Alaska Business Monthly articles from June 2007

Alaska Business Monthly archives from June 2007

Virginia talks to God about school shootings.(From the Publisher)
June 1, 2007... Ever since Francis P. Church, writing in the New York Sun on Sept. 21, 1897, reassured her that, indeed, there really was a Santa Claus, Virginia has lived in our memories one way or another. Recently, a copy of a letter to God, attributed to...

AGC of Alaska named Chapter of the Year.(AWARDS)
June 1, 2007... The Alaska Chapter of the Associated General Contractors was named "Chapter of the Year" during the AGC of America annual conference in San Antonio, Texas. The chapter, with about 650 members in commercial construction, competed successfully...

Alaska Airlines celebrates 75th.(TRANSPORTATION)
June 1, 2007... Bill Ayer, chairman, president and CEO of Alaska Airlines, leads the nation's ninth largest air carrier in celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Alaska Airlines was founded in Anchorage in 1932 and has been a key transportation link in...

Personalized training studio opens.(HEALTH & MEDICINE)
June 1, 2007... BFIT and Well, a personalized fitness training studio for mature women, opened in May at 203 W. 15th Avenue, Suite 103 in Anchorage. Bonnie Murphy is a premier master Fitness by Phone coach. This style is for those who have joined a gym and...

Scotsman acquires Alaska Modular Space.(ACQUISITIONS)
June 1, 2007... Williams Scotsman Inc. (NASDAQ: WLSC) announced recently a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Honolulu-based Hawaii Modular Space and its sister company, Alaska Modular Space, for a purchase price of $42.5 million and additional...

Wells Fargo wins honors for small business efforts.(AWARDS)
June 1, 2007... Wells Fargo & Company's (NYSE: WFC) small business Web site has been ranked No. 1 by Change Sciences Group, a national research firm, for the best online customer experience for small-business customers among the top 40 national and regional...

Alaska Dinner Factory is new dining solution.(NEW BUSINESS)(Alaska Dinner Factory)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The Alaska Dinner Factory, a new Alaska-owned business offering dinners made easy, opened in Anchorage. The company allows busy Alaskans to come in and make healthy meals that are customized to their own preferences. Alaska Dinner Factory does...

2006 record year for national parks visitors.(TOURISM)
June 1, 2007... A record number of visits were made to Alaska's national parks in 2006, driven largely by increases at three Southeast Alaska parks served by cruise ships, state officials said. The past year recorded 2.5 million visits, up nearly 5 percent...

Corrections.(Inside Alaska Business)(Correction notice)
June 1, 2007... In the March 2007 issue, in the article titled "Going to the Dogs," the caption of Balto referred to him as the lead dog in the sled dog run serum run from Anchorage to Nome. We incorrectly mentioned that the historic run eventually led to the...

Horizon lines introduces first intermodal RFID program to Alaska: radio frequency identification to provide real-time shipment visibility.(ALASKA BUSINESS MONTHLY'S 2007 TRANSPORTATION SECTION)(Cover story)
June 1, 2007... In the cargo business, knowing where a particular item is and when it will reach its destination is paramount in running an efficient supply chain. Yet for many years, businesses that shipped containers within Alaska have had no way of locating...

Six months from start to finish: Horizon Lines' team gets RFID up and running in Alaska.(ALASKA BUSINESS MONTHLY'S 2007 TRANSPORTATION SECTION)
June 1, 2007... Once a decision is made to implement a new technology, it often takes a company years before the actual concept comes to fruition. In the case of Horizon Lines, however, team members were given six months to design, deploy and compile data from...

Do the cargo shuffle: transloading process helps Anchorage to be near apex in cargo shipping.(ALASKA BUSINESS MONTHLY'S 2007 TRANSPORTATION SECTION)
June 1, 2007... Picture you and your family and some close friends heading out together on a mini-vacation across country. You decide to meet at a pre-destined stop. Now all the children and some your vacation gear switch vehicles. Hardly anyone who was...

Busting at the seams: payloads bigger as Northern Air Cargo adds trio of jumbo jetliners.(ALASKA BUSINESS MONTHLY'S 2007 TRANSPORTATION SECTION)
June 1, 2007... How do you ship an elephant to the Bush? Why, in any one of three new Northern Air Cargos' Boeing 737-200 cargo freighters. That's how. You could put one of those gray behemoths on a barge and wait months for it to arrive. Or you could...

By rail, sea, air and truck: transportation industry anticipates growth, particularly air cargo.(ALASKA BUSINESS MONTHLY'S 2007 TRANSPORTATION SECTION)
June 1, 2007... As summer breaks in the northland, the work of moving people and products to and from Alaska speeds up, and the state's skies, seas, railways and roads are humming with activity. Beset by high fuel costs and infrastructure concerns, Alaska's...

