Alaska Business Monthly articles from September 2005

Alaska Business Monthly archives from September 2005

Can Alaska learn from OPEC?(From the Publisher)
September 1, 2005... There has been much debate and discussion about how Alaska treats, and is treated by, its North Slope oil producer partners. Recently, we reported that Saudi Arabia had thrown out a major for failure to develop and produce resources in that...

Companies sign agreement to continue operation in Venezuela.(From the Publisher)(Reprint)
September 1, 2005... Faced with the threat of being forced to abandon operations in energy-rich Venezuela, eight oil companies signed an agreement with Venezuelan state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) that will force the companies to adopt a new royalty and...

Alaskan legal firms ranked in Chambers USA.(LAW)
September 1, 2005... Chambers & Partners, based in London, recently published Chambers USA, which included Alaska's leading law firms. Chambers USA was first published in 2003. Those included in the latest book are: Ashburn & Mason, PC; Davis Wright Tremaine,...

Northern Trust opens new brokerage.(new branch in Wasilla)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Northern Trust Real Estate opened its newest brokerage in Wasilla, located at 1590 Financial Drive, Suite F-200, on the corner of the Parks and Palmer-Wasilla highways. Since opening the doors, the brokerage has acquired new sales...

CMI named Alaska Link-Belt crane distributor.(CONSTRUCTION)
September 1, 2005... Bill Stramer, vice president, marketing, sales and customer support, has announced the signing of Construction Machinery Industrial LLC (CMI) as the Link-Belt crane distributor for the state of Alaska. "Link-Belt is very pleased to be...

New Web site offers access for eco-adventures.(TOURISM)
September 1, 2005... Alaska Native-owned and -operated Alaska Waters Inc. has launched an updated Web site. The site offers travelers access to planning international eco-adventure vacations. Visitors seeking professionally guided "off-the-beaten-path" vacations...

Alaska Airlines contract to reduce state's bill.(TRANSPORTATION)
September 1, 2005... Air travel is a necessity in Alaska. With about the same limited population and highway miles as Vermont--but enough geography to accommodate the Green Mountain State 60 times over--Alaska officials spent more than $35 million on airline...

PenAir staff gives Orin Seybert replicated plane.(Peninsula Airways Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... On Friday, July 22, employees of 50-year-old PenAir celebrated their remarkable anniversary by surprising Founder and Owner Orin Seybert with a replica of the first plane he used, a two-seat Taylorcraft. He flew the original plane when he...

Seal pup flies to rehab.(Alaska Central Express Air Cargo )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... ACE Air Cargo recently flew an injured seal pup 800 miles from Dutch Harbor to Anchorage for treatment at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward. Dutch Harbor residents found the four- to five-week-old pup on a beach and watched her all day...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2005... In a photo caption in an article titled "Associated Builders and Contractors Push Agenda," a picture of the Phase Powder Ridge housing development of Eagle River was featured. In that caption, it said that Roger Hickel Contracting Inc., which...

Less than a decade: firewood for fuel? There is a shortage of gas in Cook Inlet, but is it all doom and gloom or will new exploration or a gas line come to the rescue?
September 1, 2005... Is s Cook Inlet running out of natural gas? Some believe so, and the arithmetic shows why: 9 trillion cubic feet of gas have been discovered in the region. Seven trillion cubic feet have been used over 35 to 40 years. Two trillion cubic feet...

Alaska natural resources: reaching the world: Alaska's natural assets add to state's sustainability.
September 1, 2005... Alaska is a state rich in natural resources. From its waters teeming with salmon, halibut and shellfish, to its vast acres of wilderness filled with old-growth forest, to its world-class deposits of minerals beneath the soil, the 49th state has...

2005 September events calendar.(Calendar)
September 1, 2005... ANCHORAGE 2 Friday Night at the Zoo Gather for live music on the coffee shop lawn. Extended zoo hours. Begins at 7 p.m. For more information, phone 346-2133 or visit www.alaskazoo.org. 10 Scared Scriptless Comedy Improv ...

Anchorage hosting 8th World Wilderness Congress: the World Wilderness Congress was initiated by the WILD Foundation in 1977 and officials say it is the longest-running, public, international environmental forum.
September 1, 2005... This month, Anchorage hosts a conference expected to include 1,000 delegates from more than 40 nations around the world, all gathering to consider the challenges facing the planet's wilderness, wildlands and marine resources but focusing on...

Building a future beyond the anchorage land shortage: reaching for the sky, developers move upward and outward.
September 1, 2005... The Anchorage Bowl has long been a trailhead of trade reached via the narrow mountain passes or wide margins of water that enclose it. Now suitable undeveloped acreage is shrinking and Alaska businesses extend this Alaska-Pacific trade center...

