Unprecedented Access

AGC members get competitive advantage in Alaska’s potential construction boom

By Jamey Bradbury

n July, AGC of Alaska leaders met with leadership from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to discuss several proposed Alaska-based construction projects.

“These types of meeting opportunities do not come along every day,” says Heidi Olson, AGC of Alaska membership director. “We are grateful for the chance to connect our members directly with federal leaders and provide insight into the significant projects and investments being considered for Alaska.”

Alaska is poised to see a boom in military construction over the next three years, thanks to a series of projects potentially bringing billions of dollars into the state.

Renewed federal interest in Alaska’s resources and infrastructure has focused a spotlight on the state. So have efforts on the part of US Senator Dan Sullivan to include the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) Recapitalization, totaling about $7 billion in the federal 2027 fiscal budget. In two separate meetings FHWA leadership—including FHWA Administrator Sean McMaster and USACE Pacific Ocean Division Brigadier General Joseph C. Goetz—conferred with AGC on the logistics of construction work in Alaska and the potential for developing the state’s military capacity.

“Investments are being considered across a broad range of military facilities, from major installations like JBER and Fort Wainwright to smaller sites throughout Alaska,” Olson explains. “These discussions reflect a significant focus on modernizing and strengthening military infrastructure across the state.”

The meeting with USACE and Brigadier General Goetz focused on the Fighter Town Recapitalization Build-Out at JBER. Under the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the build-out would bring more than $2 billion in federal fiscal year 2027 in military construction to the base for projects, including $93.8 million for a flight simulator, $451.5 million for dormitories, $422.1 million for infrastructure and utilities, $132.3 million for a conventional munition complex, and $359.1 million to relocate precision guided munitions. Additional NDAA provisions will support projects at Fort Wainwright, the Pacific Spaceport Complex on Kodiak Island, and Eielson Air Force Base.

The NDAA, which passed the house in July but is still awaiting passage in the Senate, represents the largest investment the federal government has ever made in Alaska’s military infrastructure, Senator Sullivan’s office said in June.

Although the bill had not yet passed the Senate in September, the first request for proposals has already been released. More are expected this fall, kicking off a surge in construction projects likely to benefit contractors from every sector of the industry: subcontractors, service providers and suppliers, trucking and shipping companies, and others.

“The scale of these investments has the potential to benefit businesses throughout the construction ecosystem,” Olson says. “From contractors and subcontractors to suppliers, manufacturers, and logistics providers, there could be meaningful opportunities across many sectors of Alaska’s economy.”

“Alaska plays a significant role in both resource development and national security,” Olson says. “There is growing recognition of the state’s strategic importance and the need for continued investment in infrastructure. Successfully delivering these projects requires strong coordination between industry and our federal partners—coordination that AGC is proud to facilitate.”

Representative Nick Begich and US House Speaker Mike Johnson joined AGC of Alaska Executive Director Alicia Kresl (center) and Alaska business leaders for an Alaska Business Roundtable focused on federal policies affecting Alaska employers.

Carin Currier | Alaska Miners Association

AGC of Alaska Executive Director Alicia Kresl speaks at the Alaska Business Roundtable in Palmer August 7.

Carin Currier | Alaska Miners Association

US House Speaker Mike Johnson addresses attendees of the August 7 Alaska Business Roundtable.

Carin Currier | Alaska Miners Association

A portion of the USACE meeting focused on how, exactly, to do that: USACE leadership provided guidance on changes to procurement methods, including the Progressive Design Build (PDB) project delivery method. Emphasizing early collaboration between the owner, the contractor, and the engineer, PDB provides the owner with design and construction services under one contract with a single design-builder. The design-builder is selected based on qualifications and technical approach rather than price.

The US Department of War was authorized last year to procure and execute military projects using PDB. In the July meeting with AGC staff and members, USACE leadership clarified how local contractors can be competitive under the PDB method.

A separate meeting with FHWA gave AGC members an opportunity to engage with FHWA Administrator McMaster to discuss Alaska’s infrastructure potential. FHWA sought to better understand the constraints and logistics of delivering federal-aid transportation projects more effectively across the state.

“The power of a collective industry voice is a valuable benefit of AGC membership,” Olson says. “Individual companies may not always have the opportunity to engage directly on major policy and procurement issues, but together our members can help inform project owners about Alaska’s unique operating environment, challenges, and capabilities.”