Transportation: Alaska's link to growth.(ALASKA BUSINESS MONTHLY'S 2007 TRANSPORTATION DIRECTORY)(Directory)
June 1, 2007... We've all heard it. "We are within 9 1/2 hours of 90 percent of the Industrialized Northern Hemisphere." "Alaska is the transportation crossroads to the world." "The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is the No. 1 air cargo hub in the...

Safety in the oil patch: big oil does not compromise on safety issues on North Slope.
June 1, 2007... Companies and contractors involved in Alaska's North Slope oil industry face substantial challenges in providing and maintaining a safe workplace. Harsh weather conditions, frozen ground and equipment, remote locations far from existing...

The 'quiet' thief: diabetic clinic quells fears while treating menacing disease.(DIABETES)
June 1, 2007... Shhhhhhhh! Diabetes, like cancer, was once thought to be taboo to talk about; it was rarely brought up in public circles. Diabetic Consultants of Alaska wants to change all that. In fact, they want to shout out about the disease to...

All in the family: Habitat team looks to new faces, new services, new clients.
June 1, 2007... Despite the adage against combining business and family, the mother-daughter management team at Habitat Housewares in Anchorage seems to have achieved a comfortable berth in the culinary-specialties niche. Mother Lori Atrops and daughter Stacie...

Thick as molasses: heavy oil development could provide boom to Alaska.
June 1, 2007... Imagine owning a piggy bank stuffed with gold coins-$5, $10, even $50 pieces. But the bank's opening is rather small to get the heavy gold coins out. Turning and shaking the piggy bank yields only a few of the smaller, thinner pieces, leaving...

WAGS shows promise.(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... A three-year research project mostly funded by the U.S. Department of Energy investigated and identified optimum methods to produce North Slope viscous oil, techniques that could assist North Slope producers. The $750,000 project conducted...

Juneau celebrates past with gold rush days: the capital city's history is built on gold.(Alaska This Month)
June 1, 2007... More than 125 years ago, the discovery of gold brought waves of prospectors and adventure-seekers to Southeast Alaska, seeking dreams of wealth and a new life on the northern frontier. This month, visitors and Alaskans can celebrate that past...

2007 June events calendar.
June 1, 2007... ANCHORAGE 2 Alaska K-9 Cutie Pageant The second Annual Alaska K-9 Cutie Pageant. Check-in begins at 10 a.m. and the festivities begin at 12 p.m. in the Anchorage PetZoo parking lot, 7521 Brayton Drive. For more information, phone 522-8006...

A season in flux: projects on the horizon could affect construction plans.
June 1, 2007... Each year, the end of winter signals the start of construction season in Alaska. And while 2007 is shaping up to be a very good year with construction spending remaining heavy, it is also turning out to be a very fluid year, with potential...

ArXotica: tundra plants from Alaska make way to Australia and beyond in natural skin care products.
June 1, 2007... Three sisters from the Yukon-Kuskokwim region have started an innovative company that draws on traditional Yup'ik/Cup'ik knowledge of the area to create high-end skin-care products using tundra plants. ArXotica, based in Bethel, is poised to...

Higher education: MBAs and degree-completion programs offer career advancement opportunities.
June 1, 2007... It's no secret that furthering one's education can help in job placement and income levels. According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor, the average college graduate earns 62 percent more than the average high school graduate. In...

Alaska Business Monthly.(Right Moves)
June 1, 2007... Alaska Business Monthly promoted Ben Grenn to associate editor. ABM hired Grenn in October 2006 as its staff writer. Prior to joining the monthly publication as a full-time employee, Grenn was a freelance writer for the business magazine for...

Colville Inc.(Right Moves)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Colville Inc., an oilfield service company on the North Slope, announced the promotion of Rick Hofreiter to vice president of operations. Hofreiter will oversee daily operations, respond to clients, and manage the flow of business on the Slope....

SBA.(Right Moves)
June 1, 2007... Administrator Steven C. Preston of the U.S. Small Business Administration announced the appointment of Joseph Tolliver, Trailboss Enterprises CEO and president, to the SBA's National Advisory Council. "I am honored to be able to counsel...

Design Alaska.(Right Moves)(The University of Alaska Fairbanks School)(appointment of Jack B. Wilbur Jr.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Management and the UAF Associated Students of Business selected Jack B. Wilbur Jr. as this year's recipient of the "Business Leader of the Year" Award. Wilbur is president of Design Alaska Inc. This...

