Alaska Business Monthly articles from February 2005

Alaska Business Monthly archives from February 2005

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
February 1, 2005... In an article titled "Fractional Ownership: Buy Into a Willow Retreat" in our December issue, owner Donna Laffey's name was misspelled. Also, there was a typo in the Web address. The correct Web address is akvacationhomes.com. In a January...

Up, up and away.(From The Publisher)
February 1, 2005... Spring is just around the corner, daylight is getting longer, business projections have not been so good for a long, long time, the state Legislature seems to be positively focused on its work, economic indicators are giving signals that lead...

Contractors receive nod from Providence.(Construction)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Providence Alaska Medical Center recently awarded contracts to Davis Constructors and RIM Architects for a $48.85 million expansion project that includes construction of a new medical office building, a parking garage and a sky bridge to...

Workers' Comp. Advocacy Group recruits members.(Insurance)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Tired of the rising cost of workers' compensation insurance? The Workers' Compensation Committee of Alaska is a statewide advocacy group of employers that is dedicated to a fair, just and affordable workers' compensation system in Alaska. ...

Crude prices bolster state revenue forecast.(Oil & Gas)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Department of Revenue Commissioner Bill Corbus released the fall revenue forecast for the State of Alaska, which shows a record all-time high price for Alaska North Slope crude oil. North Slope oil has averaged $43.16 per barrel through...

Alaska Airlines adds services.(Transportation)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Alaska Airlines announced it will begin new nonstop service between Anchorage and Phoenix on June 5 and it will extend the schedule of its new Anchorage to Las Vegas flights to operate throughout the 2005 summer season. The flights will...

Women roll into house of Harley.(Retail)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Women are no longer taking a back seat to men on their Harleys. A national trend is taking hold here in Anchorage as more females are purchasing their own motorcycles. Harley-Davidson Motor Co. has seen U.S. sales of its motorcycles to...

Q&A with Gov. Frank H. Murkowski.(Interview)
February 1, 2005... After serving in the United States Senate for 22 years, Frank H. Murkowski was elected in 2002 as Alaska's 8th governor since statehood. Gov. Murkowski grew up in Ketchikan where his father was president of the First National Bank of...

Southcentral Alaska faces natural gas shortages: diminishing gas supplies in Cook Inlet force Agrium to face a November closure.
February 1, 2005... More than 30 years ago, oil prospectors working in Cook Inlet discovered an abundant byproduct that has grown to become a key energy source and a leading export product for the state of Alaska-natural gas. That oil exploration work...

Looking out for business ... a report from the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce--The Voice of Alaska Business.
February 1, 2005... During the first session of the 24th Legislature the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce, the "Voice of Alaska Business," will actively lobby for positive legislation on issues important to business. Following is a summary of issues our statewide...

Protect yourself from identity theft and fraud: financial fraud is on the increase nationwide.
February 1, 2005... Everyone has heard the horror stories. A person buys something on the Internet and suddenly finds that he is being charged for hundreds of items that he didn't purchase. Or a person visits a bank ATM, only to find that all of the money in her...

Protecting your business from internal fraud: businesses are also at risk for fraud, and should take steps to protect themselves.
February 1, 2005... While most news coverage today focuses on individual identity theft, businesses are also at risk from within their own companies. "The potential for fraud is very real for businesses as well as individuals," said Debbie Grahek, assistant vice...

February 2005 calendar of events.(Calendar)
February 1, 2005... ANCHORAGE 3 Kids Fest Music, magic, theatre, storytelling and more. Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Ship Creek Center. Presented by the Anchorage Downtown Partnership. For more information, call 279-5650. 4-13 21st...

Ocean Sciences Bowl draws Alaska's students: students compete in Seward and may have opportunities to win university scholarships.(Alaska This Month)
February 1, 2005... Alaska's high school science students this month will gather in Seward to take part in the 8th Annual Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl, part of a nationwide competition to promote learning in marine sciences. The bowl consists of...

The wide world of advertising: tips for making ads that work.
February 1, 2005... Advertising stimulates demand for a product, service or idea. Advertising serves to increase sales, market share and public awareness, giving product information while enhancing image. Astute businesses continue to invest in advertising and...

