Alaska Business Monthly articles from April 2005

Alaska Business Monthly archives from April 2005

Correction.(Correction Notice)
April 1, 2005... In the February issue, under a news brief in Inside Alaska Business titled "Women Roll Into House of Harley," Sean Burshek was misidentified as the owner of the House of Harley-Davidson in Anchorage. Barry Matteson is the dealer principal...

Alaska's gas options: is the legislature astute enough to know what to do now?(From The Publisher)
April 1, 2005... Public attention may have temporarily shifted from Alaska's natural gas pipelines and all of their machinations, to ANWR and all of its breaking news of late. The result is there have been only sketchy reports on the battle royal going on in...

PenAir celebrates 50 years of service.(Transportation)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Locally owned and operated PenAir has reached a milestone in its history. The airline is celebrating 50 years of aviation service in Alaska. In 1955, Orin Seybert was 18 years old when he started the company, flying medivacs for the Dillingham...

Alaska Airlines adds Dallas leg.(Transportation)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Alaska Airlines has announced twice-daily, nonstop service between Seattle and Dallas/Fort Worth starting July 19, with daily same-plane service to and from Anchorage. "This route opens up a new destination for our Alaska and Pacific...

Bailey's to open superstore next month.(Retail)(Bailey's Interiors Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Bailey's Furniture is closing four Anchorage locations to prepare for the opening of their new superstore. The stores to be closed in Anchorage are located at 2809 Arctic Blvd., 3930 E. Second Ave., 728 W. 54th Ave. and 3200 Seward Highway. The...

Saturday market becomes Anchorage Market & Festival.(Retail)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Anchorage Parking Authority board members voted recently to allow Anchorage Market & Festival to add a Sunday market to its summer downtown schedule for the entire 18-week summer market season, from mid-May through mid-September. The...

Haines gets national library honors.(Applause)(Haines Borough Public Library received Best Small Library" of 2005 by the Library Journal)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The Haines Borough Public Library has been named "Best Small Library" of 2005 by the Library Journal and has received a $10,000 prize from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The public spirit of Haines, several local agencies and many...

United Warehouse Co. purchases Alaska Traffic Consultants Inc.(Acquisition)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... United Warehouse Co. of Seattle purchased the assets of Alaska Traffic Consultants Inc. Company officials said business will continue under the new name of Alaska Traffic Co., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Warehouse Co. Vice...

Oil & gas exploration: slow, but on an upswing: from the North Slope, to the NPR-A to Southcentral, independents and majors plan out 2005.(Oil & Gas)
April 1, 2005... There are huge undiscovered petroleum resources in Alaska, without a doubt. Billions of barrels of oil and trillions of cubic feet of natural gas await the drill bit. With oil and gas prices at record levels, why aren't there multitudes of...

Gas line: delays possible majors say; the debate continues on gas line's future.(Oil & Gas)
April 1, 2005... Alaska's oil and gas industry gathered in Anchorage in late January for the annual "Meet Alaska" conference hosted by the Alaska Support Industry Alliance, this year designed to highlight and provide information about the groundswell of effort...

ANGDA gas line and spur project moves forward; pre-construction of a spur gas pipeline to serve Southcentral could start as early as mid-2006 and be completed by the end of 2007.(Oil & Gas)(Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority)
April 1, 2005... While North Slope oil producers and Canadian pipeline companies negotiate with the Murkowski administration for fiscal terms to build an Alaska gas pipeline project stretching nearly 2,000 miles to existing Canadian infrastructure, an...

Stressed out! Businesses benefit when employees are less stressed.(Health & Medicine)(workplace stress)
April 1, 2005... In today's workplace, there are a number of pressures that can cause an employee stress. Deadlines, high expectations, less staff, more competition--all of these things can make doing a job more difficult. And it doesn't seem to matter what...

April 2005 calendar of events.(Calendar)
April 1, 2005... ANCHORAGE 1 Jazz After Hours Jazz with Melissa Bledsoe Fischer and friends. Enjoy appetizers, beer and wine at the Marx Brothers Cafe. Performance will be 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. For more information, phone 343-4326 or visit...

Fairbanks home to Chocolate Bash: this sumptuous event, held April 2, draws those with a sweet tooth and love of art.(Alaska This Month)
April 1, 2005... Chocolate lovers may not be the most outspoken advocacy group-their mouths, afterall, are occupied with other pursuits. It is, however, a sure bet when they get together to celebrate, the words indulgence, sumptuous and sweet are heard often...

The Corporate 100: Alaska's business elite: Alaska business monthly selects 100 top companies for the 13th year.(SPECIAL SECTION: Corporate 100)
April 1, 2005... For the past 13 years, ABM has been compiling a list of 100 top companies operating in Alaska. It is not an easy task. The Corporate 100, unlike our Top 49ers listing, is not just Alaskan-owned and--operated businesses. It is those...

The corporate 100: listed by industry.(SPECIAL SECTION: Corporate 100)
April 1, 2005... COMMUNICATIONS ACS AT&T Alascom Matanuska Telephone Association (MTA) New Horizons Telecom Inc. TelAlaska Inc. CONSTRUCTION CONAM Construction Co. Cornerstone Construction Company Inc, Davis Constructors & Engineers Kiewit...

