is breaking down many of the barriers to telework by requiring both 8 | July 2020

organizations and employees who were perhaps hesitant to become familiar with technology that facilitates remote work, according to Katie Dougherty, communications director of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation (AEDC). Consequently, many businesses in Alaska ramped up their use of communication and conferencing tools that support virtual meetings, collaboration, and other work activities. Applications like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Slack are experiencing a surge in demand, showing just how feasible it is for people to work productively and safely from home.

Thompson & Co. Public Relations is a prime example of an entity that is using technology to enable staff to telecommute during the pandemic.

The agency’s twenty-three employees are all working remotely, using various tools to interact virtually with one another and clients. Thompson & Co. was well prepared for the transition since its employees already work from home every other Friday. Plus, the

agency is accustomed to interacting with its offices in New York and Texas, as well as workers in five other states.

“We decided to work (completely) from home early, about a week before it was required,” says Executive Vice President Gary Scott. “It was about making the best decision for our employees and clients.”

The ability to work from home helped BDO USA sustain its operations during the pandemic. All of the company’s seventy-five to ninety employees in Alaska were working remotely, at least through May 15. Twenty to thirty of them had routinely worked outside the office before COVID-19 struck, according to Assurance Office Managing Partner Joy Merriner of BDO Anchorage.

Since it already had the software in place, converting to an all-virtual office was relatively easy for BDO. But on the hardware side, a few tweaks had to be made. “Some of our employees did not have good intranet [connections], so we provided Verizon Wi-Fi packs,” Merriner explains. “Some employees did not have enough monitors. We

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ordered extra monitors and mailed them to employees or delivered them directly to their house.”

At Matanuska Telephone Association (MTA), 90 percent of the workforce is working remotely, representing about 250 employees. As a utility company, MTA is an essential service, but the quarantine emphasized just how essential it is for its members, businesses, and other organizations.

“Not only did we have to remain functioning during this pandemic, but we actually needed to increase service,” says COO Wanda Tankersley.

Prior to the onset of the pandemic, MTA employees didn’t work from home.

That’s what makes the company’s rapid transition particularly impressive, Tankersley says, explaining: “The workforce flipped to telecommuting while simultaneously conducting an extraordinary number of upgrades and reconfiguration of processes.

Employees pivoted rapidly from wheeling their chairs, desktops, and monitors out of the building on Monday to working from their kitchens and living rooms on Tuesday.”

“We are continually investing in our technology, which allows us to continue to provide support to our clients at full capacity.”

Lori McCaffrey, Alaska Market President, KeyBank

sharing medium. “Whatever application you use for email—Outlook, Google, et cetera—email is a staple of the remote work toolbox,” Dougherty says.

Google applications are popular at the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce. For its teleworking staffers, the G Suite by Google is “gold”, says

Tools for Telework The most useful applications for remote work are those that allow teams—both internal and external—to move collaboration out of the office, according to Dougherty. For example, she frequently uses Google Docs, which offers a platform for writing and sharing information in real-time.

“This weekend, I was able to work on a document with a colleague— from outside my organization— simultaneously in Google Docs,” she says.

Dougherty is also a frequent user of Dropbox, which allows her to share large or multiple files within and outside her office. This enhances her ability to disseminate information to a broad audience. She says, “Given the increased volume of email traffic—and my role as a distributor of information, including social media collateral— Dropbox is a great place to share those items.”

Of course, the role of email to organizations cannot be overstated.

From the start of the remote workday to the end, it is most companies' goto communication and information www.akbizmag.com

Alaska Business

July 2020 | 9

Tosha Swan, manager of programs and communication and director of the Young Professionals Group. “We share our Google Calendars for meetings and Google Drive with various Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Forms... to collaborate on projects,” she says.

Swan says she’s also lucky enough to have an iMac, a MacBook, and an iPhone at home, which allow her to work with flexibility. “For me, it's been nice to go from standing at my iMac to sitting with my MacBook and then using my phone as backup when needed,” she explains. “The variety has been a lifesaver. And software like the iCloud and Google Drive allow me to share my files between each device.”

Recently, Swan downloaded the Timely time-tracking app to further enhance her work at home. While she hasn’t used it yet, she feels it could be helpful for freelancers who need to track their time and bosses who want to track what their employees are doing on company laptops.

Tracking employees’ time has always been part of the workday at Brilliant Media Strategies. It’s an essential activity the marketing and communications firm does for clientbilling purposes. The company uses an advertising/communications system known as Workamajig, which tracks projects, their status, next steps, and associated costs, along with deadlines and delivery dates. “This system makes working remotely easier as you can check on a project through your phone, iPad, or computer from anywhere there is cell service,” says President and CEO Debbie Reinwand.

“So if a staffer goes to the grocery store or steps away from work for a bit, they receive notifications on their phone letting them know when a project is updated or ready for client review.”

Since the beginning of Anchorage’s hunker-down order, the firm’s twenty employees have been working from 10 | July 2020

home.

However, Brilliant Media Strategies previously had a flex schedule and several employees who worked from home one or more days a week, so it is well-versed in telecommuting. It also has staff in California and Idaho and relies on video chat, email, and phone calls to collaborate and communicate.

Brilliant Media Strategies’ employees have gained a better work-life balance and a new perspective from working remotely. “Everyone on the team cares about our work and the clients,” Reinwand says. “We are very productive right now. We all miss the personal interaction I'm sure, but this is also providing some perspective, which I appreciate. Sometimes it's better to stop when you're spinning your wheels and make a quiche. Being able to do that has helped me focus, and I find time flies when I'm working on client projects.”

“Not only did we have to remain functioning during this pandemic, but we actually needed to increase service.”

Wanda Tankersley, COO, MTA

Popular Applications for Meetings A number of applications are emerging as essential solutions for organizations that have stepped up their telework programs. For example, AEDC typically uses Zoom to host regular staff meetings and weekly “Strike Team” meetings, which are fun social calls. Dougherty explains: “We touch bases about what’s going on, both professionally and personally, and we also have an opportunity for ‘face time’ to check up on one another.”

Thompson & Co. leverages Zoom for the benefit of both employees and clients. Zoom is making it possible for senior managers to check in, give status updates, and share other important information.

Recently,

the company’s senior status update meetings were opened up to the entire staff. “We’ve found that the junior staff embrace it,” Scott says. “They see this as an opportunity to see how the agency functions and see what their future will be.”

Zoom is also bringing the agency’s staff together for its regular Thursday meeting—but without the usual potluck dishes. “We go around the tiles,” Scott explains, “and everyone shares a highlight for the day or for the week and something that’s been challenging.”

Zoom has seen its usage rise significantly during the pandemic, garnering 300 million meeting participants daily. The communications platform has outpaced the competition mainly because of its ease of use—which is also its weakness. Since Zoom didn’t initially require passwords as a default setting, it was being plagued by hackers and uninvited guests crashing private meetings—known as Zoombombing.

The company is adding mandatory meeting password protection and other defensive features, which will make Zoom less vulnerable but also less simple to use.

While Zoom is appealing to many organizations, BDO has opted to steer clear of the application because of its potential security issues. Instead, the company prefers to use Skype and Cisco Webex for remote staff meetings.

Cisco Webex has historically been a leading enterprise solution for video conferencing, online meetings, screen share, and webinars. Currently, it reportedly delivers more than 6 billion meetings per month.

Cisco Webex is also a favorite tool at KeyBank, along with the Salesforce customer relationship management platform. Both solutions have allowed KeyBank to effectively collaborate and communicate across geographic boundaries during the pandemic.

Currently, 11,000 of KeyBank’s 18,000-

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Committed to Alaska’s Communities & Future

As a company that’s always been Alaska Born and Stayed, MTA is proudly committed to our communities. Not only do we power our state’s residents and businesses with internet, we show up for them, too.

Whether winter weather, pandemics or fires, our commitment means we are there when others are in need. It also means giving back so all Alaskans have the chance to flourish, by boosting high-speed internet access with our AlCan ONE network, investing strategically in the state’s technological advancements through the MTA Foundation and empowering more Alaskan students to learn STEM skills through esports. Through it all, we are of, invested in, and dedicated to the success of Alaska’s communities.

Thriving, empowered communities are the core of Alaska’s success. We will keep showing up and serving you all to ensure a strong, secure, connected state.

mtasolutions.com

#AlaskaBornAndStayed

plus workforce are working remotely.

In Alaska, specifically, all of its nonretail staff members are working from home, according to Lori McCaffrey, KeyBank president, Alaska Market and Commercial Banking Sales Leader.

McCaffrey is impressed with how well the bank’s employees adapted to working from home. “We can continue to deliver compelling, visual presentations of our products and services, as well as provide a high level of engagement and connectivity with each other and our clients,” she says.

Some KeyBank staff already worked remotely prior to the pandemic. So the bank’s technology has been able to support broader requirements for telecommuting. “We are continually investing in our technology, which allows us to continue to provide support to our clients at full capacity,” McCaffrey says. “Our systems are regularly tested, inclusive of periodic employee systems testing while working from home.”

Microsoft Solutions At BDO, Microsoft Teams is essential for teleworking. BDO’s Anchorage office was using the software in a limited fashion before COVID-19 hit, and it completely transitioned to Teams in May. The firm values the platform’s team communication and organizational features as well as its project management capabilities.

In addition to integrating Teams, BDO has been using Microsoft SharePoint and Yammer more frequently. Yammer, essentially a social layer across Microsoft 365, combines knowledge sharing and communication. Yammer is used to create and edit documents, take notes, and share resources as a group.

“It’s internal to our company, so we can share pictures of our workspace, kids, and dogs for more of a corporate culture function,” Merriner says.

12 | July 2020

MTA is also leveraging Microsoft Teams for its video conference meetings. “We were new to Microsoft Teams at first, but we’ve adopted the tool quickly,” Tankersley says.

She adds: “At the same time, to continue smoothing out our operations, we are aiming to implement software that will enable ‘virtual check-in and location notifications’ for all employees.

This will provide transparency and allow anyone in the company to find another employee, regardless of any hierarchies, and quickly determine the easiest way to connect with them. This tool will also have reporting capabilities for managers to track team members’ time, providing the ability to assess resources, balance workloads, and address any concerns in real time.”

More Must-Have Tools Thompson & Co. also uses a number of other tools to support its virtual operations. The agency employs Mavenlink project management software to track billable hours and monitor budgets. The organization also uses the Google Suite of products.

Employees at Thompson & Co. also use Slack for instant messaging. In particular, the agency capitalizes on the software’s team and status categories to keep employees apprised of each other’s project status, among other things. “We use it for brainstorming all the time, which allows anyone from the company to contribute to an idea,” Scott says. “Now that we’re all away from the office, it’s a tremendous help to our ability to stay connected.”

of technology that needs to catch up,” she says.

At MTA, the short-term impact of remote work has been mostly positive.

Employees feel safer working from home and the business is thriving. But it’s not without bumps in the road, Tankersley says. “In the long run, we need to implement systems and software to manage employees’ time remotely, a key element for resource allocation and workload balancing,” she explains.

KeyBank’s McCaffrey emphasizes that maintaining adequate resources and tools—along with powerful human engagement—is fundamental to being a trusted client advisor. She says: “In the midst of this pandemic, I am so very proud of all of our employees for balancing the demands of our ‘new normal’ under incredibly challenging circumstances… I do believe employers will continue to see the value in implementing a work-from-home policy and the efficiencies and flexibility it may afford.”

From a broad perspective, COVID-19 has helped normalize telecommuting, says Swan. “Some people who used to say, ‘Oh, I could never work from home’ are now finding that they are able to work from home,” she says. “I think that many people and companies might embrace teleworking more now.

For those who have a hard time paying for their office space, this might push them over the edge of teleworking to save money.”

A Sustainable Trend?

While the transition to remote working has been relatively easy for some, it is not without its challenges.

At Thompson & Co., the agency’s staff say they miss being together and are eager to get back together for face-toface interactions, Scott says. “We don’t intend to stay a virtual office."

Technology has been a great facilitator of telework, Merriner says, but some technological capabilities are lagging behind. For instance, the quality of audio—the need for less echoing and background noise—and the ability to screenshare needs to improve.

Client-side integration could use some improvement too. “There’s some level

It’s uncertain if remote work will be a sustainable trend once the pandemic subsides and the state, country, and world return to “normal,” says Dougherty of AEDC. She adds: “It’s hard to know what the future will bring, and the immediate future of telework is largely intertwined with the reopening of business in the state. What is clear is that the world we left is not the one we will return to.”

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p l e H o T e er We’re H Thanks to the incredible commitment of Alaska USA employees, we will always be here to serve members in Alaska and beyond.

alaskausa.org Insured by NCUA Equal Opportunity Employer

H E A LT H C A R E

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14 | July 2020

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Getting Ahead of the Curve ou tb rea

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By Sam Friedman

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www.akbizmag.com

th n o 0A laskans in first m

Alaska Business

f o s

July 2020 | 15

COVID-19 testing site at Providence Health & Services Alaska in Anchorage.

Joshua Lowman

L

ife at the far end of the supply chain can be a challenge even during normal times, as anyone who has ever encountered wilted lettuce at the grocery store when a barge fails to arrive on time knows. It is particularly challenging during a pandemic when even major population centers struggled to acquire essential supplies.

But despite the challenges of geography and a global health crisis, Alaska performed well in a key pandemic response indicator this spring—the state’s ability to acquire and administer coronavirus tests.

According to reference website Worldometer, which compares official state and national statistics, Alaska ranked 11th among US states in per capita testing as of mid-May, when infections from the 49th State’s first encounter with the novel coronavirus ebbed and businesses started to slowly reopen.

Alaska’s testing success in the first months of the pandemic involved considerable cooperation between medical providers—something that was already in place well before the pandemic—as well as a certain degree of creative problem-solving.

A Lesson in Testing Medical laboratories and clinics in Alaska routinely tested tens of thousands of samples every year for infectious diseases before COVID-19.

The Alaska State Virology Lab in Fairbanks alone analyzes about 5,000 16 | July 2020

samples a year for influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), says Clinton Bennett, communications director for the Alaska Department of Health and Human Services.

Machines that process viral samples are found at public health laboratories and in hospitals and medical clinics in hub communities around Alaska.

COVID-19 testing uses existing virus testing infrastructure and also requires a test kit that is specific to the virus.

The availability of coronavirus testing rolled out in three waves in Alaska.

The first public health lab test was performed March 2 at a state lab, and Alaska’s public health lab testing started to ramp up in mid-March, according to Alaska Department of Health and Human Services data.

Commercial laboratories entered the picture by late March; labs like LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics became Alaska’s main source of coronavirus test sample analysis.

A third category of testing—hospital and medical clinic laboratories—started processing large numbers of samples in early April, and testing capacity grew rapidly at these facilities.

Alaska’s geography and the relatively late arrival of the virus in the state gave the medical community a bit more time to prepare for the virus than some of the early hot spots in the Lower 48. But limited availability of materials constrained testing capacity in the first months of the pandemic and dictated the guidelines for who should be tested.

The coronavirus testing criteria were challenged when a COVID-19 case was discovered among a vulnerable population at the Denali Center, a long-term care facility on the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital campus.

Lab testing used to be something that “happens in the background” at the largest hospital and medical clinic in Alaska’s Interior, says Dr. Angelique Ramirez, medical director of quality for Foundation Health Partners, the hospital’s locally-owned parent organization.

"In a normal year, the doctor's job is just to write the order for the test," she says. "This year we have learned a lot more about tests."

This spring was an abrupt education for Ramirez, who started her job at Foundation Health Partners in January.

On March 27 Ramirez received news that a resident at the ninety-bed Denali Center had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

"We were all here very late at night, going through everything that was happening at the Denali Center and working with state epidemiology in terms of what we could do," she says.

At the time only 129 COVID-19 cases had been verified across Alaska. The official state guidelines then were not to test asymptomatic patients to conserve the state’s limited test supplies.

But the rules for testing remained in flux, and a team of administrators and physicians at Foundation Health Partners recognized the particularly strong danger of a contagious disease

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outbreak in a home with dozens of vulnerable people, Ramirez explains.

A federal Center for Disease Control report had recently come out detailing the way the virus spread at the Life Care Center in Washington State, one of the earliest outbreaks in the United States.

As Foundation Health Partners considered options, its leaders chose the most aggressive response available, says Ramirez.

Working alongside state epidemiologists, they decided to test each of the 73 Denali Center residents and all 135 staff members.

"It was something we came to jointly.

We were all very concerned about the risk," Ramirez says.

The round of testing revealed four cases among Denali Center staff and two additional cases among residents.

Another staff member was found to have the virus from an earlier test that hadn’t yet returned results when mass testing started.

Meanwhile, a long-term care facility that usually prides itself on its airy open spaces went into lockdown, with

TRICARE® approved facility

As supplies for key equipment ran low this spring, local producers of in-demand items emerged from unexpected corners of Alaska. Distillers switched from producing liquor to hand sanitizer, and a cottage industry of face covering producers emerged. residents confined to their rooms and treated by staff wearing full protective equipment.

A month later, the facility was able to celebrate a measure of victory. By May 1, the hospital and long term care facility were declared “COVID free” after twenty days passed without any new positive tests. No Denali Center residents died from the disease in the initial outbreak, a starkly different outcome from that of Washington’s Life Care Center.

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Made in Alaska As supplies for key equipment ran low this spring, local producers of in-demand items emerged from unexpected corners of Alaska. Distillers switched from producing liquor to hand sanitizer, and a cottage industry of face covering producers emerged.

A few manufacturers have been able to help with some of the specialized equipment needed for coronavirus testing.

The first step in conducting a

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Alaska Business

July 2020 | 17

Understanding the Difference COVID-19

COVID-19

SWAB TEST

ANTIBODY TEST

Who should be tested?

Individuals who HAVE COVID-19 symptoms or meet the testing criteria established by the CDC.

Individuals who THINK they may have COVID-19 and don't have any symptoms.

How samples are collected

Nasal Swab

Blood Draw

How long to receive results

1-2 days

1-3 days The science behind the test

COVID-19 test uses PCR technology and detects the genetic information that indicates an active infection and the virus' presence.

Serology testing can check for different types of antibodies developed after exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

LabCorp

18 | July 2020

coronavirus test is collecting a sample from the back of a patient’s throat. This requires a swab, a tool that looks like a long Q-tip. Swabs have been in short supply since the pandemic started. To help secure Alaska’s supply, Governor Michael Dunleavy called on Palmer business TriJet Services to look into producing additional swabs. TriJet is a custom fabrication business that usually makes parts for the aviation, construction, and other industries.

The business adjusted its industrial 3D printer to make swabs that fulfilled state requirements.

After a sample is collected, the swab is put in a vial containing a liquid called a “viral transport medium.” While viruses excel at hijacking human bodies to produce more copies of themselves, they disintegrate rapidly outside of the body. The viral transport medium keeps viruses intact between the time a sample is taken and when it is analyzed.

As viral transport media became difficult to acquire, the state public health lab in Fairbanks stepped up to produce a surplus that was made available to other laboratories in Alaska. This lab— the Alaska State Virology Laboratory on the UAF campus—produced more than 16,000 vials of viral transport medium between late March and late May for use by Alaska labs, says Bennett.

Alaska’s laboratories operate different brands of machines for analyzing samples; in general these machines work by amplifying the genetic material in a sample to make it easier to detect.

A special chemical test kit then reacts (or fails to react) with the solution based on whether it contains the coronavirus genetic material or not.

The test kits are unique to each virus and machine used to test it. Coronavirus test kits are not made in Alaska, and their availability has been a particularly stubborn bottleneck to testing.