In August, AGC continued discussions with government officials and business leaders about federal policies affecting Alaska’s construction industry. On August 6, the US General Services Administration (GSA) provided AGC members with information about the federal government’s construction and lease-construction processes. As the federal government moves toward a more efficient, faster bidding process, Olson says, “it’s creating a lot of questions about how businesses navigate federal procurement.”

The panel at the August 7 Alaska Business Roundtable highlighted the importance of long-term federal infrastructure investment and emphasized the critical role transportation funding plays in connecting Alaska communities.

Carin Currier | Alaska Miners Association

AGC of Alaska members learned about upcoming military construction projects at a meeting with USACE Pacific Ocean Division Brigadier General Joseph C. Goetz this summer.

Pacific Ocean Commission photos: AGC of Alaska

She pointed out that, thanks to AGC’s unique access, members were able to get some answers directly from the GSA.

“AGC was able to quickly notify federal contractors in the membership of the opportunity to meet with GSA. Contractors were then able to prepare questions and have a meaningful discussion with GSA staff regarding how upcoming projects can be completed most efficiently,” Olson says.

On August 7, AGC of Alaska Executive Director Alicia Kresl joined Alaska business leaders, Representative Nick Begich, US House Speaker Mike Johnson, and other federal representatives for an Alaska Business Roundtable focused on federal policies affecting Alaska employers. Kresl highlighted the importance of long-term federal infrastructure investment, emphasizing the critical role transportation funding plays in connecting Alaska communities and strengthening the state’s economy. She also reinforced the need for permitting reform to ensure that infrastructure projects can move from funding to construction more efficiently.

Meetings like these are relatively unusual, but AGC maintains year-round relations with the Alaska DOT and regional USACE staff, hosting both a DOT steering committee and a USACE steering committee. AGC’s annual Legislative Fly-In is another crucial connection to local lawmakers the agency provides for its members, bringing them to Juneau each year to meet with legislators and to educate and advocate for AGC’s legislative priorities. Olson pointed out that these activities reflect AGC’s founding values and a major benefit of AGC membership: the ability for members to participate in conversations as a powerful collective, helping to shape the future of Alaska and its infrastructure.

Cream of the Crop

AGC Members rise to the top in Best of Alaska Business awards

By Vanessa Orr

inning a judged category for construction excellence is feedback that lets companies know their hard work designing, engineering, and building a project is paying off. Being voted as “best” in a category that relies on customers and clients to write in your name as the top in a particular field lets companies know their community outreach, commitment to customer satisfaction, and marketing efforts are on the right track.

AGC members made an impressive showing in the 2026 Best of Alaska Business Awards, published by Alaska Business magazine. Each year, the magazine asks readers to share their opinions about who excels across an array of categories, from best shipping company to best food truck. In each category, the top three winners are awarded the Denali, St. Elias, and Foraker awards in order of votes received.

AGC members swept the Engineering category: Coffman Engineers won the Denali, RSA Engineering Inc. took home the St. Elias, and CRW Engineering Group received the Foraker award. AGC members also dominated the Cargo/Logistics category, with Span Alaska, Lynden, and Carlile Transportation winning the Denali, St. Elias, and Foraker awards respectively. AGC members also made an impressive showing in twelve other categories.

“Winning in the Best of Alaska Business awards is important recognition, and it’s especially meaningful because it shows the support we get from our employees,” says Ben Momblow, vice president, managing principal, Coffman Engineers. “We want to thank everyone who voted for us, and those who put their energy and investment in us—it’s what makes this a great place to work.”

After winning the St. Elias award in the 2025 Best of Alaska Business survey, Coffman Engineers spread the word in 2026, netting the firm the top award in the Engineering category.

Coffman Engineers

Coffman Engineers employees take ownership of creating a fun, healthy work culture, says Ben Momblow, vice president and managing principal.

Coffman Engineers

Coffman Engineers stepped up to the Denali award after having won the St. Elias award last year. Momblow credits its continuing success to an “everyone culture” that creates an environment where each person can thrive and contribute to client success.

“Leadership and the management structure tries to support a healthy culture for employees, but ultimately it’s the employees that make this place so great,” Momblow says. “They take ownership of creating a super healthy, fun culture.

