Learn more about what powerful, fuel efficient Volvo haulers can do for your operation.
Kirk Currey Sales Rep. Anchorage Branch
Cory Robertson Sales Rep. Anchorage Branch
Volvo A60 Articulated Truck Prince of Wales, Alaska
Volvo L120 Tok, Alaska
10 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Through the Lens of Lettuce
Forty years of Alaska grocery history
By Scott Rhode
16 RETAIL
Worn but not Worn Out
Re-loved clothing at Alaska's consignment stores
By Lincoln Garrick
20 TELECOM & TECH
The Shop of Things to Come
Advanced technologies and consumer behavior drive ecommerce trends
By Tracy Barbour
54 FISHERIES
Waste Not
Commercial uses for seafood byproducts
By Dimitra Lavrakas
58 ENVIRONMENTAL
Permit Required
A process to protect precious places
By Terri Marshall
CORRECTION: On page 76 of the July 2025 issue, we misspelled the last name of The Alaska Club’s vice president of sales and marketing; her name is Debbie Cedeno.
64 TOURISM
A Tour Built for Bicycles
Rentals and guide experiences look sweet upon the seat
By Vanessa Orr
Sockeye Cycle
Financing the Future of Health Care
Ward Hinger
CONTENTS
SPECIAL SECTION: ENTREPRENEURSHIP
28 NOT YOUR GRANDFATHER'S IMMERSION SUIT
Inventor aims to set the standard for marine survival
By Jamey Bradbury
36 STARTUP ACCELERATORS
Mentoring innovators from development to deployment
By Rachael Kvapil
40 ALASKA ADAPTABLE HOUSING
Reinventing the kit home with local resources By Joseph Jackson
ABOUT THE COVER
48 BUYING A BUSINESS IN ALASKA
How to acquire a company and preserve its value By Christian Muntean
Problem: a mariner is overboard, and the sea is deadly cold. Solution: a survival suit—or, as it’s less optimistically known, an immersion suit. The reason for hedging is because of a further problem: the standard Gumby suit can provide buoyancy and warmth for a limited time, and help is sometimes too far away in Alaska waters, or rescuers must wait hours until dawn’s early light.
Further solution: an innovative suit that functions more like a person-shaped life raft that extends the time for rescuers to arrive from hours to literal days. This month’s cover story “Not Your Grandfather’s Immersion Suit” by Jamey Bradbury meets the inventor of the Arctic 10+ and the Alaskans testing its capabilities to the extreme. It’s just one part of the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Photograph by Kerry Tasker
Kerry
Tasker
FROM THE EDITOR
A lot of my job is saying “no.” There are times when that’s easy: a pitched article doesn’t fit our brand standards, a photoshoot is too expensive, a topic is too political. Other times it’s more nuanced, such as an angle we’ve covered too recently or content that lends itself more to marketing than editorial.
Less often—but often enough—I get to say “yes.” I do have space to feature a relatively new Alaska transporter with a big vision (coming in the December issue); I can help spread the word about a small pet grooming business with a new owner and growth on the horizon (look for it on our website this month); and it is totally appropriate to advocate for strengthening Alaska’s food systems and the businesses operating in them (in the November issue).
My responsibility is to curate the most engaging, accurate, and informative content I can, so while I wouldn’t say I enjoy saying “no,” I do take satisfaction in maintaining the standards of this publication. Saying “no” is what gives me the ability to say “yes.”
The editorial hurdle in publishing would feel familiar to many entrepreneurs. They have a product or an idea, and they know it has potential, but they need someone else to say “yes.” The challenge of launching a product or new business is significant, and the reality is that many good people and good ideas don’t find success.
Less often—but often enough—some do. Some are able to push through a sea of “no” to find the “yes,” and throughout this issue, we have examples of people and businesses that have done just that—and raised the standard of living in Alaska a little bit higher in the process.
Tasha Anderson Managing Editor, Alaska Business
VOLUME 41, #9
EDITORIAL
Tasha Anderson, Managing Editor
Scott Rhode, Editor/Staff Writer
Rindi White, Associate Editor
Emily Olsen, Editorial Assistant
PRODUCTION
Monica Sterchi-Lowman, Art Director
Fulvia Caldei Lowe, Production Manager
Patricia Morales, Web Manager
BUSINESS
Billie Martin, President
Jason Martin, VP & General Manager
James Barnhill, Accounting Manager
SALES
Charles Bell, VP Sales & Marketing 907-257-2909 | cbell@akbizmag.com
Chelsea Diggs, Account Manager 907-257-2917 | chelsea@akbizmag.com
Through the Lens of Lettuce Forty years of Alaska grocery history
By Scott Rhode
Ca rr-Gottstein Foods Co. was the first tippy-top Top 49er in 1985, when this magazine began ranking Alaska companies based on their gross revenue. The supermarket chain earned the #1 spot with $335 million in revenue, which equates to a bit more than $1 billion today; on the 2024 list, only five Top 49ers earned more.
The parent company of Carrs Quality Centers was unsurpassed every year except 1990, when Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup boosted revenues of Veco, until it went out on top in 1992. A sale of public stock put majority ownership out of Alaskan hands, disqualifying the company as a Top 49er under the rules at the time. By 1999, the chain became a wholly owned subsidiary of Safeway,
itself acquired in 2015 by Albertsons.
As the hyphenation indicates, Carr-Gottstein Foods Co. was the product of a merger. The wholesaler that Jacob B. Gottstein started in Anchorage in 1915 united in 1960 with the retail chain that Larry Carr started in a Quonset hut on Gambell Street in 1950.
That flagship location remained in business until May, when CarrsSafeway closed it for failing to meet growth expectations. Such retrenchment wasn’t out of line for an Alaska supermarket; it just took longer. Time and tide wiped away the other grocery chains among the inaugural “New 49ers,” as they were called in 1985: Proctors was #45, Market Basket was #33, D&A Supermarkets was #22, and Alaska Commercial Co. (AC) was #14. All
are gone except for AC, and the only Alaskan-owned supermarket left on the list is Three Bears Alaska, which entered the Top 49ers in 2010.
A Century of Sales
The J.B. Gottstein company is still around, split from Carrs as a wholesale division of Albertsons, connecting Safeway stores with suppliers across the country. J.B. Gottstein also distributes to independent clients statewide.
One of those clients is Hammer & Wikan, a retail fixture in Petersburg and a member of the Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA). Not to be confused with IGA Petersburg, the waterfront supermarket known as Trading Union until 2023, when the owner of the Wrangell IGA and Howsers IGA in Haines acquired it.
Towfiqu98
Despite Hammer & Wikan not carrying the brand of the global alliance, IGA honored the store in 2024 as a Retailer of the Year. “How many IGA stores are there in the world? 6,500. Of all of those stores, only nine stores will get this,” announced IGA CEO John Ross. “And wow! You guys have won this award.”
Hammer & Wikan received top ratings for customer service and community involvement. “J.B. Gottstein was the one that recommended us,” says general manager Jim Floyd.
He further credits the wholesaler with enabling Hammer & Wikan to offer big-store variety in a small-town footprint. “We don’t just have one brand of coffee, one brand of paper towels, whatever,” Floyd says. “We pride ourselves on a great selection.”
Norwegian immigrants John Hammer and Andrew Wikan opened the dry goods and dairy store in 1921. Their descendants still own the company, which expanded in 1996 from the downtown hardware store with a separate grocery store up the hill. “Everybody in Petersburg has a PO box, so everybody has to go,” says Floyd of the out-of-the-way location. “The company nearly went bankrupt because people didn’t want to go the 1 mile up the road to the grocery store, and what saved it is when the post office moved up there.”
Trading Post
“Out of the way” describes every one of AC’s locations. “We’ve decided our mission is to be remote retailers,” says AC President Kyle Hill.
AC is the Alaska branch of The North West Company, a Winnipegbased conglomerate which also operates stores in northern Canada, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific. AC originated as the mercantile assets of the Russian-American Company sold to a trio of California FortyNiners in 1867 (when the Russian Empire sold its North American territory to the United States). Yet The North West Company surpasses AC’s antiquity, tracing its ancestry to the Hudson’s Bay Company established in 1670.
“Our customers expect us to have bananas in the store every day even though it’s a remote community, and it’s difficult to get them there.”
Kyle Hill, President A laska Commercial Co.
Canadian ownership of AC arrived in 1992, when the Community Enterprise Development Corporation sold the struggling chain. “One of the conditions of the purchase was that The North West Company would make significant investment into the business,” Hill explains.
The new owner expanded from sixteen locations to thirty-seven. The company’s Pacific Alaska
Wholesale branch distributes to 100 other retailers, and it is growing ecommerce via its Span Elite service.
Ownership aside, Hill regards AC as an independent Anchorage-based company. “All of the retail decision making is done here,” he says. “We don’t have a whole lot of direction coming from the Canadian office.”
Local direction lets AC tailor its inventory, from fishing lures to whale bombs. Hill points out that the Bethel and Nome AC stores rank among the country’s busiest Honda ATV dealerships.
In nine communities AC is the only game in town, and it’s managed to avoid direct competition with Three Bears Alaska, the other statewide rural retailer. “We have (not by any kind of agreement or anything like that) chosen our paths, where AC is the off-road retailer and Three Bears is the on-road retailer,” Hill says.
Hill’s eye is on much larger competitors. “We do compete indirectly with Amazon, Walmart, and Target. Those are the three big retailers that ship out to rural Alaska from hubs in Anchorage or distribution centers in the Lower 48,” he says.
Hyped Up
Target has a food department, but without fresh produce or meats it doesn’t qualify as a “hypermarket,” which refers to a store that sells groceries and general merchandise (read: anything else but groceries). Walmart sold only general merchandise when its first Alaska locations opened simultaneously
on March 29, 1994, in Wasilla, Midtown Anchorage, and South Anchorage. Later they were remodeled into Supercenters with grocery sections, and Walmart now has seven Supercenters in Alaska.
Fred Meyer went through a similar transformation. The Oregon-based grocery chain arrived in Alaska in 1975 by acquiring the Valu-Mart department store in Midtown. Adding groceries in the ‘90s delivered on the promise of founder Friedrich Grubmeyer. “He really built the first one-stop shopping experience in America,” says Todd Kammeyer, president of Fred Meyer.
Kammeyer says he visits Alaska several times a year to check on the company’s eleven Fred Meyer locations. “We have some fantastic partnerships with Alaska companies and carry many items produced in that market. For example, we pull a tremendous amount of produce from Alaska-grown areas: CityFarms herbs or Bell’s [Nursery] tomatoes or Pam’s carrots,” he says.
Sourcing locally, in addition to leveraging Alaskan pride, avoids the difficulty of interstate shipping. “Getting products to Alaska and operating in that market is complex. It’s probably the most complex area that Fred Meyer operates in,” says Kammeyer. He adds that he’s especially proud of the associates who make it happen.
Fred Meyer is just a small portion of the Cincinnatibased Kroger organization, with 132 stores out of more than 2,700 nationwide, yet its footprint in Alaska is oversized. In Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, each store serves about 47,000 households, on average; the ratio in Alaska is one store for every 24,000.
New Math
The mid-‘80s saw another retail model enter the Alaska market: the warehouse club. Costco opened in South Anchorage in October 1984, followed three weeks later by Price Savers in East Anchorage. That store became a Kmart-owned PACE Membership Warehouse in 1991 and a Walmart-owned Sam’s Club in 1994. Sam’s Club relocated to Tikahtnu Commons before exiting the state in 2018.
Traditional supermarkets don’t charge membership fees, but loyalty cards have become a fact of life since the late ‘80s. Kammeyer says the focus at Fred Meyer is simplifying the experience. “We look at the full value proposition to offer customers great prices but also an
Fred Meyer's Alaska stores became "hypermarkets" in the '90s by adding groceries to the general merchandise model inherited from Valu-Mart in Midtown Anchorage.
Fred Meyer
The Norwegian heritage of the store’s founders (and Petersburg generally) inspired Hammer & Wikan's 2021 redecoration.
Hammer & Wikan
opportunity to save on fuel,” he says. “Also a lot of personalization: customers that have our rewards card will receive (in the mail or digitally) a tremendous amount of personalized coupons.”
An unusual holdout, AC has never adopted a loyalty program. “We talk about it, we debate it, and we decide every time (at least, up to now) that we don’t think it would be a good use of time or money for us,” says Hill. The communities AC serves are thin on partners, like gas stations, that could offer rewards. Even airline miles don’t pencil out.
Hill has observed that, more than ever, shoppers demand convenience and variety. “Our customers expect us to have bananas in the store every day even though it’s a remote community, and it’s difficult to get them there,” he says.
Another change is greater reliance on inventory analytics. “In most grocery stores including our own, what is stocked—and where it sits on the shelf (at eye level, high or low), what discounts are offered, and so on—is much more data driven,” says Hill. “Look at pricing at Walmart or Amazon: they don’t even end in 9s anymore. An algorithm is telling you how to get every cent right there.” The underlying math attracted Hill, trained as a physicist, to the retail sector.
Kammeyer’s career, by contrast, has been supermarkets all the way, starting as a store clerk in South Ogden, Utah. “Bagging groceries, bringing in carts, and cleaning the restrooms,” Kammeyer recalls.
“I loved the people aspect, the affiliation I had with both associates and customers.” Kammeyer
studied business administration in college, and he’s been president of Fred Meyer since 2022.
Supermarkets are very conscious that ecommerce already put many general merchandise retailers out of business, and food sales are not invulnerable. “Online shopping is creeping into the grocery sector,” says Hill. “So we launched our own
online shopping platform, both in stores and here in Anchorage. That’s been a major change.”
But neighborhood grocers will not go away, in Kammeyer’s view. “With online and ecommerce, food is an area where people still want to come to brick-and-mortar [stores] and have that experience, to be able to pick from a variety of items,” he says.
DOWNTOWN ANCHORAGE
The only Alaskan place to stay for charm, culture and cuisine.
Fred Meyer pioneered the "one-stop shop," selling everything from pantyhose to patio furniture. But the Kroger subsidiary can't outpace AC when it comes to Honda ATVs, staged in Anchorage for its Bethel and Nome dealerships.
“With online and ecommerce, food is an area where people still want to come to brick-and-mortar [stores] and have that experience, to be able to pick from a variety of items.”
Todd Kammeyer, P resident, Fred Meyer
Sites for Growth
Hammer & Wikan embarked on its second century in business by rebranding in 2021 with décor inspired by the Norwegian heritage of the store’s founders (and Petersburg generally). The store also invested in electronic shelf labels, which Floyd says spares the cost of new price tags and the labor of rewriting them. And they’re more accurate: “Whatever the label says is always what rings through the register because it comes from the [point of sale] system,” he says.
No other supermarket in Alaska has electronic shelf labels, Floyd says, and Hammer & Wikan is pioneering another technology: produce recognition cameras at self-checkout stands. “The one thing that slows down self checkout
is produce,” Floyd says, so the cameras assist by distinguishing, say, Gala from Fuji apples.
Not to be left behind, AC stores are deploying computer-assisted ordering. “Next year at AC, we’re rolling out this new technology: auto replenishment,” says Hill.
The venerable AC is investing in online shopping, too, but brickand-mortar locations are not forgotten. “We expect to open more stores this year, next year, and really be the retailer of choice in rural Alaska,” says Hill.
Fred Meyer hasn’t finished staking out territory either. “We’re looking at new sites for growth,” Kammeyer teases, but naturally he cannot disclose where those sites might be. “We know there are
areas where there are a lot of new rooftops and new customers that need to have a great store, and we want to be there.”
Probably not Petersburg though. Floyd is satisfied that Little Norway is safe from major competitors horning in on Hammer & Wikan’s home turf.
Too much muskeg and nowhere to build. “Even Alaska Commercial has looked to get a foothold here,” says Floyd, “but no one wants to go head-to-head with us.”