For example, Alaska’s largest hospitals, Providence Alaska Medical Center and Alaska Regional Hospital, both use GeneXpert machines from manufacturer Cepheid, which can return test results in less than an hour.

Both hospitals received Cepheid COVID-19 test kits in mid-April, allowing them to analyze samples in-house.

But because of the limited number of test kits, the hospitals had to reserve them for high-priority patients, such as

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People wait in line to be tested for COVID-19.

Joshua Lowman

people who arrived at the emergency room with COVID-19 symptoms. Other tests went to the state lab or private labs that have longer turnaround times.

Fairbanks Memorial Hospital also uses a Cepheid GeneXpert and received an initial batch of 150 test kits in early May. A potentially important virus testing tool for rural Alaska is the ID NOW machine from Abbott Laboratories.

ID NOW is more portable than other machines—about the size of a toaster—and produces test results in thirteen minutes. In April, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium announced the organization received 40 ID NOW devices from Abbott, along with 2,400 COVID-19 test kits.

The supplies were distributed to tribal health nonprofit organizations around Alaska.

Providence Alaska Medical Center has five ID NOW machines, which were distributed at the medical center’s urgent care offices in Anchorage and Eagle River. Providence decided to move one machine to the hospital this spring to take advantage of its particularly fast test results.

Teaming Up for Drive-Up Testing Communities around Alaska used drive-up testing clinics to quickly and safely obtain patient samples.

Drive-through coronavirus testing 20 | July 2020

began March 16 in Anchorage at a temporary facility set up using resources from Providence Alaska Medical Center, Alaska Regional Hospital, the Alaska Native Medical Center, and the Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center.

Cooperation between medical clinics is by no means a unique circumstance of the COVID-19 pandemic. The different Anchorage facilities frequently collaborate and have standing agreements about how they will assist each other in the event of emergencies, whether earthquakes, pandemics, or broken pipes, says Dr. Michael Bernstein, chief medical officer at Providence Hospital.

At Alaska Regional Hospital, COO Jennifer Opsut says collaboration between hospitals was the norm in Alaska before COVID-19 but that the crisis has intensified the connections between facility leaders.

“This Anchorage community has an amazing partnership between the healthcare executives,” she says. “I’m not from Alaska; I’ve lived in other states, and we truly have something wonderful going on here.”

In April, for example, Alaska Regional needed more viral transport medium and received some from the Alaska Native Medical Center. In return, Alaska Regional was able to help the Alaska Native Medical Center with a supply of hand sanitizer.

Expanding Testing in Alaska Alaska’s goals for testing for the remainder of the year were still being developed as of May when this article was written.

When Alaska’s testing plan is finalized, it will be based on the CDC’s Division of Population Health guidelines, says Bennett. These guidelines expand testing criteria to asymptomatic populations including people who work in healthcare, places where large numbers of people live in close quarters, and—perhaps especially relevant to Alaska—people who are traveling to remote areas after being in places where the virus is circulating.

For the foreseeable future, testing efforts are focused on the style of test that looks for the presence of the virus in the body. This is due to lingering uncertainties surrounding a second style of test that detects whether people were previously exposed to the virus and have developed antibodies.

“There is still much to be learned about whether the antibodies detected provide true protection and the longterm persistence of these antibodies,” Bennett says.

At Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, Ramirez looks forward to the day when same-day coronavirus screening is widely available, so testing can again be a background part of operating a hospital.

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

I

H E A LT H C A R E

Immediate Aid for Long-Term Mental Health The Alaska Mental Health Trust invests in care for Alaska’s most vulnerable

Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority

By Isaac Stone Simonelli

22 | July 2020

n the wake of celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2019, the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority has stepped in to provide $1.5 million in grants to organizations responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Last Frontier.

“We are concerned about the nearand long-term impacts of the pandemic on mental healthcare,” Alaska Mental Health Trust CEO Mike Abbott explains.

“Providers that are doing the day-to-day work with our beneficiaries are in many cases struggling because they're losing revenue, operational requirements are different and typically more expensive, and they are adapting to telemedicine where they might not have used that technology much before.”

The COVID-19 grants for Alaska providers serving Trust beneficiaries were allocated based on three broad areas: assistance for emergent beneficiary needs, identified health and safety issues, and operational assistance.

“The Trust will prioritize requests for needs and services necessary to support the life, health, and safety of Trust beneficiaries and for entities that have not already received a COVID-19 response grant from the Trust,” the Trust’s website stated in May. “We understand the urgency of this, and we have the capability of acting pretty nimbly,” Abbott says.

“We can make decisions quickly when we need to.”

The turnaround time for the COVID-19 grants, which have been in the range of $2,000 to $25,000, are being issued within about a week of receiving an application. Typically, the Trust’s rolling grant application process takes about a month to be processed.

“Depending on the amount of the grant and the complexity, it would take somewhere between three and six weeks to get an answer back from us,” Abbott says. “That’s assuming the applicants have all of their information available.”

The grants and public policy work done by the Trust are designed to support its beneficiaries: Alaskans with mental illness, developmental disabilities, chronic alcohol or drug addiction, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, or traumatic brain injuries.

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“There’s no sort of list, there’s no membership card to the Trust, there’s no census or database that lists names,” Abbot says. “Most of our funding goes to programs that support people by class and not necessarily individual beneficiaries. Our programmatic work is designed to improve the systems that support our beneficiaries. Typically our funding is provided to state government, local governments, nonprofits, tribes, and other providers that are doing work that improves the lives of Alaskans with those challenges.”

Abbott estimates that, based on population density estimates, somewhere between one in seven and one in ten Alaskans qualify as a Trust beneficiary, which means the Trust serves between 70,000 and 100,000 Alaskans.

History The Trust, the only organization of its kind in the nation, was created in 1956 when Congress transferred the responsibility of providing mental health services to the Territory of Alaska. To fund this responsibility, which was

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inherited by the state, 1 million acres of land were transferred to Alaska, creating the Alaska Mental Health Trust.

In 1994, a decade after a class action lawsuit ruled that the state breached its fiduciary responsibility to manage Trust land, the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority was established. A board of seven trustees, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the legislature, was put in place to manage the Trust, which received 1 million acres of land reconstituted and a $200 million cash payment from the state to be invested with Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation.

“The Trust gains revenue for annual expenditures from two primary sources. The first of them are repeatable, ongoing revenues associated with land management activity,” Abbott says. “Our other primary revenue stream is the larger of them and that is the earnings off of our investments. The Trust has approximately $600 million worth of assets that are invested by, primarily, the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation on behalf of the Trust.”

Alaska Business

If a proposal came before my board of directors and they didn't see the Mental Health Trust as one of the funders, they would question whether it was a good project.”

Diane Kaplan, President/CEO Rasmuson Foundation

About $50 million of those funds are managed by the Department of Revenue, Abbott notes, adding that the land management activity generates millions of dollars annually through leasing and permitting.

July 2020 | 23

“Housing is critical in that people can come to a clinic and receive a treatment service, but if they leave that appointment and go back into homelessness or live in a vulnerable situation, that treatment will likely be insufficient.”

Dave Branding, CEO, JAMHI Health and Wellness

Since 1994, the Trust has approved more than $355 million to fund more than 3,200 beneficiary-serving projects and more than 8,600 mini-grants to beneficiaries throughout Alaska, according to the Trust’s 2019 Annual Report. On average, the Trust grants more than $20 million a year across the state for community-based projects and statewide initiatives.

A Catalyst for Care Abbott makes it clear that the funds provided by the Trust are not designed to subsidize gaps in the state budget but rather provide catalytic funding for projects and initiatives that stand to have a positive impact on Trust beneficiaries.

One primary example of how Trust catalytic dollars drive change in the state is evident in Medicaid reform, Abbott says.

The Affordable Care Act, signed into law by then-President Barack Obama in 2010, included section 1115, which created an opportunity for states to find ways to use Medicaid differently than the federal government would typically allow if the state could demonstrate

that such uses were ultimately less expensive than the standard federal Medicaid program.

“One of the areas that we have encouraged, and the [Alaska Department of Health and Social Services] has embraced, is in testing or building a five-year pilot whereby behavioral health services would be allowed to be funded by Medicaid with the expectation that will reduce overall Medicaid expenses: that if you treat substance abuse and mental health issues using lower-cost systems, you will reduce total cost because people won’t use the emergency room or more expensive hospital environments,” Abbott explains.

“The Trust has invested several million dollars in that 1115 demonstration project. We are committed to testing that. We want that lowest level of care to be expanded for Medicaid eligible patients so that folks are getting their care in their communities, in their homes, while they're living at home, while they're working, rather than seeing their conditions go untreated and then becoming more acute and

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ultimately requiring more intensive care that is ultimately more expensive.”

Abbott notes that while the Trust isn’t opposed to helping the state save money to provide services, its objective is to provide better care to its beneficiaries.

Rasmuson Foundation President and CEO Diane Kaplan points out that though the Trust wields a significant amount of money, it pales in comparison to the state budget.

“But, if you can leverage that, then you can make $20 million look like $200 million. So they learned quickly, and I think it has to do a lot with the genius of Jeff Jesse [Trust CEO from 1995 to 2017], that was the way to go,” Kaplan says, noting that the foundation partners with the organization for various projects. “They really became experts at that—and still are under Mike Abbott’s leadership.”

In some ways, the Trust has become a touchstone for the Rasmuson Foundation, Kaplan explains.

“If we're going to fund a project that's about behavioral health—that’s assisted living, that’s mental health,

that's around addiction—it would be very odd for us not to check in with them,” Kaplan says. “If a proposal came before my board of directors and they didn't see the Mental Health Trust as one of the funders, they would question whether it was a good project.”

Rasmuson Foundation has built a strong partnership with the Trust to tackle issues of drug abuse and recovery through the Recover Alaska program, Kaplan says. In 2019, the Trust awarded a $100,000 grant to the program for “programmatic support for work to reduce the harm caused by alcohol to Trust beneficiaries.”

The two also co-funded the Pay for Success Program operated by United Way of Anchorage. The program is designed to provide housing for challenging-to-house people in the homeless population through a series of interventions and high touch counseling, Kaplan says. The Trust is currently considering additional funding for this initiative.

“Pay for Success means that if [United Way of Anchorage] meets the

established goals, the City will pay them to continue with the program. The incentive for the City is savings in the form of needing fewer police patrols and [other expenses associated with the target population],” Kaplan says. “So far, it’s been a success.”

Homelessness is among the many issues the Trust combats in its holistic approach of supporting its beneficiaries.

“Housing is critical in that people can come to a clinic and receive a treatment service, but if they leave that appointment and go back into homelessness or live in a vulnerable situation, that treatment will likely be insufficient,” says JAMHI Health and Wellness CEO Dave Branding.

JAMHI, which provides behavioral health clinical and rehabilitation services on a sliding scale in Juneau, received $100,000 from the Trust for “organizational support for the Juneau Reentry Coalition Coordinator” and $99,882 in “support for the ForgetMe-Not Manor Housing First project” in 2019.

The Forget-Me-Not Manor in Juneau comprises thirty-two efficiency

Marketing vs. Advertising–What’s the Difference?

By Christine Merki Account Manager

T

here’s a difference between marketing and advertising, but it takes one to get to the other.

To survive in business, the goal is to turn consumers into buyers. It’s a fairly basic concept, but it’s a bit of a walk to go from producing goods and services to getting paid for them. Marketing and advertising lies somewhere in the middle of that marriage.

Advertising is used to encourage people to buy products or services and build brand identity. Good ads are created as part of a strong marketing campaign. You often hear—or have said yourself—“I hate advertising.” But people don’t really hate advertising: they hate boring advertising, they hate predictable advertising. As Wizard of Ads author Roy Williams says, “They hate the time-wasting, life-sucking sound of too many words wrapped around too small an idea.”

Marketing and market research is a link of ideas and can include events, social media, e-newsletters, and advertising, including print. All of these platforms aim to communicate the same message but present that message in different ways.

A typical marketing approach, strategy, or plan uses a mix of these components, including advertising.

So, what’s the take away? Use the variety of marketing tools available to you, and if your marketing strategy includes advertising, make it memorable. Try and tell a story. Everyone likes a good story.

Christine Merki 907-257-2911 cmerki@akbizmag.com

Charles Bell 907-257-2909 cbell@akbizmag.com

Janis Plume 907-257-2917 janis@akbizmag.com

– SP O N S O R E D C O N T E N T–

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Alaska Business

July 2020 | 25

The Trust works to protect the value of timber resources so its timber program can provide a long-term source of revenue from its land base. The recent Icy Cape timber harvest near Yakutat, pictured here, has generated more than $3.7 million in revenue for the Trust.

Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority

apartments for people with chronic alcoholism, Branding explains.

“Most of the residents in that facility, prior to living there, have been homeless for an average of nine years,” Branding says. “Each person has a lease and a housing voucher that helps them pay for rent.”

The housing does not require people living there to be sober or to be in the process of recovering from alcoholism.

“Some people who live there may never recover from their alcoholism but might be experiencing other physical healthcare problems associated with chronic alcohol use or can be intoxicated much of the time,” Branding says. “But they're doing it in a place that is safe and they're not dying on the street.”

Branding points out that those with chronic alcoholism and substance use disorder often have a challenging time qualifying for Medicaid, which is the primary funding source of behavioral health services in Alaska.

“People who have Medicaid coverage are able to receive public behavioral health services in Alaska,” Branding says. “But that requires an assessment that can take several hours. If someone is highly intoxicated nearly all the time, they might have an attention span or an ability to engage in that assessment for about five minutes.

26 | July 2020

“Those people never become eligible for services. So organizations like ours don't have a funding source to serve them. From the community's perspective, those are the people that we should be serving. There are people that are troublesome out on the streets. They're incredibly vulnerable. And it looks like we're not doing our job.”

However, because the Trust funds a clinician to work with and develop a therapeutic relationship with this population, as well as engage with them during the necessary assessment—even if it’s five minutes at a time—JAMHI is able to eventually receive state funds through Medicare to provide the services they need.

“So the Trust funding, in this example, allows access to services for the most vulnerable, addicted people in our community,” Branding says.

Building Sound Policy In addition to the vast amount of work conducted by the Trust as a grantor, the organization is also instrumental in policy development in the Last Frontier. In partnership with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, the Trust helped write Strengthening the System: Alaska’s Comprehensive Integrated Mental Health Program Plan 2020-24, which

was finalized in July 2019.

According to the Office of the Commissioner, the plan “identifies priorities for the next five years to inform planning and funding decisions to meet the needs of Alaska Mental Health Trust beneficiaries. The intent is to strengthen the system of care to allow a comprehensive approach that quickly meets their needs.”

The plan is only one example of the policy and advocacy work that the Trust does, Abbott says. Both Kaplan and Branding make it clear that the Trust’s voice and expertise in behavioral health issues that impact Alaska are vital to the state’s ability to improve its systems and heal people.

“We pledge to continue to identify and implement innovative solutions to the challenges our beneficiaries face, to solicit and apply beneficiary perspectives to our efforts, and to increase the corpus of the Trust as well as our spendable income,” Abbott and Board Chair Mary Jane Michaels wrote in the 2019 Annual Report. “Our trustees and staff will keep working to fulfill the mission of the Trust. We look forward to another twenty-five years of partnering with the state and our fellow Alaskans to improve the lives and circumstances of Trust beneficiaries.”

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

R E TA I L

Busi ness-as-Usua l Challenges, innovations, and takeaways on navigating retail commerce during the pandemic

B y A my New m a n

28 | July 2020

M

atanuska Brewing Company was on the path to experiencing record sales at the start of 2020.

And then COVID-19 hit.

“It was probably the best January and February we’ve ever seen,” owner Matthew Tomter says. “Then we see Seattle shutting down, and we realized this was about to happen.”

The arrival of COVID-19 led to sweeping health mandates from state and local governments that resulted in closed doors at all businesses except those deemed essential in an attempt to “flatten the curve” of the virus.

Many industries quickly shifted to a work-from-home model, relying on virtual conferencing platforms to conduct staff and client meetings.

But businesses that depend on foot traffic for the bulk of their revenue, such as those in retail, hospitality, and the arts, were left scrambling as they attempted to operate from behind closed doors.

“We were faced with navigating some really disheartening decisions throughout the timeline of this pandemic that we had never once anticipated we’d have to make in

nearly thirty-five years of doing business in Alaska,” says Michele Parkhurst, COO of Kaladi Brothers Coffee, which owns seventeen cafés across Southcentral and the Rustic Goat restaurant in Anchorage.

Those decisions included layoffs: an April survey of Anchorage businesses conducted by the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation found that one in three respondents had laid off at least some of its workforce or was continuing operations with a skeleton crew. Some restaurants closed temporarily for either all or a portion of the shutdown because curbside delivery and take-out, the only options permitted, simply weren’t feasible.

The closures also forced businesses to come up with innovative solutions to keep customers coming through their doors—if not literally, then figuratively—even when they couldn’t belly up to the bar for a drink or enjoy a weekend brunch with friends.

Connecting with Customers Outside the Box With foot traffic non-existent, one

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of the biggest obstacles restaurants and other non-essential businesses faced was staying connected to customers, says Tosha Swan, manager of programs and communication at the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce.

Social media, virtual events, and even shopping via FaceTime played a huge role in maintaining that customer base.

“The Alaska Club, F45 Training, Pure Barre, and /vīb/cycle offered virtual workouts and live streaming via social media,” Swan says. “Over the Rainbow Toys [let customers] shop virtually via FaceTime and offered curbside, noncontact pickup service; I was able to call and order a customized Easter basket for my daughter.”

Bill Popp, president and CEO of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation, agrees that the most successful businesses were those that switched to a more online-focused business model. But he was quick to add that measuring success is significantly different during a pandemic.

“We’ve by no means seen an ability to make a profit, but at least it’s starting to mitigate some losses,” Popp says.

“We’re seeing some success for some retailers who have taken a long, hard look at their business model and have gravitated to their website being a key selling tool.”

Matanuska Brewing Company beefed up its online presence as soon as the closures began, Tomter says. He increased the restaurant’s Facebook posts and joined online groups that had sprung up to support local restaurants.

“We jumped into social media, heavily touting our delivery and curbside takeout,” he says. “And we were really spreading the word about how we were doing it, really being positive about it and explaining ourselves thoroughly to assure customers that everything we’re serving is safe.”

Some restaurants trimmed their menu offerings so as not to overwhelm a limited crew. Others experimented with take-and-bake and family-style meals to entice customers—many of whom were overwhelmed themselves, juggling working from home with homeschooling—to place an order.

“Restaurants like Sullivan’s, Simon & Seafort's, and Texas Roadhouse were offering family meals for pickup,” www.akbizmag.com

Swan says. “Bear Tooth was offering margarita kits with food orders.” Other restaurants offered everything from make-your-own taco kits to take-andbake or decorate-at-home cookie kits.

Kaladi Brothers began “The Bean Drop”—a next-day delivery of whole b e a n co f fe e r i g h t to t h e cu s to m e r ’s d o o r.

“It’s been a completely creative idea for us and something we’ve never tried before,” Parkhurst says. “This program has worked out really well all around and has been a great way we can adjust to the changes going on and

“We were faced with navigating some really disheartening decisions throughout the timeline of this pandemic that we had never once anticipated we’d have to make in nearly thirtyfive years of doing business in Alaska.”

Michele Parkhurst, COO, Kaladi Brothers

continue to support and provide to our community.”

For cultural venues like the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, the closures changed the way they went about fulfilling their mission.

“It was a major shift in thinking because we always thought public service meant staying open,” says Executive Director and CEO Julie Decker. “So thinking that public service meant closing was a huge shift.”