Alaska Business Monthly's 2005 Corporate 100.(SPECIAL SECTION: Corporate 100)(Directory)(Illustration)
April 1, 2005... Alaska's Business Elite 1 ACE Air Cargo Business Type: 5901 Lockheed Dr. Transportation Anchorage, AK 99502 Phone: 334-5100 Fax: 245-0243 Business...

Alaska Airlines: airline vows commitment to its namesake while competing nationwide.(Corporate 100 Company)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2005... Alaska Airlines, which traces its roots to the state's 1930s Bush-pilot era, now gives wings to bigger visions, landing in major U.S. cities like Washington, D.C., and Chicago. "We're just very proud of our name," said Bill MacKay, Alaska...

Carlile transportation systems: celebrating 25 years in Alaska and still going strong.(Corporate 100 Company)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2005... Carlile Transportation Systems is an Alaska success story that went from the scrappy innovation of two brothers to one of Alaska's largest motor carriers and logistics companies throughout North America. Founded in 1980 by brothers and...

The Wilson Agency, LLC: insurance and financial services.(Business Profile)(Company Profile)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... The Wilson Agency, marking 40 years in Anchorage, has become the largest locally owned employee benefit and group insurance brokerage and consulting firm in the state, not only because of its commitment to provide employers with real solutions...

Credit Union 1: this financial institution has served its Alaska membership for 53 years.(Corporate 100 Company)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2005... Alaska's Credit Union 1 is on the move-literally and figuratively. New corporate headquarters, located at 1941 Abbott Road, will open next fall. It will have an on-site child learning center available to Credit Union 1 employees and will...

Princess tours: offering everything from cruises to bus trips to hotel accommodations, Princess sells about 250,000 Alaska vacations a year.(Corporate 100 Company)(Princess Cruise Lines)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2005... From having a single ship cruising to Mexico in 1965, to a starring role in 1977 TV hit The Love Boat," Princess Tours, part of the Carnival Corp., catapulted to include excursions to all seven continents and nearly 260 ports around the world....

Safe seas: new technology exists to allow for a safer passage of seaborne goods.(Transportation)
April 1, 2005... With evolving security requirements, expansion at Alaska's largest port, and new technology onboard, Alaska's waterborne shippers face continued operational challenges. Alaska depends on water transportation more than any other U.S. state,...

Alaska's seafood industry: evolving and advancing: Alaska exported 846,312 metric tons of seafood to countries around the world, accounting for $2.2 million in 2004.(Fishing)(markets)
April 1, 2005... Marketing Alaska seafood products has never been easier. In January, the U.S. Department of Agriculture altered the dietary guidelines on the time-honored food pyramid and for the first time specifically, recommended two servings of seafood per...

Cool: mandatory labeling law promotes Alaska seafood: despite obvious benefits to Alaska fishermen pushing for fresh vs. farmed, the jury is still out on a new seafood-labeling program.(Fishing/Marketing)(Country of Origin Labeling)
April 1, 2005... On Sept. 30, 2004, a new regulation went into effect concerning the way that fish and shellfish are labeled on the retail level. COOL, or Country of Origin Labeling, requires that fresh and frozen fish and shellfish items must carry labels...

Murkowski administration reaches out to fishing industry: plan targets individuals and communities, as well as increases marketing efforts.(Fishing)(Frank H. Murkowski)
April 1, 2005... When Frank H. Murkowski was campaigning for governor, he continually heard of fishery-related problems throughout the state. People were concerned that Alaska was not paying close enough attention to this important industry. Salmon prices were...

Plugging in! Power generation for remote natural resource development is high on the priority list for many.(Natural Resources)
April 1, 2005... Alaska's wealth of large natural resources, whether they be oil and gas, minerals, timber or seafood, typically are located in remote regions, far from the state's existing electric power infrastructure. Transforming natural resources into...

E-Retail: electronic markets and fraud.(Knowledge-Based Economy: WHAT IS IT AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR ALASKA)
April 1, 2005... Thomas R. Case; The Executive Forum will address electronic trade opportunities and its dark side, the potential for fraud. This is the third in our series of discussions about the knowledge-based economy. We now focus on the gap between...

Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corp.(Right Moves)(Hazel Munoz appointed as corporate affairs manager, Scott Danner promoted to chief operating officer)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corp. selected Hazel Munoz as corporate affairs manager. She started with UIC in early 2001. Munoz has 15 years of experience in the public and private sectors. An Inupiaq Eskimo, Munoz's kinship ties originate in the Arctic...

Wells Fargo.(Right Moves )(Wells Fargo & Co. appoints Joe Crosson III, Taka Tsukada, Andra Lozano, Tayleah Conklin )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Wells Fargo named Joe Crosson III business development officer for the company's Alaska Commercial Banking Group. Crosson has 20 years of commercial banking experience in Alaska and Idaho. He also has worked as projects manager for Anchorage...

Stewart Title of Alaska.(Right Moves)(Brenda Staats promoted to president)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Brenda Staats was promoted to president of Stewart Title of Alaska. Staats has been in the title and escrow industry for more than 30 years, and employed with the company since 1983. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of Alaska...