All well and good; Hill says other communities tell him they want an AC in town. “We’re not just running grocery stores,” he says. “We’re providing community hubs for people to shop and supply themselves with what they need to live their lives.”
Fred Meyer Alaska Business
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Worn but not Worn Out
Re-loved clothing at Alaska’s consignment stores
By Lincoln Garrick
In the retail world, the purchase of pre-owned goods, as opposed to newly manufactured items, is referred to as resale shopping. This industry has consumers buying products that have been previously owned and encompasses thrift stores selling donated items, antique or vintage stores, flea markets, and even garage sales. It also includes consignment shops, both brick-and-
mortar and online, which sell items on behalf of individuals.
In the consignment business, the item’s previous owner, or consignor, shares the profits (which can be cash or store credit) with the seller, or consignee. Unlike businesses that acquire wholesale inventory outright, if consignment goods are not sold, they are typically returned to the consignor or donated further down the value chain.
Saving and Sustaining
Resale shopping is popular with people from all walks of life, not just folks looking to save a buck. The thrill of the hunt and finding something special is a big draw for many shoppers, especially those in Gen Z and Gen Alpha (those born after 1997 and 2010, respectively). However, quantifying the size and growth of this sector is tricky because
Joaquincorbalan
| Envato
there are many moving parts. The industry is decentralized, so data can be challenging to find.
A study from resale platform ThreadUp.com forecasts that the US secondhand market will reach $73 billion in sales by 2028, compared to $28 billion in 2019, and reports that US consumers spent, on average, nearly half of their 2023 clothing budget on pre-owned items. The National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops estimates that there are more than 25,000 consignment, vintage, and nonprofit thrift shops in the United States. The segment is also expanding, especially for clothing, with research from ThreadUp in 2023 indicating that the resale apparel sector grew fifteen times faster than the newly manufactured apparel sector.
The combination of consumers looking for value and sustainability seems to be driving this movement. Secondhand shoppers, or selfdescribed “thrifters,” can often find goods ranging from clothing and books to furniture and musical instruments for less than half the price of buying new. Brand name and designer items like shoes, purses, and other luxury goods commonly sell for a fraction of their new retail cost.
Beyond stretching a dollar, resale retail is the ultimate in recycling— or, strictly speaking, reusing. The environmental impact of new “fast fashion” is considerable; a United Nations study in 2018 estimated the industry is responsible for 2 to 8 percent of all carbon emissions, on par with the global aviation sector. It’s also the second-highest user of water worldwide and results in millions of tons of textile waste and microplastics
ending up in landfills annually. Resale retail is a shift from disposable to durable production.
The Alaska Consignment Story
About 200 businesses are licensed in Alaska under North American Industry Classification System code 459510 for “Used Merchandise Retailers,” which are establishments primarily selling used merchandise, antiques, and secondhand goods (excluding motor vehicles or parts salvage). Included in this number are consignment stores.
The Alaska consignment market mirrors the national structure with independent brick-and-mortar businesses, franchise stores, and online platforms. Most of these businesses carry inventory in specialty niches such as children’s wear, vintage clothing, or a particular style or brand such as designer or outdoor clothing.
Recreational gear and clothing is the specialty at The Hoarding Marmot, an independent seller in Midtown Anchorage with a large intake desk for consignments. “In many ways, outdoor gear comes to Alaska to die,” says owner Dana Drummond. “It’s expensive to ship goods up here, and they’re not likely to be shipped back out. When Alaskans are done with outdoor gear, it usually ends up in landfills.”
Before Drummond opened his store ten years ago, resale of outdoor gear was a challenge. “You had to go to one of a few annual swaps, post on a bulletin board, be part of an organization’s Listserv, or use Craigslist. It wasn’t easy. And for a lot of these, it took time or could turn into a shady or unsafe experience,”
Drummond recalls. “Our shop is a place where you can outfit yourself for Alaska adventures with re-loved skis, climbing gear, and technical clothing.”
The art of running a consignment store is in the sourcing strategy, which involves building a diverse and appealing inventory that fits an ever-changing market.
“You find treasures at consignment stores that you can’t get anywhere else,” says Jaylene Colombie, owner of Second Run, a high-end consignment boutique in Downtown Anchorage. “Tourists that come into the store are delighted to find amazing fashion. And with no sales tax!”
Colombie, who previously worked with Nordstrom in positions ranging from buyer to stylist, bought the boutique six years ago when she moved back to Alaska. “I am especially connected to the store since I’ve shopped it since I was 16,” she says.
Most of Second Run’s inventory comes from individual sellers that have long-term relationships with the shop. “When any item is brought in for consignment, we do an analysis that considers the current and emerging fashion trends, color palette, what we already have on hand, and what will resonate with one of the three generations of shoppers we serve,” says Colombie. “At Second Run, we are quite selective with what we take on because our product mix is so important to who we are.”
Yet she is looking for changes all the time. Colombie says, “For instance, during COVID no one was going to galas or dressing up for the office, so folks wanted items like designer loungewear or vintage jeans—because there really is
nothing like finding a pair of perfectfitting vintage jeans!”
She credits her staff with having an eye for trends and beautiful looks while also being kind to consignors. Colombie says, “There are no ‘bad things’; even if it isn’t right for us at the time, the items carry memory and value for the potential sellers.”
While most Alaska’s consignment stores are independently owned and operated, there are franchises like Once Upon a Child, Play It Again Sports, and Plato's Closet in the state. These stores, like many franchises, may provide franchiseeowners with reduced startup risk and cost, which becomes a quicker path to profitability by tapping into a proven business model and an established customer base. Franchise consignment stores may pay consignors a little less on average compared to an independent store, which might have more pricing flexibility, but franchises may reach a different group of buyers than independent stores.
Ecommerce Has Changed Everything
A discussion of consignment would be incomplete without addressing the impact of ecommerce. Many brick-and-mortar consignment stores have a robust digital presence. By embracing both selling environments, they expand their customer base beyond geographic limitations, provide an enhanced shopping experience with computer-generated recommendations, and create an omni-channel sales strategy.
Savvy thrifters can comparison shop, look for “unicorn” items, or
sell their “clutter” with national consignment marketplace platforms, such as poshmark.com, depop. com, mercari.com, or vinted. com. Platforms like Poshmark combine social media and peerto-peer selling with options for enhanced social engagement.
Kristina Bruno is a longtime Poshmark seller, going by @akkristina on the app. “I started on the platform when I had a financial crisis and needed to turn my unused clothes into cash for some unexpected bills. But I quickly realized this could be a business and a creative outlet,” she says. “Now I source unique, valuable items for resale from estate sales and am always looking for new treasures.”
Bruno credits her 150,000 passionate social media followers to her efforts to stand out with personal touches, such as small Alaska gifts or notes. “It is a little like Facebook, except your closet is your feed, and your posts and shares are like little commercials to your followers,” she says. “There are so many different ways to connect, from creating bundles to reduced shipping costs.”
The platform also offers paid marketing tools to accelerate sales called Promoted Closets and Posh Parties, which are daily, themed, realtime shopping events. Bruno says, “Not only do I have a resale fashion business but I’ve built a community of friends and serve as a thrifting ambassador for Alaska.”
Apart from Poshmark, online marketplaces eBay.com, Etsy.com, and Facebook Marketplace are powerhouses in terms of sheer numbers of sellers and buyers, with estimated global active customers
of 133 million, 96 million, and 491 million respectively in 2024. These platforms tend to be more transactional and less focused on developing repeat buyers. Furthermore, some sellers may cross-list products on many different platforms for optimal customer reach.
The Future of Consignment
Alaska has seen several apparel locations close over the last ten years, including Nordstrom, Forever 21, Wet Seal, and Banana Republic, yet the resale industry has been expanding. The interest in thrifting may be connected to generations of shoppers growing up during the recessions of the early 2000s or looking for more sustainable commerce options.
Current US import policies related to tariffs will certainly affect clothing manufactured overseas, which may benefit local consignment stores, at least in the short term. Beyond the economics, a compelling case can be made for individuals wanting to have one-of-kind pieces that cannot be found in mainstream retail.
Whatever the reason, it is here and thriving in Alaska. As the resale community says, “Good things come to those who thrift!”
Lincoln Garrick is an associate professor, MBA director, and alumnus at Alaska Pacific University. He has more than twenty years of experience in the business, marketing, and communications fields, providing public affairs and strategy services for national and Alaska organizations.
The Shop of Things to Come
Advanced technologies and consumer behavior drive ecommerce trends
By Tracy Barbour
Ev en the most rural corners of the country, including remote villages in Alaska, are feeling the transformative effects of online commerce. Last year, Alaska generated more than $2.16 billion in annual ecommerce revenue, according to Capital One. Ecommerce is evolving from a convenience into a vital option for shoppers who frequent sites like Amazon, eBay, and Walmart.
According to the US Census Bureau, national ecommerce sales surged to $1.19 trillion in 2024, representing more than double the $571 billion recorded just five years earlier. And the growth of digital commerce is showing no signs of slowing. By the end of 2025, total US ecommerce sales are expected to reach $1.2 trillion.
Traditionally, clothing, shoes, and beauty products have been the most popular digital purchases. However, buying trends are shifting. Groceries are forecast to be the largest ecommerce category by 2026 at 19 percent of online sales, according to research firm EMARKETER. The expansion of ecommerce is being fueled, in large part, by technological innovations and shifting consumer behavior and expectations. Key growth drivers are data-driven personalization, mobile and social commerce, and multichannel retailing.
Clues and Hints
Skagway-based Voyij, an online marketplace aimed at cruise travelers, is thoughtfully leveraging customer data and personalization. Co-founder and CEO Olivia Klupar says personalization and authentic communication are the best ways to
Lena Lee Alaska Brand
Photography
develop an ongoing conversation and trusted relationship with customers.
“Often, a quick email outreach can be the beginning of a productive conversation that uncovers additional questions or concerns, and many times leads to the customer completing the purchase,” she says.
Klupar uses abandoned shopping cart analytics to follow up with visitors who have shown an interest in buying a gift or activity through the Voyij website.
When digital shopping carts are abandoned, they leave behind clues about shoppers’ interests and, more importantly, where in the funnel the customer quit, such as after the shipping section or after the credit card section.
In its ongoing pursuit of personalization, Voyij is redesigning its platform to further accommodate travelers’ specific needs. A new itinerary feature will enable users to input their cruise ship name and departure date, and Voyij will build a full itinerary, including port stops and times. Then travelers can browse local activities and excursions that match their itinerary. There will also be a “send a hint” feature that allows people to share a favorite product with a friend, family member, or colleague as a gift suggestion for an upcoming special occasion.
underscores the need for businesses to optimize websites and apps to create a mobile-friendly experience.
TheRosieFinn, a craft boutique in Petersburg, has a mobilefriendly website that features “vivid and conversational” jewelry that’s “handcrafted for everyday adventures.” The website displays colorful jewelry collections—mainly earrings—with Alaska-inspired names like Gold Rush, Chinook Tales, and Midnight Sun. It also sells items related to the company’s signature enameling technique, which involves adding powdered glass to metal to create intricately layered designs.
Maintaining a mobile-optimized website is essential to TheRosieFinn, which generates 30 percent to 40 percent of its sales through smartphones, according to owner and artist Ashley Lohr. The company primarily sells its products offline to galleries and other shops, but Lohr also uses Etsy to build its brand. “It just gives us a wider audience,” says Lohr, who has a master’s degree in painting and has been an artist all her adult life.
“I don’t do well spreading myself too thin on social media platforms, so I’m going to stick to what I’m comfortable doing… I feel like I can be anywhere, including a little island in Alaska, and still have a reach to bigger communities that I wouldn’t have had ten years ago.”
Ashley Lohr Owner TheRosieFinn
Made for Mobile
Mobile commerce via smartphone accounts for a significant portion of global ecommerce sales. This trend
Launching TheRosieFinn (named for Lohr’s children) was a natural progression for Lohr, who teaches a jewelry class at the high school in Petersburg. During the COVID-19 pandemic, remote teaching gave her the confidence to offer jewelrymaking classes and products online. “I was like, ‘I can do this; I’m already doing it,’” she says. “So I developed a website and have been online ever since.”
Having a mobile-friendly website is also critical for Voyij, which is on a mission to support small businesses
Olivia Klupar Voyij
through ecommerce. “With more than 50 percent of Voyij’s website traffic now coming from a mobile device, it’s imperative that the user experience be optimized for small cellphone screens, fast page load speeds, and friendly designs,” Klupar explains.
Since 2019, Voyij has enabled small businesses in Alaska to reach a broad audience beyond their hometown. “As the largest website dedicated to Alaska businesses (350+ artisans and small businesses selling online from fifty-plus communities across the state) and with a special emphasis on connecting locals—including Indigenous artists—with travelers before, during, and after vacation, ecommerce is central to Voyij’s mission and vision,” Klupar says. Currently, about 30 percent of Voyij sellers are new to ecommerce.
Social Commerce
Ecommerce and social media are intertwined on platforms like Instagram Shop, TikTok Shop, and Facebook Marketplace. Features allow consumers to discover and purchase products directly within their social feeds, and influencer marketing and user-generated content also drive sales through these channels.
To engage in social commerce, Lohr decided to narrow her efforts instead of trying to capitalize on every platform. “I’ve been most dedicated to my Instagram presence,” she says. “I don’t do well spreading myself too thin on social media platforms, so I’m going to stick to what I’m comfortable doing.”
Social media and ecommerce have virtually removed the barriers of retailing, enabling TheRosieFinn
Cashier at work at The Great Alaskan Bowl Company.
Lena Lee Alaska Brand Photography
Birch bowls made by The Great Alaskan Bowl Company.
Lena Lee Alaska Brand Photography
to stretch beyond the confines of Petersburg and its 3,000 permanent residents. “I feel like I can be anywhere, including a little island in Alaska, and still have a reach to bigger communities that I wouldn’t have had ten years ago,” Lohr says.
On the mainland, Greatland Laser of Willow sells a variety of safety and rescue products through authorized dealers worldwide and government contracts. Its signature product is a handheld 5 milliwatt green laser that does the job of a signal flare. About 6 percent of the company’s business comes directly from consumers through its online store, according to CEO Kim Erickson.
Gaining traction with ecommerce has been challenging for Greatland Laser, Erickson says. One of the biggest issues is attracting users to its website. But the company is employing diverse tactics to encourage online sales.
“Social media posts to Facebook and Instagram, email campaigns through Mailchimp to our retail customers list, and a quarterly newsletter are all some of the strategies we have used to drive traffic to the online store,” she says.
Multichannel Retailing
Modern consumers expect a seamless shopping experience across multiple channels, including online platforms, mobile applications, and physical stores. The rise in multichannel retailing ensures that businesses provide a cohesive
experience, allowing customers to switch between purchasing options.
The omnichannel approach enhances customer satisfaction and drives sales by catering to shoppers’ preferences.
Juneau’s Black and White Raven Company promotes itself through multiple channels. The Indigenousowned agency specializes in visual storytelling through design, digital content, and cultural connection. “Our work centers on community, healing, and representation, offering graphic design, branding, consulting, and educational workshops that reflect the values and identities of the people we work with,” says owner and designer Chloey Cavanaugh. “Every project is an opportunity to honor our ancestors and uplift and create space where stories can thrive.”
Black and White Raven Company uses its website as a hub where clients can learn about its services, request quotes, and schedule consultations. The company offers digital booking
and payment options through its mobile-friendly site and uses social media platforms to stimulate business. “Social media, especially Instagram, plays a significant role in building relationships, sharing updates, showcasing projects, and driving traffic to our website,” Cavanaugh says.
In Fairbanks, The Great Alaskan Bowl Company has had an active online presence for more than twentyfive of its thirty-four years in business.