Engineer of Year nominees 2004: these leaders bring honor and skill to their career fields.
February 1, 2005... National Engineers Week was founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers. It is always celebrated at the time of George Washington's birthday. Our nation's first president was a military engineer and land surveyor. In...

Gasline to fuel engineering jobs: will there be enough local engineers to work on the proposed gas pipeline?
February 1, 2005... With the possibility of a major construction project on the horizon for Alaska, the natural gas pipeline, engineers in the state see trickle-down opportunity ahead and a general sense of excitement for the work it will bring. How will this...

Power from Fire Island: wind turbines may have a promising future in Alaska.(Municipal Light and Power)
February 1, 2005... The bad news is that within 10 years, Anchorage could lose a major chunk of its electricity that is currently being created by natural gas generators. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, that could happen when the current deposits of...

Three faces of USKH: they are an award-winning, full-service design firm that is run on good business practices but governed by simple family values.(quality work and dependability)
February 1, 2005... To the construction industry, USKH stands for quality work and dependability; to its work force, USKH stands for a company devoted to its employees; and to the community, USKH stands for a corporation with a conscience. Gordon Unwin...

Alaska Business Monthly's 2005 engineering directory.(Directory)
February 1, 2005... Alaska Anvil Inc. 509 W. Third Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501-2237 Phone: 276-2747 Fax: 279-4088 www.anvilcorp.com Engineers: 53 Year Established: 1984 Disciplines: Electrical, mechanical, civil, structural, process,...

The Alaska Native Utilization program: Alaska Natives are assured educational opportunities and jobs, a result of a 1974 agreement between Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. and the Department of Interior.
February 1, 2005... The Alaska Native Utilization Agreement was developed and implemented so that Alaska Natives would benefit through training and jobs from construction of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline, and continuing through the operation and maintenance of the...

Hope for the timber industry: the timber industry has been hard hit due to a declining timber supply, but it can recover.
February 1, 2005... There is a very small but relatively stable timber manufacturing industry in both the Southcentral and Interior regions of Alaska whereas the industry in Southeast Alaska has been badly crippled by a decade of declining timber supply. The good...

Beyond bar codes: RFID-Radio Frequency Identification new opportunities for Alaska business.(Knowledge-based economy: what is it and what it means for Alaska)
February 1, 2005... (The concept of an Executive Forum stemmed from the UAA College of Business and Public Policy Business Policy Advisory Council. The quarterly events bring together leaders from business and academia in discussions of topics of contemporary...

Cornerstone named Contractor of the Year for 2004: Cornerstone is well respected by the industry and is honored for its outstanding work.(Building Alaska)
February 1, 2005... C. John Eng and Jaysen Mathiesen have had a successful business partnership for more than a decade. During that time, the Eng-Mathiesen team has succeeded in the immensely competitive construction industry. In fact, their Anchorage-based...

2005 construction roundup: construction is steady across the state, with 2,500 new jobs projected for the construction industry by 2012.(Building Alaska)
February 1, 2005... Defying its history of boom and bust, the construction industry in Alaska is sliding into yet another year of steady growth--busy around the state on projects ranging from the Anchorage Port expansion to an $87 million new hospital in the...

Fairbanks/Interior construction section sees record year: Fairbanks saw $141 million in new construction during 2004, much higher than in previous years.(Building Alaska)
February 1, 2005... Crews working for the Fairbanks-based Denali Mechanical Inc. typically work on Interior Alaska construction job sites between July 4 and Thanksgiving, according to the company's chief executive officer, Bob Cummings. But this year, he said...

New developments push gasline project forward: this year could prove to be a critical period for the Alaska gas pipeline project.(Building Alaska)
February 1, 2005... Development of Alaska's vast natural gas resources on the North Slope advanced significantly in 2004, culminating with a mid-December announcement that the producers' group offered the state a proposal for construction of a natural gas pipeline...

Dibon Solutions Inc.(Rights Moves)(appointment of Jim Henry )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Jim Henry has joined Dibon Solutions Inc. as director of consulting for Alaska and Hawaii. Henry has 17 years of information technology experience, ranging from account management to telecommunications engineering. Services offered by Dibon...