Writing a resume: tips for getting your foot in the door. Then keeping it there.
September 1, 2005... Writing a resume often strikes terror in the hearts of otherwise brave souls. The seasoned and highly regarded professional will most likely need to prepare many updated versions of his/her original resume several times throughout his/her...

The 13 regional corporations in review: in 2004, the generated $3.4 billion and all but one reported revenue increases.(Alaska Native: BUSINESS NEWS)
September 1, 2005... Whether calculating operating revenues, work opportunities or social-economic impacts such as education scholarships, cultural programs or dividend payments, Alaska Native corporations are becoming financial powerhouses in the Last Frontier's...

2005 Native Regional Corporations directory.(Directory)
September 1, 2005... Ahtna Inc. Ken Johns, President and CEO Mile 115 Richardson Hwy. Glennallen, AK 99588 Phone: 822-3476 Fax: 822-3495 WWW: ahtna-inc.com Shareholders: 1,200 Land Conveyed: 1,556,670 acres 2003 Revenue:...

From big to small, Alaska Native village corporations are thriving today: Alaska Native Village corporations, succeeding in endeavors in federal contracts and use of natural resources.(Alaska Native: BUSINESS NEWS)
September 1, 2005... Today, 169 Alaska Native Village corporations, formed under the federal Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, operate from Prince William Sound to the Aleutians to the Arctic Slope, covering the state of Alaska, ranging from as small as...

ASRC disagrees with judge's ruling: Arctic Slope Regional Corp. expects to top 2004's revenues.
September 1, 2005... Arctic Slope Regional Corp. is back on track following a decision by an administrative law judge for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that changed 2004 from the best operating performance ever to its worst. A year ago last August,...

Alaska Federation of Natives convention held in Fairbanks Oct. 17-22: will Anchorage get this coveted convention back?
September 1, 2005... There has always been a friendly rivalry between the state's two largest cities, Anchorage and Fairbanks. But in one arena, that rivalry has taken on a more serious tone, with competitive emotions running high and about $6 million at stake....

Energy woes for the Bush: rural areas suffer from energy shortage due to high cost of oil and transportation.(Alaska Native: BUSINESS NEWS)
September 1, 2005... It might be difficult to understand why Alaska, a state blessed with so many natural resources--especially oil and gas--can have segments of its rural population endure extreme prices and shortages of energy. Charles Parker, director of...

Where to find Alaska Native artwork? New York, of course! This shop sells local artwork at prices beginning at $1,000.(Alaska Native: BUSINESS NEWS)
September 1, 2005... Sometimes you have to travel far from home to find a piece of home. Case in point, New York City. When you think of New York, it's hard to imagine an area more different than rural Alaska. And yet, that said, the Big Apple provides a...

A season to remember: fall in Alaska: as summer passes, there's still plenty for Alaskans and tourists to do in the beautiful fall shoulder season.
September 1, 2005... The long days of summer are over, most of the tourists have sailed, driven or flown south, and Alaska's tourism industry seems to be taking a little break between the busy summer months and the ever-growing winter season that attracts more...

EMS: the next generation of Environmental Management: Plan. Do. Check. Act.
September 1, 2005... With increasing consumer awareness of environmental issues, some managers are thinking about how to "green" their businesses. Environmental Management Systems are one tool that can help. A well-designed EMS provides a framework to...

A simple guide to EMS: not only has John Kinsella written the book on EMS, but he's also made the movie.(Environmental Management Systems)
September 1, 2005... My work with Environmental Management Systems began about 10 years ago--in Argentina. A client asked me what I knew about the new ISO 14001 standard, and I had to answer, "Not much." But I promised to find out more. When I returned to the...

The ways in which recycling pays: large or small, there are ways your company can help the environment.(Corporate recycling is growing, tips for reducing paper usage)
September 1, 2005... Who hasn't heard the mantra, "Reduce, reuse, recycle"? Environmentalists urge private citizens and companies to reduce waste, reuse what they can and recycle what they can't to positively impact the Earth. Although many people recycle for the...

Perkins Coie.(leading law firm )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Chambers & Partners, publishers of Chambers USA:America's Leading Lawyers for Business, has ranked Perkins Cole as a leading law firm in 19 different areas in markets across the country. In eight of those areas, the firm received the top...