The mobile-optimized website at www.woodbowl.com sells distinctive birch bowls. The company also leverages multiple channels to cater to consumers. “We offer a local pickup option for items purchased online and promote the convenience to our local shoppers to do so,” says Retail Operations Manager Emily Berriochoa.
The Great Alaskan Bowl Company uses a combination of social media (Facebook and Instagram), email blasts, and print materials
to steer people to its website. Berriochoa attributes 15 percent of the company’s overall sales to online purchases.
“We feel that we are just scraping the surface of our online store’s ability to contribute to our annual sales,” Berriochoa says. “Our biggest challenge is the time it takes to add new items to our website as they come into our store. The same can be said for email blasts, as that comes down to staff availability. We have worked with a great contractor for the last few years, though, who is making sure we have content on our social media channels regularly, which is a huge benefit.”
At Voyij, products are commonly shipped to customers, but the company also offers in-store pickup for travelers who want to buy items online and pick them where their cruise ship docks. “Finding opportunities to be closer to the customer—whether closer physically,
Emily Berriochoa, retail operations manager at The Great Alaskan Bowl Company.
Lena Lee Alaska Brand Photography
“Social media, especially Instagram, plays a significant role in building relationships, sharing updates, showcasing projects, and driving traffic to our website.”
Chloey Cavanaugh, Owner and Designer, Black and White Raven Company
like marketing onboard the ship, or closer experientially, like offering an online shopping experience with in-store pickup—has helped to differentiate Voyij’s offerings by tying the shopping experience directly to a current trip itinerary,” Klupar says.
Lasting Connections
Today’s world of commerce is fragmented, Klupar says, so merchants need to be good at many things—or work with partners or agencies that have the expertise.
“Whether it’s ecommerce, email marketing, social media, print, or video, there is no one channel or magic bullet that drives a majority of the business anymore but rather several channels that work together,” she observes.
Klupar says customers are looking for products and services on their terms—their preferred timing, price, payment option, delivery method, and language—and tailored to their browsing habits. She emphasizes, “The more we can be where our customers already are, the more likely we can earn the trust needed to build a lasting connection.”
For example, Klupar recently connected with a Voyij customer who found the company through LinkedIn, which has not traditionally been a customer acquisition channel for Voyij. “This customer interaction reminded me that brand presence is not always one big marketing campaign that reaches millions but rather thousands of little efforts across many channels that work in unison to deliver a strong
brand promise in a personalized, authentic way,” she says.
For Black and White Raven Company, ecommerce has opened doors that geography once closed. “As a business rooted in Juneau, where there are no roads in or out, the ability to connect, share, and sell online allows us to reach broader audiences while staying true to our place-based values,” says Cavanaugh. “It’s allowed us to grow without leaving home, build partnerships beyond state lines, and support other Indigenous makers and small businesses along the way.”
Cavanaugh continues: “Ecommerce isn’t just a tool. It’s part of how we continue our traditions of trade, storytelling, and connection in a digital world.”
Black and White Raven Company
ARural Alaska Ecommerce Trends
By Tracy Barbour
l aska’s unique geography has sparked creative ecommerce tactics among national and Alaskabased retailers. Some companies have developed distinct shipping practices to facilitate delivery of perishable foods to customers in rural Alaska; others have partnered with local distributors to create hybrid fulfillment models that combine the convenience of online ordering with the reliability of local inventory.
Mike Jones, an economist at UAA’s Institute of Social and Economic Research has focused much of his research on food security and food transportation. Having analyzed aviation supply chains and Alaska ecommerce as part of his state-funded work, Jones has gained some interesting insights into the role of digital commerce, including its impact in remote communities.
Jones notes that Amazon Prime has become a major ecommerce solution in rural Alaska. In fact, people often mention “before Prime” or “after Prime” when referring to the retailer’s entry in their market. “This [Prime] has become a very routine way of ordering quite a lot of goods, even nonperishable food goods,” he says. “It seems to have changed the way people go about acquiring a lot of basic supplies for daily life, and that brings Amazon much more intensely into the rural [off-road] Alaska landscape.”
Other major players are also actively engaging in ecommerce in the state. Alaska Commercial Company (AC) operates more than thirty combination food, general merchandise, and convenience stores. The company launched an app in 2023 to make it easy for customers to order fresh groceries and general merchandise from AC stores with their smartphone. The multifeatured AC app offers a convenient way for shoppers to place Bush or even curbside pickup orders. “This allows folks who live downstream, even smaller communities, to order directly through the Alaska Commercial Company and have Bush orders delivered on demand,” Jones says.
Costco has expanded its own rural delivery options to be more competitive in the ecommerce sector. Last year, the membership-only, big-box retailer announced ambitious plans to offer faster delivery times in Alaska. However, Costco.com has a shelf-stable product restriction for its twoday delivery program as well as limitations for shipping to some areas of Alaska.
Retailers typically base their shipping policies on the delivery location and perishability of the items ordered. Jones explains: “There are some geographic restrictions and a limitation to shelf-stable food products with outlets like Amazon or even Alaska-based Costco warehouses or Three Bears Alaska stores versus Bush orders from a rural-located retailer like Alaska Commercial Company that does ship perishables. One Anchorage-based exception is Fred Meyer, which allows Bush orders of fresh food, but has not adopted a similar online Bush ordering platform.”
He adds: “As you move through the market, you move from Anchorage to our hub communities, and then to the spokes. And it gets much more difficult to successfully ship certain types of products, particularly perishable products. Thus, the companies that can meet those needs are likely to still need to be somewhat close to their consumers when products are beginning that journey. There might be some expected product differentiation between what ecommerce is able to touch from nationally based companies versus ecommerce expansion from firms that are at least in the hubs.”
Currently, AC uses air freight for its app orders. Three Bears Alaska sends dry goods to villages via the United States Postal Service. Fred Meyer ships nearly all store items—including perishables and large products—through phone, email, or fax orders, but it does not offer online ordering.
Mike Jones UAA
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Burying Fiber in King Cove
Not Your Grandfather’s Immersion Suit
Inventor aims to set the standard for marine survival
By Jamey Bradbury
Kerry Tasker
Un til recently, the best protection for anyone in a man-overboard situation in Alaska’s frigid ocean waters has been the Gumby suit. Made of thick neoprene fabric, coldwater immersion suits offer a high thermal value that helps prevent hypothermia. In a worst-case scenario, these suits have saved lives when rescue was hours away.
Now there’s a new option that promises not hours but days of warmth and safety for a person awaiting rescue. The Arctic 10+ survival suit, created and manufactured by White Glacier, is marketed as both a cold-water immersion suit and a personal life raft. Where the Gumby suit is temporary protection from hypothermia in cold water, the Arctic 10+ exceeds standards that no other survival suit has attained, says White Glacier CEO Diego Jacobson.
But is it a solution that will catch on in Alaska?
Tried and True
The Bering Sea, which supports some of the largest commercial fisheries in the United States, is a particularly treacherous body of water, experiencing frequent storms that coat ships with ice. Survival time for a person without protection in calm, 32.5°F water is between 30 and 90 minutes; the surface temperature of the Bering Sea fluctuates between 34°F to 41°F, and the sea is rarely calm in situations that have caused someone to be in those waters.
Gumby suits save lives by protecting a person from hypothermia, keeping them warm
“If you need to put on an immersion suit, it’s not a bright, sunny day; normally, it’s a storm, or it’s nighttime… When you are operating in those conditions in waters which are more than two or three hours away from rescue, that’s a danger.”
Diego Jacobson CEO White Glacier
and buoyant. US Coast Guard (USCG)approved survival suits are required to offer a minimum of 22 pounds of buoyancy—enough to keep a person afloat, even if the suit fills with water.
They also provide thermal protection at about 2.5 clo, the unit of measuring the insulation provided by an article of clothing; a typical business suit, complete with undershirt, shirt, and jacket, has a insulation value of 1 clo, for example. Staying warm, relatively dry, and buoyant can increase a person’s chances of survival by several hours. But in Alaska, several hours often isn’t enough time when it comes to marine accidents.
In 2008, FV Alaska Ranger , a 190foot fish processing vessel, sank in the Bering Sea. The crew had time to don their survival suits and rescue helicopters showed up to pull the first survivor from the water in just 50 minutes. But four crewmembers died in the sea that night; they were the last four individuals to be pulled from the water, more than five hours after the sinking.
“If you need to put on an immersion suit, it’s not a bright, sunny day; normally, it’s a storm, or it’s nighttime—it’s poor conditions,” Jacobson describes. “When you are operating in those conditions in waters which are more than two or three hours away from rescue, that’s a danger.”
Sweating in the Ice Tank
Brian Horner, director and founder of Learn to Return Training Systems (LTR) in Anchorage, has spent a lot of time in Gumby suits. The longest he’s stayed in one, immersed in ice cold water for testing, was 20 hours. He knows firsthand what it’s like to swim for survival.
To stay warm inside the Gumby suit, he says, “I had to swim more every hour. At hour 12, I’m swimming, like, 10 minutes. By hour 18, I’m spending 40 minutes flopping and swimming just to keep my core above 95°F. If I dropped below that, they would have pulled me from the experiment.”
“The neoprene suits—let’s call them your grandfather’s immersion suit—haven’t changed very much since the 1960s,” Jacobson points out. “If those suits get wet on the inside, which often happens,
Kerry
Tasker
Kerry Tasker
Kerry Tasker
it drops thermal protection by 40 to 45 percent.”
This was one of the first fixes Jacobson’s team at Puerto Ricobased White Glacier sought to make when developing the Arctic 25, an early predecessor to the Arctic 10+ immersion suit. First, instead of relying on neoprene to create thermal protection, they used a metalized fabric full of air bubbles— sort of like bubble wrap for mailing breakables—to line the inner layer of the suit. This “bubble technology” reflects heat back to the body.
The design is extremely effective. In testing at White Glacier, a subject was completely soaked in ice water before donning the suit and entering an ice bath. Within ten minutes, the subject’s body temperature had stabilized; within
two hours, his clothes inside the suit were nearly dry.
Thermal protection licked, Jacobson set out to fix the problem of eventual degradation of the glue and stitching that hold neoprene suits together. A layer of durable, waterproof plastic encases the Arctic 10+’s bubble fabric; to create a seal, the seams of this fabric are bonded by melting the plastic together, making the suit airtight.
Horner first donned the Arctic 10+ immersion suit during an open house at Eagle Enterprises Safety Solutions, an Alaska safety equipment retailer. Along with LTR instructor Patrick Nephew, he climbed into a tub full of ice.
“We were floating next to each other, just sweating in full clothing inside those [Arctic 10+]
Homestead grabbed the guy’s sandwich, jumped from the 25-foot-high dock, then deployed the splash tent. He floated on the water, perfectly comfortable while enjoying his snack.
Meet Tiffany Whited Bridging Marketing and Sales
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suits in the ice tank,” Nephew recalls. “We were like, ‘This thing’s amazing.’”
Jacobson gave the LTR team one of his suits, encouraging them to run it through a gamut of test-case scenarios. So they did.
A Personal Life Raft, with Extras
Floating on the sea encased in the Arctic 10+ is a little like being inside a sleeping bag on top of a waterbed, says Clint Homestead, another LTR instructor.
To increase survival time, the Arctic 10+ has additional features other suits don’t offer.
First, the suit includes a “splash tent”—a dome made of clear, durable plastic film—that can be deployed from the chest and neck, creating a fully enclosed personal habitat. The suit’s unique bat-wing sleeve design allows the wearer to pull their arms fully inside the ample chest. From there, the suit can be unzipped from the inside, and the wearer can sit up in the splash tent, completely protected from the elements.
While cold is the biggest danger in a frigid ocean, Jacobson wanted his suit to respond to changing
conditions. Even in cold water, when the sun comes out, a neoprene suit can grow uncomfortably warm. The wearer can cool off by flushing the suit with water—but when conditions change again, being wet increases the risk of hypothermia.
In the Arctic 10+, the wearer can open the splash tent and let in fresh air. Fully zipped, the splash tent warms quickly; Homestead likens it to a greenhouse, rapidly warming the inside of the suit so that, while testing the Arctic 10+ in an ice tank, he found himself “yelling at them to toss more ice in.”
When abandoning a ship, a crew may be confronted with fires, or they might find themselves needing to leap from a height into the ocean. Jacobson designed the Arctic 10+ with these scenarios in mind, too.
While the USCG requires that an immersion suit provide protection for jumps into the water from a height of 4.5 meters, or almost 15 feet, the buoyancy of the Arctic 10+ makes it possible for its wearer to jump from about 10 meters—nearly 33 feet—into the ocean.
The outer layer of the Arctic 10+ is made of treated, fire-resistant nylon. This layer increases flame protection from two seconds (the minimum USCG requirement) to
Learn
demonstrate the Arctic 10+ survival suit's capabilities in Turnagain Arm near McHugh Creek.
ten seconds. The wearer of the suit can also deploy the splash tent to protect against smoke and gain minutes of fresh air.
Survival for Days
Homestead and Nephew have had ample opportunity to test the Arctic 10+. They jumped off the pier in Whittier to test for buoyancy, popping like a cork to the surface of the water. Nephew opened the splash tent and shot flares from inside the suit. Homestead learned from experience that a urination kit used inside the suit works well, but it should only be emptied by passing the bag through the chest—not through the neck, just in case the bag breaks.
In addition to the urination kit, pockets inside the Arctic 10+ can be stocked with survival equipment, first aid supplies, light, and food.
While demonstrating the suit for a group of fishermen in Kodiak, Homestead heard one observer snark that he wouldn’t be impressed with the suit unless you could eat a sandwich while inside—so Homestead grabbed the guy’s sandwich, jumped from the 25-foot-high dock, then deployed the splash tent. He floated on the water, perfectly comfortable while enjoying his snack.
Comfort was an important factor when Jacobson was developing the Arctic 10+. “If you are wet and cold and scared, your survivability will be negatively impacted,” he observes. “But if you’re comfortable and you’re warm, your survivability increases.”
Their experience with the suit has convinced the instructors at
“For Alaska waters, in the environments we’re in, we see about two days of survival on the water from this. That’s a lot. You’re taking the average Gumby suit and quadrupling the survival.”
Clint Homestead Instructor Learn to Ret urn Training Systems
that an Arctic 10+ could significantly impact cold-water survival in Alaska for the better.
“This suit is definitely taking survival from hours to days,” Homestead says.
While the Arctic 10+ marketing materials state that an individual can survive for up to five days in the suit, Homestead adds, “Our opinion, for Alaska waters, in the environments we’re in, we see about two days of survival on the water from this. That’s a lot. You’re taking the average Gumby suit and quadrupling the survival.”
“Someone Needs to Have the Worst Day of Their Life”
Jacobson’s biggest sale to date has been to Ponant, an expedition cruise company based in Marseille, France, that bought 600 suits for its icebreaker. Using the Arctic 10+ suit, in 2021 the company organized the first international rescue exercise in a polar region, collaborating with teams from the United States, Canada, Greenland, and other Arctic nations.
In Alaska, both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and UAF have purchased White Glacier’s immersion suits. The company was delivering suits this summer to Dutch Harbor for a Seattle-based fishing company.
While use of the Arctic 10+ suit isn’t widespread in Alaska yet, Jacobson is hopeful.
“[I] expect Alaska to be a very strong market for us because of the nature of their cold water. Anyone that operates in the Bering Sea will require this type of equipment,” he says.
However, trying to convince Alaska fishermen that there’s something better than the traditional Gumby suit is going to take an extreme situation, in Nephew’s opinion.
“The cold, hard truth about it, when it comes to survival equipment, is someone needs to have the worst day of their life for everybody to realize this thing is going to work,” he says.