“’Work hard, play hard’ is a little cliché, but it’s also true,” he adds, noting that employees are excited to come to work because of the people they work with. “While our employees show a high level of respect for each other and a high degree of professionalism, they also know if they work hard and put energy into the office space, it’s more fun for everybody. And when you spend a lot of your time at work, you need to have fun, too.”

According to Momblow, its mission is measured by its clients’ success. “Everything we do day-to-day is guided by our mission/vision/value statement, which, boiled down, focuses on client success and doing the right thing,” he explains.

During its forty-seven years in Alaska, the company has worked on a range of projects for the military, oil and gas, and commercial sectors, among other clients.

“The first big project I worked on was Concourse C, at Ted Stevens [Anchorage] International Airport in the late 1990s; we did the structural design, which was a flagship project for us,” says Momblow. “More recently, we’ve been supporting military projects at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson (JBER), Fort Wainwright, and Eielson Air Force Base. We’ve also been working with oil and gas developers on projects on the North Slope and in Cook Inlet.”

According to Momblow, the company relied mainly on word-of-mouth to promote its inclusion in the BOAB list, announcing at a staff meeting that voting was open and sending out an email as a reminder. He added that this recognition helps with recruitment, leading to even more satisfied employees.

For RSA Engineering Inc., which earned the St. Elias Award in the same category, the win came as a big surprise.

“This was our first-time win, and we didn’t do outreach, advocating, or advertising for the award,” says Marketing Director Lisa Anglen. “Reflecting on it, we believe that we won because we’ve built a reputation of long-term responsiveness and technically competent work over the last forty years in business. Our clients and colleagues, and the businesses that we’ve worked for, recognized our contributions to the industry, and we want to thank them for voting for us and believing in us.”

As an employee-owned engineering firm, Anglen says RSA employees have a vested interest and direct stake in the company’s performance and reputation. “Our staff recognizes that every project is a representation of themselves and RSA, and is also, in a sense, business development for the next opportunity to come along,” she explains.

For this reason, RSA principals and management stay involved throughout the life of each project, either visibly present or in the background. “We have an open-door policy if there are any questions or concerns related to a project,” says Anglen. “We also have senior engineers providing oversight and quality control.”

Staff members share lessons learned and also collaborate on new approaches, design standards, and client care. Biweekly staff meetings enable employees to review ongoing projects, air questions and concerns, and request support when needed.

“Our staff is very teamwork-focused; if we need to transition staff to a project that needs more time and attention, our culture promotes being ready to jump in and help out wherever needed,” says Anglen.

She adds that RSA recently went through a novel strategic-planning effort that involved all of its staff members to some extent. “Being employee-owned, all of our staff members in some form have the ability to form how we operate,” she says.

While RSA works in all regions of Alaska, it is best known for its experience leading rural Alaska projects.

“Our staff members are very nimble and willing to travel to any location in Alaska,” Anglen says. “They are willing to jump on small planes, work in any weather, and go to unfamiliar locations. They understand that durability and long-term maintenance are extremely important and they are very energy conscious, understanding the high price of energy or a lack of access to energy in some locations.”

During its four decades in business, RSA has built a reputation working with building owners, municipalities, private industries, and architectural firms on projects including airports, schools, seafood processing facilities, ports, harbors, commercial facilities, and more. The company is currently focused on a number of industrial projects, including the Port of Anchorage.

According to Anglen, receiving votes from the business community when everyone is so busy is especially meaningful. “Recognition is one of the last things that happens,” she says. “It’s hard to stop and pause and find the time to say congratulations to each other.

“One of the biggest things this award does is provide validation for our staff members,” she adds, noting that the company is much smaller than a number of its competitors. “We work so hard day in and day out, focused on client care and project delivery, that we often don’t look around and think about what we’ve done. This award is just as important for internal validation, telling us that we’re doing the right things, making the right choices, and taking the right approaches.”

Moose Run Fun

GC of Alaska members took over Moose Run Golf Course June 12 with a full day of team competition. Fifty-four teams strode the course across the morning and afternoon flights under sunny skies. The top five teams, along with Closest to the Pin and Longest Drive winners (men’s and women’s divisions), were honored during the CLC Grill & Chill celebration June 25.

laskans are accustomed to rolling up to local shops and buying the heating devices they need. Among the most popular are Toyo stoves, Rinnai gas furnaces, and maximum efficiency water heaters. But getting those units into retail stores that can’t afford to maintain large inventories of products requires an in-state supplier, one that can keep stores in communities both large and small stocked and able to meet local needs.