Decker says the museum’s staff of sixty-one was fully remote within two days and began creating free digital Alaska Business

content, including virtual tours and concerts, immediately.

“It was amazingly rapid,” she continues. “We were able to provide access to the collections and to the artwork in a way that we haven’t been able to achieve before, so I think a lot of that will continue. We would never suggest that seeing artwork on a computer is comparable, but we were heartened by the reach that we had.”

Evolving Business Practices Although the state allowed a gradual reopening of both essential and nonessential businesses in May, it didn’t signify a return to normal. Limits on seating capacity for dine-in service, stricter cleaning and disinfecting protocols, and social distancing requirements continue to redefine business-as-usual. There is also a large segment of the population that remain uncomfortable congregating in public, which translates to less foot traffic.

The Midtown Mall implemented several strategies to maintain compliance with state and local mandates, says Marketing Manager Amber Musso. The mall restricted entry to two doors, down from the usual eight, installed signs explaining social distancing and mask-wearing requirements, and instructed mall security to prevent patrons from lingering in the corridors.

“It’s not a situation where you come to the mall and browse and shop,” Musso explains. “It’s more a situation where you know the store you’re going to and you go there. If the store is at capacity, you let them know you’re there and go sit in the car and wait.”

Kaladi Bros. is reopening its cafés a handful at a time and, as of midMay, planned to offer take out only, Parkhurst says. She adds that staff have undergone extensive training in new cleaning and disinfecting protocols, in addition to the installation of hand sanitizer stations for customers. They’re also experimenting with a new bar flow at the Brayton Avenue café to improve social distancing.

The biggest challenge with reopening for dine-in service isn’t the heightened cleaning protocols, Tomter says. It’s enforcing social distancing requirements.

“We found once we started doing July 2020 | 29

dine-in with all the rules, it’s easy to keep things clean, it’s easy to spray everything with sanitizer,” he explains.

“Actively managing social distancing was probably our biggest challenge, but we figured it out. It’s a learned trait.”

Restaurants and retailers are also continuing to offer alternative shopping and dining options, even as they expand to offer dine-in and in-store shopping.

“People who didn’t normally do curbside are continuing to do curbside,” Musso says. “We have stores that are scheduling private shopping appointments for FaceTime shopping or texting or emailing photos [of items] to shoppers, and that’s something that they wouldn’t have done before.”

Tomter also expects to continue the ramped up delivery model at Matanuska Brewing Company.

“The population’s going to segregate,” says Tomter. “There’s going to be a population that’s going to be unable to wait to get back out there, and there’s going to be some who aren’t. Our goal is to get our beer and food to whoever wants them wherever they are. So if we have to adjust to do that, we certainly will.”

Lessons Learned Popp anticipates a “long, painful path” for both the retail sector and the entire Anchorage economy as it attempts to recover from the effects of the pandemic, saying it could take years to achieve a significant return to profitability.

Popp believes part of that preparedness will include businesses bulking up cash reserves.

“I have a sneaking suspicion that all businesses are going to be looking at their cash on hand model for the future and are probably going to be carrying a lot more cash on hand if they possibly can for these types of shutdowns,” he explains.

At Matanuska Brewing Company Tomtar says, “There’s no money being made right now. We’re staying afloat, we’re bringing in what we spend. To be able to make it the next twelve months is what’s necessary; 2020 is going to be a survival year.”

But businesses can still use the pandemic as an opportunity to better prepare for future shutdowns, whether related to COVID-19 or some 30 | July 2020

An employee cleans at the Alaska Club.

The Alaska Club

other disaster.

“I think the biggest lesson we’re learning is that, ultimately, the ongoing security and stability of a long-standing company who has been operating for over thirty years can be shaken down and impacted greatly in literally a matter of days,” Parkhurst says.

“These abrupt changes have made us realize the importance of preparing for emergencies outside of the company.”

For businesses that lacked an online presence, the pandemic should serve as a wake-up call to create a website and operate an active social media page.

“We learned that businesses need to embrace technology in order to make it in the digital world,” Swan says of just some of what the chamber has learned from the community.

She also anticipates that events will continue to go virtual to increase reach and participation.

The pandemic has also altered how businesses view their space in terms of health and safety concerns.

The Anchorage Museum revised its emergency plan in March, Decker says, and the experience has been markedly different than when the museum had to deal with the aftermath of the 2018 Anchorage earthquake.

“There was something surreal about updating our emergency

plan in March, about dealing with pandemics, conversations you didn’t expect to have,” says Decker. “We were in webinars with other museums discussing the legalities about work environments, health and safety, cleaning products, even cleaning elevator buttons. It’s a different kind of physicality we had to learn.”

Musso agrees that changes to how customers shopped during the pandemic are practices that may ultimately help businesses reach more customers in the future.

“Even when we’re not in the middle of a pandemic, there are things that make [life] more convenient, something that shoppers appreciate,” she says. “I do think changes are coming that will broaden how we shop.”

She says one of the key takeaways for the Midtown Mall is that survival depends in large part on a business’ ability to adapt.

“I don’t think that people can prepare for something like this, but there were a lot of things that people did to try and adapt,” Musso adds. “People delivering that didn’t deliver before—we had a couple of stores that mailed out when they didn’t do that before. Be as flexible to change as possible, have multiple backup plans, [see if] you can tailor your business plan in any other way to fit rapidly changing circumstances.”

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

2020 BEST OF ALASKA BUSINESS The sun is out, the salmon are running, and your votes are in

W

elcome to the 5th Annual Best of Alaska Business awards. First and foremost, thank you to our readers who took the time to nominate the businesses that you see provide exceptional services to Alaskans. We publish the results, but you awarded these businesses with recognition for the hard work they do in their very varied fields.

To our winners: congratulations. While we review our survey process every year, year after year we’ve opted for a write-in process so that our readers can tell us what companies they value without us influencing their choices. You’ve earned these accolades, and we feel privileged to pass them along.

For our part, the Best of Alaska Business awards fit perfectly within our mission to support Alaska businesses and provide timely, in-depth information to and about the business community. We especially appreciate how these awards allow us to highlight many of Alaska’s locally-owned and small businesses that have a big impact on the communities in which they operate.

And of course, we take the opportunity every July to utilize an incredible pool of local artistic talent for our cover and throughout the special section. This year Annie Brace, founder of Corso Graphics, delighted us with the direction she took for the cover: our Best of Alaska Business special section is well represented with a vibrant, bold color palette, majestic mountains, and joyful salmon.

So while Alaska Business identifies categories and sets the stage for these awards, we can hardly take all the credit for this fantastic special section: it would be impossible without talented Alaskan artists, the feedback of our readers, and the exceptional Alaska businesses who inspire us all.

Editor's Note: Some of the images published in this section were taken before the COVID-19 pandemic; the subjects therein may not be wearing face masks or practicing social distancing.

32 | July 2020

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

Photos provided by Bean's Café

BEST FUNDRAISER Bean’s Café

Bean’s Café hosts a variety of fundraising efforts. The soup kitchen’s signature event—the Empty Bowl Project—features chili from homegrown chefs and creative bowl designs from local artists. And the best part: a donation affords you all the chili you can eat. eanscafe.org b

Mayor’s Charity Ball

The Mayor’s Charity Ball was started in 1994 by a committee of dedicated volunteers. Since its inception, the Ball has raised more than $3.5 million.

100 percent of the net proceeds support the honored four charitable organizations for the given year.

ST. ELIAS

mayorscharity.org/the-ball

Covenant House

DENALI

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Covenant House Alaska’s Fire and Ice Ball is “one of Anchorage’s most elegant evenings” and one of the nonprofit’s biggest annual fundraisers. The proceeds from this premier black-tie event strengthen Covenant House’s mission to get vulnerable youth off the street and help end the cycle of homelessness. c ovenanthouse.org

FORAKER

Alaska Business

July 2020 | 33

DENALI

Danny Kreilkamp

BEST ACCOUNTING FIRM Altman, Rogers & Co.

Altman, Rogers & Co. combines a small firm approach with big firm experience for its CPA services, operating in Anchorage, Soldotna, and Juneau.

The firm’s core values comprise its “LEAD” philosophy (Leadership, Experience, Achievement, and Dedication) and inform . mission statement: “We LEAD through our innovative yet traditional knowledge of accounting and dedication to our passions: colleagues, clients, and community.” altrogco.com

Rulien + Associates

With offices in Anchorage and Eagle River, ST. ELIAS Rulien’s services include bookkeeping, payroll, tax optimization, and financial advice. Its clients represent multiple industries, including healthcare, construction, veterinarians, and hospitality. Rulien’s service packages come in three categories: Foraker, St. Elias, and Denali… very apt for a Best of Alaska Business awardee. r ulien.com

Swalling & Associates

Anchorage-based Swalling & Associates serves small to midsize Alaska businesses. According to the company, John C. Swalling founded the firm in 1991, “when the international accounting firms started migrating out of Alaska.” As an independent member firm of DFK International, the firm is able to tap worldwide resources in order to help local clients. s wallingcpas.com

FORAKER

stevanovicigor | Envato Elements

BEST LAW FIRM Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot

Legal firm Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot has offices in Anchorage and Washington, DC and “has a broad-ranging practice, representing individuals, association, coalitions, businesses, government entities, and Native corporations with interests in the nation’s capital.” The firm was established in Anchorage in 1971 and opened its Washington, DC office in 1975. birchhorton.com

DENALI

Landye Bennett Blumstein

“Simply great lawyers,” is the assertion of Landye Bennett Blumstein, which has offices in Anchorage and Portland, Oregon. Attorneys at the firm specialize in real estate, business tax, plaintiffs’ cases, litigation, and Native American law, and according to the firm, “The lawyers who’ve chosen to practice at Landye Bennett Blumstein are here for a reason: they’re talented.”

ST. ELIAS

lbblawyers.com 34 | July 2020

Foley & Pearson

Foley & Pearson, a full-service estate planning and probate firm, had its early beginnings in Anchorage in 1987; today it offers services including estate and estate tax planning, wills, Alaska probate, community property agreements, and a range of trusts: for children, administration in the event of incapacity or death, domestic asset protection, or pets. foleypearson.com

FORAKER

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

Danny Kreilkamp

BEST SALON The Beauty Room

“A day spa for the eternally hip,” reads the headline of this Best of Alaska Business winner’s website. The Beauty Room offers a range of both wedding and salon services. Drop by its Northern Lights location for a complimentary consultation or to browse its exclusive-to-Anchorage Bumble and bumble product line. beautyroom.net

DENALI

Hi Rollers Salon

Owner Paula and the hairdressers at Hi Rollers Salon have been serving Anchorage for more than fifteen years. Located in the O’Malley Plaza next door to WineStyles, Hi Rollers’ extended hours—open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.—is just one draw for prospective clients. (907) 349-4247

ST. ELIAS

Allure Day Spa & FORAKER Hair Design Allure Day Spa & Hair Design is an

gpointstudio | Envato Elements

award-winning salon and spa in downtown Anchorage, with the aim of providing an experience rather than an appointment. Browse its extensive service menu, which includes massage therapy and the salon’s famous vichy treatments.

Book online or in person for all of your self-care needs. allurehairdesign.com

www.akbizmag.com

Alaska Business

July 2020 | 35

BEST COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FIRM Frampton & Opinsky

This is the second consecutive year that Baker Spoerhase Investments (BSI) has claimed the St. Elias Award. BSI specializes in properties that include office buildings, industrial structures, retail spaces, hotels, and multifamily developments. Notable work includes land acquisition for the proposed natural gas facility at Point MacKenzie and real estate services for auto dealer Kendall.

ST. ELIAS

bsialaska.com

Jack White Real Estate

“We are proud to be the largest independent real estate company in Alaska,” states Jack White Real Estate. The company covers an area that spans the entire state, from Prudhoe Bay to Anchorage, Kodiak to Ketchikan. The company credits its success to its people: “We back up our associates with comprehensive training, sophisticated technology, innovative marketing, and supportive management.” jackwhite.com

FORAKER

Frampton & Opinsky boasts “one of the largest leasing and management portfolios of quality properties in Anchorage.” In addition to its portfolio, the company provides services that include consulting, project development, and construction management. Frampton & Opinsky also owns AnchorTown Maintenance, which provides maintenance services managed by the firm as well as other Anchorage properties. officeak.com

mixmotive | iStock

DENALI

BSI

Howto it Feels Have Your Vote Thank you for your vote of confidence –

and the honor of helping your business grow.

Denali Award, 1st Place Best Accounting Services St. Elias Award, 2nd Place Best Place to Work (1-250 employees)

Anchorage | Juneau | Soldotna AltRogCo.com | 907 AltRogCo 907-274-2992 274 2992

36 | July 2020

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

Providence Hospital

BEST HOSPITAL Providence Alaska DENALI Health & Services

Providence locations are found throughout Southcentral from Anchorage to Valdez. The nonprofit Catholic network of healthcare services is “guided by a mission of caring that the Sisters of Providence began in the west nearly 160 years ago.” In the past year, Providence has expanded with a line of ExpressCare clinics in Anchorage and Eagle River. alaska.providence.org

Alaska Native Medical Center

Alaska Regional Hospital

Alaska Regional Hospital offers a broad spectrum ST. ELIAS of health services thanks to a team that includes more than 1,000 employees and a medical staff of more than 550 independent practitioners. Since 1994, Alaska Regional has been a member of HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s largest healthcare providers. As a result, Alaskans are given access to many advanced medical resources. alaskaregional.com

Jointly owned by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and Southcentral FORAKER Foundation, ANMC specializes in comprehensive healthcare for the state’s Alaska Native and American Indian residents. ANMC prides itself as “home to one of America’s most unique healthcare environments—a place where the highest quality care and cutting-edge technology meets special cultural and traditional services and customer experiences.” anmc.org

Proud winner of the 2020 Alaska Business Monthly Denali Award, small business category for

Best Places to Work

COME GROW WITH US www.PDCENG.com PDCENG

www.akbizmag.com

Alaska Business

July 2020 | 37

Danny Kreilkamp

BEST STAFFING AGENCY Alaska Executive Search

Established in 1977, AES is among Alaska’s longest-running staffing agencies. The team consists of recruiters with specialized expertise in multiple industries who work closely with driven job candidates. AES helps develop candidates’ professional skills while also advocating their placement at the many leading Alaska companies that have placed their trust in the agency. akexec.com

DENALI

Opti Staffing Group

Personnel Plus

Opti’s Pacific Northwest scope includes ST. ELIAS Anchorage and locations in Washington and Oregon. The agency has found its niche in high-level placements for small to midsize companies. Along with a thorough vetting process to connect clients with top talent, Opti provides an abundance of resources for potential employers and employees. optistaffing.com

38 | July 2020

With offices in Fairbanks and Anchorage, Personnel Plus provides temporary and permanent staffing options for employers. Additionally, it offers a “Temporary to Permanent” placement option, which affords clients the ability to “try out” an employee before committing to a full-time job offer. The agency’s workforce totals more than 500 permanent and temporary workers. perplus.com

FORAKER

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

BEST CELLULAR SERVICE PROVIDER AT&T

AT&T makes an array of communications devices and services available to its customers: TV, internet, wireless, as well as phones, tablets, smartwatches, hotspots, accessories, and more. In Alaska, AT&T has expanded its stores, coverage area, and data speeds in recent years, giving Alaskans more options and better access in an increasingly digital world. a tt.com

GCI

ST. ELIAS GCI is Alaska’s home-grown telecommunications provider and recently launched its 5G network in Alaska. “Hometown 5G is an investment of millions of dollars in Anchorage alone—paving the path for innovation that can help Anchorage become more energy efficient, spur economic growth, and provide an improved quality of life,” the company states. g ci.com

criene | Twenty20

DENALI

Verizon

In Alaska Verizon offers HD Voice and data services on its 4G LTE network, which provides coverage to many areas of the state, including parts of Southcentral, Southeast, Kodiak, the Interior, and the North Slope. Verizon says, “We transform how people, business, and things connect with each other through innovative communications and technology solutions.” v erizon.com

FORAKER

Alaska's Leader in Signs & Print

Signage, Vehicle Wraps, Digital & Offset Printing, Direct Mail

907.274.3584

Toll Free in Alaska 800.478.7477

www.pipalaska.com

1st Place Denali Award "Best Printer" www.akbizmag.com

833 East 4th Avenue • Anchorage, AK 99501 Alaska Business

July 2020 | 39

BEST HOTEL The Hotel Captain Cook

Alaska’s Hotel Captain Cook is a perfect “basecamp for adventure” situated comfortably in the heart of downtown Anchorage.

As the only member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide in Alaska, the Captain Cook houses four distinctive restaurants and offers extraordinary retail and cultural experiences just steps from the front door. captaincook.com

Joshua Lowman

DENALI

Embassy Suites Anchorage

Anchorage’s Embassy Suites are located within six miles of downtown and the Anchorage International Airport, offering free shuttle service in addition to a number of other welcoming amenities. Their midtown location is perfectly situated for exploring the city and a stone’s throw away from the newly renovated Midtown Mall.

ST. ELIAS

hilton.com/en/hotels/anceses-embassy-suites-anchorage

Hilton

The tallest hotel in town and overlooking some of the city’s finest views, the Hilton in Downtown Anchorage offers guests all the comfort and convenience they could desire. With an indoor fitness center, pool, steam room, and business center that is open 24-hours a day, you might want to consider extending your stay. hilton.com/en/hotels/ancahhf-hilton-anchorage

FORAKER

Thank you to our customers for voting us the #1 Best Auto Mechanic Shop in Alaska!

— — — — —

Brakes Engine Repair Alignments Suspension Tune-Ups

Most businesses overpay for workers’ compensation insurance.

Does yours?

Contact us to find out.

907-276-7667 www.chialaska.com

Since 1977 we’ve built our reputation on repeat business and customer referrals, offering years of trustworthy advice and top quality car servicing and repairs. Our team of experienced mechanics are your car care professionals.

2401 E. 4th Ave., Anchorage 40 | July 2020

I (907) 272-5461 I bigoauto.com

Alaska Owned & Operated Since 1979

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

BEST CLIENT LUNCH Simon & Seafort's

Anchorage locals lovingly refer to this restaurant simply as “Simon’s.” Simon & Seafort’s describes its culinary style as “upscale-casual American fare with a contemporary interpretation of beloved classic cuisine, perfect for any occasion.” In addition to its popular food, the establishment is well known for its panoramic views overlooking Cook Inlet, Mount Susitna, and the Alaska Range. simonandseaforts.com

Rawpixel | Envato Elements

DENALI

49th State Brewing Company

If yours is a beer-friendly client lunch, 49th State Brewing Company prides itself on its “world-class brews with amazing views.” Even if beer isn’t your thing, the latter half of that boast is still enough to keep Anchorage residents coming in droves. With two cozy outdoor levels for comfy dining underneath abundant sunshine, 49th State is a must in the summer.

ST. ELIAS

49statebrewing.com

Jens' Restaurant

The late Jens Hansen was a hit among Alaska’s dining scene, and the restaurant he opened in 1988 serves as his legacy. It also serves a lunch menu that is a celebration of seafood (salmon, rockfish, scallops, and more), but don’t sleep on the “by now almost world famous” pepper steak. There are also Danish specialties—Jens’ nod to his Scandinavian roots. jensrestaurant.com

FORAKER

As we navigate today’s landscape, it’s extra important to know that your financial institution is here for you.

Join us today and enjoy an Alaskan credit union where YOU are at the heart of it all.

Get started at cu1.org.