The cost of the suit—an Arctic 10+ goes for about $1,800—may be one daunting factor. The familiar Gumby suit, by comparison, retails for $750, on average. To provide more—and cheaper—options, White Glacier is developing the Arctic 6, which will still offer increased protection but at a lower price point.
Already, LTR has started incorporating demos of the Arctic 10+ into its Offshore Cold Water Survival course. Eventually, Horner would like to outsource what LTR does by offering “train the trainer” courses. He wants actual mariners to learn how to don the suit quickly and then take what they’ve learned back to the rest of their crews, able to say, “I was in the suit, and it works.”
This year’s Governor’s Safety and Health Conference in April honored White Glacier and LTR with a Governor’s Innovation in Safety Award, which recognizes companies that have developed products that significantly contribute to improving environmental protection in the workplace.
“The market’s going to have this at some point. This [suit] is coming, and the Gumby is going to be an obsolete thing,” Homestead predicts.
Startup Accelerators
Mentoring innovators from development to deployment
By Rachael Kvapil
Ro ckets are a common metaphor for startup businesses, even those far removed from the aerospace industry. A different analogy occurs to Margo Fliss, associate director of the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development (UA CED).
“It’s going to be a lot more like a roller coaster ride than a straight line,” she says.
In either case, the payload needs help to reach its zenith, whether that’s a chain lifting a coaster to the crest of its first hill or the boosters strapped to a spacecraft bound for orbit. And when their work is done, those accelerators hang back and watch the payload zoom away.
Business accelerators are a relatively small but rapidly growing part of Alaska’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, offering diverse assistance to startups in various fields.
Not the Traditional Small Business
Fliss says her favorite definition of a startup comes from American entrepreneur Steve Blank, who says a startup is an organization formed to search for a repeatable and scalable business model.
A rapid growth trajectory is the key difference between a startup from other small businesses, even new ones. Fliss says that startups aim to quickly transform an innovative
idea into a growing, profitable business model, whereas a small business—a brick-and-mortar establishment, a mom-and-pop shop, or even a small consulting firm— might stay small forever, depending on the owner’s wishes.
A focus on rapid growth requires flexibility, which is often determined by the stage of the project. For instance, as a startup grows, the number of employees often fluctuates. Early-stage startups may consist of a small team to develop and validate ideas, and later they add employees to fabricate and test a prototype, deliver funding pitches, and deploy a finished product. However, the startup may shrink again if it starts over with a new
Alonesbe | Envato
idea. Likewise, the funding trajectory is variable. Startups often seek seed money from investors rather than using their own capital.
Also, startups also tend to have shorter life cycles than small businesses. “A startup is usually considered one to five years of the life of the business,” says Fliss. “After that, they are typically entering either a growth, an exit, or a failure stage.”
In comparison, a small business is more stable. Brick-and-mortar stores can stay in the same community for decades. Even if they expand into new markets, that growth is usually at a slower pace, with the intention of retaining and/or increasing employee numbers. Financially, small businesses can project their annual income based on previous years and will often reinvest profits or apply for bank loans when additional funds are needed. Even online, small businesses achieve the same longevity by following this business model.
Startups have an economic impact in Alaska, but the exact impact is difficult to quantify since their contributions are lumped in with other small businesses. According to climate technology deployment accelerator Launch Alaska’s 2024 Impact Report, portfolio companies participating in their program last year raised $342 million, with sixteen awarded projects that created thirty-three new jobs in Alaska. The “All-Time Impact,” representing the value of both Launch Alaska portfolio projects and the value of partner projects directly supported by Launch Alaska staff, is significantly higher, with $655 million raised by portfolio companies, resulting in ninety projects that created seventy-
seven new jobs. Many accelerator programs, such as Launch Alaska, are experiencing similar economic impacts among the startups they’ve mentored through the years.
Ideas on Ice
A common feature among startups is a focus on innovation that can result in a new product or service, or an innovative business model that improves how an industry creates, delivers, and captures value. Many startups in the past few decades have prioritized technology development and new methods for deploying technology.
Depending on an entrepreneur’s field of expertise, they often need to seek assistance with research, prototyping, or testing to bring their ideas to fruition.
The UAF Alaska Center for Innovation, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship (Center Ice) is an innovation accelerator that leverages the UA System’s best research to support startup development, facilitate the launch of real-world solutions, and promote scale-up and sustainability. Likewise, Center Ice provides an extensive range of programs that provide funding, training, and expertise designed to meet the needs of students, faculty, and staff.
Peter Webley, director and federal grants principal investigator of Center Ice, says the startups he works with are either founded internally at UAF or are external ventures looking to collaborate with researchers, receive training, or participate in a specific program. Though it’s easiest for accelerators to work with startups
right out of the gate, he says many entrepreneurs come to them after attending a competition or completing another accelerator program.
“People use the center in different ways,” says Webley. “If they come early in their journey, they may need help with customer discovery. Later-stage startups may be seeking networking opportunities and advanced training that results in successful fundraising efforts.”
Center Ice provides a menu of programs to assist startups, including the Ideation Studio, I-Corps program, physical working space, testbeds, the Alaska Federal and State Technology Partnership program that prepares and assists entrepreneurs in writing grants, internship opportunities via the Students to Startups program, and support for the Alaska Mariculture Build Back Better Regional Challenge.
When a startup contacts Center Ice for assistance, Webley says his office assesses where the startup is in its journey and what assistance it truly needs before recommending programs. The time to establish connections and receive training, he adds, is before an opportunity to pitch to an investor or apply for a grant presents itself.
Out of the Comfort Zone
Webley finds that customer discovery is usually the biggest challenge most startups face. Often, innovators begin developing an idea without fully understanding who will ultimately use their product or service. Center Ice, along with other accelerator programs, guides startups through the process of engaging with potential customers to determine
“Friends and family will support an idea because they want to support the entrepreneur… That isn’t as helpful as getting honest feedback from people within their industry and potential customers.”
Peter Webley Director UAF Alaska Center for Innovation Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship
if their products truly solve their everyday needs. By talking to potential customers, startups validate their ideas, products, services, and the methods by which they are deployed and delivered. Webley says this process takes many innovators out of their comfort zone, where they find themselves having to talk with people outside their immediate social circle.
“Friends and family will support an idea because they want to support the entrepreneur,” says Webley. “That isn’t as helpful as getting honest feedback from people within their industry and potential customers.”
But what if talking to strangers about an innovation lets someone
rip off the idea? That’s a common fear, according to Ky Holland, cochair and founding member of Alaska Version 3, which bills itself as an innovation-focused community and economic development nonprofit. Holland says innovators are often hesitant to discuss their ideas for feedback because they’re worried someone will steal them.
In reality, he explains, the risk of this happening is minuscule compared to the real risk of not sharing ideas to conduct research and customer discovery. Many factors must come together in the right order for a startup to achieve success, making it unlikely that two people with similar ideas will produce the same outcomes.
“Sometimes it boils down to the right person or the right team at the right time under the right circumstances,” says Holland. “So many people hold on to what they think is their one big idea and never do anything with it.”
Holland says this “scarcity thinking” robs entrepreneurs of the opportunity to test their ideas to the fullest and possibly create something that has a real social impact on Alaskans and even the world.
Network of Support
Numerous startup programs, accelerators, and competitions offer Alaskan entrepreneurs opportunities to test and refine their ideas. Some accelerators serve a specific industry or region of the state while others are open to assisting startups regardless of their business focus or location. UA CED’s flagship program, Upstart Alpha, is one notable accelerator that offers training and networking opportunities
with fellow entrepreneurs and prospective investors.
Fliss says startup accelerators often focus on the numerous building blocks at the foundation of successful business venture, such as marketing revenue streams, customer discovery, legal and regulatory concerns, and more. Many accelerator programs have additional goals for startups, including conducting first-round fundraising efforts, working with angel investors and other financial parties, or securing a spot in another program that would have equity investments.
University-based partnerships, such as UA CED, also connect directly with other programs in the Alaska ecosystem. Participating in other programs—such as the North Slope Marketplace, the Alaska Angel Conference, and 1 Million Cups—enables UA CED to guide entrepreneurs in the right direction.
For example, when an entrepreneur completes Upstart Alpha, they may be ready to work with the Alaska Small Business Development Center, so UA CED will facilitate a seamless transition. Fliss says that many entrepreneurs have also proceeded to gBETA, a program of gener8tor, a for-profit Wisconsin-based national startup accelerator that offers graduates cash in exchange for an equity share of the company.
Ups, Downs, and Ups
Not every startup will result in a viable product or service. Holland estimates that for every ten startups, seven will fail, two will do okay, and only one will become a spectacular success.
Despite the risks, Alaska boasts a notable roster of successful startups, particularly in the energy, transportation, and industrial sectors. These include 60Hertz, Montis Corporation, Be Cool Pharmaceutics, and Kartorium, many of which got a boost from startup accelerators.
Fliss finds that many successful entrepreneurs will face incredible challenges and even failures. This is where her roller coaster analogy comes in: many successful entrepreneurs have had multiple businesses they’ve had to either exit or shut down before hitting their stride. In other words, she says, neither challenges nor failures are an indication that it’s time to pack up and go home.
Fliss adds that new entrepreneurs might also assume that they are expected to be proficient in all aspects of running a business. UA CED often tells early-stage startups that they need to know just enough to get started. When growth begins, they bring in co-founders and other experts to fill the knowledge gaps.
Taking the Leap
Both Holland and Fliss agree that Alaska would benefit from additional funding resources and initiatives supporting entrepreneurship. And Holland is in a position to make that happen.
In 2024, Holland was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives for the Anchorage Hillside and Girdwood. When he arrived in Juneau in January, Holland introduced two bills to advance his cause. House Bill 30 would establish an office of entrepreneurship within the Alaska Department of
Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. Its specific mission would be to promote innovationbased economic development and job creation in emerging sectors by assisting new businesses as they establish themselves within the state.
And House Bill 34 would establish an Alaska Innovation Council to advise the governor, legislature, governmental agencies, research institutions, and private sector organizations on commercialization and economic diversification. Both bills were advanced to the House Finance Committee for hearings in 2026.
For those who have been holding onto a big idea and are ready to leap into the startup game, Holland suggests visiting Alaska Version 3’s Startups page for suggestions on making connections and getting involved. Alaska Version 3 also features the Entrepreneurship Calendar, which includes dates and times for regular networking opportunities, training programs, workshops, competitions, and more.
A few key events where people can learn more about the startup process include Techstars Startup Weekend, taking place from September 5 to 7 in Anchorage, and Alaska Entrepreneurship Week, scheduled for September 29 to October 3 in Anchorage. People can also contact any startup accelerator program to learn more about what it has to offer and the best way to get involved.
As Holland states in support of his Alaska Innovation Council bill, “A strong entrepreneurial climate is essential for attracting investment, encouraging creativity, and expanding economic opportunities for Alaskans.”
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430 W 7th Avenue, Suite 10, Anchorage, AK 99501 www.colorartprinting.com
Alaska Adaptable Housing
Reinventing the kit home with local resources
By Joseph Jackson
Ho using is in short supply in Alaska, and it’s holding back the broader economy. According to a study by Agnew::Beck Consulting in 2023, the state will need more than 27,000 new housing units in the next ten years to meet rising demand. Construction, however, has yet to match this need. In 2022, just 578 new units were authorized statewide.
Santima | Adobe Stock
Construction in remote Alaska is both logistically and financially challenging.
Alaska Adaptable Housing is hoping to change that.
Alaska Adaptable Housing
The problem has many roots. At the forefront, houses are prohibitively expensive in Alaska. While a new house in the Lower 48 might incur an average hard cost (materials and labor) of $120 per square foot, Anchorage homes see hard costs of $300 per square foot. Outside of urban areas the cost jumps even more: in Bethel, the figure is an astounding $8 00 per square foot.
Even updating existing homes is rife with barriers. The majority of Alaska homes were built during the ‘80s or earlier, and now many of them require improvements to keep pace with modern living. For someone in an Alaska city, such an endeavor is expensive, and off the
road system it’s nearly impossible. Finances aren’t the only limitation, either. Most homes today require highly specialized knowledge and tools to work on, and both are difficult to f ind in rural Alaska.
In a feedback loop, the housing hang-up discourages workers from living in Alaska, thus shrinking the workforce and making homes even harder to build and maintain.
Yet there are innovators trying to escape that loop.
Creating a House Kit
Alaska Adaptable Housing wants to address the housing shortage by changing the way homes are built.
“The goal is to make home ownership equitable for all
Alaskans,” says Stacey Fritz, an applied anthropologist of arctic infrastructure and part of the Alaska Adaptable Housing team in Fairbanks. She co-owns the LLC with her husband, Ryan Tinsley, a building systems designer. Their colleague at the Cold Climate Housing Research Center, construction project manager Jessica McKay, is on the team too. And Dan Fritz, Stacey’s brother, supplies the organization with his know-how as a technical consultant specializing in engine ering and business.
The team plans to make home ownership equitable by designing and building adaptable home systems specifically for the Great
Alaska
Alaska Adaptable Housing’s Ryan Tinsley working on the wall system for the kit-of-parts home design.
Alaska Adaptable Housing
“The goal is to make home ownership equitable for all Alaskans.”
Stacey Fritz, Co-owner Alask a Adaptable Housing
Land—houses that can be locally sourced, affordably built, and more easily maintained, even in remote parts of the state.
In 2020, while partnering with the National Renewable Energy Lab, the Cold Climate Housing Research Center received a grant from the US Department of Energy to address the energy efficiency of Alaska homes, as well as the amount of waste generated by conven tional construction.
Tinsley, by then a research technician at the Colorado-based
A finished prototype of Alaska Adaptable Housing’s kit-of-parts home system, outside in a Fairbanks winter.
Alaska Adaptable Housing
A finished prototype of Alaska Adaptable Housing’s kit-of-parts home system.
Adaptable Housing
National Renewable Energy Lab, echoed these concerns. With more than thirty-five years of construction experience in Alaska, much of it in remote communities, Tinsley had collaborated with homeowners, contractors, and researchers to address building problems. He’d become obsessed with changing how structures in remote Alaska were built, so he began noodling on the idea of a kito f-parts home design.
BUILT TO OUTLAST.
Tinsley, the company’s “chief visionary officer,” compares it to a giant LEGO set. The houses aren’t made of giant, primarycolored bricks, but a collection of interchangeable and replaceable ho me parts.
Panels and Foundations
The Department of Energy grant opened the door to testing vacuum-insulated wall panels (VIPs) in Alaska home design. These panels are low-volume, high performance, and can be replaced witho ut destroying them.
While Tinsley and the team ultimately decided they’d rather use wood fiber or other locallysourced insulation in their home design, VIPs proved that reversible building systems—that is, home materials that can be removed and replaced without damage or loss—were possible.
Alaska Adaptable Housing didn’t stop there, of course. The next step in the kit-of-parts system is arguably the most important: the foundation. In Alaska, home foundations take a beating; they’re bent, broken, and tossed
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Alaska Adaptable Housing’s innovative foundation system, which is self-levelling, requires no specialized tools to install and can be flat stacked for shipping.
Alaska Adaptable Housing
around by relentless freezing and thawing, erosion, and seismic activity—sometimes all in the same season. Eighty percent of Alaska is affected by permafrost, adding more complications for the groundto-building interface. Making foundations that are shippable, maintainable, and replaceable in remote Alaska add s to the difficulty.
Alaska Adaptable Housing is rising to the occasion with a unique foundation system. The foundation, patent pending, can stack flat to ship, requires no heavy equipment or specialized tools to install, and is self-squaring. The system also received special recognition as winner of the UAF 2025 Arctic Innovation Competition in April, earning the $15,000 top prize plus two $2,000 kicker prizes in the Arctic and Climate Adaptation categories.
