Alaska Business Monthly articles from October 2007

Alaska Business Monthly archives from October 2007

Planning for profitability.(From the Publisher)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... It is the duty of business to earn a profit. Experienced readers will distinguish the difference between earn a profit and make a profit. It is often easier to make a profit (frequently a one-shot deal) than earn a profit, which requires...

Seattle Port CEO outlines future plans.(PORTS)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Port of Seattle Chief Executive Officer Tay Yoshitani is charting a course for the future of the port amid competition from other Northwest coast ports. Yoshitani detailed his plans in an August 2 article he wrote...

Bering Strait Crossing: Asia to Alaska?(LITERARY)(Brief article)(Book review)
October 1, 2007... Information Architects has published "The Bering Strait Crossing," written by James A. Oliver. The book describes the 53-mile-wide waterway as a geographical crossroads linking East with West. The Bering Strait separates the Europe-Asia...

KeyCorp Inks merger with Union State Bank.(BANKING)
October 1, 2007... Cleveland-based KeyCorp, the holding company for KeyBank, has agreed to merge with U.S.B. Holding Co. Inc., the holding company for Union State Bank. U.S.B. Holding Co. is based in Orangeburg, N.Y. Union State Bank is a state-chartered...

Subway chooses wild Alaska salmon sandwich recipe.(FOOD)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Subway restaurants chose a wild Alaska salmon sub sandwich recipe submitted by Anchorage's Ellen Cole as its new salmon sub. Cole is a professor at Alaska Pacific University. The sub combines toasted Italian herb and...

Homer Bakery celebrates 25 years in business.(ANNIVERSARIES)
October 1, 2007... The Fresh Sourdough Express Bakery and Cafe of Homer marks its 25th anniversary this year. Owned by Donna and Kevin Maltz, the business hit the milestone on Aug. 31. The bakery and cafe employees have prepared many organic foods since 1982,...

Rental Car Center opens at Anchorage Airport.(RENTALS)
October 1, 2007... Venture Development Group opened the Consolidated Rental Car Center at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in July. The new center allows travelers to check in at rental car desks then locate their vehicle in the nearby...

Museum earns kudos.(EDUCATION)
October 1, 2007... The University of Alaska Museum of the North's expansion received a architecture merit award from the Society for College and University Planning. The Fairbanks museum earned the Excellence in Architecture for a Building Addition; design...

Pebble development dynamics change: this could be a world-class mine, providing many jobs and wealth to the state. But will opponents stop it?
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Everything about the Pebble copper-gold-molybdenum prospect in Southwest Alaska is gigantic--the amount of metals contained in the deposit, the spending on exploration and environmental work this year, the size of...

Pebble facts.
October 1, 2007... * Pebble location: 200 miles southwest of Anchorage, about 200 river miles from Bristol Bay. Nearest communities are Iliamna, Nondalton and Newhalen. Located on state mining claims, inside the Lake and Peninsula Borough. * Pebble surface...

Building warriors: Tatitlek Corp. provides valuable predeployment training for the military.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Deep in the Mojave Desert, a small Alaska Native village corporation--The Tatitlek Corp.-is engaging in a unique way to serve its county, shareholders and state. Tatitlek provides role-players who support...

Flower power: Bagoy's florist celebrates its 85th Anniversary.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This month, Bagoy's will celebrate 85 years of providing flowers for beauty, for gifts, for romance, for celebration and for sympathy. Current owners, Chanda Mines, and her husband, Randy, have been managing the...

Extreme makeover: destination Downtown Anchorage: Alaska's largest city is about to change.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Imagine walking outside in downtown Anchorage in the winter and not having to change from your shoes into your boots. How can you do this comfortably and safely? Some of the sidewalks will no longer be scraped of...

Something venture-d, something gained: friends build company and Anchorage landscape.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What do the glass-towered downtown fire station, a revived City Hall, the new airport rental car facility, the under-construction Dena'ina Civic & Convention Center and "birdhouses" have in common? They are all...

Opposites attract: Alaska and Hawaii do have common threads.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On the surface, Alaska and Hawaii are polar opposites. One state offers fire (volcanoes), tropical weather and beautiful beaches, while the other offers ice (countless glaciers), a range of weather systems (sometime...

Early warning: state needs to find more black gold sooner rather than later.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The big North Slope oil fields are declining in production, faster than expected. To feed its growing state budget, Alaska badly needs to find new oil. Set aside, for a moment, the question of finding new oil and gas...

AOGA: fostering long-term viability of the oil and gas industry: agency a major player in resource decisions.(Alaska Oil and Gas Association )
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Alaska Oil and Gas Association (AOGA), an oil industry trade association, celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. The original office opened in 1966 as the Alaska Division of the Western Oil and Gas...