Insured by the NCUA www.akbizmag.com

Alaska Business

July 2020 | 41

Klondike Promotions

Locally-owned and -operated Klondike Promotions enjoys the business of more than 400 accounts nationwide. Klondike has earned its clients’ trust as an early adopter of the Promotional Products Association’s Consumer Product Safety Initiative. Each of Klondike’s suppliers provides products meeting a high level of safety standards, which translates to happy clients with Alaska-ready gear. klondikepromotions.com

BEST SWAG SUPPLIER

FORAKER

Alaska Serigraphics

Companies, schools, organizations, and individuals throughout the state have relied on Alaska Serigraphics since 1981. The late Mark L. Venit, a leading screen-printing consultant, attested: “In case you’re wondering which of the hundreds of showrooms I’ve visited personally wins my endorsement as the best in the industry, it’s at the home of Alaska Serigraphics in Anchorage, Alaska.” akserigraphics.com

DENALI

Stellar Designs

Stellar Designs’ online store has you (literally) covered. From sportswear to safety apparel to sunglasses, Stellar Designs makes a name stand out utilizing quality material. The company’s advice: “Brand the brands they love.” Accordingly, it provides merchandising options that use some of the world’s top names in apparel, such as CamelBak, Nike, and Eddie Bauer. stellar-designs.com

seregam | Envato Elements

ST. ELIAS

42 | July 2020

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

BEST COFFEE SHOP Kaladi Brothers Coffee

Kaladi Brothers is a longtime favorite among Alaskans. In fact, this is the fifth consecutive year Kaladi has earned the Denali award in the Best of Alaska Business awards. With sixteen shops around Alaska and one in Seattle, the “red goat” brand has grown to represent both a dedication to quality coffee-making and the company’s “Catalyst for Community” philosophy. kaladi.com

Kindred Spirits Café

This cozy South Anchorage coffee shop is ST. ELIAS located inside the ice rinks of the O’Malley Sports Center and has become an ideal refueling stop for on-the-go hockey parents and fans. According to Kindred Spirits, “We love serving our fast moving customers with a smile and a friendly spirit.” That spirit has extended to another location in downtown Anchorage. (907) 344-6911

Kaladi Brothers Coffee

DENALI

SteamDot

Believe it or not, SteamDot’s catchy name emerged thanks to Anchorage’s rail yards.

The company’s first roaster was in a shed across from the locomotive parking lot. According to the SteamDot, “We fell in love with the play on words between billowing steam from trains and espresso machines and the dot on the map where our beginnings took root.” steamdot.com

FORAKER

We’re Alaskans helping Alaskans It’s what we do.

ConocoPhillips Alaska is proud of its hardworking employees and their long history of giving back, especially when times are tough.

In addition to our contributions of almost $3 million since January, ConocoPhillips Alaska is donating to organizations on the front lines providing emergency assistance to quickly assist fellow Alaskans struggling with the impacts of Covid-19. We are in this together.

ConocoPhillips — A proud history as Alaska’s largest oil and gas producer

ConocoPhillips Alaska employees participating in 2019 Day of Caring. www.akbizmag.com

Alaska Business

Editors Choice Award for Corporate Citizenship

July 2020 | 43

BEST LARGE EVENT VENUE Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center DENALI There are 200,000 square feet of flexible event

The Alaska Airlines Center is a sports and community center that serves UAA as well as the greater Anchorage community and region hosting sports and entertainment events. Located on the UAA campus, the center has a 5,000 seat athletic arena, 800 seat auxiliary gym, sports medicine suites, indoor two-lane walking and jogging track, and gymnastics training and competition gym. a laskaairlinescenter.com

ST. ELIAS

Hotel Captain Cook

The Discovery Ballroom at the Hotel Captain Cook is a convenient and flexible space for large events, conferences, or conventions. In total the room is 9,000 square feet and can be divided into three separate spaces (The Fore Deck, Mid Deck, and Aft Deck) to accommodate a vendors’ hall, lecture space, dining area, or other activity—all for the same event. c aptaincook.com

FORAKER

Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center

space at the Dena’ina Center; the largest single space is a 72,240-square-foot banquet and exhibit hall that can fit 390 vendor booths. “The largest, most modern facility of its kind in the state, Dena’ina is ideal for events from national conventions and tradeshows to local meetings, banquets, and special occasions,” the center states. anchorageconventioncenters.com

Alaska Airlines Center

Danny Kreilkamp

BEST SMALL EVENT VENUE 49th State Brewing Co.

When 49th State Brewing Co. moved into its iconic Anchorage location on 3rd Avenue downtown, the ownership team was passionate about using local talent to create a comfortable, beautiful space while respecting the history of the century-old building, which offers indoor and outdoor spaces with a variety of catering and drink options—perfect for any small to midsize event. 4 9statebrewing.com

DENALI

ST. ELIAS

Hotel Captain Cook

Williwaw

Hotel Captain Cook has a variety of rooms that can accommodate small events or meetings in Tower I, including seven rooms on the lower lobby level and four rooms on the 10th floor. To improve the conference experience, Hotel Captain Cook offers in-house catering, complimentary WiFi, and a 24-hour business center. c aptaincook.com 44 | July 2020

“Williwaw loves a good party,” the downtown venue says. Private parties, special events, or businesses looking for somewhere novel to host a meeting or small conference can take advantage of Williwaw’s offerings, including multiple rooms, a full bar, in-house sound and visual systems, and catering. Williwaw is smoke free and handicap accessible to make every guest feel welcome. w illiwawsocial.com

FORAKER

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

Photos by Peppercini’s

BEST CATERING Peppercini’s

Started in the University Center by brothers Jason and Jeremy Kimmel, Peppercini’s has been a staple in Anchorage since 2007. The beloved sandwich shop provides catering, lunch delivery, and take out orders—all of which include free delivery. Peppercini’s also provides charitable contributions to a number of Alaskan organizations. a laskadeli.com

DENALI

Sweet Caribou

Sweet Caribou is an Alaskan family-owned patisserie that strives to use high quality, often locally sourced ingredients. Sweet Caribou believes in top-shelf service for both its customers and community.

Always made from scratch, its catering efforts specialize in “show-stopping macaron towers” and artisan lunch bowls. s weetcaribou.com

ST. ELIAS

Main Event Catering

A mainstay of this Best of Alaska Business category, Main Event Catering boasts extensive catering options and a personal approach to meeting its clients' catering needs. With a mixture of set and customizable menu offerings, the hardworking and detailoriented staff at Main Event Catering will be sure to make any event one to remember. m aineventcateringak.com

FORAKER

www.akbizmag.com

Alaska Business

July 2020 | 45

Photos by Danny Kreilkamp

BEST BREWERY 49th State Brewing Company

Year after year, 49th State Brewing has been voted as your go-to place to grab a brew. award-winning food and array of draft beer. The brewpub’s rooftop patio offers scenic views of Cook Inlet and Mount Susitna, serving as a refreshing complement to its awardwinning food and array of draft beer. 49statebrewing.com

DENALI

King Street Brewing Company

Renowned for its wide-mouth cans of one of the finest IPAs in town, the brewery at King Street’s southside location is a spectacle—with more seating options and taps than you’ll know what to do with, you might have to grab a flight and try them all. If you need a snack, wander outside for an offering from one of their rotating food trucks. k ingstreetbrewing.com

ST. ELIAS

46 | July 2020

Matanuska Brewing Company

Matanuska Brewing Company’s wildly successful midtown and downtown brewpubs offer Anchorage residents a perfect opportunity to catch a game or listen to some live music. For Palmer residents, be sure to check out their brewing headquarters to see where the magic happens. m atanuskabrewingcompany.com

FORAKER

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

Danny Kreilkamp

BEST CANNABIS RETAILER Enlighten Alaska

Enlighten Alaska opened its doors in 2017, making it one of the first retail cannabis shops in Anchorage. The family-owned and –operated store says, “As a shop, we hold a strong belief in the positive, healing properties of cannabis… We view ourselves as stewards of the cannabis industry, and we take that responsibility very seriously.” e nlightenak.com

DENALI

Hollyweed 907

Hollyweed 907 launched in 2018 in Anchorage ST. ELIAS on 88th Avenue between Lake Otis and Abbott.

The store’s interior was designed by Wallace Swanson of LCG Lantech and “highlights a modern storefront environment complete with a viewing window into the state-of-the art kitchen which produces the in-house edibles and concentrates.” a khollyweed907.com

Dankorage

Dankorage is located in midtown Anchorage and is operated by life-long Alaskans who also own and operate The Fairbanks Cut in the Interior. “We've opened these stores to not only provide our customers with the best of the best, but to also support local business within our community… With seasoned BudMasters on staff, your cannabis questions are ALWAYS welcome!” d ankorage.com

FORAKER

THANK YOU FOR VOTING FOR BSI” Line 2: 2X St. Elias Award Winner for Commercial Real

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT Best of Alaska Business Commercial Real Estate Firm

LOCAL BROKERAGE STATEWIDE CONNECTIONS

Est. 1994 SPOTLIGHT NEWSLETTER

Contact us for a free consultation or to be added to our Newsletter

2019 &

3841 W. Dimond Blvd., Anchorage, Alaska 99502 • info@bsialaska.com www.akbizmag.com

Alaska Business

July 2020 | 47

BEST PIZZERIA Moose's Tooth

grafvision | Envato Elements

Anchorage’s Moose’s Tooth has become a veritable institution in Alaska’s culinary scene.

The popular shop is acclaimed nationwide for its plethora of pie selections and original craft beers. Visit its sister location, the Bear Tooth Theatrepub, for a wide range of entertainment options. m oosestooth.net

DENALI

Uncle Joe's Pizzeria

Uncle Joe’s combines a love for feels-like-home gourmet pizza with a respect for modern piemaking. Diners can choose an old-fashioned New York style crust, spent grain vegan wheat crust, or even a cauliflowerbased gluten-free crust. Uncle Joe’s also features favorites that include baked Italian subs, wings, entrée salads, and plenty of local beers. u nclejoespizzeria.com

ST. ELIAS

48 | July 2020

Pizza Man

Eagle River’s Pizza Man, with its unassuming stick figure logo, has been a local favorite for more than thirty-five years. The shop has earned a run of consecutive local awards and in 2015 earned Tripadvisor’s Certificate of Excellence. Pizza Man prides itself on a comfortable, casual dining experience that “combines the feeling of home and the tastes of Italy.” p izzamanak.com

FORAKER

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

Danny Kreilkamp

BEST FURNITURE STORE Bailey’s Furniture

Bailey’s is an iconic Alaskan-grown furniture seller with locations in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Soldotna, and Wasilla and roots stretching back to 1990.

The company says, “We built this store for our customers to enjoy the furniture buying process with no pressure or stress! Take your time, have fun, and enjoy the Bailey’s shopping experience!" b aileysfurniture.com

DENALI

Sadler’s Home Furnishings

Scan Home Furniture

Sadler’s got its start as a tiny store in Chugiak ST. ELIAS in 1972. Today it remains 100 percent Alaskanowned and is one of the largest home furniture retailers in the state. The company says, “We carefully listen to the needs of our customers… We continue to serve our customers just like they were our neighbors—because they are!” s adlers.com

www.akbizmag.com

Scan Home is the product of a dream to “bring moderately-priced disassembled contemporary Scandinavian furniture to the Alaska market,” that took its first steps in 1983. Today the retailer continues to operate in midtown Anchorage and says, “Everything that Scan Home carries is intended to be of ‘good value,’ whether it be some of our lower-priced merchandise or our higher-end exclusive styles.” s canhome.com

FORAKER

Alaska Business

July 2020 | 49

PIP

BEST PRINTER PIP

DENALI According to PIP, after forty years of operations, “We’re the go-to resource for businesses that want marketing, signs, and print expertise from a company who’s been an industry leader for decades.” In addition to signs, marketing, and printing, PIP provides mailing services, promotional products, and website design and data services from its Anchorage location. pip.com

Color Art Printing

Established on 7th Avenue in Anchorage in 1958, Color Art Printing has a “colorful history.” Despite many changes at the company and in the community over the past several decades, today it continues its commitment to provide Alaskans with “affordable, high-quality printing.”

According to the local printer, “Our success and growth has been the result of building business partnerships in Alaska and not just filling orders." colorartprinting.com

FORAKER

Great Originals, fondly nicknamed ‘Great Os’ by clients and vendors, has provided printing and mailing services to Alaskans for more than thirty years with the goal of being a “One Stop Print Shop” for individuals and businesses in the Alaska market and beyond. The company’s services include business cards, letterhead and envelopes, postcards and rack cards, wide format printing, and specialty items, including binding. greatoriginals.com

ST. ELIAS

50 | July 2020

Danny Kreilkamp

Great Originals

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

CELEBRATING 49 YEARS IN THE 49TH STATE.

to Alaska Business Magazine readers for naming BHBC “Best Law Firm” for 2020 Best of Alaska Business.

907-276-1550

www.bhbc-law.com Anchorage // Washington D.C.

Photos by Danny Kreilkamp

BEST FLORIST Bagoy’s Florist & Home

Employees at the vibrant, family-owned Bagoy’s are as welcoming as they are helpful.

The people at Bagoy’s are firm believers in their products, which they feel give recipients “a little infusion of life.”

Bagoy’s legacy shop has been serving the Anchorage community for nearly a century racking up award after award, year after year.

DENALI

bagoys.com

Uptown Blossoms

Uptown Blossoms is a full service florist operating in the Anchorage area that also offers shipping to Bush communities. Boasting an impressive average of 4.7 out of 5 stars on Yelp, Uptown Blossoms provides upscale and creative bouquets in addition to a variety of seasonal giftware and home accessories.

ST. ELIAS

uptownblossoms.net

Hummel’s Flowers

The owners of Hummel’s Flowers believe in preserving the environment while providing a “legendary” level of customer service to ensure customers keep coming back for all of life’s most special occasions.

Located on the corner of Fireweed and C Street in Anchorage, drop in Monday through Friday before 5 p.m. to appreciate the florists’ imaginative creations.

FORAKER

anchorage-ak-hummelsflowersinc.quickflora.com

52 | July 2020

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

Danny Kreilkamp

BEST PLACE TO WORK 1-250 EMPLOYEES PDC Engineers

Offering a comprehensive benefits package that includes tuition reimbursement and professional development support, 100 percent employeeowned PDC Engineers offers a range of services as varied as the professionals it employs: a mix of engineers, surveyors, planners, drafters, and environmental analysts. p dceng.com

DENALI

Altman, Rogers & Co.

ST. ELIAS Full service accounting and tax firm Altman, Rogers & Co. combines “the experience of a large firm with the personal attention that only a small firm can provide.” This expertise translates to employee development as well—providing the culture, resources, and support that shape the next generation of successful Alaskan professionals. a ltrogco.com

BEST PLACE TO WORK

Bean’s Café

With a mission to fight hunger and provide a platform for self-sufficiency, Bean’s Café draws on an inspiring number of volunteers in addition to its paid staff to serve the underserved. The local nonprofit is a shining example of positive change in the Anchorage community thanks to the hardworking people that keep this institution running. b eanscafe.org

FORAKER

GCI

GCI is no stranger to this Best of Alaska Business category. At GCI, employees are the company’s most valuable resource. The telecommunications giant is always looking to bring in “trailblazers”—people with a constant desire to elevate the experience—for sales and marketing, engineering, IT, and programming, among other sought after positions. g ci.com

ST. ELIAS

250+ EMPLOYEES

First National Bank Alaska

For the fifth year running, First National Bank Alaska takes home gold. The organization’s mission statement, which is now almost a century old, lists having a pleasant working environment for its employees at the forefront of its goals.

Board Chair and CEO Betsy Lawer describes this tenet as an “integral part of the bank’s culture.” f nbalaska.com

Credit Union 1

Credit Union 1’s employee benefits are myriad— not least for the progressive inclusion of paternity leave. Members of the not-for-profit credit union’s team are also eligible for special employee-only loan opportunities that include a clothing allowance, as well as interest rate discounts on consumer loans and closed-end real estate loans. c u1.org

FORAKER

First National Bank Alaska

DENALI

54 | July 2020

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

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Alaska529plan.com

Go online or call the number listed above to request a Plan Disclosure Document, which includes investment objectives, risks, fees, expenses, and other information. You should read the Plan Disclosure Document carefully before investing. | Offered by the Education Trust of Alaska. T. Rowe Price Investment Services, Inc., Distributor/Underwriter.

202004-1147810 Formerly the UA College Savings Plan.

BEST GYM The Alaska Club

As one of the most recognizable fitness brands in town, it should be no surprise to see The Alaska Club among this year’s batch of winners, voted as Alaska’s premier gym. Group fitness classes, top notch swimming facilities, and those oh-so-sweet locker rooms—The Alaska Club has “all parts of you” covered. t healaskaclub.com

The Alaska Club

DENALI

Body Renew Fitness

As they like to say, “It’s more than a membership, it’s a relationship.” Body Renew Fitness professionals pride themselves on offering personallytailored membership plans to help everyone reach their fitness goals. The gym also boasts an impressive collection of amenities that include state-of-the-art exercise equipment, tanning, weight loss programs, and nutritional counseling. b odyrenewalaska.com

FORAKER

Planet Fitness

Planet Fitness’ core goal has always been to create an environment that is as welcoming as it is affordable. With monthly memberships as low as $10 and personal trainers at your beck and call, starting or continuing your fitness journey at this international fitness giant is as safe a bet as any. p lanetfitness.com

ST. ELIAS

BEST CREATIVE/ DESIGN AGENCY

Sundog Media

Sundog Media specializes in web design and develops sites for clients in multiple industries.

Since its founding in 1996 “in a small garage next to our little 780-square-foot house in a small Anchorage, Alaska neighborhood,” Sundog has compiled a huge catalog of work for a team of six—all of whom work from home. sundogmedia.com

ST. ELIAS

Brilliant Media Strategies

56 | July 2020

Yuit Comms

According to the company, Yuit’s “holistic approach to communications is powered by partner-inspired collaboration.” As a result, creative flexibility allows the agency to design entire annual reports for Alaska Native corporations while also filming and implementing digital video advertisements for clients in the transportation and finance industries. goyuit.com

FORAKER

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

Brilliant Media Strategies

Operating since 1968, and formerly known as Bradley Reid, Brilliant Media Strategies produces creative marketing ideas across a wide spectrum of mediums—from print and video production to political campaign strategy. Brilliant’s decades-long portfolio has garnered the agency numerous awards, including multiple Emmys for its work with Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. rilliantak.com b

DENALI

Since 1977 Putting Alaskans Back to Work.

Alaska Executive Search - committed to finding the perfect work solutions for Alaskans for over 40 years! Through uncertain times, AES continues to support local businesses; offering highly qualified temporary and long-term employment solutions.

ALASKA EXECUTIVE SEARCH 821 N Street, Suite 201, Anchorage, AK 99501 907.276.5707 | akexec.com Thank you for your vote and continuous support!