The Arctic Innovation Competition collected submissions from more than 150 entities and, according to Stacey Fritz, was an invaluable opportunity for Alaska Adaptable Housing to pitch ideas to fellow Alaskans and streamline its thinking.
New Ideas from Old Concepts
Kit homes are not a new concept. North American indigenous tribes have been utilizing them for centuries in the form of teepees and wigwams. These structures and their components could be assembled, replaced, and moved outright if needed. Such structures provide a stark contrast to the more immoveable, permanent, and needlessly complic ated homes of today.
“We’re not reinventing the wheel,” says Tinsley. “We’re simply relearning what has been lost.”
A bonus feature of Alaska Adaptable Housing’s kits is the workforce development aspect. Assembly and maintenance of the kits are the most obvious jobs, and those alone could employ a significant number of residents in many communities.
Alaska Adaptable Housing also hopes to create fabrication jobs (manufacturing kit parts) for ye ar-round employment.
“Kit” structures such as teepees, wigwams, and even log cabins bear another critical distinction beyond their adaptability: historically, they could be sourced entirely from local materials. When shipping and handling fees often amount to 50 percent of a home build’s material cost in Alaska, this cou ld be a gamechanger.
Establishing Local Sources
Lumber is the primary housing material expense. Alaska spends approximately $20 million per year importing Canadian lumber. An 8-foot 2x4 can cost as much as $30 in remote communities, according to the Tanana Chiefs Conference. The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation cites such high lumber costs as a reason new building permits declined by 15 percent in 2022.
In 2023, the Alaska Legislature made moves to shift that. House Bill 93, also called the Local Lumber Exemption, opened the door for local lumber resources to be used in home construction. Under HB 93, small-scale sawmills can produce
dimensional lumber and receive free training in visual lumber inspection. It also provides an exemption from the typical building code requiring grade-stamped lumber to be used, while requiring an equivalent syste m of Alaska grades.
Alaska Adaptable Housing cites this legislation as a huge opportunity for rural communities.
Tinsley has already explored some of the bill’s potential by harvesting driftwood on the Yukon River to be milled by a col laborator in Galena. Lumber is not the only resource that can be sourced locally. McKay is leading Alaska Adaptable Housing’s initiative to use other local materials to make Alaska communities more self-sustaining.
WORK HARD
Alaska
“We’re not reinventing the wheel… We’re simply relearning what has been lost.”
Ryan Tinsley Co-owner Alas ka Adaptable Housing
First on the list is seaweed. Certain seaweeds can be used in wall insulation, as they’re naturally fire-resistant and antimicrobial. Kelp can also be used as a cement alternative, drastically reducing carbon emissions normally associated with concrete production. Alaska Adaptable Housing is also looking into using local mineral resources fo r similar purposes.
Alaska Adaptable Housing set a goal of sourcing 85 percent of its home materials locally in the next five years. A prefab home package developed in cooperation with Alaska Building Arts and Sciences, a training nonprofit in Delta Junction, incorporates as many adaptable
building principles as possible. Within the next year, Alaska Adaptable Housing anticipates evaluating a full-scale prototype of its foundation. The system itself is currently at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of five to six; a TRL of one indicates basic technology research, while a TRL of nine signifies that a technology is ready for launch.
Alaska Adaptable Housing’s goals are lofty. But the goals are backed by a team with vision, experience, and grit to buckle down and get a job done. Kit homes could be what Alaska needs to break out of the housing spiral. Adaptable homes aren’t mere figments of the past. They could very well shape the future.
Alaska Adaptable Housing won the 2025 Arctic Innovation Competition held at UAF. Here, Ryan Tinsley and Stacey Fritz accept the prize.
Adaptable Housing
Buying a Business in Alaska
How to acquire a company and preserve its value
By Christian Muntean
Recently, a friend of mine, a certified public accountant (CPA), asked me to join him as a partner to buy a small, popular business. As a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) advisor, I’ve had my share of personal and professional experience with acquisitions. My partner has as well. We felt we’d be a good team.
Fortunately, the deal fell through. I say “fortunately” because, although it was a successful business, it was a bad deal. But it took us a while to accept that. Both my partner and I are driven and goal oriented. Those are useful traits when tackling complicated projects, but they can make it difficult to accept when it’s time to walk away.
We became emotionally invested in making this deal work. This is a common, classic mistake when buying a business—and I could see it happening. We discussed it, but our initial instincts (and, likely, egos) were, “We’re smarter than this; we can figure it out.”
Gratefully, we both had professional muscle memory at play. We kept asking enough of the right questions to eventually kill the deal, in spite of ourselves. The red flags were obvious. The business was completely dependent on the owner who lived there; we didn’t want to live there, so we would need to hire a general manager. More concerning, the owner’s pay— although she worked full-time— wasn’t reflected in the financials. It was listed as profit, and this skewed the valuation she wanted.
When I recast the financials assuming we’d hire a general
manager, that “profit” evaporated.
(Recasting is a process of taking an owner’s personal expenses out of the financials and adding in the likely ones required to operate the business.) Brokers later communicated that our Letter of Intent terms were accepted but then disregarded in the process. Worse, we were denied the chance to perform due diligence (looking under the hood) before going under contract, and that’s an absolute non-starter in an acquisition process.
If It Is Hard for a Couple of Pros…
Gratefully, as I said, the deal fell apart. Our only loss was time, and that was far more than we should have spent. It could have been worse—we could have actually bought it.
We got tripped up around thinking that this was almost a business. That is, a few tweaks would fix it and grow the value. But the more we learned, the more we discovered it was a job—a job with medium pay and very high liabilities. Not what we were looking for.
Buying a business well can be complicated. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it.
This guide is written for the bold individual buyers who are ready to jumpstart their entrepreneurial journey through buying their first business. Maybe you want more control over your destiny; perhaps you are attracted to the lifestyle of the business owner; or possibly you want to build wealth or leave a legacy. Whatever brought you to this point, you are probably looking at
Buying a business means buying into a lifestyle. You’re stepping into the rhythm of that company… If you choose well, you’re not just buying a business, you’re securing your financial future and becoming a key part of Alaska’s economy and story.
businesses valued around $1 million, more or less. You likely have not started or bought a business before, so this is exciting. And intimidating.
It most likely feels like an “all chips in” kind of decision. And maybe that’s what it would take.
The Paradox of Business Acquisition
Buying a business is one of the best ways to achieve personal financial freedom and build wealth. It’s very rare to find someone who has both freedom and wealth who hasn’t either built or bought a business.
According to McKinsey & Company, 60 percent of business acquisitions fail to return value. This estimate includes M&As masterminded by the
Fortune 500 “bigs” with armies of brilliant people. Keep that in mind.
However, that 60 percent failure rate isn’t Las Vegas odds. It’s a reflection of how often buyers rush the process. They skip asking the right questions. They gloss over unfamiliar topics. They get caught up in the sparkle and excitement of the acquisition.
No one is immune to this. My partner and I got sucked into it for a while. The bigs do as well.
The truth is, the deal’s sparkle can blind you. You see the numbers, the location, the reputation—but real questions can get overlooked. What does the business actually need to succeed without its current owner? How sustainable are its margins? How prepared are you to step in and not just own it but run.
Start with the Right Target
Most first-time buyers don’t define in advance the kind of business they want to buy or what it needs to accomplish for them. In fact, I’ve seen billion-dollar companies with entire M&A teams that also can’t answer that question. As a result, many of their acquisitions fail. It’s not because they lack experience; it’s because the urge to act often overrides the discipline to plan.
This exercise—defining your target with specific acquisition criteria— provides an objective filter that lets you quickly recognize good fits and quickly walk away from bad ones. It’s more than just identifying opportunities. When you know what you want and why, you’re far better prepared to negotiate the right
terms, which often matter more than price, and then structure the deal to your advantage.
This was the fundamental error my partner and I made. He had already expressed interest and put momentum behind the deal before I came on board. He was a regular customer of the business and simply liked it. That personal familiarity gave him a sense of comfort, but it also bred tunnel vision.
By the time I got involved, inertia was at play. However, I also got caught up in the idea of the business and could see its potential for growth. We weren’t evaluating the business objectively; we were trying to make it f it our expectations.
How to Define the Target
Before browsing on BizBuySell or whatever, answer this basic question: do I want to buy a business or do I want to buy a job?
Some buyers want to buy a business purely as an investment. They don’t want to be behind the counter or on-site every day—they want to oversee operations, not drive them. Others are buying a job. They want to be on the front lines—running the business, building relationships, and being deeply involved in day-to-day decisions.
If you want to own a business and not have a job in the field or behind the counter, your options are significantly narrower. Very few small businesses are designed to operate without the owner’s daily involvement. But they do exist. These “turnkey” operations are typically
Buying a business is one of the best ways to achieve personal financial freedom and build wealth. It’s very rare to find someone who has both freedom and wealth who hasn’t either built or bought a business.
well-structured, have solid models, and are priced accordingly.
On the flip side, if you’re looking to buy a job, your range of options expands. It might be priced attractively, but it will demand your time, energy, and resources to make it work. The key is accurately estimating what that effort will cost you and ensuring that it’ll be worth it.
If you are very familiar with an industry, you can buy a job and turn it into a full business. This is a very profitable strategy, but it’s difficult to pull off. I only recommend this to people who have experience leading business turnarounds.
This last scenario is what my partner and I were looking at: a fixerupper that we thought we’d be able to fix up to run on its own. It was positioned and priced as a turnkey business, but unfortunately we recognized that, while the business
had “good bones,” the updates and repair it needed were more than the benefit it could provide.
Other Questions to Consider
A potential buyer should answer a few more questions before defining the target of an acquisition.
x Revenue & Profit Expectations: This is the most obvious filter. What’s the revenue range you’re looking for? More importantly, what profit range makes it worthwhile? I’m a firm believer that buying a business should improve your life, not make it harder. Make sure you know the upside that you need.
x Size & Complexity: What level of complexity (staff, customers, departments, et cetera) are you comfortable managing?
x Industry Knowledge: What industries do you understand best? Where are you most likely to thrive?
x Staffing Realities: Post-acquisition turnover is nearly guaranteed. How difficult will it be to find reliable staff in that location?
x Location: Where does this business need to be located for it to work for you? Even if you’re buying a business, not a job, expect you’ll need to spend a lot of time there, at least at the beginning. Thus, make sure the location makes sense.
x Your Role: Are you running it daily, managing it from a distance, or overseeing it at a high level? Is the business already structured to support the role that you want?
Remember, you’re not just buying a
business; you’re buying a job, a team, and a lifestyle. If you don’t buy well, all you’ve acquired is a liability. Or worse—a job plus a liability.
Target Defined. Now What?
Some of the easiest places to find a small business are to talk to a local business broker or search listings on BizBuySell.com, VillageWellth.com, or similar websites, which are a great resources for businesses valued around $5 million or lower.
If you are interested in larger businesses, you’ll most likely need to start exploring the hidden business market in Alaska.
Because Alaska is a small, tight-knit community where many people know each other, sellers often don’t want to let the secret slip that they are thinking about selling. Instead, they
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Buying a Busin ess or Buying a Job?
Buyers generally have two main reasons they want to acquire an existing business. Here’s how to tell the difference:
Indicator
Owner Dependency
Financial Clarity
Scalability
Transferability
Valuation Integrity
Role of the Buyer
Buying a Business
Owner provides oversight and direction. Doesn’t run day-to-day operations.
The general manager salary is accounted for in financials.
Built to grow with systems and team.
Processes, relationships, and roles are documented.
True profitability reflected in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.
Strategic or semi-absent.
Buying a Job
Relies heavily on the owner for day-to-day operations.
Owner’s unpaid labor shows up as profit.
Growth capped by owner’s personal bandwidth.
Success tied to the owner’s personal knowledge and role.
Profit inflated by excluding ownership labor cost.
Buyer must work full-time or the business stalls.
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find confidential ways to go about finding buyers. This creates a hidden market of businesses potentially available but not publicly listed. Here are several ways to approach it.
Many sellers have vague thoughts about selling but aren't actively pursuing it. You can approach them directly with something like, “I’ve always been interested in owning a business like yours. I’m curious if you’ve ever considered selling. If so, would you be open to talking about what that might look like?”
I’m working with an owner who was approached by an interested buyer. The owner was interested but wasn’t ready to sell, so the potential buyer moved on. However, this got the owner thinking. They decided that they’d like to be ready to accept the next good offer, and they reached out to me to help them. We’ve been working to raise the value and readiness of the business to sell. They are planning on going to market this year.
Don’t feel awkward about asking. It is a compliment. Just be prepared for the fact that the owner may be unprepared for the conversation. But this doesn’t mean they aren’t flattered and interested.
Additionally, get to know the people who already know the sellers you are looking for. Connect with CPAs, financial planners who work with high-net-worth clients, bankers, and attorneys who handle business matters. Meet with M&A advisors and business consultants.
If you don’t know people in these professions, don’t be shy. They are approachable and often confide in me that they wish people would talk
to them much earlier in their process, as opposed to later. None are likely to charge you for this conversation. All you need to do is let them know you are interested in buying and ask if they have business owner clients looking to sell (or approaching retirement age) who fit your target profile.
Assemble Your Advisory Team
Most buyers wander into avoidable problems because they didn’t have good, timely advice. Even experienced buyers get caught up in the emotion and excitement of the deal and miss obvious things. Good advisors are critical for helping you navigate this.
If you don’t have advisors in place, you can begin searching for them while you search for businesses to buy. The conversation I described above is a great way to get to know different kinds of advisors and decide who you want to work with.
Engage with these professionals early, when you’ve decided you want to buy but before you’ve identified a business to buy. They can help avoid many mistakes. Here’s who you’ll likely need:
x M&A advisor or broker
x Transaction attorney
x CPA familiar with small business M&A
x Banker or financing advisor
x Business performance coach or strategic advisor
Don’t feel shy about meeting with these folks to put the relationships in place. Most of them would welcome an introduction and won’t charge you for it. The best advisors do more than respond to your questions. They recognize your
experience gaps and prepare you for long-ter m success.
You Found a Business. What Next?
The typical acquisition process follows the following steps. Your advisory team can help you navigate them well:
1. Find an opportunity as mentioned above.
2. Sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement to receive more detailed and confidential information about the business.
3. Submit a Letter of Intent if you're seriously interested. This document outlines price expectations, terms for due diligence, and high-level deal structure. Typically, the seller agrees to take the business off the market for thirty to sixty days during the due diligence process.
4. Conduct due diligence with a deep dive into financials, contracts, operations, and key dependencies.
5. Sign a Purchase and Sales Agreement that locks in the terms of the sale.
6. Post-sale transition such as knowledge transfer, introduction to key staff and clients, and operational handoff.
In some cases, the seller and possibly even your broker will be focused on completing the transaction quickly. As a result, you might rush past addressing critical categories to examine that are key to a profitable and enjoyable acquisition. Be warned, the devil lives in these due diligence details:
x Cultural fit
x Financial performance and statements
x Legal issues
x Operational dynamics
x Market conditions
x Technology/IT
x Strategic fit
x Tax implications
x Environmental and regulatory compliance
x Post-sale transition planning
Most importantly, determine what’s really working—and what only works because of the owner. Roughly 80 percent of small businesses are dependent on the seller to operate. You want a clear understanding of what to expect and ensure there’s a fit between reality and your goals.
Ready to Take the Opportunity?
Buying a business in Alaska isn’t for everyone, but the rewards can
be transformative. If you approach the acquisition process with a clear target, use disciplined due diligence, and are supported by a good team, you set your self up for success.
Most of all, you need to be prepared for the reality that buying a business means buying into a lifestyle. You’re stepping into the rhythm of that company, the way it operates, its relationships, and the customers it serves.
If you choose well, you’re not just buying a business, you’re securing your financial future and becoming a key part of Alaska’s economy and story.