HDR Alaska.(Rebecca Shaftel, Erin Cunningham, Jessica Manifold appointed)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... HDR Alaska's Environmental Services Section has added several new staff members. A new environmental scientist with HDR, Rebecca Shaftel, has four years of experience in wetland delineation, investigations and mapping, water-quality assessments...

URS.(Michael Gray appointed)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... URS named Michael Gray as manager of its geosciences group for the Anchorage office. Gray joined URS as a geologist in 1988, and has since managed and performed various geologic and hydrogeologic projects in Alaska, California, and Hawaii. His...

Dorsey & Whitney.(RIGHT MOVES)
September 1, 2005... The law firm of Dorsey & Whitney LLP announced that Mike Mills has joined the firm as a partner. Mills joins Dorsey from the Anchorage firm of Bankston, Gronning, O'Hara, where he was a shareholder and recently served as managing shareholder....

Northrim Bank.(RIGHT MOVES)
September 1, 2005... Northrim Bank President and CEO Marc Langland announced three promotions at the bank's Wasilla Financial Center. Rick Pinkerton has been promoted to assistant vice president and account executive. Debbie Ginther and Tonia Thayer have been...

Crowley marine services.(RIGHT MOVES)
September 1, 2005... Crowley Maritime Corp. has presented a Thomas B. Crowley Sr. Memorial Scholarship to Ilisagvik College student Darren Kayotuk, an Inupiaq Eskimo from Kaktovik. Kayotuk was selected based on his academic success, financial need, and interest in...

Thomas, Head & Greisen.(Stephen H. Sheaffer)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Stephen H. Sheaffer, a director of Thomas, Head & Greisen, CPAs, has received the Business Valuator Accredited for Litigation designation from the Institute of Business Appraisers. The designation is granted to experienced business appraisers...

ASRC.(ASRC Energy Services, Darrell Harris recieves award )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Darrell Harris, corporate director of quality with ASRC Energy Services, was named an American Society of Nondestructive Testing Fellow. The award is given to individual members of the society who demonstrate professional distinction and who...

The Marx Bros. cafe.(RIGHT MOVES)
September 1, 2005... Chef Jack Amon of Anchorage was the first Alaska chef invited to showcase his talents at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program's "Cooking for Solutions," held recently in Monterey, Calif. Amon prepared Alaska halibut for the...

AT&T Alascom.(RIGHT MOVES)
September 1, 2005... Darren McLaughlin recently joined AT&T Alascom as a network design engineer. He recently served two years overseas as a lecturer of computer science in the Peace Corps. Before that he was an IBM engineer for three years. He holds a degree in...

Minding manners: experts from around the country give advice on how to make the best impression at business meetings, dinners and at the office.
September 1, 2005... "There ya' go," said the waitress as she handed me my change, slammed shut the cash register and twirled on her heels, leaving me alone. What ever happened to a simple "thank you," I wondered--or a "please," such as in "Please come...

Yesterday and today: beyond hire and fire.(Human Resources)
September 1, 2005... Over the years, much has changed in human resources, which was initially called "personnel." The concept was introduced in the early 1980s as a natural result of the workers' rights movement, which seeks to make management view employees as...

PERS-TRS reform: how will it work? Signed into state law in late July by the governor, this reform will benefit the state. But what about its employees?
September 1, 2005... Gov. Frank H. Murkowski has signed landmark legislation reforming the Public Employees' Retirement System and the Teachers' Retirement System. The legislation repairs a retirement system that was under-funded by $4 billion in 2002, a shortfall...

Protecting your IT assets: take care of your networks and computers, so hackers don't get in and private information out.
September 1, 2005... Spam, spy ware, Trojan programs, worms and viruses are on the rise and businesses need to understand that keeping such things out of computers and off of networks is a seemingly never-ending battle. TOOLS Vulnerability assessment tools...

Recruit and hire without getting sued: be careful what you ask when interviewing job applicants.
September 1, 2005... It's no fun replacing an employee. The downtime, negative impact on company spirit, and the expense of recruiting and hiring can make the experience unpleasant. Employers need to add to that list the possible liability incurred by the...

Child ID theft: how to teach your child self-defence against identity theft.
September 1, 2005... Send a shredder to college. No kidding. No one is too young to be a target for identity thieves. A survey by the Federal Trade Commission found that nearly 10 million Americans discovered they were identity theft victims last year, and the...

Bankruptcies increase over the last year: (May 2004 to May 2005).(Alaska Trends for September 2005)
September 1, 2005... The number of bankruptcies filed in Alaska has notably increased. In the period of one year, the total number of bankruptcies increased by more than 42 percent. In May 2005, the number of bankruptcies filed was 164, compared to 115 in May 2004....