BEST AIR CHARTER SERVICE Alaska Airlines

In addition to its well-known standard air passenger services, Alaska Airlines also offers chartered flights for large groups. Travelers can customize their itinerary, catering options, and departure from a standard terminal or private airport, as well as benefit from remote check-in and private TSA screening (as available), among other conveniences. a laskaair.com

DENALI

Rust’s Flying Service

Security Aviation

Security Aviation has been providing air services ST. ELIAS for more than three decades, transporting people and goods statewide, from time-sensitive materials to executives or non-critical medical patients. Security Aviation operates 24/7, and “with our extensive fleet, we offer more availability, flexibility, and versatility than ever before,” the company says. s ecurityaviation.biz

BEST AUTO MECHANIC

Family-owned and -operated, Rust’s is the largest and oldest Lake Hood seaplane operator. The company specializes in providing “the Alaska experience” to locals and Outside travelers looking for bear viewing, flight seeing, or “fly-in fishing” experiences. According to the airline, “Each Rust’s pilot is selected for a combination of experience, skill, and knowledge.” f lyrusts.com

FORAKER

Kendall Auto Alaska

Kendall Auto Alaska has service centers in Anchorage, Soldotna, Kenai, Wasilla, and Fairbanks, all of which are staffed with qualified technicians to meet the needs of any vehicle, no matter the make or model. The company offers complimentary shuttle services to drop off and pick up those with car service needs. kendallautoalaska.com

FORAKER

Big O’s Automotive provides “car services for all makes and models and for all types of car problems,” including alignments, engine and brake repair, and limited transmission services. Big O’s has been keeping Anchorage’s cars running since 1977 and is locally owned and operated with twelve technicians on staff. igoauto.com b

DENALI

Photos by Danny Kreilkamp

Big O’s Automotive

Continental Auto Group

Continental Auto Group operates several service centers in Anchorage and employs ASE certified, factory trained master technicians. The company keeps OEM Acura, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, and Volvo parts in stock “so we can complete your order or repair quickly and get you back on the road.” c ontinentalautogroup.com

ST. ELIAS

58 | July 2020

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

2020 BEST CORPORATE CITIZEN

E

ach year we ask you to tell us which companies you see making a positive difference in your community.

Whether through monetary contributions or the commitment of that oh-so-precious commodity of time, each of the companies nominated for this year’s Best Corporate Citizen award has gone out of its way to enrich the communities in which it operates.

We’ve included every company nominated in this year’s reader survey and highlighted three that really stood out in 2019 for their philanthropic efforts. To say 2020 has been a rough year is a gross understatement, but with each other’s support, and the continuing philanthropic efforts of companies like those published here, we’ll make it through to better days. In no particular order, here are this year’s Editor’s Choice picks for Best Corporate Citizen.

EDITOR’S

PICK

ConocoPhillips

For the second consecutive year ConocoPhillips received your vote (and ours) for Best Corporate Citizen. Over the past two decades ConocoPhillips has donated nearly $120 million in support of social services, education, civic, arts, environmental, and health and safety initiatives statewide.

EDITOR’S

MTA

EDITOR’S

Alaska Airlines

PICK

The MTA Foundation promotes technology awareness, economic development, and entrepreneurship through education and other activities in the MTA member service area. One of those activities is MTA’s e-gaming tournament and continued focus on community building. Nearly $30,000 was raised for the MTA Foundation during MTA’s 2019 e-gaming tournament.

PICK

49th State Brewing Ahtna Incorporated Alaska Communications Alaska Enterprise Solutions Alaska Executive Search Alaska Farmland Trust Alaska Lions Alaska Premier Auctions Alaska Railroad Alaska Regional Hospital Alaska Resource Education Alaska Small Business Development Center Alaska USA Altman, Rogers & Co Alyeska Pipeline Service Company Anchorage Community Theatre Arctic Chiropractic Rehab & Physical Therapy Arctic Slope Regional Corporation AT&T Alaska Avis Bear Tooth Theatrepub Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot BP Alaska Bridge Builders of Alaska Brilliant Media Strategies Caffe D'Arte Calista Cape Fox Corporation Carrs Safeway Construction Machinery Industrial Cook Inlet Tug & Barge Credit Union 1 Denali Brewing Company Design Alaska Dimond Center Hotel Doyon

DV3 Corp ExxonMobil Filipino Community Alaska First National Bank Alaska Franz Bakery Furniture Enterprises GCI Great Alaskan Bush Company Hames Corporation Hecla Greens Creek Hilcorp Home Instead Senior Care Homer Chamber of Commerce Hotel Captain Cook House of Bread Kawerak, Inc. Key Bank Kinross Fort Knox LONG Building Technologies Lynden Marsh & McLennan Agency Mat-Su Health Foundation Mat-Su Homebuilders Association Matson MobiBiz Marketing Moose’s Tooth MSI Communications NANA Nome Chamber of Commerce Northern Hospitality Group Northrim Bank Odom Corporation Oil Search Parker, Smith & Feek PDC Engineers Peak Trust Company

Perfectionist Auto Sound Polar Pediatrics Polar Wire Premier Electric Providence Alaska Quintillion RDI Rotary RSA Engineering Saltchuk Seeds of Change Seward Community Foundation Skinny Raven Sports Stellar Designs Subway of Alaska Sundog Media Tastee Freez The Alaska Club The Anchorage Chamber of Commerce The CIRI Foundation The Foraker Group Thompson & Co. Umialik Insurance Company Verizon Wells Fargo Yuit Comms

ConocoPhillips

Alaska Airlines strives to strengthen and support the communities its employees, neighbors, and guests call home. The airline generally partners with nonprofit organizations, providing in-kind donations and sponsorships focused on youth skill development, diversity and inclusion, environmental sustainability, and socioeconomic mobility. In April, the Alaska Airlines Foundation provided more than 896,000 meals through a donation of $200,000 to fourteen food banks in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii.

CORPORATE CITIZEN NOMINEES

60 | July 2020

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

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TOURISM

Virtual Visitors With the 2020 tourist season decimated, businesses look for new ways to serve customers

By Bailey Berg

The Anchorage Public Library The Anchorage Public Library has long offered programs for downloading books and streaming movies and music, applications that have become all the more vital in recent months.

“Everyone seems to want more,” says Community Engagement Coordinator

fizkes| iStock

F

irst come the shorebirds, congregating on the beaches of the Kenai Peninsula.

Then come the king salmon, returning en masse to the rivers where they were spawned.

Then—usually—come the tourists.

Last summer more than 2 million visitors were welcomed to the Land of the Midnight Sun. They toured and dined and experienced what makes Alaska what it is. And in doing so, they spent more than $2 billion. Oodles of companies (and entire towns) rely on a tourist presence. Like early homesteaders, businesses depend on summer's bounty to make it through the winter.

This year has seen innumerable changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, though one of the most profound has been a shift from life in a physical world to a digital one— across the globe businesses asked employees to work from home, schools went online, and shopping carts were found in the upper righthand corner of customers’ screens.

This shift has challenged Alaska businesses that rely on tourism groups and independent travelers. Across the state, businesses in every industry have had to find creative revenue streams. Many decided to look for ways to add value to the lives of those already here; Alaskans helping Alaskans through uncertain times.

Misty Rose Nesvick. “More books, more movies, more content.” At present, library card holders can check out ten items per month, up two from prepandemic policies, a move Nesvick says people appreciate enormously.

Some of the most sought after materials, Nesvick says, have been movies, audiobooks, and ebooks. But it’s not just folks looking to escape into a well-told narrative. It’s also been parents looking for materials for homeschooling and businesses seeking strategy and skill development, amongst numerous others.

The Anchorage Public Library’s website is a digital El Dorado—it has everything. And more. Right now, one of the library's biggest goals is to help locals sort through its treasure trove of online programs to make living in the new normal easier.

The online products function like apps. For example, Overdrive has the feel of a traditional library, where the librarians create and curate the content, and Hoopla operates on a Netflixlike model where content is added and removed by brand. Some other apps are geared toward movies and music, others teach languages or offer tutorials on a slew of topics. One of the programs that has seen a prodigious increase in traffic is LinkedIn Learning, which library members can access at no cost.

“Right now a lot of businesses are trying to figure out how to keep their people trained on the latest stuff while also trying to cut costs, so LinkedIn Learning is a great tool,” Nesvick says. “There’s a lot of things that the library can do to support the business community and their users.”

The main driver behind the library’s change in services hasn’t been so much to recreate but to adapt existing programs and to stress the localness of its programming.

Many of the new virtual programs play to the strengths of the various team members: The Youth Services Librarians launched virtual storytimes and the Virtual Librarian developed a How-To for people new to online programs.

“We know there’s a lot of content out there from libraries and non-libraries, so we want ours to be our people,” says Nesvick. “We know that folks are feeling www.akbizmag.com

really disconnected in general, so while it’s great to watch a celebrity read a story, it might be more reassuring to a child to watch our local librarians, the ones they’re used to seeing every Wednesday, connect with them.”

“That’s the strength of the library, being able to say, ‘This is how you figure out the information,’ not necessarily, ‘This item is fact because we say it is.’ It’s more about asking the question, giving people the tools, and figuring out how to make sense of it all.

It’s all about learning.”

Misty Rose Nesvick Community Engagement Coordinator Anchorage Public Library

Nesvick says the bulk of the feedback the organization has received is gratitude for finding a way to distribute content and help with a sense of normalcy.

“I got feedback from a healthcare worker who said her five-year-old daughter's world was turned upside down, but the fact that she could still go to storytime was one thing that could make things okay,” Nesvick says.

“And so that’s what we’re hearing from folks, that they’re just so appreciative that we’re continuing to do the work and to support them.”

While a strategic plan for the rest of the summer is in the works, it’s fairly Alaska Business

fluid. It’s hard to say now what greatest need the community will have in a few months; however, Anchorage Public Libraries is planning to help people learn technological skills and parents teach their kids from home.

This summer the library also hopes to roll out a web series for information literacy. It’ll cover how to recognize true facts, determine what’s reliable, and what makes a solid or poor source of information.

“That’s the strength of the library, being able to say, ‘This is how you figure out the information,’ not necessarily, ‘This item is fact because we say it is,’” Nesvick says. “It’s more about asking the question, giving people the tools, and figuring out how to make sense of it all. It’s all about learning.”

The Anchorage Museum That ethos is something The Anchorage Museum understands— people crave a deeper understanding of the world around them. It’s an ideal the organization was founded on and one it has continued to deliver, just through a different medium.

“We know that our mission doesn’t go away, nor do we want it to, during this time,” says Anchorage Museum Director Julie Decker. “Delivering content is what we do, so finding ways to do that over different platforms was a good reason to be creative.”

For the museum, it was important to create content that endures over time rather than materials that are reactive to the moment: work that adds value over the years and doesn’t just add to an oversaturated virtual world.

Finding a way to digitize the museum was paramount. Within days of widespread closures the museum had revamped its website with a section devoted to visiting the “Museum From Home.” There’s a page with a compilation of short videos about various featured artists and their work, another that teaches Dena’ina words, and one that provides resources for artists to continue to nurture and hone their craft, among others. Each day more pages are added, building out the digital museum until it mirrors the existing one.

“We’re trying to create a really immersive experience online that provides the same kind of value of an July 2020 | 63

in-person exhibition,” Decker says.

During the first few weeks of the hunker down order, the museum presented its first ever virtual only exhibition with artist Nicholas Galanin, designed online classes to discuss urban harvesting, held artist talks, and hosted a series of online concerts.

While the programs are geared toward locals, they've been viewed as far away as South Africa, Norway, and China.

“There are some moments when you feel like the world got smaller in a really beautiful way,” Decker says. “There is demand and engagement, and it’s been good to know that you can still have a very connected human experience, even with Zoom.”

In a normal year, the museum sees 200,000 visitors, nearly half of whom visit between May 15 and September 15. Significantly fewer attendees are expected this year and the bulk will be Alaskans. Finding fresh (but socially distant) ways to engage locals is driving much of the museum’s planned programming this summer. Decker says they’re trying to develop more outdoor programming, like painting classes spread across the vast lawn, outdoor films, and sound walks.

“We’re trying to use our natural world as an extension of our building,” Decker says. “We’ve done some of that before, but we want people to feel safe and secure, so we’re thinking about ways to offer programming both indoors and out.”

Decker thinks the museum is uniquely suited to weather the storm, saying, “Museums are creative places.

They're all about solving problems and connecting people.” She adds that her team is also incredibly determined.

“We’re a bunch of people that are very passionate about the mission. It’s a whole new way of thinking and doing, but I’ve seen the most heartening commitment to making sure we serve all our audiences.”

Visit Anchorage While the museum looks to serve its existing audience, Visit Anchorage is set to welcome a new one. During a normal year, Visit Anchorage would have spent the spring and early summer welcoming out-of-staters into the grass-roofed Visitor Information 64 | July 2020

Center in downtown Anchorage and fielding emails from travelers with imminent travel plans. But it isn’t normal. Instead, in mid-May the center sat locked and requests from hopeful tourists were looking toward a more far-flung future.

Visit Anchorage has two main audiences: visitors and the businesses who serve them. With most cruises and tours canceled this summer in response to COVID-19, the visitors group has pivoted away from marketing to Outside travelers and toward marketing to Alaskans.

“We know that our mission doesn’t go away, nor do we want it to, during this time.

Delivering content is what we do, so finding ways to do that over different platforms was a good reason to be creative.”

Julie Decker, Director, Anchorage Museum

“Right now we’re in the process of really planning how to showcase appealing activities for in-state visitors,” says Julie Saupe, Visit Anchorage president and CEO, adding that one of the biggest conversations amongst her team is how to best invite Alaskans from other parts of the state to Anchorage for staycations.

Recently, they’ve been working with their tourism partners to roll out discounts for Alaska residents, guides to Anchorage that make sense to someone who lives outside the metropolis (spoiler: they include Costco runs), and itineraries that are

amenable to distancing guidelines (calling on outdoor activities like hiking and visiting the Wildlife Conservation Center in Portage).

For the first time, Visit Anchorage will spend advertising funds within the state—usually it focuses attention on visitors from the Lower 48 and beyond.

Even so, Saupe says they’ve received a surprising number of requests for visitor’s guides.

“I’m hoping it’s a recognition that Alaska has these big, wild open spaces that I think people are craving,” Saupe says. “We’ve really changed a lot of our content to recognize how people may need to be inspired or entertained from home right now.”

Visit Anchorage is also devoting a large chunk of its time to corresponding virtually with meeting planners to discuss reasons why and how to plan a future convention in Anchorage.

“We’re working on how to best present ourselves digitally,” Saupe says. “In the past we invited meeting planners up here and we’ve toured them around Anchorage. Now we’re investing in new tools to do more digital proposals that are more interactive for meeting planners to engage with and learn about what Anchorage has to offer.”

Beyond its continued efforts to lure visitors near and far to Anchorage, the company is also working to be a beacon of guidance for its member businesses. In March and April Visit Anchorage developed an online toolkit for its constituents to help them navigate how to access stimulus funds and cope with closures. It’s not a part of Visit Anchorage’s core mission, but it’s now essential to keep the various ships in its armada afloat.

One of the elements that Saupe says has been most well received by its affiliates is a series of webinars published by Visit Anchorage ranging from marketing strategies and best practices for reopening to cleaning and sanitizing.

“When things go back to normal, we’ll be ready,” Saupe says.

While everyone is eager to get back to normal (or close to what normal used to look like), Alaska’s organizations are making the most of the opportunities they have now, helping people travel far and wide—digitally, at least.

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

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E N V I R O N M E N TA L

The Art of Arctic Negotiation Finding balance and identifying ‘who’s at the table’ is critical to development

By Isaac Stone Simonelli

C

rashing oil prices and banking investment policies that exclude many Arctic projects are changing the short-term and long-term landscape for development in the Arctic.

“Our Environmental and Social Risk Management framework and policies are a critical part of our due diligence requirements in sensitive industries such as oil and gas, mining, and consumer finance, and they help us identify, evaluate, and manage the environmental and social risks associated with our lending and investments,” Wells Fargo announced in a statement. “Wells Fargo does not directly finance oil and gas projects in the Arctic region, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)—part of a larger 2018 risk-based decision to forego participation in any projectspecific transaction in the region.”

Wells Fargo’s decision comes in the wake of JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs joining international institutes, such as Barclays and the Royal Bank of Scotland, refusing to fund exploration in the region.

Goldman Sachs made it clear that it would "decline any financing

66 | July 2020

transaction that directly supports new upstream Arctic oil exploration or development.”

The Arctic Battleground The Arctic has become a battleground between those pushing for the development of resource extraction projects and those fighting for environmental conservation, explains NANA Natural Resource Vice President Lance Miller.

“Whether it's a picture of a polar bear or mountains in the Brooks Range, the Arctic can elicit images of those last untouched places. Even though people may never even want to go there themselves, [they’d] like to know that it's possible. And I think it's been the feedback from society but also media,” Miller says. “Also, climate change impacts are seen more drastically in the Arctic... it’s a poster child for climate change.”

However, Miller points out that oil field and mineral resource development are driven by global consumer demand for the resources.

If there wasn’t a consumer and societal demand then such costly

projects would not be economically viable, he says.

“Profitability is key in these kinds of circumstances. At the end of the day, if oil prices are high enough and oil prospects are attractive enough, I’m sure that Alaska will find investment,” Mouhcine Guettabi, an economist with UAA’s Institute of Social and Economic Research, told Arctic Today in May. “If prospects become uneconomic, then that becomes a much bigger problem.”

Many Arctic stakeholders are searching for a balance between environmental conservation efforts and the economic boost that projects provide to Arctic communities.

Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat President Sayers Tuzroyluk says that striking a balance when looking toward the development of ANWR and NPR-A is vital.

“Responsible Arctic development provides job opportunities for communities and a revenue base for local municipal governments that allows them to deliver basic services, such as education, to their communities,” Tuzroyluk says. “Today,

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

having a home and providing for a family while continuing subsistence practices requires participation in the cash economy. Both jobs and municipal revenue provide the resources to practice subsistence more safely.”

A Seat at the Table Whether it’s an issue of ivory bans restricting materials for Native artists, whaling quotas impacting Native subsistence communities, or oil and gas opportunities in the region—affected Native groups deserve a seat at the table, Tuzroyluk says.

“Indigenous people are the original stewards, and leadership still comes from Gwich’in and Iñupiaq people who stand to be most impacted by decisions made about the Arctic,” Northern Alaska Environmental Center Program Director Lisa Baraff says. “Organizations like the Gwich’in Steering Committee, which was formed in 1988 to protect the birthing grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd from mounting threats by oil and gas, remains an international leader. Organizations like Sovereign Iñupiat for a Living Arctic formed to ensure that Iñupiat voices are not left out of decision making processes. What this looks like is a strong coalition of Native and non-Native voices working for a vibrant, healthy Arctic.”

Environmentalists and developers have a long history of speaking for Native groups in the Arctic, with environmentalists vowing to protect traditional lifestyles and developers vowing to provide much-needed economic opportunities. Baraff makes it clear that Native voices should not only be heard in the discussion about Arctic development but should be dominant.

In 2016, Tuzroyluk responded to a letter from more than 350 scientists sent to then-President Barack Obama urging him to “protect vital habitats in the Arctic Ocean” stating that “no new oil and gas leasing or exploration should be allowed in the Chukchi or Beaufort Seas” in the name of protecting Native groups.

“As protectors of our land and waters, we understand more than anyone the need for balance.

"Our Iñupiat culture and traditional lifestyles cannot be sustained without careful management of our natural resources, so it’s important that we www.akbizmag.com

“Indigenous people are the original stewards, and leadership still comes from Gwich’in and Iñupiaq people who stand to be most impacted by decisions made about the Arctic.”

Lisa Baraff, Program Director, Northern Alaska Environmental Center

take a measured approach to any development—onshore and offshore,” Tuzroyluk wrote. “At the same time, we cannot be expected to survive without a stable, fully-functional economy, and the region is heavily-reliant on revenues from oil and gas development.”

NANA, which received 2.2 million acres as part of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, relies on revenue and opportunities provided through its partnership with Teck in the development and operation of the Red Dog Mine in the Northwest Arctic Borough.

“Subsistence is prioritized as the

Alaska Business

highest and best use of our lands, and any development in the Arctic is done with an eye specifically towards protecting those resources. These lands also present an opportunity for responsible development that can benefit shareholders through dividends and jobs, as well as provide revenue for local municipal governments to deliver basic infrastructure that may not otherwise be feasible,” NANA Vice President of Lands Liz Cravalho says.