Taking the 'reigns': Marilyn Crockett, an oil veteran, heads AOGA.
October 1, 2007... Marilyn Crockett was named AOGA's third executive director in July 2007, after a 37-year career with the organization. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Crockett went to high school in Anchorage, but her father was transferred to New Hampshire at...

Celebrate with food, beer, arts and more: Octoberfest in Petersburg enlivens fall weekends.(Alaska This Month)
October 1, 2007... The holiday-free weeks between Labor Day and Thanksgiving can seem endless, but Alaskans' hearts rejoice with fall activities to anticipate. In the Southeast Alaska town of Petersburg, residents have organized several events to fill often...

October events calendar.(Calendar)
October 1, 2007... ANCHORAGE 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 Tuesday Night Race Series A fall family tradition for both competitive and non-competitive runners. Three separate courses are set each week at unique locations, and kept secret until just prior to the...

Investment expertise right here in Alaska: CFA creditials 'gold standard' worldwide.
October 1, 2007... Many investors in Alaska know there are a multitude of financial designations associated with the financial industry, but only one designation--the Chartered Financial Analyst, or CFA-has become the global professional investment credential,...

Alaska Native Medical Center celebrates 10-year anniversary: building design promotes healing in holistic ways.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As the Alaska Native Medical Center celebrates 10 years in its new facility, work is under way to expand the structure for the next 10 years and into the future. "It's a 10-year anniversary for the building, and...

Top 49ers: Alaska's Economic Pipelines to the Future.(2007 Alaska's Top 49ers: Economic Pipelines to the Future)(Directory)(Company rankings)
October 1, 2007... It's been 30 years since the first tanker full of oil left Valdez aboard the SS Arco Juneau after being transported through the 800-mile trans-Alaska oil pipeline that began in Prudhoe Bay and ended in the ice-free port from which it was...

Top 49ers businesses listed alphabetically.(2007 Alaska's Top 49ers: Economic Pipelines to the Future)(Statistical table)(Company rankings)
October 1, 2007... TOP 49ERS BUSINESSES LISTED ALPHABETICALLY 2007 2006 2006 49ers Rev. 49ers COMPANY Rank ($...

Top 49ers listed by business classification.(2007 Alaska's Top 49ers: Economic Pipelines to the Future)(Statistical table)(Company rankings)
October 1, 2007... TOP 49ERS LISTED BY BUSINESS CLASSIFICATION RANK TOTAL ALASKA REV. 2006 CLASSIFICATION / COMPANY 2007 EMPLS. EMPLS. (Million $) CONSTRUCTION Alaska Interstate ...

AIC: 'we move the earth.'.(2007 Alaska's Top 49ers: Economic Pipelines to the Future)(Company overview)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Our company has a reputation for taking an impossible idea and making it an accomplished fact." It's a bold statement taken from Alaska Interstate Construction's Web site, but considering the evidence, it's one...

Colville Inc.: they arrived at Prudhoe Bay, even before the pipeline.(2007 Alaska's Top 49ers: Economic Pipelines to the Future)(Company overview)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Serving Alaska's North Slope with a collection of varied support services, Prudhoe Bay-based Colville Inc. operates across the sweeping landscape of Alaska's extreme north--literally the top of the world. It's...

Golden Valley Electric Association: increased technology produces cleaner energy.(2007 Alaska's Top 49ers: Economic Pipelines to the Future)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Celebrating more than 60 years of service to the Interior, Fairbanks-based Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) is enjoying a golden day. Incorporated in 1946, the electric cooperative is 100 percent...

USTravel: growth is hallmark of this Alaskan-owned company.(2007 Alaska's Top 49ers: Economic Pipelines to the Future)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It seems hard to believe that a highly successful business like USTravel started with an off-hand comment at a cocktail party. But according to President and CEO Mark Eliason, that is exactly how it all began. ...

Al Fleetwood: man of many talents: Fleetwood honored by Alaska Business Monthly for his 'Lifetime Achievement in Business.'.(Alaska Business Monthly's 2007 Lifetime Achievement in Business Award)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The road leading to Al Fleetwood's success in business has been paved with excitement, dedication and impact. And it's never-ending. Since moving to Alaska in 1957, Fleetwood, 83, has had a positive influence on...

Tikigaq Corp.(Right Moves)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] JW Graves was named chief operating officer for Tikigaq Corp., an Alaska Native corporation. Graves has 40 years experience in engineering and construction in the oil and gas industry. Graves also has worked on...