The opportunities are there. The wave of retirements among Alaska’s business owners is creating openings that are historically unique. The question
isn’t whether there are businesses to buy—it’s whether you’re ready to take that step and turn opportunit y into ownership.
Christian Muntean helps owners and executives of $10 million-plus companies scale, lead, and exit high-value businesses—without chaos, burnout, or breaking what already works. His clients have added more than $500 million in new revenue and tripled their valuations. Based in Anchorage, Muntean is a trusted advisor on strategy, succession, and enterprise growth across Alaska and beyond.
Waste Not Commercial uses for seafood byproducts
By Dimitra Lavrakas
Gu ts. Bones. Heads and tails. An estimated 70 percent of a fish is leftover after filleting. Where some see trash, others see treasure: an opportunity to add value by turning waste into raw material.
Better than being dumped into harbors, rivers, or the ocean.
“Environmental concerns associated with dumping of fish wastes into ocean waters include reduced oxygen levels in the seawaters at the ocean bottom; burial or smothering of living organisms; and introduction of disease or non-native and invasive species to the ecosystem of the sea floor,” according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Lauren Howard, policy coordinator for the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association and Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust, says the seafood
industry is aware of the problem and is working on it.
“Seafood processors are allowed a certain amount of dumping waste,” she says. “Some processors have gut boats that have to go out to certain locations.”
To reclaim the undumped portion, businesses in Alaska are developing products from dog treats to biofuel, and new ideas hold promise for even more utilization of discards.
Another Place, Many Ideas
Plant food doesn’t care how ugly fish scraps are. Anchoragebased Alaska Salmon Fertilizer markets directly to gardeners and greenhouses with a soil amendment manufactured from Kenai River castoffs. The company is going up against a big Alaska brand: literally, Alaska Brand Fish Fertilizer, a
division of California-based Central Garden & Pet Company.
Its major competitor on garden center shelves traces its origins to Cape Cod Bay, where Tisquantum taught the Plymouth colonists how to set fish in the ground to grow corn. In Gloucester, Massachusetts, the oldest working seaport in the country, Neptune’s Harvest Fertilizer division was the brainchild of Anthony Parco Sr., founder of Ocean Crest Seafoods and Neptune’s Harvest Fertilizer in 1965.
Parco didn’t like how much fish was being thrown away, but he saw an opportunity.
“Why can’t we use it all,” his daughter Ann Molloy remembers Parco asking.
“The seafood processor in Gloucester that took the fish remains after the fillet [a.k.a. gurry] had been
Karenfoleyphoto
removed closed in the ‘80s,” says Molloy. “At that point we were paying fishermen to take the gurry out to sea and dump it. That part is 60 to 70 percent of the fish!”
Molloy recalls that fisheries were also being squeezed by harvest limits at the time. “My dad said we knew if we were going to keep everyone employed, we’d have to do something,” she says.
That something began with liquid fish for farms, then gardens, and now the company has a total of thirteen products, some liquid and others powdered, and even a bug spray.
At first, the waste came from the company’s own plant and others in Gloucester, but as the company grew, it began to transport waste from other fishing locations, such as the country’s largest fishing port, down south in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
Largest port by value landed, that is. Surpassing New Bedford in sheer volume is Dutch Harbor. Yet the remoteness poses an obstacle for longliners and other commercial harvesters centered in Unalaska that might wish to utilize every ounce of the catch. Howard, as others do, points to the problems of shipping costs and a need for more production space for successful waste upcycling ventures.
Thus, she says, “We’re looking for opportunities for secondary products and composting on a large scale.”
Almost in Alaska
Craig Kasberg and Zach Wilkinson met in Juneau at the end of 2014, when friend John Foss
introduced them saying, “Zach is the only other person I’ve heard talk about chitosan.”
Chitosan is a refined derivative of chitin, the long-chain sugar that gives structure to the cell walls of fungi and the exoskeletons of crustaceans and insects. That makes chitin the second most abundant biopolymer on Earth—second only to cellulose in plant fibers.
Born and raised in Alaska, Kasberg read a lot of chemistry, biochemistry, and seafood byproducts books on his commercial fishing boat, and he thought about the vast possibilities of chitosan. Together with Wilkinson, Kasberg founded Tidal Vision to process discarded crab and shrimp shells into biodegradable chemistries for water treatment, agriculture, and material science industries.
Tidal Vision is based in Bellingham, Washington. Kasberg says, “We could never have got this business off the ground in Alaska, unfortunately.” Being in Washington put the company closer to more efficient shipping choices and other resources that Tidal Vision needed to launch.
“This year we are on track for $90 million in revenue,” Kasberg says. “We have facilities in six states and are currently building another production facility in Europe, and [we] have over 310 full-time employees and are growing almost 100 percent, year over year.”
Chitofining is the world’s firstever zero-waste process for chitosan extraction, which is the process used to extract the chitosan that is then further processed into Tidal Vision’s final products. Those products replace synthetic chemicals like
“From what I’ve seen, it takes a lot of focused, deep-science resources to build the future for any biomaterial, and someone had to do that for people to realize and benefit from chitosan’s potential.”
Craig Kasberg Co-founder Tidal Vision
non-biodegradable polymers, flame retardants, and excess pesticides and commercial fertilizers.
The Tidal Grow AgriScience bioactive technology provides natural plant nutrition and crop protection products, resulting in less runoff of excess nutrients and pesticides, a lower carbon footprint, and improved soil health. Tidal Clear Water Science solutions directly remove pollutants from contaminated water. Tidal Tec Biomaterial Science creates films, bioplastics, membranes, and nontoxic flame retardants out of chitosan.
The proteins and minerals from the shells leftover after chitofining don’t go to waste; they are turned into an organic fertilizer ingredient.
“From what I’ve seen, it takes a lot of focused, deep-science resources to
build the future for any biomaterial, and someone had to do that for people to realize and benefit from chitosan’s potential,” Kasberg says.
Fish Oil, Fish Meal, and Beyond
For many years, fish waste has been made into fish meal, a high-protein feed ingredient used in aquaculture and livestock feed, and more recently fish oil has found a place as a nutritional supplement for human consumption.
A major seafood producer in Alaska, Trident Seafoods does byproduct recovery, particularly for fish oil and hydrolysate, fish ground up to a liquid paste. It also produces surimi in Alaska—a processed seafood product, essentially a fish paste, often made from pollock or whiting, that is flavored, shaped, and sometimes colored to resemble types of shellfish and then sent to market. If you’ve eaten imitation crab salad or a California roll, you’ve eaten surimi.
In 2023, the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska bought Alaska Seafood Company and its Juneau facility. The company handmakes its Alaska Wild Things Pet Treats with 95 percent salmon waste from filleting and 5 percent white rice, which is then lightl y smoked and cooked.
Then there’s the skin. “Fish skins are versatile—good for pets, human health, and so much more,” says Sara Erickson, founder of AlaSkins. Erickson grew up commercial fishing in Bristol Bay and Cook Inlet, where she saw fish byproducts like skins discarded as waste.
“Canneries and processing plants often dump fish skins into oceans, bays, rivers, or landfills, or process them into low-value fishmeal or bonemeal,” she says. “That inspired me to create something valuable from what o thers saw as waste.”
Since 2017, AlaSkins has diverted nearly 42 tons of wild Alaska salmon, halibut, and cod skins away from landfills, transforming them into premium, single-ingredient pet treats rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins. Operating from a Soldotna processing plant that meets Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point and US Food and Drug Administration standards for human-grade products, AlaSkins also produces halibut oil and canned halibut, embodying a 100 percent fish utilization model. With nearly $1 million in sales since 2020, AlaSkins sells products online and in nearly 100 Alaska stores.
Erickson’s passion for sustainability drives her mission to reduce waste while creating economic opportunities. As a recognized leader in the 100 percent fish movement, she speaks globally, from webinars such as Fish Waste for Profit in Iceland to enrichment talks on Princess and Royal Caribbean cruise
AlaSkins’ Andrea Morgan packs dog treats.
AlaSkins
Garden fertilizer and surimi are some of the value-added products from low-value seafood discards.
ships. Her work has inspired fisheries worldwide, from the United Kingdom to Africa and the Great Lakes region.
Inspired to Innovate
To engage Alaska’s next generation, Erickson created Blue Salmon: 100 Percent Fish - The Blue Economy Challenge, a board game used in day camps for kids, including the local Kenaitze Indian Tribe and school classes across the Kenai Peninsula, teaching kids about zero-waste fisheries and economic innovation.
“I want kids to see they can build a future in Alaska using our natural resources sustainably,” she says.
Blue salmon, also known as blueback salmon but more commonly called sockeye or red salmon, is considered central to the Kenaitze culture and identity.
Erickson also draws inspiration from global innovations, like Iceland’s Kerecis, which develops, manufactures, and sells fishskin soft tissue-regeneration products for medical grafts to heal burns and wounds. The products have regulatory approval in the United States and Europe.
AlaSkins collaborates with commercial processing plants, retailers, and recently with Salmon Sisters, the Homer-based fish and specialty merchandise retailer, to amplify its impact, proving waste reduction can drive profit and environmental stewardship.
Yet Erickson sees more untapped potential in Alaska. She says, “We’ve relied on outside businesses to boost our economy, but we can lead the way ourselves.”
“Canneries and processing plants often dump fish skins into oceans, bays, rivers, or landfills, or process them into low-value fishmeal or bonemeal… That inspired me to create something valuable from what others saw as waste.”
Sara Erickso n, Founder, AlaSkins
Permit Required A process to protect precious places
By Terri Marshall
Projects require permits, and when they have the potential to affect fish and wildlife, specific permits are required.
To obtain a permit, the activity’s impact on the environment must first be determined through a study. But what does that study entail? What data is gathered? How is it gathered? And how does that vary from project to project? As one might surmise, the answers to those questions depend on a range of factors.
“Depending on the type and location of the project, permitting can include fish and wildlife studies to identify if threatened or endangered species are present and, if they are, what type of impacts to the habitat may occur,” says Susan Childs, regulatory and nontechnical risk director for Fairweather, a support services firm owned by Doyon, Limited. “Biological assessments that describe the species that do occur in the project footprint are also
conducted to determine what the impacts to the species may be.”
Specific studies can include essential fish habitat, bird and nest surveys, marine mammal surveys, and specific species studies—for example, a caribou survey.
Addressing the Impact on the Environment
A driveway permit or alteration to an existing structure is unlikely to require extensive studies, but larger
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Adobe Stock
projects might, especially those in wetlands. A project’s impact on the environment is generally determined through a study of that environment.
“An Environmental Assessment (EA) is a National Environmental Policy Act process that looks at how a federal action project might impact the environment. It involves evaluating a proposed development or action before a decision is made and examines the activities to ensure that potential impacts are identified and mitigated,” explains Laura Young, business manager for Fairweather’s environmental consulting division Fairweather Science. “If there are significant impacts that cannot be mitigated, the development may require a more detailed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).”
Assessments and impact statements are similar but, under the law, they are different creatures. Young explains, “Both processes look at the purpose and need, alternatives considered, environmental conditions and the affected environment, impacts of the alternatives and environmental consequences, and a consultation section with the agencies and stakeholders consulted. An EA may not consider wide, cumulative impacts or a geographic context. An EIS provides more detailed analysis that considers cumulative impacts and geographic context and involves a formal public involvement process. EAs require a public comment period as well, which is typically not as long as an EIS.”
EAs are generally completed for smaller-scale projects and EISs
are required for larger projects with multiple components or more significant environmental impacts. Under the National Environmental Policy Act, an EA can result in a Finding of No Significant Impact.
Permitting is a result of the laws and protection acts put in place on both the federal and state level. “The big permitting laws include the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Marine Mammal [Protection] Act, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act [of 1918],” says Adrian Gall, president and director of research for ABR Environmental Research & Services. “Those are the big federal laws that drive permitting requirements and there are also state laws essential to fish habitat and fish conservation.”
“An EIS provides more detailed analysis that considers cumulative impacts and geographic context and involves a formal public involvement process. EAs require a public comment period as well, which is typically not as long as an EIS.”
Laura Young, Business Manager, Fairweather Science
Permitting Requirements
ABR is an employee-owned environmental consulting firm in Fairbanks. “There are a lot of different types of permitting, but we primarily focus on fish, wildlife, and wetlands. It is rare to find the actual animal in its habitat, so we consider the kind of animal that typically lives in this type of environment,” explains Gall. “We know that fish, mammals, and birds need a habitat to live in so we focus on determining the impact of the project and how it will modify or change the habitat. For example, how many miles of stream will be affected or how much acreage of a certain type of habitat will be affected, whether it’s a birch forest, wetland, pond, grassland, or tundra. We consider what kind of wildlife lives there, uses that habitat
to pass through, or relies on the habitat for shelter. That is the most straightforward way to quantify the effects of a proposal of a development or other proposed action.”
Before joining ABR in 2005, Gall studied the population biology of nesting seabirds and the use of seabirds as indicators of marine conditions. In ABR’s environmental studies, Gall monitors the habitat usage and movements of seabirds, shorebirds, and marine mammals in marine and terrestrial environments.
ABR collaborates with clients to ensure proposed projects comply with the federal and state laws. Wetlands are a prime example. “Almost all ground in Alaska is wet unless you’re on a mountain,” explains Gall. “So if a client is digging the ground up in any
way, it is a requirement for them to identify where the wetlands are and submit a permit request.”
For any type of wetlands project, determining if endangered species are in the area is critical. “If an endangered species is in the proposed action area, that triggers a need for consultation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. This is more of an issue for marine or coastal development. For example, there is a lot of permitting action required for dock maintenance. If they have to do any water work, it creates sound, which can cause disturbance to marine life protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. So permitting for avoiding disturbance of marine mammals is a biggie.”
Galyna_Andrushko
Gathering Data
Data collected include information about stream-crossings, fish, wildlife, marine mammals, threatened and endangered species, environmental contamination, water sources, surface and groundwater, geology, geohazards and seismic conditions, noise, and air quality.
Before gathering any data, Fairweather must study which data is available. “A data gap analysis is usually completed to identify what data already exists or has been collected that could be used for the analysis,” says Childs. “A project footprint is identified and then surveyed, and specialists coordinate data collection studies.”
Examples of data collection include geotechnical core sampling to determine site condition suitability for development, wildlife surveys to determine if threatened or endangered species exist and to what extent within the project footprint, and archaeological and cultural resource determinations to identify cultural resources that may need to be protected or documented.
When an agency like the National Marine Fisheries Service or the US Fish and Wildlife Service assesses impacts on species and habitat, there could be situations where data does exist; in those cases the agencies could apply the precautionary principle that requires permittees to take a more conservative approach—which becomes the mitigation discussed during the process of permitting.
“We start every project with a desktop exercise to determine the project’s geographic footprint,” shares Gall. “Fortunately, we have
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“In some situations, I have to get a research permit to start collecting the information for the research that is required for the environmental impact statement. Then there could be five years of data collection required.”
Adrian Gall President and Director of Research ABR
a lot of resources available to us to assess the landscape within an area that’s proposed for development without ever setting foot on the ground. For example, there’s National Wetlands Inventory mapping that can give us a rough idea of what is or isn’t wetlands in a proposed work area. And we have range maps and information for what species you would expect to find in certain areas.”
The plot thickens if the area includes fish streams. Gall says, “If fish are in the area, we take a look at Alaska’s anadromous fish catalog. For information on marine mammals, we reach out to specific agencies like the US Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service for marine mammals to find out what species would be of concern in those areas.”
ABR also turns to information available from the federal government. “The federal government resources make this work possible. Without the federal investment in those resources, our job would be a lot harder,” says Gall. “If the information provided by those sources is good enough, we might not need to go on site. But, if the proposed project covers a large area and the resolution of the information that you have available remotely isn’t great, then you have to go on site and do physical mapping.”