“The economic impacts of Red Dog are significant. Since operation began in 1989, the Red Dog Mine has paid $517 million to the state of Alaska in

July 2020 | 67

ANCs from the 70 percent sharing of the resource revenues,” Cravalho says. “NANA and Teck, through the Red Dog Mine, have two agreements with the Northwest Arctic Borough. These agreements are the basis for the payment in lieu of taxes and the village improvement fund.

Based on the current agreements, Red Dog Mine will pay a total of $18 million to $26 million to the borough annually.”

About 90 percent of the borough’s revenue comes from the Red Dog Mine.

“Throughout the Arctic, developers working with communities that include local indigenous populations need to consider the sustainability of the project alongside the economic viability of the project,” Cravalho says. “The AEC [Arctic Economic Council] highlighted five pillars for responsible resource development that a project and communities must consider, including human capital; built infrastructure to support the project; regulatory and permitting requirements; access to data and data sharing; and the overall economic viability of the project.”

The AEC’s Mineral Development in the Arctic report states that responsible resource development in the Arctic

“Profitability is key in these kinds of circumstances. At the end of the day, if oil prices are high enough and oil prospects are attractive enough, I’m sure that Alaska will find investment.”

Mouhcine Guettabi, Economist, ISER

Alaska mining license taxes and state corporate income taxes. Additionally, it has paid AIDEA nearly $600 million in toll fees, and through royalties to NANA, NANA has paid out $1.4 billion to other

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encompasses a comprehensive plan “to create sustainable economic benefits—consistent with the aspirations of the local Indigenous peoples—and to provide economic growth and long-term prosperity while protecting the environment.”

However, Baraff points out that even the language used in talking about development in the Arctic is loaded.

“Frankly, this term ‘responsible development’ has always bothered me. It is used by industry and politicians as a catch-all phrase to sugar coat development. It is not uncommon for project proponents to say, ‘Isn't it better to have this large scale development in Alaska where we have stringent regulations rather than in some foreign country that does not?’ while lobbying for and supporting rollbacks to the very laws and regulations and agencies responsible for the touted environmental checks and balances,” Baraff says.

Power of the Public Nonetheless, public feedback has had

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a significant impact on ConocoPhillips’ plans to develop its massive oil discovery on Alaska’s western North Slope.

ConocoPhillips abandoned plans to build a temporary island as a staging area as it moved infrastructure to the Willow site, located in the NPR-A, in response to public feedback.

“We wanted to take those concerns seriously and took the opportunity to try and find a way to get the support of the community for a different option to bring these modules to the North Slope,” Connor Dunn, ConocoPhillp’s development manager for the Willow project, told Alaska Public Media.

ConocoPhillips’ change in strategy to rely more heavily on ice roads to move infrastructure led the BLM to push back its final decision on the project.

“This is very indicative of how public comments can help shape best decisions,” Lesli Ellis-Wouters, a spokeswoman with BLM in Alaska, told Alaska Public Media.

However, Kuukpik Corporation President Joe Nukapigak made a request to extend the comment period on April 27 in a letter addressed

to Willow Project Manager Racheal Jones and Steve Moore of the Army Corps of Engineers.

“Climate change impacts are seen more drastically in the Arctic ... it’s a poster child for climate change.”

Lance Miller, Vice President of Natural Resources NANA

“Kuukpik NVN, the City, and Nuiqsut residents have spent nearly the entire public comment period responding to and dealing with a... threat to the community. It is simply not reasonable to ask the people of Nuiqsut to focus on oil and gas permitting when they have spent every single day of the comment period literally fearing for their lives

and those of their families and friends,” Nukapigak wrote.

“The Supplemental DEIS and permit application were released when Nuiqsut’s need to focus on a swift community response was at its peak.

People have been completely focused on protecting their health and that of their families and friends ever since.

Though the SEIS was released on March 19, we don’t believe anyone in Nuiqsut has had an opportunity to focus on it until the last week or two at best.

“In short, the comment periods have not served their legal or practical purposes of giving people time to review the documents and provide feedback.

Although a few people attended the ‘virtual public meetings’ (for what they were worth) and some may have had some time to review the documents themselves, we are not aware of any meaningful discussion within the community on the Supplemental DEIS or the 404 application.”

Despite the request, the public comment period for the alternative plan of heavier reliance on ice roads to move infrastructure in the Willow area ended

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July 2020 | 69

“Responsible Arctic development provides job opportunities for communities and a revenue base for local municipal governments that allows them to deliver basic services, such as education, to their communities… Today, having a home and providing for a family while continuing subsistence practices requires participation in the cash economy.

Both jobs and municipal revenue provide the resources to practice subsistence more safely.”

Sayers Tuzroyluk, President Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat

70 | July 2020

on May 4, Baraff notes.

The alternative plan was in response to concerns about the possible impacts the temporary island might have on fishing and other subsistence activities.

“All wildlife resources are important (whales, seals, walrus, caribou, ducks, geese, and fish) as a food source and [to] our culture. They define us as Iñupiat,” Tuzroyluk says.

Value and Values Baraff points out that there is also intrinsic value to wildlife in the region beyond being resources.

“Following ‘wildlife’ with ‘resources’ implies that wildlife is needed by someone or something to function effectively. Of course, there are elements to that from a human perspective and, for many, it takes ascribing value to justify protection,” Baraff says.

“There is inherent value in wildlife existing—and one could dive into ecological theories and the importance of healthy, unfragmented ecosystems to expound on that. Numerous mammals like caribou, polar bears, musk oxen, wolves, and others all call Arctic Alaska home (along with many that may not be considered as charismatic, like lemmings), as well as hundreds of species of migratory birds who travel from every corner of the planet to nest and breed in the Arctic in the summer months. Marine life (bowhead whales, beluga whales, and ice seals) health is also closely tied to what happens on land, as well as in nearshore waters. Many of these animals provide for the food security and cultural practice of Alaska Native peoples and hold deep spiritual and cultural meaning for many Native and non-Native people.”

Interactions between the industry and marine mammals, such as bowhead whales, are regulated by the Marine Mammal Protection Act through what are called “takes.” Alaska Oil and Gas Association (AOGA) President and CEO Kara Moriarty explains that she is currently working with Alaska Fish and Game on the next incidental take regulation petition on behalf of the entire oil and gas industry. The current one is set to expire mid-2021.

“A take is defined as anything that would change the normal activity of

a marine mammal,” Moriarty says. “So for example, you are a truck driving down the road and you see a polar bear coming. And the polar bear sees you and turns and goes the other way. That is considered a take.”

The petition is based on the amount of anticipated industrial activity and modeling to estimate the number of takes during the five-year period, Moriarty explains.

“That’s what we do as AOGA. Collectively, we get the data. We work with the industry. We work with the agency. We put the petition together. I mean, that's just one example of what we do,” Moriarty explains with regard to the association’s role in assisting in the responsible development of Alaska resources.

There are many organizations representing Arctic stakeholders, with the two high-level bodies being the Arctic Council and the US Arctic Research Commission.

“Two non-governmental entities that are important to consider are the AEC, which produced a paper on responsible mineral development in the Arctic, and the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC). The AEC comprises businesses from the circumpolar Arctic and works to promote development that happens with Arctic values,” Cravalho says.

“Inuit people are circumpolar, and ICC is an avenue for our communities to prioritize important issues including economic development and responsible development. ICC has shared the importance of ensuring development happens in ways that do not threaten Inuit food security but also promotes that responsible development can and should be led by Inuit communities.”

Cravalho also points to individual Arctic communities as stakeholders leading the charge for Arctic stewardship.

“Access to the Arctic is a challenge, and local communities are right there, experiencing the daily challenges and opportunities of the Arctic.

Residents in the Arctic have the most to lose and are specifically invested in understanding and finding unique solutions to ensure good stewardship that protects the environment and a way of life that exists in the far North,” Cravalho says.

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

The Arctic is the future What are we going to do with it?

Policy decisions made today will have a transformative impact on the Arctic of tomorrow. From monitoring new shipping routes and improving national security, to infrastructure that supports telecommunications and emergency response mechanisms – the eyes of the world are focused north. It’s our responsibility to speak up, unite as a region and as a state to fight for sound decisions that grow our economy and protect our traditional values.

Our voice. Our vision. voiceofthearcticinupiat.org @VOICE_Arctic

@VoiceoftheArctic

OIL & GAS

Oil in Alaska Contrasting oil operations on the Slope to the Lower 48

Julie Stricker

By Julie Stricker

W

hy does a company invest billions of dollars in a remote and frigid place thousands of miles from market and connected to the rest of the world solely by air and a skinny 400-mile dirt road?

For ConocoPhillips, the answer is simple.

“We produce oil here because that’s where the oil is,” says Natalie Lowman, director of communications for ConocoPhillips, Alaska’s largest oil and gas producer.

The company started operating on the Kenai Peninsula in the Swanson River fields and ran a liquefied natural gas plant in Nikiski until 2018. Today, its operations are all on the North Slope, where ConocoPhillips owns just over a third of the Prudhoe Bay Unit and 28.5 percent of TAPS. It also owns 94.5 percent of the Kuparuk River Field, the second-largest in North America, and owns the Alpine field entirely. The company is one of the largest holders of federal and state leases in Alaska.

But Alaska’s massive oil resources on the North Slope are inextricably tied to the region’s remoteness and extreme weather, which drive up exploration and production costs. A general rule of thumb is that it costs between $35 and $40 to produce a barrel of oil and get it to market, according to Kara Moriarty, president and CEO of the Alaska Oil and Gas Association.

“Transportation costs are around $9 of that $35,” she says.

And there’s only one way to get the oil to market: through the 800-mile-long pipeline to Valdez and then via oceangoing tankers. In 2019, an average of 490,366 barrels of oil traveled through the pipeline every day, about a quarter of its capacity, according to Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.

The pipeline, which went online in 1977, was designed to have a lifespan of thirty years. However, its owners— ConocoPhillips, BP (which is in the process of divesting its Alaska assets to Hilcorp), ExxonMobil, and Unocal—are studying ways to expand its life even as throughput falls, which could raise transportation costs even more.

In the Lower 48, production costs are similar, with shale oil somewhat more expensive. But Texas alone has more than two dozen refineries and a network www.akbizmag.com

of pipelines—in addition to easy access to roads, trucks, and boats—that makes transportation much more efficient.

And while fracking is a more expensive way to produce oil, those costs are coming down as well, Moriarty says.

Smaller operations in the Lower 48 are also more nimble. “They can ramp up and ramp down really fast. We don’t have that same capability. You need bigger fields and you need a bigger find and a bigger investment up front and then you expect that well to produce,” she says.

Operators in the Lower 48 may have hundreds of rigs, far more than on the North Slope. When COVID-19 hit, Lower 48 operators just shut down, losing 500,000 barrels a day of production, Moriarty says. While oil companies shuttered much of their exploration efforts on the North Slope, the producing wells are still active around the clock.

Infrastructure Simply operating on the North Slope is difficult, Lowman says. There is no

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“[Small oil operations in the Lower 48] can ramp up and ramp down really fast. We don’t have that same capability. You need bigger fields and you need a bigger find and a bigger investment up front and then you expect that well to produce.”

Kara Moriarty, President and CEO, AOGA

infrastructure other than what the oil companies have built.

“The location is remote, the climate is extreme, workers must be flown 600-plus miles from Anchorage to get to work,” she says. Once on the North Slope, most workers are on twoweek shifts, during which they live in company housing. Workers in North Dakota and Texas also frequently live in mancamps at remote fields. The biggest difference is that their personal truck is often parked right outside and they can get in it and go for a drive after their shift is over.

Alaska’s environmental regulations

are stringent, which adds to the cost, but are reflected in a culture of safety fostered within the oil companies and the relative lack of spills and accidents, despite the harsh environment.

The weather affects every aspect of life on the North Slope.

“Most equipment is special-built for sustained operations in subzero weather,” Lowman says. “Rigs are enclosed and oil processing facilities are in buildings to allow operation in the continuous subzero temperatures experienced in the winter time. Blowing snow closes road transportation for days at a time in the winter.

FROM HERE TO THERE? NO PROBLEM.

“The supply chain is long and costly and requires significant upfront planning to make sure equipment is onsite when needed. At -35°F, all outside work shuts down. For structures exposed to cold, low temp steel is required.”

Exploration Most exploration on the North Slope can only be done in the winter, Lowman says.

“Since there are no roads beyond those needed to operate the existing fields, ice roads and pads are constructed in the winter and wells are drilled from the ice pads,” she says.

Don’t be Left out Be sure your company listing is included in our industry directories and the annual Power List.

To request a survey for your industry or update company information please contact Emily. (emily@akbizmag.com)

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akbizmag.com 74 | July 2020

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TAPS just north of the Yukon River.

Julie Stricker

“Most equipment is special-built for sustained operations in subzero weather… Rigs are enclosed and oil processing facilities are in buildings to allow operation in the continuous subzero temperatures experienced in the winter time.”

Natalie Lowman, Director of Communications, ConocoPhillips

76 | July 2020

“The ice roads and pads cost tens of millions of dollars to construct—and melt every summer.”

Seismic studies are also conducted in the winter to avoid damage to the sensitive tundra. North Slope winters are brutal, with temperatures hovering well below zero most of the season and wind chills that can cause dips to -100°F. The sun stays below the horizon for weeks.

Last winter, ConocoPhillips built about 160 miles of ice roads, Lowman says.

“There is a short window in which to execute an exploration work program,” she explains. “Ice roads open in January and typically close in late April, so the window of opportunity to get the work done is just three months, depending on weather.”

In the Lower 48, by contrast, exploration can be done year-round.

Another major difference is land ownership. Most of Alaska’s oil fields are on state and federal land and require extensive and expensive permitting. Oil companies spend millions of dollars acquiring leases.

In North Dakota, for instance, the state’s first oil field was discovered in a farmer’s wheat field by “wildcat” drillers in 1951. That was the first well in the Williston Basin, although it, too, was delayed by several blizzards, according to the American Oil & Gas Historical Society.

The earliest wells in the Bakken shale formation, thought to be the second largest domestic oil resource after Prudhoe Bay, were drilled on another farm about five miles away two years later.

Technology In both Alaska and the Lower 48, advances in drilling technology have been a boon. The methods of fracking and horizontal drilling have boosted production.

For the Bakken shale formation, traditional vertical wells weren’t the answer. A shale formation is “conventional, light-sweet crude oil trapped 10,000 feet below the surface within shale rock,” according to the Energy Policy Research Foundation.

In the formation, a layer of oil-bearing sandstone is sandwiched between two layers of shale.

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“The threat of increased production taxes is on the table virtually every year, and this creates uncertainty for oil companies in planning their future investments… If the ballot measure passes, it will result in a significant tax increase on the Prudhoe, Kuparuk, and Alpine fields, even at these low prices. This will put a brake on future investment and stall recovery of work activity on the North Slope.”

Natalie Lowman, Director of Communications, ConocoPhillips

Horizontal drilling techniques were developed in the 1980s. Bakken yielded its oil through a combination of horizontal drilling and fracking, the practice of injecting liquid at high pressure into the rock to open oilbearing fissures. The US Geological Survey estimates the formation to contain up to 11.4 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil, although some estimates are far higher.

In Alaska, this spring ConocoPhillips was preparing to deploy a massive extended reach drilling rig dubbed “The Beast,” also known as Doyon 26, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most North Slope operations except for wells in production. Doyon 26 can reach 35,000 feet horizontally, which would allow it to drill wells in a 125 square mile area from one surface pad.

“Developing oil from the North Slope’s legacy fields and new satellite fields has become increasingly challenging, capital-intensive, and technology driven,” Lowman says.

“In addition, our ongoing efforts to renew aging facilities and pipeline infrastructure in order to ensure longterm safety and operational reliability will continue to require significant capital investment.”

The lack of infrastructure outside core developed areas also makes exploration of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska challenging.

“New processing plants, roads, gathering lines, living quarters, airstrips, drill sites, and pipelines are required to develop remote fields like Willow,” she says.

Everything on the North Slope, from 78 | July 2020

drills and pipes to coffee and cookies, must be shipped in.

“There are no grocery stores or big box stores on the North Slope,” Lowman says. “Day to day supplies like groceries have to be trucked or flown between Anchorage and/or Fairbanks to Deadhorse and fields beyond, adding hundreds of miles and significant cost to transportation logistics.”

are transported to the North Slope on seagoing barges and then moved by land to their sites.

“The sealift of barges can only be done during a short window in the summer, which adds complexity to the logistics and construction planning,” Lowman says. “If a sealift window is missed, the project could be delayed by a year.”

Taxes

A truck heads south along the 414-mile Dalton Highway on a sunny May afternoon.

Julie Stricker

Some fields, such as Alpine, are not connected to the road system. Except during the few months of the winter when an ice road is built to connect Alpine to Kuparuk, all supplies must be flown in. When the ice road is in, however, more than 1,500 truckloads of supplies and equipment are moved to Alpine.

Some oil processing facilities can also be trucked in, but the larger ones

Moriarty has been with AOGA for fifteen years, and she says a ballot initiative that is planned for this fall is the fifth initiative dealing with Alaska’s oil tax structure.

“Honestly, I think it’s probably one of the most dangerous yet,” she says. It would force a 150 to 300 percent rise in production taxes, as well as change the way companies can calculate deductions. It also would in effect make the records of any business working in the oil fields—whether it’s an oil company, supplier, or trucking company—a matter of public record.

A constantly changing tax regime makes it even more difficult for Alaska’s oil producers, Lowman says.

“The threat of increased production taxes is on the table virtually every year, and this creates uncertainty for oil companies in planning their future investments,” she says. “If the ballot measure passes, it will result in a significant tax increase on the Prudhoe, Kuparuk, and Alpine fields, even at these low prices. This will put a brake on future investment and stall recovery of work activity on the North Slope.”

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

Alaska’s Oil & Gas Consultants Geoscience Engineering Operations Project Management

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3601 C Street, Suite 1424 Anchorage, AK 99503

CONSTRUCTION

Breaking Frozen Ground How general contractors tackle the hurdles of building homes in the Interior

Clark James Mishler | Alaska Stock

By Isaac Stone Simonelli

80 | July 2020

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

R

esidential construction in Alaska runs on the same seasonal boomand-bust cycle that dictates work in many sectors of the Last Frontier.

Deep, cold winters can leave the dirt too hard and cold to break ground until May, resulting in short seasons for general contractors preparing to build new homes before winter sets in again.

“We have a really challenging building season with limits to the amount of time you’ve got to build a house,” Chad Wilson from Wilson & Wilson says. “We’ve got such a short window. I mean, one minute, there’s snow on the ground, the next it’s 80°F.” Unless a general contractor is doing what is known as “speculation work” in which the builder constructs the house before it has a buyer—also sometimes referred to as tract homes—the work and challenges presented when building a home in the Fairbanks-area can be daunting, from a moose walking through the construction site to lengthy delays for specific items or fixtures.

“I tell clients that if it is a stock item that we need, we need to act now. If it is on that shelf, it may not be for long.

With everyone building at the same time, supplies move fast. With being in the Last Frontier, it is rather difficult to get [certain items] without major delays and added expenses,” Wilson says.

When something isn’t readily available, it can be special ordered. However, Wilson points out that special orders often take more time than expected, which can have a significant impact on a project already being pushed out on a tight timeline.

“When homeowners or clients change their mind after everything is planned out, getting that product on site is a challenge in itself, while trying to keep a schedule and not create other delays in the process,” Wilson explains.

Planning Ahead The process of building a new home in Alaska starts with a piece of property— or a general contractor.