Credit Union 1.(Right Moves)
June 1, 2007... Credit Union 1 promoted Rachel Ramsey to marketing manager. Originally hired as marketing associate in February 2005, Ramsey came to the credit union with previous marketing and financial institution experience. In her new role, Ramsey will...

American Institute of Architects.(Right Moves)
June 1, 2007... The American Institute of Architects announced that local architect Harley Hightower was elevated to its prestigious "College of Fellows", an honor awarded to select members who have made contributions of national significance to the...

Alaska Travel Adventures.(Right Moves)(appointment of Chris Meier )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Alaska Travel Adventures Inc. announced the appointment of Chris Meier as vice president operations. Meier has extensive experience in both ATA's land and marine operations. He joined ATA in 1994 and was promoted from his most recent position...

Crowley Maritime Corp.(Right Moves)
June 1, 2007... Crowley Maritime Corp. announced that Alex Sweeney was named vice president of safety and health. Sweeney moves from Seattle to Anchorage and reports to Charlie Nalen, vice president, environmental, safety and quality assurance. In his new...

Wordwright.(Right Moves)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Joette Storm joined her husband, Gene, as a partner in their professional communications business, Wordwright. Storm recently retired from the FAA Alaska Region, where she served as community relations manager. She is an accredited public...

First Alaskans Institute.(Right Moves)(appointments)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... First Alaskans Institute announced new staff members. Tracy L. Craig, an Ahtna/Gwich'in Athabascan and Yup'ik, is the director of finance and oversees the organization's financial responsibilities to ensure high standards of accountability,...

Imaging Associates.(Right Moves)(appointment of Ruthie Schointuch )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Imaging Associates hired Ruthie Schointuch as its clinical manager of the firm's Mat-Su Valley imaging center in Palmer. Schointuch is a registered X-ray technologist and previously ran a radiology department in Fairbanks. She is also retired...

RIM Design.(Right Moves)
June 1, 2007... RIM Design LLC has added Susannah Cloyed as its new accountant. Cloyed brings 10 years of accounting and financial management experience with strong customer service skills to RIM Design. She has lived in Alaska since 1991.

Porcaro Communications.(Right Moves)
June 1, 2007... Porcaro Communications Inc. announced that Daryl Hoflich, a veteran of the Alaska marketing and advertising community with more than 32 years of experience, will be the agency's new creative director. Hoflich most recently was vice president...

UAA.(Right Moves)
June 1, 2007... The University of Alaska Anchorage announced that Steve Colt will serve as interim director of the Institute for Social and Economic Research. Colt, an economist with ISER since 1984, will replace Ulmer, who was named UAA's interim chancellor...

Bezek Durst Seiser.(Right Moves)(appointment of Eric Spangler and Victor Valenote )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The architecture and planning firm of Bezek Durst Seiser announced the promotion of two of its staff members. Architects Eric Spangler and Victor Valenote were named associates of the firm. Spangler has more than 14 years of architectural...

USKH Inc.(Right Moves)
June 1, 2007... USKH Inc. has expanded its civil surface transportation department with the addition of Kristina Blair, CAD technician. Molly Webb, a human resources specialist, is also a recent hire of USKH and will work for the human resources department....

Horizon Air.(Right Moves)
June 1, 2007... Horizon Air was honored as Regional Airline of the Year by the editors of Air Transport World magazine. "Reflecting its founders" philosophy, Horizon remains committed to its local communities and to delivering a safe, reliable and friendly...

Money well spent: local thrift stores help a variety of programs.
June 1, 2007... Like to shop? Like bargains? Like to help those in need? Well, buying at thrift stores allows you to get the best deals while helping the elderly, disabled, sick, young or poor. SOUTHSIDE BARGAIN BIN HELPS THE ELDERLY Southside Bargain...

Major mining companies in Alaska plan for success: mine operators are gearing up for another banner year.
June 1, 2007... Steve Borell, executive director for the Alaska Miners Association, stated in the November 2006 issue of Alaska Business Monthly that, "Alaska mines already in operation, advanced exploration projects, and grassroots exploration are all...

Remote-site communications: distance doesn't matter anymore; Alaska communities small as dots become wired.
June 1, 2007... LAST FRONTIER IN COMMUNICATIONS Allakaket, Shageluk, Kipnuk, Tenakee and Naukati... mere dots on the more than 656,000 square miles of Alaska's landscape. Stony River, Mentasta Lake, Nightmute, Upper Kalskag and Tyonek... small...

North Slope spot price: a year in review: (May 2006 to April 2007).(Alaska Trends for June 2007)(Statistical table)
June 1, 2007... (May 2006 to April 2007) The North Slope oil spot price varied significantly over the past year, with a difference of up to $18.88 as measured on a once-per-month basis. The highest price during the surveyed period of time came in during...