An Unpredictable and Complicated Process
When data must be collected in the field, the research could take days or years, according to Gall. “It depends on the size of the project and the quality of information that’s available ahead of time. It can be very quick, or
it can take years of study. We spent eight years continuously collecting data on the marine environment for a proposed large mining development on Cook Inlet,” recalls Gall. “Wildlife activity is highly seasonal, making it difficult to gather enough data. You need a couple of years of survey because you have a very small window to collect that information— and you often need permits to collect the information. In some situations, I have to get a research permit to start collecting the information for the research that is required for the environmental impact statement. Then there could be five years of data collection required before you can write it up. For big projects, it is often a multi-level process.”
The time required to complete the permitting process varies considerably. “If you’re putting in a gravel pad that is going to take up a tenth of an acre, that is a very different proposition to putting in something like Willow’s oil development on the North Slope which requires gravel roads, production facilities, drilling pads, and more,” says Gall. “If you want to know how long the process takes, there is no answer.”
Alaska resource industries take pride in doing development right. In his inaugural report on sustainability in 2023, Governor Mike Dunleavy defined what he called the Alaska Standard, “where the environment is protected, where the benefits of resource development are distributed to the people, and where the public interest is guarded.” State and federal environmental permitting processes stand as a pathway to achieve that standard.
A Tour Built for Bicycles
Rentals and guide experiences look sweet upon the seat
By Vanessa Orr
Tw o wheels can get visitors pretty far in Alaska, under pedal power.
“Cycling vacations are pretty popular around the world, and Alaska has some unique attractions to offer,” explains Dustin Craney, owner of Sockeye Cycle, which operates in Haines and Skagway. “We have spectacular routes with unbeatable views, great riding roads, and a lot of mountain passes to climb and descend.”
Craney adds that more mountain biking trails are being developed, and the region has a solid scene for bike races and events, so Sockeye Cycle serves both tourists and local
residents. “We have something for everybody, whether they prefer long, solo rides, getting into nature on a fat bike, or exploring different communities,” he says.
Sockeye Cycle is a full-service cycling business that sells both new and used bikes and provides repairs ranging from fixing flat tires and repairing suspension components to assembling kit bikes shipped to Alaska. The company also rents traditional bikes and motorboosted e-bikes at both of its locations to meet the needs of visitors for daylong and multi-day supported tours.
“Our business is primarily tourism, since Haines and Skagway both have less than 3,000 year-round residents,”
says Craney. “We do as much as we can on the retail and service side, which enables us to stay open in Haines year-round and have an extended season in Skagway.”
Peddling Pedals
According to Craney, most of Sockeye Cycle’s bike rentals are booked by people who are visiting for a day or more and are looking for a unique way to see the town. The company offers biking maps for Haines and Skagway and shares tips on favorite rides, trailheads, and other activities with its customers.
“Some people who are regular riders at home get off a cruise ship and want
Sockeye Cycle
to get a road bike ride in. It’s the same with mountain bikers; they want to do some trail riding while on vacation,” he says. “Other people want to try things that aren’t part of their day-today life and see a bike or an e-bike as a way to get some miles in and to get to attractions without hiking or taking a bus or Uber.”
To accommodate cyclists of ability levels, the company carries a range of equipment to meet all needs.
“Alaska
Done with cramped
“One of the biggest benefits to providing e-bikes is that it makes cycling more accessible for everyone,” says Craney. “E-bikes have really improved significantly in the last ten years, and they are now much lighter.”
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Dustin Craney, Owner and Pres ident, Sockeye Cycle
The extra boost from an e-bike motor is especially welcome in the Coast Mountains of Southeast. “Haines has hilly terrain, so these bikes are especially popular with visitors coming in who aren’t big on exertion and don’t want a huge workout; they just want a pleasant ride,” he says.
Craney notes that e-bikes have also grown in popularity as locals are getting older and are used to commuting around town on bikes. “E-bikes help to smooth the hills out so they are able to take routes that may be more challenging than they’d like to do on a regular basis,” he says.
As for tour offerings, customers may bring their own bikes or rent from the company before embarking on a multi-day ride.
“Some people ship us bikes to build for them when they’re coming to the state,” Craney says. “Other people arrive by RV with a couple bikes strapped to the back of their rig. Bikes are a great way to explore instead of driving a large RV through town.”
Multi-day Adventures
Sockeye Cycle’s multi-day, multiport tours can last from five days to more than a week, and they may include side excursions for kayaking, hiking, fishing, and more.
“One of our most popular tours is the Golden Circle Bike Tour, which is a seven-day trip from Haines to Skagway,” says Craney. “The cities are only 15 miles apart by water but are separated by 360 miles of road.”
The tour follows historic Gold Rush routes, and visitors spend the evening in local bed-and-breakfasts and hotels, enjoying locally grown produce and wild-caught salmon and
Accompanied by a support van, cyclists soak in the scenery of Yukon and British Columbia mountain passes between Haines and Skagway.
Sockeye Cycles
Biking in Denali National Park & Preserve is the happy medium between riding a tour bus and hiking an area the size of New Jersey.
Bike Denali
Multi-day tours enable riders to explore side trails, provided they regroup at the scheduled waypoint.
Sockeye Cycles
The Chugach Mountain Bike Tour is a fat-tire trek through Anchorage's wild back yard.
Alaska Trail Guides
learning about the history of the area. A support van accompanies cyclists on each trip to carry luggage and help with whatever they need.
Other multi-day supported tours include a five-day, 135-mile ride of the Denali Highway; a nine-day, 285mile journey along the Canol Road starting in Whitehorse, Yukon, that includes wilderness camping; and a three-day, lodge-based trip along roads in Haines and the Chilkat River Valley to see glacial fjords and tour the Tongass National Forest.
Each multi-day tour starts with a tour orientation and a bike fitting for rentals, as well as a bike check if riders have brought their own transportation. Group sizes are limited to twelve people, and guests are encouraged to ride at their own pace.
“People have the route on their phone and can bike at their own speeds,” says Craney, noting that they encourage cyclists to ride in pairs or with a few people. “We set a spot for lunch and have planned out dinners and breaks where we can meet up.”
Anchorage Bound
Visitors to Anchorage can tour the city with Alaska Trail Guides, which provides all-inclusive, guided bike tours for all ability levels. Purchased this past winter by Matt Worden, owner of Go Hike Alaska and Lifetime Adventures, the company has numerous options when it comes to exploring the greater Anchorage area.
Fans of fat-tire biking can take the Chugach Mountain Bike Tour, a four-hour tour that winds through one of the four largest state parks in the United States. The company also offers a private single-track sampler
“One
e-bikes is that it makes cycling more accessible for everyone… E-bikes have really improved significantly in the last ten years, and they are now much lighter.”
Dustin Craney, Owner and Pres ident, Sockeye Cycle
in Kincaid Park, designed by mountain bikers for mountain bikers.
“Our most popular city bike tour by far is the Anchorage Coastal Cruise Bike Tour, a 9.5-mile tour that stops at Kincaid Park, Point Woronzof, Earthquake Park, and Westchester Lagoon,” says Chelsea Smith, operations manager for Go Hike Alaska. “It’s the best chance to see moose in Anchorage.”
She adds that the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail is a particularly good route for people without a lot of biking experience, as it offers paved roads and only a few hills.
“There is one hill that may cause a little difficulty if you’re not used to riding, but if you need to walk the hill, we won’t judge you,” she says with a laugh. “We’re all just there to have fun!”
The company also offers a 30mile Anchorage Greenbelt Bike Tour loop, the Anchorage Bike and Brewery Tour, and a Hiking and Bike Tour in Anchorage that each allow participants to combine some of their favorite pastimes. The tours operate rain or shine, and tours are capped at eight participants.
Denali National Park & Preserve
Visitors to Denali National Park & Preserve can cycle around the park with Bike Denali, now in its eighth season. Local residents and tourists can explore the 6-millionacre park by bike to see oncein-a-lifetime sights.
“Cycling in Denali Park is magic; if you come here and you don’t use a bicycle, you’re missing it,”
says Brian Keelean, owner and manager of Bike Denali.
“The park is the size of New Jersey, so there’s a lot of walking to do,” he says. “But if you’re on a bike, you can get around fairly quickly, and you can see it independently. You’re not trapped on a bus, and you don’t have to worry about parking.”
Bike Denali offers self-guided tours, providing riders with enough information to feel comfortable going out on their own. “We point out good places to go on the map, specific places to stop, and different ways of getting to where they want to go,” Keelean says. “Cyclists are also able to put their bikes on the buses and get off in certain places.”
In addition to renting traditional bikes and e-bikes, the company focuses on outfitting riders,
Anchorage is famously "only 30 minutes from Alaska," and bike mobility brings big, wild life even closer via the city's trailheads.
Alaska Trail Guides
who often don’t have what they need to bike in Alaska’s temperamental weather.
“We have sturdy windproof, rainproof suits, which save the day quite commonly,” Keelean says with a laugh, “along with bear spray, locks and helmets, panniers [saddle bags], bear-proof cans, and whatever else they need.”
Customers have numerous options for riding in Denali National Park, from taking a commuter bike to the visitor center to renting e-bikes for four hours or multiple days.
“Having e-bikes has expanded the possibilities for more people; there are some big hills in Denali National Park,” says Keelean. “We also rent the charger that comes with it, so people can keep the bike at the hotel and ride every day.”
Riders can also rent a backcountry e-bike, which is better designed for traveling on gravel roads beyond Savage River, for one to three days.
“One of the tricks to Denali Park is reserving a three-day stay in Teklanika River Campground and getting a special pass to drive to Mile 29,” says Keelean. “Then you rent a bike or e-bike so you have transportation because, once you arrive, you’re not allowed to drive your car in that area again until you leave.”
While the sight of Denali’s mighty summit is always a highlight of the trip, Keelean notes there’s plenty to see from bike level that make the park an even better experience.
He says, “Riding a bike through Denali provides heightened wildlife opportunities, as well as the ability to travel a road through untouched wilderness.”
“Riding a bike through Denali provides heightened wildlife opportunities, as well as the ability to travel a road through untouched wilderness.”
Brian Keelean Owner and Manager Bike Denali
THE FOCUSED MANAGER
Strategic Onboarding How to set up new hires for long-term success
By Brian Walch
Iwas ready for the flight. I had my boarding pass and a bottle of water. In my carry-on was my favorite magazine and noisecancelling headphones. The agents boarded people in groups. I got settled in my seat, and the plane pushed back on time.
Everyone was excited to start the journey. The crew conducted their safety briefing, checked the cabin one last time, and took their seats. And then we waited. And waited.
Finally, the pilot came over the loudspeaker to let us know there was a holdup and we’d be delayed a little longer. So we waited.
Everything had gone according to plan. Every box had been checked, every process followed, and yet there we sat— not taking off and not going anywhere.
How often does this happen in business? A new employee is hired, given a laptop, credentials, access to all the right systems, and a welcome luncheon. However, over the next year, they fail to become a successful team contributor.
It’s frustrating when you’ve done everything right, completed the list,
yet your new hire doesn’t take off like you’d hoped. That’s what happens when onboarding focuses too much on process and loses sight of its real purpose: successfully launching the new employee into their role.
Onboarding must be designed to create momentum and instill confidence so the new hire can contribute in meaningful ways as quickly as possible.
Onboarding as a Strategic Initiative
When onboarding doesn’t go well, it shows—sometimes immediately, and sometimes not until months later.
New hires who are uncertain about expectations don’t know how they fit in and feel uncertain about their role. If they lack the confidence to speak up, they won't build connections with their team, won’t seek out support, and will begin to underperform.
Many managers sense something is off but can’t pinpoint it, so they don’t address it. These issues snowball into miscommunication, missed expectations, increased costs, and turnover. It hurts the employee, the team, and the organization.
But when onboarding goes well, it’s just as obvious. New hires feel confident, engaged, and eager to make a positive contribution. They gain traction faster, ask better questions, and build stronger connections with their peers. Their energy spreads to others, creating a positive outcome for everyone.
The benefits extend beyond the employee and the team. Effective onboarding helps managers build culture, retain talent, and improve performance. To realize those benefits, managers must invest in the structure and support that reflects the long-term value of a successful hire. That requires a framework that provides structure, guides progress, and adapts as the organization grows.
A Roadmap for Strategic Onboarding
Onboarding is often defined as the initial process of getting a new employee set up and oriented to their role and the organization. That works for getting someone started, but to be a strategic
advantage for the organization, onboarding must be a longer-term process that helps new employees become confident, connected, and productive contributors.
To get there, the new hire needs a roadmap they can follow. In my management methodology, I use the acronym RISERS to outline four areas that must be covered during onboarding. Those four areas are
x Relationships and Influence
x Skills and Experience
x Results
x Systems
Following is a description of each domain with generic examples. A manager can use this structure or develop their own to provide a guide for the new hire to follow.
welcome pack. Starting with a rough outline using the RISERS model will help guide development. As more new hires go through onboarding and use the roadmap, it will become more robust and comprehensive.
Relationships and Influence
This refers to the people and departments the new hire must build relationships with, along with what those relationships look like. It also includes areas where the new hire will need to exert influence without authority.
x Supervisor: Regular communication, candid feedback loops.
x Peers: Supportive, collaborative, proactive outreach.
learn how they assign work.
x Influence: Advocate to project managers for a desired role. Make a case to the project team to change task priorities.
Skills and Experience
These are the skills the new hire needs to build over the next six to twelve months and the experiences that will help them gain confidence in their role.
x Time management: Learn to selfmanage and prioritize effectively.
x Communication: Proactive communication with team members. Provide clear, concise status updates during team meetings.
x Experience: Join a client
Results
Specify how success will be measured during this period.
x Activity-based: Complete weekly timesheets, attend all check-ins, log onboarding milestones.
x Behavior-based: Follow established procedures, accept feedback, contribute in meetings.
x Outcome-based: Meet early project deadlines, complete a deliverable with minimal corrections.
Systems
Identify the systems the new hire must learn, and to what level. Include tools, processes, and organizational workflows.
x Customer database (or customer relationship management platform): Accurately enter contact notes after every client meeting.
x Timekeeping: Submit weekly reports independently.
x Ticketing system: Open, update, and close tickets with appropriate documentation.
Managers can use these four areas to list all the elements that take a new employee from day one to being a productive member of the team.
Which brings us to how to use this roadmap.
How Managers Use the Roadmap
Think back to when you started a new job. At first, everything felt overwhelming, but then a few things clicked, and you thought, “I can do this.” Over time, you cycled between bursts of growth and periods of settling in until one day you realized, “I’m starting to get pretty good at this.”
Most people develop in fits and
starts. They struggle at first, but once something clicks, it unlocks insights that accelerate growth. To accommodate that kind of learning, onboarding must be an ongoing collaboration, with shared responsibility between the manager and the employee.
The roadmap facilitates this relationship by capturing feedback from the new hire and helping the manager tailor support and coaching. The new hire can express where they want to go next, and the manager can help focus their development efforts.
It also becomes a tool for tracking progress. The employee can use the structure to record updates and check off milestones. This provides the manager with a clear picture so that they can accelerate high performers or offer targeted support when someone is struggling, whether it’s with time management, systems, building relationships, or something else.
While this approach requires investment, it doesn’t all fall on the manager’s shoulders. A structured onboarding program allows more people to participate in the process. If a team member is a whiz at the ticketing system, they can be the go-to resource for that system. If another teammate excels at client communication, they can help coach that skill. This builds trust, strengthens team culture, and lightens the manager’s load.
However, managers are still responsible for addressing performance concerns. Without clear expectations, it’s easy to delay action and hope things improve. Those lingering issues frustrate the team and undermine productivity and culture. A structured approach gives
managers the clarity and confidence to step in without delay.