“We either go out, find a piece of property with them, or they own a piece of property and say this is what we have, and we help turn a dream into a reality,” Wilson says. “If they don't have a set of plans, I've got an architect that I work closely with. Some bring us what we need and others ask for our help.” www.akbizmag.com

“If you’re planning on building a home, you need to be thinking about breaking ground a year ahead of time. You need to secure a general contractor at least by wintertime, if not sooner.”

Carrie Martyn, Co-owner, SQC General Contractors

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“There’s tons of work to be done but only a limited number of subcontractors that a general contractor can tap for specialty jobs or for when they’re overbooked and in a pinch. You want to keep your sub on your good side.

Great generals have great subs.”

Chad Wilson, Owner, Wilson & Wilson

Carrie Martyn, a co-owner of SQC General Contractors, points out that securing a general contractor well ahead of time is essential as there’s nearly always more work to do than the building season will allow.

“If you’re planning on building a home, you need to be thinking about breaking ground a year ahead of time.

You need to secure a general contractor at least by wintertime, if not sooner,” Martyn says.

By breakup, it becomes difficult to find general contractors who aren’t already booked. Part of this is due to many general contractors only having so much time in the day and so many days in the summer, Wilson says.

“When a customer is in a hurry, they can make the wrong choice with the wrong general contractor,” says Sam Levchenko, co-owner of SQC Contractors. “You need to be very careful to hire a reputable contractor who is licensed and legit, someone you can work well with— we hear a bunch of horror stories here in town.”

SQC Contractors is a relatively new

company in the Interior, established about three years ago, Levchenko explains. He and Martyn are bidding on a couple of new home contracts this season. Though Levchenko has been the general contractor for new home builds in the past, if won, these will be the first with the company, which has been focused on home renovation projects.

Levchenko and Martyn explain that they are making headway in the market by focusing on communication with clients.

“Building a home is a process; we have found that very close communication with the customer is key—listening to the customer and involving them in every step of that process,” Levchenko says, pointing out that people want a general contractor who can quickly deliver bad news just as readily as good news.

When someone doesn’t already have a plot of land chosen, Wilson says sometimes a client will reach out to see if his team already has a plot or a house ready to go.

“And, they’ll say, ‘Oh, I like that area,

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let’s go visit the lot.' And if they like the lot, then we’ll show them the set of plans we were going to build on that lot or they bring us a set of plans to see if we can accommodate them with said lot,” Wilson says.

Speculation builders usually have a handful of house plan layouts from which clients can choose and then tweak the design—choosing fixtures, paint colors, and flooring. Though Wilson & Wilson specializes in custom homes, they do occasionally build a speculation home.

In that situation, Wilson hopes to have the home already framed up before letting prospects in to see the property to give them a visual of the house. Many times it seems different when walls are up than when it’s all drawn out on paper, Wilson says.

Framing at a new residential construction project. photovs | iStock

of this step is subject to change ever y year.

“It all depends on the weather. We’ve had a crazy, cold winter this year; it just lasted so much longer than normal,” Wilson says. “I’ve had times where April 1 comes and I’ve had nothing on the ground, and I’ve had some years where guys would have already been pouring

From the Ground Up Once contracts are settled, floor plans nailed down, and subcontractors lined up, the first major step in building a new home is breaking ground—and the timing

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The difficulties of starting a build after a long, cold winter don’t stop with hard ground. Wilson says that in these situations clients should plan to significantly increase their budget to pay for equipment wear and tear from chipping through the ice or for the cost associated with thawing the

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ground enough for earthmovers to get the job done.

“Road restrictions are a big thing, too. There will be a day where it’s 78°F and I’ve got homeowners asking, ‘Hey, how come we don’t get to do any dirt work?’ and ‘Why can’t we bring any machinery or pitrun onsite out there to start with the foundation?” Wilson says.

Early in the season, road restrictions are applied to trucks and truckloads to prevent them from doing significant damage to the thawing road system in the Interior, Wilson explains.

“If road restrictions are 50 percent, 70 percent, or 100 percent, we are limited to putting weight in a truck. I mean, if you really want to spend money we can do it by making multiple small loads, but in residential construction, there’s no money for that,” Wilson says.

Wilson notes that while there is plenty of demand for new homes in the Interior, the way construction is done is different, making it harder for new people to break into the residential sector.

“We do our foundations differently; we put foam underneath them. A lot of it is just planning on expansion and contraction with doors, windows, and siding,” Wilson says.

“The way we frame is another example. A lot of guys in the [Lower 48] frame 16 inches on center—we do it at 24 inches on center. Structurally, it’s just as good but you can add more insulation.”

Wilson says that when manufacturers say a product is rated for colder temperatures they usually mean it is designed to handle -20°F to -25°F, rather than the -45°F often experienced during Fairbanks’ intense winters.

Double-wall framing is also more common in the Interior than the Lower 48 as yet another way to protect a home from frigid winters, Wilson adds.

With the foundation and framing taken care of, Wilson says that he then brings in plumbing, electrical, and mechanical subcontractors, scheduling them so they don’t interfere with each others’ work when possible.

Because there are more lucrative contracts in the region, general contractors need to build strong relationships with their specialty subcontractors, to avoid timelines collapsing around them, Wilson says.

84 | July 2020

“There’s tons of work to be done but only a limited number of subcontractors that a general contractor can tap for specialty jobs or for when they’re overbooked and in a pinch,” Wilson says. “You want to keep your sub on your good side. Great generals have great subs.”

“I love talking to my clients.

And one thing I love about what I do so much is I get to turn people's dreams into realities. It's a lot of fun. The challenging part is balancing out all the work in the summer timeline. Fairbanks and the surrounding areas are amazing in the summer.

We have the best summers in the state. Making time to enjoy it with family and friends as well as keeping the ball moving forward makes for a fun balancing act.”

Chad Wilson, Owner, Wilson & Wilson

Though much is done to provide additional insulation for a home in the Interior, Wilson warns of over insulating, as well.

“Too much insulation can backfire on people because they can end up with mold issues if they don’t have airflow,” Wilson says. “You can make it so tight that it’s like a petri dish, but you’ve got to have that airflow so that all that inside air is getting pushed

out so that you’re constantly getting fresh air. Also, the dew point is very important to its relation to where it is. There is a science to building in cold climates. What works in the states doesn't always work here.”

Levchenko agrees, citing proper winterization and ventilation as one of the primary challenges residential contractors have to overcome that even those in Anchorage don’t have to deal with very often.

“There’s a whole codebook for just Interior Alaska. When building new homes or reconstructing some part of a home, it’s really critical that that step is not being overlooked,” Levchenko says.

Though there’s a lot to be done during the short building season in the Interior, the long days make it possible, Wilson says, noting that sometimes he puts in 16-plus hour days between several build sites.

“We’ve got so much daylight and there’s not a lot of noise ordinance— because you want to be respectful of your neighbors—if you’re building out in the middle of nowhere, you will be working until midnight without worrying about a lighting plan,” Wilson says. “It doesn't get dark out in the summer so you can work around the clock; you can start early and work as long as you like.”

Of course, long days in a short season can lead to significant overtime, which impacts project budgets.

By the end of the season, the challenges faced by residential general contractors in the Interior are myriad.

With additional costs and timeline setbacks quickly taking their toll on a company’s bottom line.

“There's a lot of soft costs that we absorb,” Wilson explains, before pointing out that it’s all worth it for him.

“I love talking to my clients. And, one thing I love about what I do so much is I get to turn people's dreams into realities. It's a lot of fun,” Wilson admits. “The challenging part is balancing out all the work in the summer timeline. Fairbanks and the surrounding areas are amazing in the summer. We have the best summers in the state. Making time to enjoy it with family and friends as well as keeping the ball moving forward makes for a fun balancing act.”

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

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A L A S K A N AT I V E

The Real Results of Real Estate

Local facilities and diverse business lines generate revenue for Alaska Native corporations

By Samantha Davenport

T

he Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act granted Alaska Native corporations two significant assets: cash (in compensation for land lost) and land. With those assets, the Alaska Native regional, village, and urban corporations were tasked to provide for their shareholders—how they did so was left up to them. While the money was an immediate necessity, the majority of Alaska Native corporations have found enduring success through leveraging their lands, and for some that's taken the form of real estate investment or services.

Alaska Native corporations have invested in a wide range of real estaterelated lines of business—from tourism infrastructure and retail centers to real estate investment and management.

Below is compiled, by region, a sampling of the many ways that Alaska Native corporations have invested to the benefit of their shareholders and their regions.

Kodiak and Southeast Koniag Inc., a regional corporation headquartered in Kodiak, represents Alaska Natives living from the Sturgeon River Basin in southwest Kodiak Island to the northern peninsulas of Afognak Island. The Native corporation has 86 | July 2020

operations in a number of business sectors, two of which are real estate services and tourism.

Koniag’s subsidiaries include the Kodiak Brown Bear Center and Karluk River Cabins. The Kodiak Brown Bear Center is located on Karluk Lake in the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, and the cabins sit along the Karluk River.

Koniag subsidiary Nunat Holdings oversees the corporation’s real estate portfolio.

“Our holdings are growing, with a risk mitigation strategy that emphasizes portfolio diversification,” the company says. “Our real estate investments are located across the country, but primarily in the west with properties in Alaska, Washington, California, Idaho, Arizona, Texas, and Nevada.”

Near Kodiak, village corporation Afognak (which owns and manages 248,000 acres of land in the Kodiak Archipelago) owns and operates the Afognak Center, a waterfront meeting and convention venue on Near Island.

The 3,300-square-foot facility hosts conventions, meetings, receptions, and special occasion events, providing panoramic views of Barometer Mountain and the Saint Paul and Saint Herman Harbors.

In Southeast, Cape Fox Corporation represents the Tlingit Alaska Natives

from the village of Saxman. For the first three decades the corporation was in operation, revenue was generated from timber harvesting. But as the timber industry declined, Cape Fox adapted to create new revenue streams.

“We changed our business focus to hospitality and tourism, real estate, and federal contracting. [Cape Fox Corporation] now has several successful, thriving commercial businesses and a growing federal contracting group,” according to the company.

For example, Cape Fox Corporation’s Ketchikan Title Agency has been in business in Southeast Alaska for more than forty years offering title insurance and property analysis, as well as full-ser vice escrow closings and courtesy signings.

The village corporation also owns the seventy-two-room Cape Fox Lodge in Ketchikan. The hotel has been in operation for thirty years and is one of Cape Fox Corporation’s largest commercial group subsidiaries.

It features the Heen Kahidi Restaurant, Sweet Mermaids café, and Raven’s Brew Coffee. Cape Fox Corporation opened the Bar Harbor Ale House in March in Ketchikan.

Cape Fox Corporation also owns and operates the George Inlet Cannery. The

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

cannery opened more than a century ago in 1913 and continued operations until 1958, sustaining the Ketchikan community during its lifetime. With the help of Allen Marine Tours, the corporation offers tours of the cannery during peak-tourist season.

Cape Fox Corporation isn’t the only Native corporation to invest in canneries, though others generally invest for more traditional cannery-related activities.

Chugach Alaska Corporation—a regional corporation that represents Aleut, Eskimo, and Indian shareholders in the communities of Cordova, Seward, Valdez, Port Graham, Chenega, English Bay, and Tatitlek—purchased the Orca and Morpac Canneries in 1978 and formed Chugach Alaska Fisheries.

Eleven years later in 1989, Chugach Alaska Corporation also purchased Uganik Cannery on Kodiak Island.

Southcentral Chugach Alaska Corporation’s largest revenue streams come from federal government contracting and oil and gas services, but real estate provides diversity for the corporation.

www.akbizmag.com

Its portfolio features BlackSand Capital Fund I—a real estate fund based in Hawaii—and Records Warehouse, a rental storage facility in Anchorage. The corporation is also a minority partner in Class A office buildings at the JL Tower in Anchorage, as well as at the Centerpoint West office building in Anchorage.

“Chugach’s real estate portfolio includes investments in funds or companies that own and manage land or buildings for profit,” according to the company. “We target real estate investment opportunities that offer stable, growing returns and consistent cash flow.”

In Anchorage, Cook Inlet Region, Inc.’s (CIRI’s) portfolio features businesses in energy and infrastructure, oil field services, government services, private equity and venture funds, technology services, investment securities, land and natural resources, and real estate.

“Commercial real estate is a core strength of CIRI’s business portfolio,” the company says. “CIRI owns, manages, and invests in significant commercial and residential real estate

Alaska Business

developments in Alaska, Arizona, California, Texas, and Hawaii.”

CIRI Land Development Company manages the corporation’s real estate holdings, one of which is Tikahtnu Commons, a 900,000-square-foot real estate project in Anchorage developed in partnership with Browman Development Co. in 2007.

The entertainment and retail center features restaurants, movie theatres, and dozens of other storefronts.

More than ten years after Tikahtnu Commons was built, it continues to grow, both in stores and popularity.

Popular chain restaurant Raising Cane’s opened its first Alaska location at the retail center in 2019.

CIRI owns the Fireweed Business Center in Anchorage, an eight-story, 110,000-square-foot building with a first-floor conference room that can fit more than 100 guests. In addition, the space has a third-floor deck for socializing and entertaining, as well as dynamic windows that automatically tint to reduce glare and increase energy efficiency.

CIRI is also developing a 22-acre

July 2020 | 87

office and retail site at 11000 C Street in South Anchorage. Phase one of the project has been completed, which features five buildings—one of which is a 40,000-square-foot office building that houses Doyon and many of its businesses. “[Phase two] will include the remaining 9 acres, which is located on the north end of the development. This space is ideally situated for a variety of commercial or light industrial uses, as it is near to the O’Malley Road and C Street transportation corridors,” according to CIRI. Eklutna, Inc. is an urban corporation and the largest private landowner in Anchorage, managing 90,000 acres within the municipality, including Eagle River, Birchwood, Chugiak, Peters Creek, and Eklutna. Established in 2013, wholly-owned subsidiary Eklutna Real Estate Services provides real estate services to third-party clients, including property management, maintenance, and repairs; budgeting, accounting, and reporting; marketing and leasing; property tax appeal services; real estate consulting; vendor contract and lease administration; and fire, life, and safety administration.

Eklutna owns the Arctic Office Building, the Office Depot building on 5th Avenue, and the FBI Annex in Anchorage and Artillery Park (which houses two Eklutna subsidiaries as well as Odd Man Rush Brewing, Pacific Rim Athletes, and Groomingdales K9 Design) and the Birchwood Industrial park in Eagle River, among other properties.

Out West and Up North West of Southcentral, Calista Corporation is the regional corporation for the Calista Region, featuring fifty-six villages along the Bering Sea Coast and the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers. Calista has more than thirty subsidiary companies, three of which are in real estate.

Aulukista specializes in retail, industrial, and commercial real estate for properties in Alabama, Oregon, and Washington. Calista Real Estate works specifically in single family housing, retail, industrial, and commercial real estate in Arizona, Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. It owns the STG building 88 | July 2020

in Anchorage, which acts as a steel and concrete office. It also owns the Nome Tent, a 7,000-squarefoot dome in Nome. Its third real estate subsidiary, Tunista, works with commercial real estate properties in both Arizona and Alaska. Tunista subsidiary Yungcarvik owns the building that houses the State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, as well as the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development in Bethel.

In the Bering Sea region, Tanadgusix Corporation (TDX) is the village corporation for the village of St. Paul on St. Paul Island. According to the company, “For thousands of years, Alaska’s Aleut people have cherished a tradition of welcoming visitors and providing them with a home away from home. We bring this ancient belief in hospitality to our customerservice businesses.”

The TDX Hospitality Group owns and operates hotels, restaurants, and parking facilities in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, including the Coast International Inn on Lake Hood and Alaska Park, a valet parking service, at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. It also owns the Paramount Hotel, located in downtown Seattle.

In the Bristol Bay region, Choggiung is the largest village corporation, with operations in fire protection services, gravel and rock sales, land leasing, government contracting, restaurant and hotel operations, and commercial and residential leasing. Wholly-owned subsidiary Choggiung Investment Company provides commercial leases, operates eight residential apartment buildings, and rents storage space. The company also provides administrative support and maintenance services to its subsidiary, Quvaq, which does business as the Bristol Inn and Bayside Diner.

In Dillingham, Choggiung Investment Company holds titles to several commercial buildings, in which it leases space to federal and state agencies, as well as local entities. Its residential properties are also in Dillingham. The company’s storage facilities offer outdoor storage for 20-foot or 40-foot containers and vehicles, boats, or

trailers at a storage yard located off Kanakanak Highway, as well as indoor boat storage.

Moving north, Doyon, Limited’s family of companies includes businesses in oil and gas, government contracting, natural resources development, and tourism. In terms of real estate, Doyon owns Kantishna Roadhouse, a full-service lodge in Denali National Park. In addition, the regional corporation also operates Kantishna Wilderness Trails, which services tourists in and out of Denali National Park via bus.

“Doyon/ARAMARK Joint Venture is the authorized concessioner for the various tours, activities, and other services offered within Denali National Park and Preserve,” the company says.

Sitnasuak Native Corporation (SNC) is the village corporation for Nome; its wholly-owned subsidiary Nanuaq Development owns and operates residential and commercial real estate, including apartment units in Nome and the Nome Anvil City Station, Nome Sitnasuak downtown office building, Nome Sitnasuak heavy equipment and mechanic shop, and storage and parking facilities.

Even further north, there are eight villages represented by Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC): Point Hope, Point Lay, Wainwright, Atqasuk, Utqiaġvik, Nuiqsut, Anaktuvuk Pass, and Kaktovik.

Today ASRC is known for its role in the oil and gas industr y, and is the state’s largest Alaskan - owned company if ranked by revenue. But t wo of its first business ventures— still operating today—are real estate -related: Eskimos Inc. is a fuel and automotive par ts distributor that operates a power spor ts retail store in Utqiaġvik and Tundra Tours owns and operates the Top of the World Hotel in addition to providing tours. According to the company, “ASRC’s goal in creating these businesses was to provide jobs and ser vices to shareholders.”

This goal is shared among all the Alaska Native corporations that continue to invest abroad and in their own communities to build and operate the real estate that best serves their shareholders and descendants.

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

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INSIDE ALASKA BUSINESS AEDC The Anchorage Economic Development Corporation released the results of its COVID-19 Business Impact Survey, which ran April 1423; the second round of findings contained some unsettling numbers.

