winning bid for a highway and bridge construction project near Fairbanks in 1974 marked the beginning of Knik Construction Co., Inc., and the company is still making connections fifty years later. Knik has branched out to include a variety of heavy construction projects to improve access to remote areas and upgrade infrastructure all over the world. The company has left a lasting mark on Alaska’s remote construction market, connecting the state’s communities and people, especially in Western Alaska.
For Knik President Dan Hall, it’s the relationships built with employees, government, tribal, and village partners that stand out over the decades.
“Some of our most memorable work is when we can go into a village to improve its infrastructure and involve the local residents in that work,” he says. “In Aniak, we leaned heavily on local people to complete a large multi-season runway project. We developed training and workforce development partnerships with The Kuskokwim Corporation and Calista Corporation that were mutually beneficial.”
Knik did the same in the Native village of Platinum, hiring local residents to mine their own rock, process it to specification, truck it to the port site, and load it on customers’ barges. “It is a true community project,” Hall says.
The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities and other state and federal agencies have recognized Knik’s excellence and commitment over the past fifty years. In 2018, Knik repaired an earthquake-damaged freeway in Anchorage in record time, leading to national recognition and media coverage. Most recently, Knik was presented with a National Asphalt Pavement Association Award for an airport reconstruction project in McGrath and also received the AGC of Alaska and AGC National “Excellence in Construction Award, Meeting the Challenge of a Job: Transportation, Heavy, Marine and Earthmoving Award” for emergency coastal storm repairs in September 2022 after Typhoon Merbok.
“We are proud to mark this 50-year milestone,” Hall says, “but we are most proud of the excellent work we’ve done and the lasting relationships we’ve built.”
he University of Alaska Fairbanks team placed fourth overall in the 2024 Student Steel Bridge Competition national finals held June 1 in Louisiana.
The competition, sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction, brought together students from forty-nine universities to assemble their scaled steel bridges.
The bridge engineered and built by the UAF College of Engineering and Mines team dominated in efficiency and stiffness, taking first and second place respectively in those ranking categories.
The bridge competition followed months of meticulous planning, designing, and testing, as well as a successful earlier competition. UAF’s team placed first in the Pacific Northwest regional contest, held April 6 and 7, in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The team captain was Haylie Cortez. The nationals travel team included team members Lucas Gomes, Jenna Hernandez, Darya Kholodova, Cody Hernandez Farr, and Lori Houghton. Other team members who helped create the bridge entry at UAF were Porter Baffrey, Richard Brock, Jerry Carroll, Richard Collins, Janet Felix, Dani Klebesadel, and Iza Lepkowski. Engineering faculty members Wilhelm Muench and Il Sang Ahn advised the team. Muench accompanied the team to Louisiana.
he Alaska Oil and Gas Association announced this month it selected Alaska-based heavy civil and oil field support company Cruz Construction, Inc., an Associated General Contractors, or AGC, of Alaska member, to receive its Contractor of the Year Award for Safety Performance. The award is sponsored by the Alaska Support Industry Alliance and recognizes an oil and gas support company that has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to safety.
Cruz received the award for its excellent record of safety and performance while completing the 2024 winter components of the Phase 1 STP Civil-Mining project at Oliktok Point for Santos’ Pikka project. Cruz worked 72,225 hours with a peak manpower of 78 personnel, reporting only one minor injury. The project involved mine development at E-Pit, ice road construction, gravel hauling, and sheet pile installation. Cruz and Santos developed a detailed work plan, ensuring project success through close cooperation. Despite challenges like a storm surge, Cruz maintained the schedule with only two minor vehicle incidents. The team’s exceptional planning, communication, and dedication to safety enabled the completion of pile driving in just 57 days, well ahead of schedule.
offman Engineers, Inc., a national multidiscipline engineering firm, announced a new board director, board re-elections, and two new Anchorage-based shareholders, following the annual shareholders’ meeting.
Coffman elected Anchorage-based principal, Ben Momblow, as a new board director. Senior Vice President Jeff Gries was re-elected to the board.
“Ben brings thoughtful business perspective from his experience in operations roles in Honolulu and Anchorage and serves on various corporate committees. His broad view of Coffman, commitment to our culture, and inquisitive nature will make Coffman a better place. We are looking forward to his influence on the board,” says Dave Ruff, Coffman’s CEO and board chair.
Coffman’s annual meeting also included the election of new shareholders. New Anchorage-based principals include Skip Bourgeois and Justin Freeman.
“Welcoming new principal ownership is critical for the growth and health of Coffman to support our people, teams, and clients. This year’s group of incredible leaders represent various engineering disciplines, strategic markets, and critical business roles,” says Chad Heimbigner, Coffman’s COO. “Coffman’s future is in good hands.”
Skip Bourgeois is the vice president of marketing and responsible for the firm’s overall marketing team. His role involves supporting and empowering Coffman’s marketing professionals to achieve the firm’s strategic and positioning goals.
Justin Freeman is the vice president of carbon capture, utilization, and storage, or CCUS, and hydrogen and leads the company-wide initiative. He spearheads the market strategy, development of internal capabilities, and management of CCUS and hydrogen projects nationwide.
Photo provided by PND Engineers
Photo provided by AGC of Alaska
irstie Gray says her company, Gray Services, LLC, has rebranded to Beyond Numbers. The new name reflects her company’s commitment to going beyond numerical data and truly partnering with clients to create tailored services that simplify financial management and provide peace of mind.
The name may have changed, but Gray says her company’s priorities remain firmly on delivering quality, precision, and dependability in all its bookkeeping and payroll services.
As part of the Alaska QuickBooks Pro Advisors, Gray says her team works to seamlessly integrate her clients’ financial data with their business processes, making bookkeeping straightforward and less daunting. The company’s mission is to provide clients with the support needed to focus on what they do best.
he National Association of Women in Construction, or NAWIC, celebrated excellence in the construction industry at its annual conference held August 14 through 17 in Houston, Texas. One highlight of the event was the presentation of the prestigious Project Excellence Awards, which recognize outstanding achievements in construction projects led by industry professionals.
The Project Excellence Awards acknowledge exceptional projects that demonstrate innovation, quality, and leadership in the construction sector. This year’s winners have set new standards for excellence, showcasing their skills and dedication to advancing the industry.
NAWIC awarded Knik Construction with the Civil/Heavy Highway award for its Northern Region Western Coastal Storm Repairs Front Street & Nome Council Highway project. Ahtna Environmental, Inc. received an Institutional award for its Environmental Protection Agency Western Ecology Division Laboratory Modernization Renovations project in Corvallis, Oregon.