And if it turns out the role isn’t the right fit, they can address that too. Letting an employee go is never easy, but it’s better for everyone if it happens early. The employee can move on with dignity, and the company can find someone who’s a better fit.
Launch New Hires to Long-term Success
We’ve all been on that plane: ready to go, buckled in, and stuck on the tarmac. Everything appears set but nothing’s moving, and everyone from the pilot to the crew to the passengers is frustrated.
The same thing happens when new hires check every box on day one but then never become independently productive. It isn’t for a lack of effort. They need a better runway, which means expanding onboarding to be a strategic process designed to build confidence, accelerate contribution, and cultivate culture.
Developing a strategic onboarding process doesn’t just help your next hire succeed; it’ll make you a better manager, strengthen your team, and shape the culture you’re trying to build.
That’s how you get new employees off the tarmac and into the air.
Brian Walch is an executive coach, consultant, and speaker on leadership development. He uses his extensive experience in people and systems to provide tools and services to empower managers to lead themselves, their teams, and their organizations. Learn more at shiftfocus.com.
INSIDE ALASKA BUSINESS
Western States Regional Council of Carpenters
Construction is underway for an Apprenticeship Training Center in East Anchorage near Boniface Parkway and the Glenn Highway. The Western States Regional Council of Carpenters broke ground in June for the 30,000-square-foot facility. The project aims to support the next generation of skilled carpenters and pile drivers, as workers who started their careers building the Trans Alaska Pipeline System are retiring. wscarpenters.org
Interior Gas Utility
Commercial operations are set to begin this month at a natural gas liquefaction plant on the North Slope, where LNG will be trucked to Fairbanks and North Pole for the Interior Gas Utility. Harvest Alaska, an affiliate of Hilcorp, has been building the facility near Pump Station 1 to supply 150,000 gallons of LNG per day, replacing gas the borough-owned utility had been sourc ing from Cook Inlet. interiorgas.com
Juneau
Hydropower, Inc.
The Regulatory Commission of Alaska gave the go-ahead to Juneau Hydropower, Inc. for the Sweetheart Lake project to become the capital city’s second hydroelectricity supplier, after
Alaska Electric Light & Power’s Snettisham dam. To remain a licensed utility, regulators are requiring Juneau Hydropower to work with the established utility on building an intertie. The grid extension would add Sweetheart Lake’s 19.9 MW to the 78.2 MW gene rated at Snettisham. juneauhydro.com
Graphite One
California-based electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid Motors wants to lock in a supply of Alaska-mined flake graphite. The company announced a multiyear deal in June at the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference in Anchorage to source the mineral from Graphite One, which is developing a mine north of Nome. The companies previously reached an agreement to supply synthetic graphite for Lucid’s vehicle batteries. An April report puts 2028 as the startup date for Graphite One to begin synthetic graphite production at a factory in northeast Ohio, and 2030 would see the start of mining. graphiteoneinc.com
Kenai Aviation
The US Department of Transportation rejected two proposals for subsidized Essential Air Service to Unalakleet, replacing Ravn Alaska flights that ended in April. Alaska Central Express
and Sterling Airways (a.k.a. Aleutian Airways) said they could fill the twice-daily route to Anchorage, but only with federal funds to lower fares. Kenai Aviation had stepped in with unsubsidized service and will continue that contract, offering one-way fares of about $500 for a seat on its nine-passenger Beechcraft King Air. kenaiaviation.com
Aleutian Airways
A ribbon-cutting ceremony at Kenai Municipal Airport in June formally launched Aleutian Airways’ twice-daily connection to Anchorage. The carrier flies the thirty-passenger Saab 3000 turboprop on the 35-minute trip, gate to gate, for a $145 ticket. Aleutian Airways also remains the only carrier flying between Anchorage and Homer, a service that started last fall, after Ravn Alaska exited Homer in March “due to our inability to arrive at an equitable agreement with the airport ,” the company said. aleutcorp.com
Peninsula Oilers
Revenue problems rained out the season for the Peninsula Oilers. The club suspended its schedule in June while the Alaska Baseball League’s four other teams continued to play into August. It was the first time in fifty years the club had to
suspend its season because of financial difficulties, specifically a sudden drop in revenue from the organization’s bingo and pull tabs hall in Old Town Kenai. Executive assistant Diana Tice says the Oilers hope to play again next summer, given the economic contribution when fans, players, and players’ fami lies visit the area. oilersbaseball.com
Explore Fairbanks
The newest inductees into the Fairbanks Tourism Hall of Fame are Native elder Dixie Alexander, architect Charles “C.B.” Bettisworth, and The Great Alaskan Bowl Company owner Lewis Bratcher. At its
2025 Annual Awards Banquet in April, Explore Fairbanks also honored Jonathan and Amanda Huff with the Jim and Mary Binkley Award for reviving the 8 Star Events Center into a versatile venue. Alaska ComiCon was given the Raven Award for highlighting Fairbanks as a hub for creativity and entertainment. The Aurora Award for preserving Fairbanks heritage went to the Fairbanks Pioneer Museum.
Bobby Nikolaides, owner of Bobby’s Downtown, won the Golden Heart Award for fostering community through hospitality. And Shaya Tuck of Fountainhead Hotels was recognized as a Service Superstar. explorefairbanks.com
Jason’s Donuts
Second comes right after first, as Buzz Aldrin said, and even the second-best donut in the country is pretty great. Jason’s Donuts in Eagle River was the runner-up to a bakery in Missouri in a contest arranged by bracket competition website The64. The shop that opened on Old Glenn Highway just two years ago bested Anchorage favorite Dino’s Donuts to advance to the quarterfinals against a shop that overcame Portland, Oregon, landmark Voodoo Doughnut. Manager Andreea Koski credits fans of Jason’s Donuts’ New York-style recipes. jasonsdonuts.com
THIS ALASKA BUSINESS
Visitors to The Great Alaskan Bowl Company can view the creation of its signature product, a heartshaped hardwood bowl, through a window to the workshop in the back of the store in west Fairbanks. Retail manager Emily Berriochoa—whose father, Lewis Bratcher, founded the company in 1991—describes the business as a “home goods and gourmet food store that also happens to be a working wooden bowl mill.” Birch trees harvested near Talkeetna go through twentytwo steps to become bowls, sold alongside products from 200 local makers; the scraps and shavings become firewood and mulch for the community.
RIGHT MOVES
Alaska Regional Hospital
A new administration team is at the helm of Alaska Regional Hospital.
· Mark Roberts joined Alaska Regional Hospital as CEO in June. Roberts has been with parent company HCA Healthcare since 2011, most recently as COO of Corpus Christi Medical Center in Texas. Roberts’ career began as a radiologic technologist, and he has led imaging programs at UC Davis Medical Center in California and at King Faisal Hospital in Saudi Arabia. Roberts holds a master’s degree in health administration from Webster University.
· Paul Durkee is the new CFO, a position he previously held with HCA Healthcare’s supply chain and performance improvement organization HealthTrust, managing supply chains at nineteen hospitals across five states. Durkee received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Weber State University.
· The new Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Serene Perkins, was CMO at Providence Alaska Medical Group until she jumped over to Alaska Regional in June. A medical researcher in liver treatment and surgical oncology, Perkins is credited with dozens of published peer-reviewed studies, research activities, and lectures.
· Laura Magstadt was promoted to Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) in February, having previously served as assistant CNO. A registered nurse, Magstadt has also been CNO at Cache Valley Hospital in Utah. Magstadt holds a master’s degree in nursing, an MBA in healthcare management, and a PhD in leadership and organizational strategy.
· To step up as Assistant CNO, Alaska Regional tapped its Director of Emergency Services, Todd Gilbert. A registered nurse with a master’s degree in nursing and an MBA, Gilbert has served in nursing leadership roles since 2012, and he joined Alaska Regional in 2024.
Credit Union 1
· The executive team at Credit Union 1 now includes Chief Administrative Officer Ben Craig. A US Air Force veteran, Craig has diverse experience in government, technology, finance, sales, and marketing. He has served as a corporate officer for more than eighteen years across various industries.
Mt. McKinley Bank
· The only mutual bank in Alaska, Mt. McKinley Bank, appointed Lisa Morrow as VP of Marketing and Community Outreach Officer to engage with depositor-owners in the Fairbanks, North Pole, and Delta Junction service areas. With deep roots in the Fairbanks community, Morrow most recently worked with Madden Real Estate and Fidelity Title Agency of Alaska in Fairbanks.
Coffman Engineers
Coffman Engineers added a new principal to its ownership group, and other team members attained important certifications.
· Jeff Brace, a civil engineer in Anchorage, was promoted to Principal Shareholder, along with
RIGHT MOVES IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY NORTHERN AIR CARGO
Perkins
Roberts
Magstadt
Gilbert
Craig
Durkee
Morrow
Brace
three colleagues in San Diego, Dallas, and Atlanta. With more than twenty years of experience, Brace is a recipient of the Anchorage office’s Neil Pearson Service Award, selected by peers for mentorship, hard work ethic, and good nature.
· Cynthia Cacy, the firm’s Corrosion Control Engineering Principal, became one of about 450 Cathodic Protection Specialists in the country. Cacy earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, and holds a master’s degree in environmental studies from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
· Zack Wright, Senior Engineer at Coffman, became the firm’s seventh Cathodic Protection Specialist, the highest level available from the Association for Materials Protection and Performance. Wright holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from UAF.
· Jesse Wight-Crask is now a Certified Commissioning Authority, recognizing his knowledge in commissioning building systems, equipment, and facilities. Wight-Crask has seven years of engineering design experience, five of which include honing his skills in commissioning building systems and facilities.
Bettisworth North
· Architecture firm Bettisworth North named David Popiel as its newest Principal. Based in Anchorage, Popiel has practiced in Alaska since 2009, managing projects in the hospitality, recreation, healthcare, housing, and childcare sectors. Popiel holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Washington University in St. Louis and a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Colorado.
Bristol Bay Native Corporation
Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC) added new staff and promoted professionals at its corporate office.
· Anna Mae “Dotchie” Bartholomew, a BBNC shareholder, was hired as Shareholder Records Specialist, responsible for managing and maintaining shareholder services and records. Her duties also include data entry, preparing reports, supporting BBNC projects and events, and responding to shareholder inquiries.
· Tasha King, a BBNC shareholder, joined the team as Administrative Services Specialist to assist with procurement and maintenance of office supplies, general office upkeep, and internal management. King also supports special projects and provides backup coverage for phones and mail handling.
· Dax Skratch was hired as Records Technician I. He is responsible for managing electronic and physical records to ensure they are accurately organized, accessible, and in compliance with BBNC’s policies and procedures. His role includes classifying, processing, storing, retrieving, and when appropriate, destroying records.
· Nicole McVittie was promoted to Senior Paralegal within BBNC’s legal department. She manages the collection of litigation information across the organization and provides support to BBNC, BBNC Settlement Trust, and BBNC Elder Trust by drafting minutes and preparing resolutions. McVittie also conducts legal research and reviews stock transfers.
· Jacque Mills, a BBNC shareholder, was promoted to Corporate Accountant, Payroll and Shareholder Distributions. Originally hired in 2022 as a Senior Accounting Specialist, she rejoined the company full-time in March 2025 to oversee payroll processing and shareholder distributions.
Wright
Wight-Crask
Popiel
Bartholomew
King
Skratch
McVittie
Mills
Cacy
ALASKA TRENDS
As this month’s article “Waste Not” notes, the largest fishing port in North America by volume is Dutch Harbor. This fact is easy to take for granted because it’s been true for twenty-five years straight. New Bedford, Massachusetts, is likewise the longtime champ in terms of value of harvest, but the sheer tonnage of seafood that comes across the docks in Unalaska is second to none in the United States.
In global terms, Dutch Harbor stands among giants but only knee-high, outranked by two dozen port cities. Peru, Chile, Russia, South Korea, and Indonesia claim the top spots, each with more than 450,000 tonnes landed. Anchovy capital Chimbote, Peru, harvested 588,000 tonnes in 2022 compared to Dutch Harbor’s 278,000 tonnes (down from 2021’s 338,000 tonnes).
Let’s not forget Naknek. The seat of the Bristol Bay Borough was second only to New Bedford in terms of harvest value, landing a record $298.5 million in 2022, while the Massachusetts port declined to $443.2 million.
This edition of Alaska Trends celebrates the success of the state’s marine bounty by referencing the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute’s latest retail consumer research. Consulting firm Circana surveyed 1,221 respondents nationwide at the end of 2023. Only the opinions of respondents who had purchased salmon to eat at home in the previous three months were included.
SOURCE: “Seafood Success Powered by Alaska: Retail Consumer Research” by Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
51% 10% of seafood buyers make 45% of purchases.
61% of consumers surveyed eat seafood at least once a week.
6 out of10 would like to eat more seafood.
In the last 4 years, total store seafood sales increased 30%. By product, sales increases are: of households purchase seafood.
Seafood
10% - Refrigerated Shellfish
5:1
Seafood from Alaska is preferred to other regions outside of the US.
Consumers report they have increased their seafood consumption for the following reasons:
• 60% - Healthier
• 29% - Enjoyment
• 9% - Cut back on red meat
• 8% - Preparation
• 6% - Price
• 2% - Sustainability concerns
Seafood caught in the wild is preferred
4:1 to farmed seafood.
Sustainable seafood options encourage 1 in 3 consumers to purchase more fozen seafood.
Alaska seafood is the preferred origin nationally and internationally
Frequency of Seafood Purchase
What book is currently on your nightstand?
The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better by Will Storr.
What charity or cause are you passionate about? Food Bank of Alaska [currently board treasurer].
What vacation spot is on your bucket list? Hmm. Maybe Thailand.
Dead or alive, who would you like to see perform live in concert?
Elton John.
If you could domesticate a wild animal, what animal would it be?
My 3-year-old is obsessed with moose and wants a moose to come live with us… Maybe a baby moose.
by
Photos
Misty Kincaid
Kyle Hill OFF THE CUFF
Bush communities with Alaska Commercial Company (AC) stores are not nearly as far out as the cosmic mysteries
Kyle Hill studied in college. The retail chain’s president majored in math and physics in New Brunswick, Canada, but he sought more down-to-earth applications.
“Galactic astrophysics doesn’t have much impact on day-to-day life,” he observes.
Hill earned a master’s degree and PhD in medical physics while trying to augment lung MRI scans with hyperpolarized helium-3, which he says is still too complex for routine clinical use.
Data analysis figures into retail management, too, and Hill’s experience in rural Canada convinced AC’s owner, The North West Company, that he’d be their point man for Alaska. Based in Anchorage, he’s been AC president since 2021.
considering taking that course. For just ‘round the campfire.
AB: What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done?
Hill: Skydiving, and I’ll never do it again. One time only… in Moncton, New Brunswick.
AB: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
Hill: For lunch, Sweet Caribou… For dinner, maybe South.
AB: What’s your greatest extravagance?
Hill: We went to Seven Glaciers restaurant [on top of Mt. Alyeska]… phenomenal and very extravagant.
AB: What’s your best attribute and worst attribute?
Alaska Business: What do you do in your free time?
Kyle Hill: We’re pretty outdoorsy… I do a lot of cycling.
AB: What’s the first thing you do when you get home after a long day at work?
Hill: Well, I have a 3-year-old, so I’m either playing “music class” (strum on a guitar) or build little block towers.
AB: Is there a skill you’re currently developing or have always wanted to learn?
Hill: My neighbor gives guitar lessons, so I’ve been
Hill: I can pretty quickly do any kind of [numerical] analysis, which can bug people because it’s not really my job now… I like to get into the details, which is good and bad.
Alaska Pacific University ............ 33 alaskapacific.edu
alaskatia.org
Altman, Rogers & Co 51 altrogco.com
astac.net
WEEKLY CURATED BUSINESS NEWS
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