Of the roughly 250 respondents, more than 1 in 5 claimed they were unsure whether their business would remain open or closed following the COVID-19 lockdown; however, and more encouragingly, 62 percent responded they were confident that their business will remain open. aedcweb.com

Alaska Airlines Picking up where RavnAir left off, Alaska Airlines began offering yearround services to Western Alaska and the Aleutians in May, with passenger service between Anchorage and Cold Bay on Wednesday and Friday; Anchorage and Dillingham on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; and Anchorage and King Salmon on Tuesday and Thursday. alaskaair.com

Office of the Governor | REAP With Governor Mike Dunleavy’s signature, Senate Bill 123 allows for the creation of an electric reliability organization (ERO) for the Railbelt region. Lower electricity costs and increased utility efficiency are two expected effects of the new partnership. The ERO is also expected to increase renewable energy development, with the Renewable Energy Alaska Project being a major proponent of the bill. “Efforts to reform the Railbelt electric grid to improve coordination and efficiency

among the six utilities is something people have been trying to do for several decades. This is a major win for everyone,” says Chris Rose, REAP executive director. gov.alaska.gov alaskarenewableenergy.org

Permanent Fund Dividend Division Governor Mike Dunleavy announced that Alaskans will see their PFD payment distributed July 1. Efforts to expedite PFD payments are in response to the devastating economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 671,364 applications received, the PFD Division estimates nearly 600,000 Alaskans are expected to receive payment on July 1. Following this initial payment, the division will disburse the remaining payments monthly until all eligible applications are paid. pfd.alaska.gov

PDC | RESPEC Inc. PDC Engineers has been acquired

by RESPEC Inc. of Rapid City, South Dakota. PDC is an infrastructure design firm focused on facilities, utilities, transportation, and land development services; RESPEC specializes in geoscience, engineering, data, and integrated technology solutions. PDC President Matt Emerson is excited about RESPEC’s “complementary knowhow” and expanding PDC’s services in and outside of Alaska. pdceng.com|respec.com

DMV The Anchorage Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is relocating to the

University Center. The new midtown location is expected to improve the customer experience, with a goal of getting customers “in and out in less than thirty minutes for most transactions,” according to Deputy Director Jenna Wamsganz. The DMV’s new location opens Monday, August 3. doa.alaska.gov

Alaska State Fair CEO Jerome Hertel announced the cancellation of the 2020 Alaska State Fair. The decision was made amidst continued uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. This marks the fair’s first cancellation since World War II. Those who pre-purchased tickets will be refunded. Hertel says that the event plans on returning in 2021 with a fair that is “bigger and better than ever.” Until then, the organization is offering new, socially distant experiences such as its popular Pop-up Drive-in movie events. alaskastatefair.org

Small Business Administration The US Small Business Administration (SBA) released the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Application, including detailed instructions for filing. The SBA is also issuing regulations and guidance to further assist borrowers and advising lenders on their responsibilities. The PPP was created by the CARES Act to provide forgivable loans to eligible small businesses to keep American workers on the payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic. sba.gov

ECONOMIC INDIC ATOR S ANS Crude Oil Production  391,274 barrels  12% change from previous month

ANS West Coast Crude Oil Prices  $38.42 per barrel  194% change from previous month

Statewide Employment  339,863 Labor Force  12.9% Unemployment

5/31/2020 Source: Alaska Department of Natural Resources

6/1/2020 Source: Alaska Department of Natural Resources

2/1/2020. Adjusted seasonally.

Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development

90 | July 2020

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

RIGHT MOVES Northrim Bank Northrim Bank announced personnel changes at three branches in Alaska.  Lindsey Atkins was promoted to Branch Manager of Northrim’s Jewel Lake branch.

Atkins has nine years of experience in the financial industry, with five of those years spent at Northrim. Her education includes time at North Idaho College and UAA. Atkins also serves as an active volunteer in the Anchorage community.  David Byrne has been named Commercial Loan Officer at Northrim’s Juneau Financial Center. Byrne comes to Northrim with twenty-one years of experience at financial institutions throughout Alaska. He holds a bachelor’s degree from UAA.  Loren Olsen joins Northrim as Vice President and Lending Branch Manager.

Olsen has twenty years of lending experience in Alaska and Montana.

While earning his masters of business administration from California State University, Fullerton, he also gained experience working in corporate finance. Olsen previously served as a board member for the local Chamber of Commerce, Home Builders Association, and Realtor’s Association.

Department of Law  The State of Alaska’s Department of Law selected Brittany Dunlop, currently the Deputy District Attorney in Anchorage, to succeed Dunlop John Novak as District Attorney following Novak’s retirement.

Dunlop received her bachelor’s in political science and government from UAA before

attending law school at Hamline University School of Law in Minnesota. Dunlop joined the Anchorage District Attorney’s Office in the Misdemeanor Unit in 2006 and worked her way up to supervising the Anchorage Sexual Assault Unit.

Landye Bennett Blumstein Landye Bennett Blumstein (LBB) announced five new changes at the law firm.  LBB promoted Michelle L. Boutin to Partner in January.

Boutin received a bachelor of science from UAF and a juris doctorate from Hamline Boutin University. Boutin is a member of the Alaska Bar Association and has been an active participant and past chair or co-chair of the Bankruptcy Section of the Anchorage Bar Association for thirty years, past board member of the Anchorage Bar Association, and past attorney representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference.  Lauren Sommer Boskofsky also achieved Partner status in January. She joined LBB as an associate in September 2013. Boskofsky focuses her Boskofsky practice on commercial real estate, Alaska Native law, mergers and acquisitions, and other transactional work.

She received her bachelor of arts from Loyola University and a juris doctorate from Gonzaga University. Prior to joining the firm, she was a law clerk for the Honorable Deputy Presiding Judge Vanessa White of the Alaska Superior Court at Palmer.  Benjamin W. Spiess is the third member to reach Partner status with LBB, after joining the firm in 2018. Spiess has

practiced law in the Pacific Northwest since 2010, focusing his practice on Alaska Native law—including ANCSA— and real estate and corporate Spiess transactions. Spiess received his juris doctorate from Boston College.

He is licensed to practice in Alaska and Washington State.  David A. Wilkinson joined LBB in April as an Associate.

Wilkinson was educated at UAF before continuing to study law at Seattle University, Wilkinson where he graduated second in his class. He began his legal career clerking for Justice Winfree at the Alaska Supreme Court in 2012.  LBB Partner Adolf Zeman has been appointed to the Anchorage Superior Court.

Zeman was selected from a group of individuals nominated Zeman by the Alaska Judicial Council to fill the seat of retiring Judge Michael L. Wolverton. Zeman joined LBB as an associate in 2012 and became a partner in July 2013.

Cornerstone General Contractors  Cornerstone General Contractors welcomes Sheila Hill as Vice President of Finance. Hill joins Cornerstone with broad experience in Hill corporate and operational finance including more than twenty years of experience working in Alaska. She began her career in public accounting, serving as controller for several Alaska Native corporation firms and subsidiaries,

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92 | July 2020

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

and most recently served as chief financial officer for another Alaska construction company. Hill double majored with bachelors’ in accounting and management from Fort Lewis College and later continued her education at Dartmouth.

DCI Engineers  DCI Engineers promoted John Oldfield to Senior Project Manager in its Anchorage office. Since joining the firm, Oldfield has Oldfield taken on project management responsibilities for a variety of projects throughout the state. His current projects include the Homer Police Station, Bartlett Regional Hospital Behavioral Health Facility, and Medline Warehouse. Oldfield is also a member of the in-house steel and aluminum technical committee.

University of Alaska  University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen named Matthew Cooper as the university’s next General Counsel. Cooper joined Cooper the Office of the General Counsel in December 2011 as associate general counsel. Prior to joining the university, Cooper was in private practice at the Anchorage and Fairbanks offices of Guess & Rudd. Cooper attended college at the University of Puget Sound in Seattle where he received his bachelor’s in politics and government, later receiving his juris doctorate from the University of Washington. Cooper serves on the bar associations for both Washington State and Alaska.

Mat-Su Health Foundation  Kelly Lewis joins The Mat-Su Health Foundation as its new Chief Operating

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Officer. In her role as chief operating officer, Lewis directly oversees human resources, information technology, office management, building operations, and contract management for the foundation.

Lewis was previously CEO of her own consulting firm, specializing in leadership, management, and technical training for public and private sector clients. Prior to that she worked for the Municipality of Anchorage as director of organizational development and deputy director of property appraisal. She holds a doctorate of management in organizational leadership from the University of Phoenix, a masters of business administration from Willamette University, and a bachelor’s from Lewis and Clark College.

First National Bank Alaska The state’s largest locally owned community bank announced a variety of promotions and new additions to its team.  First National Bank Alaska promoted Sheila Lomboy to Lending Unit Team Leader at the U-Med Branch.

Lomboy possesses more Lomboy than a decade of commercial lending experience and specializes in Small Business Administration 504 loans, Bureau of Indian Affairs guaranty loans, and meeting the financial needs of Alaska Native entities and nonprofit organizations.  The bank named Laura Asgari as Investment Management Officer and Wealth Management Officer.

Asgari has worked in financial Asgari advising for more than thirty years and is both a retirement income certified professional and a wealth management certified professional.  James Estes joins Anchorage’s First National team as a security officer. He

Alaska Business

holds a bachelor’s in criminal justice, an associate’s in law enforcement, and an advanced police certificate from the Alaska Police Standards Council.  Marc Guevarra has been banking in Alaska for almost two decades and joins First National as a loan officer. Guevarra will be based at the Valley Centre Branch in Juneau. He received his bachelor’s in business administration from UAA.  The Anchorage First National team also welcomes Carmen Maldonado as a Mortgage Loan Originator. In addition to being a member of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, Maldonado has a bachelor’s in organizational management and an associate’s in business administration.  The bank’s corporate headquarters welcomes Assistant Vice President Michelle Weiss. Weiss is an accredited mortgage professional with a decade of experience.

Weiss is president of the Alaska Mortgage Bankers Association and the director of the National Association of Professional Mortgage Women in Anchorage.

Credit Union 1  Credit Union 1 named Evan Mulcahy as its new Director of Innovation. In his new role, Mulcahy is responsible for evaluating operational Mulcahy issues and goals and will drive change via innovation, technology, and user-centered solution development.

Mulcahy was previously hired by Credit Union 1 in 2013 as a staff trainer, and he later served as digital communications specialist, innovation strategist, and marketing manager before pursuing other local opportunities. He rejoined the credit union in February 2020 via his new role as director of innovation. Mulcahy is a UAA graduate, with a degree in economics.

July 2020 | 93

ALASKA TRENDS

Positivity During a Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating. Our early efforts to protect the lives and wellbeing of our families, friends, and neighbors had the unfortunate result of crippling economic activity in the short term and for the long term—no one knows, yet.

But Alaska’s willingness to do what was necessary and its diligence in holding the course was successful: our healthcare system has not been overrun, Alaskans in need

of medical care were not abandoned, and we can now turn toward rebuilding our economy (which we’ve done before).

And we have other reasons for optimism: despite their own challenges and crises, Alaska’s corporations, nonprofits, and other business entities have stepped up to support each other and the communities they serve. Below we’ve compiled just a sampling of the many ways in which, once again, Alaskans are looking out for each other.

Alaska Safety Advisory Council donated 85 N95 Envo-masks and 25 replacement filters for each mask to the MOA Municipal First Responders.

Through UAA’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership

70+ Alaska manufacturers Alaska USA Federal Credit Union donated 6,000 N95 masks and 10,000 pairs of gloves to the medical community.

began producing face shields, cloth masks, hand sanitizers, testing swabs, and other items needed in response to COVID-19.

#AlaskaStrong Stoel Rives launched the

Alaska Chinese Association donated 8,000 surgical masks and 2,000 KN95 to the Municipality of Anchorage Emergency Operations Center.

94 | July 2020

Main Street Relief Project, a no-cost legal service for independent restaurants, bars, and retailers in communities in which the firm has offices.

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

Alaska Airlines and the Alaska Airlines Foundation have donated more than

1 million meals to food banks across the country.

free entry-level internet or free internet upgrades

GCI offered

through May.

Matson donated

delivery services of 3 pallets of medical-grade face shields

More than $3 million was donated in response to the pandemic.

to the Providence Kodiak Medical Center and

$10,000

to Children’s Lunchbox.

Alaska Mask Makers, a community effort to make and distribute surgical-style masks, has more than

5,072 MEMBERS.

Alaska USA Foundation donated $125,000+ to support nonprofits in the communities it serves.

Northrim Bank donated $25,000 to The Foraker Group to support its effort to help Alaska nonprofits serve their communities.

Sealaska donated $1 million to nonprofits to support COVID-19 efforts.

UAF Center for Innovation, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship awarded more than

Koniag committed $50,000 to support in-region needs, particularly food security, related to COVID-19.

$64,000 in grants to develop innovative concepts for fighting COVID-19.

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Rasmuson Foundation committed $2 million to help Alaska respond to the pandemic.

Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance donated $10,000 to Bean's CafĂŠ and $10,000 to the Food Bank of Alaska.

Alaska Business

July 2020 | 95

AT A GLANCE What book is currently on your nightstand?

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (a nightstand staple).

What movie do you recommend to everyone you know?

I’m not a big movie goer…. I’m not sure what I’d suggest as I usually fall asleep before the credits roll. Splash was my most favorite movie as a little girl, as well as Pippi Longstocking, but I’m not sure I’d necessarily “recommend” them.

What’s the first thing you do when you get home after a long day at work?

Because I work from a home studio, days don’t necessarily have a definitive start and stop time, I suppose. If I had to say something, I’d say I kickback with a cold one and indulge in some smutty brain drain TV, but who am I kidding—it doesn’t need to be a long day for me to do that!

If you couldn’t live in Alaska, what’s your dream locale?

I lived in Rome, Italy, for almost half a year during college, which I absolutely loved… I’d love to live in Rome again and really take advantage of all that is there. (Side note: While in Rome I lived on Via Del Corso, my company’s namesake.)

96 | July 2020

Images ©Eliza Brace

If you could domesticate a wild animal, what animal would it be?

My third kid. She’s always been a wild child bursting with creative, crazy, and chaotic ambitions (my husband affectionately calls her feral). But like most wild animals, she is a fascinating creature that brings so much excitement into our lives… couldn’t imagine life without her!

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

OFF THE CUFF

Annie Brace A

nnie Brace is the founder and owner of Corso Graphics, which specializes in graphic design, fine art, illustration, and “a splash of photography.” Brace is also the phenomenal artist of our cover this month; we reached out to her because we were drawn to her brilliant use of color, the high energy of her work, and how clearly Alaska inspires her.

Alaska Business: What do you do in your free time?

Annie Brace: Free time…. that’s cute. Well, between running my own business, carting three kids around town to all their activities, and preparing for a number of art shows and events throughout the year, there isn’t much free time left over. With whatever time we have left over we love to spend it hiking, camping, and/or hanging with friends.

AB: Is there a skill you’re currently developing or have always wanted to learn?

Brace: When I was in high school, I was obsessed with ceramics. Every day I’d skip study hall or scarf down lunch and utilize any remaining minutes to throw some clay and get my hands dirty. I’d really love to reignite that flame again.

AB: What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done?

Brace: I went white water rafting several years back, which may not sound that wild and crazy, but I am pretty scared of water, so for me it was quite a feat.

AB: What’s your go-to comfort food?

Brace: Mmmmm… probably spaghetti and garlic bread—a classic.

AB: Dead or alive, who would you like to see perform live in concert?

Brace: If I had to pick one off the top of my head, I think I would pick Pink Floyd. I’d love to be a part of that concert experience for sure.

AB: Have you ever had a supernatural experience?

Brace: One time I was 100 percent sure I blew out the candles on a wall sconce, and, when I was retiring for the evening, they were lit again. I’ve always blamed it on the spirit of Joan Rivers… she’s my usual scapegoat, her or Phyllis Diller… don’t ask me why, but now whenever anything weird or funny happens you’re sure to hear someone holler from the other room, “It was Joan!”

AB: What’s your best attribute and worst attribute?

Brace: Perhaps they are one and the same. I’d say my best attribute is having the ability to stay rational, mindful, and thoughtful when presented with a problem or when navigating the problems of my friends/family. I can compartmentalize the feels and focus on the “why” and “why nots” of something that’s going on. On the other hand, that same attribute can also cause me to be a bit closed off emotionally. While I like to think of myself as a very compassionate person, I’m not always available for the super sappy side of emotions. Basically, crying makes me uncomfortable, but no matter how uncomfortable it makes me, if I need to sit with you while you cry for 24 hours, you best believe I will be there, Kleenex and all—and by “Kleenex” I mean beer and snacks.

AB: Other than your current career, if you were a kid today, what would your dream job be?

Brace: I think working for a company like Pixar would be pretty amazing. I’d love to explore the world of animation and specialize in character development. I’m not sure I would like the tedious technical side of it, but getting to create and mold attributes of the characters from the very beginning would be so cool. www.akbizmag.com

Alaska Business

July 2020 | 97

ADVERTISERS INDEX 49th State Brewing Company.....................................48

Foss Maritime.............................................................. 74

49statebrewing.com

foss.com

ABC Motorhome Rentals............................................ 65

Fringe Benefits Group.................................................24

abcmotorhome.com

thecontractorsplan.com

Airport Equipment Rentals..........................................99

GCI............................................................................... 3

airportequipmentrentals.com

gci.com

Alaska529.................................................................... 55

Island Air Express........................................................68

alaska529plan.com

islandairx.com

Alaska Executive Search - AES.................................... 57

Leonardo DRS............................................................. 77

akexec.com

leonardodrs.com/products-and-services/arctic-broadband

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium - ANTHC.......100

Lynden Inc..................................................................89

anthc.org

lynden.com

Alaska USA Federal Credit Union................................ 13

Material Flow & Conveyor Systems Inc....................... 83

alaskausa.org

akflow.com

Altman, Rogers & Co................................................... 36

MTA............................................................................. 11

altrogco.com

mtasolutions.com

Anchorage Sand & Gravel -AS&G...............................82

NCB............................................................................ 67

anchsand.com

ncb.coop

Arctic Information Technology................................... 31

New Horizons Telecom Inc........................................... 9

arcticit.com

nhtiusa.com

AT&T........................................................................... 19

North Star Behavioral Health...................................... 17

att.com

northstarbehavioral.com

Bailey's Furniture.........................................................49

Northern Air Cargo...............................................92, 93

baileysfurniture.com

nac.aero

Big O's Automotive.....................................................40

Pacific Pile & Marine................................................... 91

bigoauto.com

pacificpile.com

Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot.................................... 51

Parker Smith & Feek.................................................... 27

bhbc-law.com

psfinc.com

BSI Commercial Real Estate........................................ 47

PDC Inc. Engineers..................................................... 37

bsialaska.com

pdceng.com

Carrs Safeway............................................................. 61

Peppercini's Deli & Catering.......................................46

carrsqc.com

peppcatering.com

Central Environmental Inc..........................................69

Personnel Plus............................................................ 23

cei-alaska.com

perplus.com

Chugach Alaska Corp.................................................. 87

Petro Marine............................................................... 81

chugach.com

petromarineservices.com

Color Art Printing Inc.................................................. 53

Petrotechnical Resources Alaska................................ 79

colorartprinting.com

petroak.com

Conoco Phillips........................................................... 43

PIP Marketing Signs Print............................................ 39

alaska.conocophillips.com

pip.com

Conrad-Houston Insurance Agency...........................40

Smith Co Side-Dump Trailers..................................... 85

chialaska.com

sidedump.com

Construction Machinery Industrial – CMI..................... 2

Stellar Designs Inc...................................................... 23

cmiak.com

stellar-designs.com

Credit Union 1............................................................. 41

T ROWE PRICE............................................................ 55

cu1.org

uacollegesavings.com

Cruz Companies......................................................... 75

The Megan Room Conference & Events Center..........42

cruzconstruct.com

themeganroom.com

Delta Constructors..................................................... 73

TOTE Maritime Alaska................................................. 21

deltaconstructors.net

totemaritime.com

First National Bank Alaska............................................. 5

Voice of the Arctic Inupiat.......................................... 71

fnbalaska.com

voiceofthearcticinupiat.org

Foley & Pearson.......................................................... 38

Yuit.............................................................................. 59

foleyparson.com

yuitcomms.com

98 | July 2020

Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com

907.456.2000 | airportequipmentrentals.com

ANTHC SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES

Quality health care from your door to ours In addition to excellent health care, we also support patients from across Alaska with travel and hospitality services.

Because the care we need isn’t always right down the street, professionals at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium help coordinate care for all parts of the health care visit. For the 60% of patients that visit the Alaska Native Medical Center from rural communities, a visit to a specialist can start on the airstrip. We coordinate flights, lodging, ground transportation and meals.

With the additional care from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, patients have time to relax and focus on healing.

Read more at anthc.org/patient-housing.