CIRI.(Margie Brown appointed as president )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The CIRI board of directors selected CIRI shareholder Margie Brown as president and chief executive officer. Brown. a Yup'ik Eskimo originally from Takotna, has many years of service with the company. She has been a CIRI board member since 2002...

Alaska Stock Images.(company's photographers receives 2004 Nature's Best photographer awards)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Alaska Stock Images' contributing photographer, Randy Harris, is the 2004 grand prizewinner of Nature's Best Magazine international photo competition. The winning photo of the overall competition is a breathtaking image of a grizzly bear...

Porcaro Communications Inc.(new office opened in Los Angeles)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Michael P. Porcaro, president and CEO of Porcaro Communications Inc., announced the opening of a new Porcaro Communications office at 9595 Wilshire Blvd. in the Beverly Hills section of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles agency is the second location...

University of Alaska.(appointment of board of regents)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Gov. Frank H. Murkowski named Carl Marrs of Anchorage, Bob Martin of Juneau and Jeff Staser of Anchorage to the University of Alaska board of regents. Marrs and Martin were appointed effective Feb. 1 to terms expiring in 2013. Staser is...

Northrim Bank.(appointments and promotions)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Northrim Bank hired Lenora McKee and promoted Veronica Bridgeman to assistant branch manager positions with the bank. McKee was appointed assistant branch manager at Northrim's 36th Avenue Branch, and Bridgeman was promoted to assistant...

Unocal Alaska.(John Zager appointed as general manager)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Unocal named John Zager as general manager for Unocal Alaska. Zager transferred to the Alaska business unit in 2001. He has held several positions with Unocal Alaska, serving as the Cook Inlet asset manager for the past two years. In his 23...

National Park Service.(Torn Heinlein appointed as superintendent at Bering Land Bridge National Preserve)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... National Park Service Alaska Regional Director Marcia Blaszak announced that Torn Heinlein will be the next superintendent at Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. Heinlein has worked in a variety of resource management and research capacities...

Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.(Daniel T. Seamount re-appointed)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Gov. Frank H. Murkowski reappointed Daniel T. Seamount to the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. The six-year appointment will expire in 2011. Seamount was originally appointed to the AOGCC in 2000. He fills a seat designated for a...

Alaska Courts.(appointments in district courts by the governor)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Gov. Frank H. Murkowski appointed Pat Hanley to the Anchorage District Court. Hanley, a 33-year Alaska resident, recently served as an assistant district attorney in the Anchorage district attorney's office. Hanley has been a public school...

Chugaoh Alaska Corp.(Right Moves)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Chugach Alaska Corp. recently received the District XI silver Addy Award in the category of "Elements of Advertising-Color Photography." The award-winning picture was taken by John F. C. Johnson, Chugach's vice president of cultural resources,...

Internet banking gets a high-five in Alaska: it's easy, fast, convenient and fun, but there are some risks and consumers must protect themselves by making sure security measures are in lace on their home or work computers before banking online.(Technology)
April 1, 2005... Despite consumers' lingering concerns about online security, Internet banking has steadily increased in popularity and is now mainstream. There are an estimated 31.5 million households currently banking online, and that number is expected...

Starting from scratch: programs are in place to help women- and minority-owned businesses get the loans they need to start or expand their businesses.(Small Business Administration provides finance to small businesses and startups)
April 1, 2005... Alaskans are an independent lot, and one of the places where this is most often seen is in the business world where hundreds of people decide to start their own companies each year. An estimated 629,000 small businesses were active in Alaska in...

WiFi: the wonderful world of wireless: wireless access is increasing in popularity and presence, despite some risks.
April 1, 2005... Technology keeps growing, in both availability and power. One such technology has been gaining in popularity, mainly because its benefits are becoming better understood. WiFi allows users to roam freely, without hard-wire hookups, from...

Anchorage chamber programs benefit and honor women: the ATHENA Award's luncheon will be held this month, and will honor a woman for achievement and excellence in business.
April 1, 2005... A cross America, nearly half of all privately held firms are owned by women--48 percent, according to the Center for Women's Business Research in Washington, D.C. The center also estimated that in 2004 there were 36,404 privately held,...

Bear creek winery and lodging offers unique experience: at first the B & B supported the winery, Now the winery supports the B & B.
April 1, 2005... Building a winery in Alaska is a lot like making lemonade out of lemons--when the nearest lemon tree is thousands of miles away. Just ask Bill and Dorothy Fry, owner/operators of Bear Creek Winery and Lodging in Homer. What began as a...

Bankruptcies in Alaska: a considerable increase: December 2003-December 2004.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Bankruptcies filed in Alaska have increased dramatically. In the period of one year, the total number of bankruptcies filed in Alaska increased by almost 52 percent. In December 2004, the total number of bankruptcies filed was 161, compared to...

Alaska trends for April.(Illustration)
April 1, 2005... ALASKA TRENDS FOR APRIL Indicator Units GENERAL Personal Income--Alaska Millions of $ Personal Income--United States Billions of $ (SAAR) Consumer...