Ahtna Technical Services Inc.(Right Moves)
October 1, 2007... Gretchen Thompson was selected human resources manager for Ahtna Technical Services Inc. She has 15 years of experience in her field and has earned two degrees in human resources.

Solstice Advertising.(Right Moves)
October 1, 2007... Amy Sparck Dobmeier joined Solstice Advertising as marketing coordinator. The firm is a subsidiary of Calista Corp. Sparck Dobmeier worked for Alaska Republicans Rep. Don Young, Sens. Frank Murkowski and Ted Stevens, as well as the Lower...

Perkins Coie.(Right Moves)
October 1, 2007... Eric B. Fjelstad was appointed managing partner of the Anchorage office of law firm Perkins Coie. Fjelstad worked at the firm for eight years. He has practiced environmental and natural resources law in Alaska since 1994.

First Alaskans Institute.(Right Moves)(appointment of Kristel Komakhuk )(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... First Alaskans Institute hired Kristel Komakhuk as development assistant. Komakhuk, an Alutiiq and Inupiaq, previously worked as executive assistant to the president and chief executive officer at The Tatilek Corp. The nonprofit First Alaskans...

Alaska USA Insurance Brokers.(Right Moves)
October 1, 2007... Gary Lamb was hired as an account executive and risk management consultant for Alaska USA Insurance Brokers' Soldotna office. Alaska USA Insurance Brokers is a subsidiary of Alaska USA Federal Credit Union. Lamb has 28 years of experience in...

Tutka LLC.(Right Moves)(appointments of Amber Hammontree and Joel Florian )(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tutka LLC hired Amber Hammontree as an environmental scientist. Hammontree has more than six years of experience in environmental remediation, restoration and water quality. Her responsibilities include proposal and...

Northrim Bank.(Right Moves)
October 1, 2007... Esther Fouts was promoted to special credits officer I at Northrim Bank. She is responsible for monitoring the Consumer Banking Portfolio for delinquencies and for conducting appropriate collections efforts. Fouts has worked at Northrim Bank...

Alaska Department of Revenue.(Right Moves)
October 1, 2007... Johanna Bales was hired as deputy director for the state Department of Revenue Tax Division. Bales previously supervised the division's excise audit group, which includes tobacco, cruise ship, mining and motor fuel taxes. She is a certified...

Wells Fargo.(Right Moves)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Wells Fargo hired Stephanie Garrard as charitable contributions program manager for Alaska. She previously worked as investment management associate for Wells Fargo Private Client Services. In her new role, Garrard...

University of Alaska Fairbanks.(Right Moves)
October 1, 2007... Dusty Johnson was appointed program coordinator for the University of Alaska Fairbanks Tanana Valley Campus law enforcement academy. Johnson is a retired Fairbanks Police Department lieutenant. Johnson graduated from the Municipal Police...

Alaska Airlines.(Right Moves)
October 1, 2007... Alaska Air Group, parent company of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, appointed Megan Lawrence as managing director of government and community relations at its Seattle headquarters. Lawrence has served as the company's Washington, D.C.-based...

Alaska Pacific Bank.(Right Moves)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Daniel Vermedal was hired as assistant vice president and controller at Juneau-based Alaska Pacific Bank. He previously served as finance director for Catholic Community Service in Juneau. He is a certified public...

Jermain Dunnagan & Owens PC.(Right Moves)
October 1, 2007... Matthew Singer was hired as a shareholder at the law firm of Jermain Dunnagan & Owens PC. He earned a law degree from Lewis & Clark law school and clerked for Alaska Supreme Court Justice Alexander Bryner before joining the firm.

Credit Union 1.(Right Moves)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Credit Union 1 promoted Tom Mason to senior vice president/ chief financial officer. He has worked at the credit union for 1 year and has more than 25 years of accounting experience. He also worked at National Bank...

The Growth Company.(Right Moves)
October 1, 2007... Angie Richards was hired as a senior associate at The Growth Company. She has more than 10 years of human resources experience. Lynn Curry has earned the designation of Senior Professional in Human Resources from the Society for Human Resource...

Wells Fargo Insurance Services of Alaska.(Right Moves)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Michelle Tabler was hired as the business development officer for Wells Fargo Insurance Services of Alaska, formerly Acordia of Alaska Inc. Tabler has 24 years of experience in the Alaska insurance industry. She...

Big Wild playground: more than a million visitors travel to the great land each year.
October 1, 2007... Ever thought about visiting Alaska's Playground? How about stopping by Alaska's Emerald Isle or Alaska's Peak Experience or seeing what Winter Fun/Midnight Sun is all about? Maybe you just want to get a Big Wild Life. You're not alone. In...