KLEBS.(Rights Moves)(appointment of Eden Larson )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... KLEBS has named Eden Larson as general manager. Larson has been a business owner, manager and, most recently, president of ABC of Alaska Inc. since 1997. She has experience in organizational development, strategic planning, facilitation and...

Back in Motion Chiropractic.(Rights Moves)(appointment of Ben Cain)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Dr. Ben Cain, chiropractic physician, has joined the staff at Back in Motion Chiropractic. Cain is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and received his doctor of chiropractic degree from Western States Chiropractic College in Portland,...

Dorsey & Whitney LLP.(Jahna Lindemuth appointed)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The law firm of Dorsey & Whitney LLP announced that Jahna Lindemuth of Dorsey's Anchorage office was elected to partner. Lindemuth has been a member of Dorsey's trial group in the Anchorage office since 1999. Her practice focuses on complex...

Spenard Builders Supply.(Paul Royal joined National Kitchen and Bath Association's )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Spenard Builders Supply Division Merchandise Manager Paul Royal was elected recently to the National Kitchen and Bath Association's Advisory Council of Multi-Branch Retailers/Home Centers. The NKBA is the leading professional organization...

Wells Fargo Bank.(Jean Fan-Ning honored)(Alaska Chinese Association)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Jean Fan-Ning, financial consultant for Wells Fargo Private Client Services, received a Volunteer Service Award from Wells Fargo in recognition of the valuable community service contributions she has made to the Alaska Chinese Association....

Alaska Oilfield Contractors.(Alaska Federation of Natives President's Small-Business Award)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Donald Standifer Sr. was awarded the 2004 Alaska Federation of Natives President's Small-Business Award during the 39th annual AFN convention. Wells Fargo sponsors the award, which includes $1,000 and a plaque with Native artwork. ...

University of Alaska Fairbanks.(Pramod C. Karulkar joined Office of Electronic Miniaturization )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The Office of Electronic Miniaturization at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has a new director, Pramod C. Karulkar, who comes to UAF with an interdisciplinary background and diverse accomplishments in research and development, manufacturing...

Denali Alaskan Insurance.(Dave Bohan appointed)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Dave Bohan joined Denali Alaskan Insurance as an account manager. Bohan has more than 20 years experience in Alaska insurance agencies, including service at Allstate Insurance Co. as a senior account agent, running his own agency, and at Brady...

ASCG Inc.(the City of Boulder receives award from Colorado Association of Stormwater and Floodplain Managers)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... ASCG Inc. and the City of Boulder, Colo., have been recognized with the Grand Award for Excellence from the Colorado Association of Stormwater and Floodplain Managers. The award recognized the $8 million Goose Creek Multi-Use Flood Control...

Alaska Department of Fish and Game.(Wayne Regelin appointed )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Gov. Frank H. Murkowski recently appointed Wayne Regelin as acting commissioner for the state Department of Fish and Game. Regelin, who is currently a deputy commissioner with ADF&G, will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of...

Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.(Lauri Burkmire appointed)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport named Lauri Burkmire, a 20-year airport veteran, to the position of airport chief of police and fire. Burkmire has worked in numerous positions with the airport, including the airport's security...

Bureau of Land Management.(Julia Dougan appointed)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Bureau of Land Management State Director Henri Bisson recently announced the appointment of Julia Dougan as associate state director for BLM Alaska. Dougan currently is district manager for the BLM's Eugene, Ore., district office, where she is...

Associated General Contractors.(Terry Fike appointed)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Terry Fike has been elected president of the Associated General Contractors of Alaska at the association's annual meeting in Anchorage recently. Fike, of Alcan General Inc., will serve for a year. The Associated General Contractors of Alaska is...

What's driving today's high cost of construction? labor shortages, fuel prices, limited materials and insurance costs all bump up the price of that new home or commercial building.(Building Alaska)
February 1, 2005... Homeowners are basking in the glow of rising property values. But for those trying to purchase an existing home or build new, it's more difficult. Construction costs are skyrocketing, affecting everyone from the homebuilder to the general...

Steady decline in unemployment rates throughout Alaska: November 2003-November 2004.(Alaska Trends For February)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The unemployment rates throughout Alaska have steadily declined throughout the period of one year. The unemployment rate in Alaska was 7 percent in November 2004, compared to 7.8 percent just one year prior, indicating a more than 10 percent...

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