Taking a new direction: ACE expands into passenger charter service.
October 1, 2007... ACE, formerly ACE Air Cargo, has expanded its services to include passenger charters, bringing a viable option to the business community, rural Alaskans and others around the state. Recently, ACE added Beechcraft 1900C airplanes to its...

Entrepreneurs: doing it their way: what does it take to succeed as a businessperson?
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Do you have what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur? A good idea for a new product or service is not necessarily enough. It takes a special kind of person to turn dreams into reality and ideas into dollars. ...

Feasibility study to consider benefits of unified systems operation for Railbelt electrical utilities: affordable, reliable electricity is the study's goal.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A study exploring the feasibility of unifying systems operation of Alaska's Railbelt electrical utilities is the next chapter in a story stretching back to 1969 when a citizens' advisory vote recommended one utility...

Taking care of Alaska's elderly: many programs in place to help family caregivers and frail seniors.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To become a successful businessperson takes a lot of time and effort, and many people spend much of their lives building and maintaining full-time careers. Yet even as these professionals expect to begin to enjoy the...

Senior Care of Alaska Inc.: working to re-establish identity after state program ends.
October 1, 2007... On July 28, 2007, Gov. Sarah Palin signed Senate Bill 4 to continue support for low-income older Alaskans through the Senior Benefits Program. While this continuation of financial resources will certainly benefit the state's senior population,...

Red Dog shifts to production sharing: profits go to shareholders of all land-holding regional native corporations.(Nana Regional Corporation Inc. and Red Dog Films Inc.)(Financial report)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] After nearly 18 years of producing zinc, lead and silver, the Red Dog mine in Northwest Alaska has finally recovered about a billion dollars in initial and ongoing capital costs and its operator will begin paying its...

'Lift as we rise' supports new entrepreneurs: innovative program for Alaska women goes national.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In a business when a project has promise it's said to "have legs." If that's so, then the recently launched YWCA Anchorage campaign to help women start small businesses has "wings." It's called "Lift as We Rise" and...

Alaska Forest Association: half century of industry service: looking for 'peace in the Tongass.'.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Among the leaders of the Alaska timber industry, longevity is a common virtue. People working in the forest for a decade consider themselves newcomers. But even among the long timers, George Woodbury stands out. ...

Alaska: tied to the Pacific Northwest: link an important and vital one.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I'm from Alaska," I tell the checkout clerk, showing my Alaska driver's license and a credit card. Alaskans, who occasionally shop on a trip to or through the state of Washington, are always welcomed with a...

Preventive health care: good for employees and employers: diet, exercise, weight control helps prevent top five causes of death in state.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In Alaska, the primary causes of death are chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. But, ironically, these progressive diseases can be avoided with proper preventive measures that are simple and easy to...

Importance of health screening and testing: assuring a healthier future.
October 1, 2007... When implementing a preventive health care program, health screenings are a good place to start, says Ruth Townsend, Alaska Regional Hospital's director of cardiac rehab, diabetes and nutrition center. Health screening and testing make it...

Waste disposal: Hazmat to go: trash disposal has changed the way we live.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the good old days, getting rid of trash meant a quick walk through the house to the kitchen and the large, metal pail next to the sink, which stood ever ready to gobble up old newspapers, plastic lunch wrap, old...

Afognak Native Corp. Acquires 3SG Inc: a rise-to-power success story.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This is a rags to riches, humble beginnings story of how the American Dream was achieved for Justin Burgess and Brian Evans of 3SG Inc. What began with two guys and a great idea grew into a business that was viable...

A diamond in the sky: Alaska Airlines celebrates 75 years of service above the clouds.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Seventy-five years ago, this country was in the depths of a devastating economic depression, the Mars candy bar and Zippo lighters were introduced, a first-class stamp cost 3 cents, gasoline was 10 cents a gallon,...

'Field of dreams' blossoms Port MacKenzie: diamond in the rough may turn out to be the newest jewel in SouthCentral's Tiara.(Marc Van Dongen)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Marc Van Dongen has been director of Port MacKenzie in the Mat-Su Borough since the 14-square-mile port district was nothing but a hand-drawn line on a borough map. One of his first projects as port director was...

Alaskan bankruptcies over 12-month period: Alaska Trends, an outline of significant statewide statistics, is provided by the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development and sponsored by American Fast Freight.(Alaska Trends for October 2007)
October 1, 2007... [GRAPHICS OMITTED] (June 2006 to June 2007) Alaska has seen an average of 57 bankruptcies per month over the last year, with a high of 76 last October and a low of 39 in January of this year. Not surprisingly, the majority of all cases...