That’s what Rural Energy Enterprises does.

“We’re basically a wholesaler of high-efficient heating products in Alaska, Pacific Northwest, and western Canada,” says CEO Jason Evans.

“We import products from around the world, whether it’s Japan, Sweden, South America, or North America,” he explains, mapping the important niche Rural Energy fills. “We warehouse them here in Anchorage. We also have a warehouse in Canada and a warehouse in the Seattle, Washington area.”

Evans says Rural Energy works hard to always be dependable for small retailers. “We have to plan a year to 18 months out what our inventory levels need to be to make sure that when, for instance, [Fairbanks-based] Woodway wants ten Toyo stoves, we load them up the next day and ship them up to them.”

And if those dealers are in the Anchorage area, “They just come to our warehouse and pick it up.”

Rural Energy Enterprises operates under a unique structure. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of RurAL CAP, the Rural Alaska Community Action Program. RurAL CAP is a private, statewide nonprofit that, according to its website, was established in 1965 “to improve the quality of life for low-income Alaskans.”

Rural Energy Enterprises was established as a for-profit entity in 1987 to support this mission and to raise funds for the nonprofit. Initially created to serve Alaska, the company’s footprint has expanded to northwestern states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, as well as British Columbia, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories.

Rural Energy now works with about 200 dealers across those states and territories. The company also owns the retail outlet VBS Heating in Homer, which sells boilers, hot water heaters, wood stoves, pellet stoves, and more.

Additionally, Rural Energy is the exclusive Toyo stove dealer in the region. Rural Energy was “looking at energy efficient products when they first started,” Evans says. Toyo stoves, he adds, were found to be “an efficient way to heat your home or to add supplemental heat to your home.”

The staff of Rural Energy Enterprises inside the company’s Anchorage warehouse.

Evans came to Rural Energy after working in far different fields, albeit ones that prepared him for his current position. Born and raised in Nome, he worked for some years in non-bank financing for Alaska Growth Capital, a subsidiary of Arctic Slope Regional Corporation at the time. He also owned several rural newspapers.

“I didn’t know anything about journalism until I bought them,” he says with a laugh. “I figured it out.”

Evans came on board as CEO for Rural Energy Enterprises in 2012 and has overseen its growth ever since. He says it can sometimes be a challenge to coordinate importing products from as far away as Sweden, Japan, and South America.

“It takes us about four to eight months to get a product once we order it, to get it into our warehouse,” he explains. “So, we warehouse millions of dollars of product to have available when Alaskans want to buy it on demand today.”

The company runs training classes once or twice a month out of the facility in Anchorage. And if product problems arise, Evans adds, “We work with manufacturers for technical issues. We’ll do testing here in our facility in Anchorage or we’ll work with one of our dealers to test.”

Rural Energy Enterprises, Evans says, will do whatever it takes to move critically needed heating products.

“We have dealers in all the hubs and a handful of villages,” he says. “We’re taking it from our warehouse and getting it into rural Alaska.”

Steve Smith, owner of Tundra Toyo in Nome, says Rural Energy’s multi-faceted approach is why he’s a loyal customer.

“I’ve worked with Rural Energy for many years and they’ve always been a dependable partner. They provide quality heating products, excellent support, and understand the unique needs of rural Alaska. Their team helps us serve customers across Nome and the surrounding region with confidence. I’m proud to be a Rural Energy dealer.”

Basic Needs

Strengthening Alaska’s utility infrastructure for resiliency

By Rachael Kvapil

tility costs are at the forefront of many discussions in Alaska; the state is attempting to increase efficiencies in the face of rising costs and dwindling natural gas supplies in Cook Inlet, which most Railbelt power producers rely on for electricity.

Utility projects aren’t just power lines and electrical systems. They also include building or repairing water supply mains, sanitary sewers, and stormwater management systems—essential projects that contribute to residents’ health and safety. Several such projects are currently underway across Alaska and will have a positive impact on communities big and small.

Sturgeon Electric is currently working on a range of projects that increase utility reliability across the state. On the top of the list is the Quartz Creek Transmission Line project, which extends from Anchorage through Indian, Girdwood, and Portage before continuing across the Kenai Peninsula to the Sterling and Quartz Creek substations. It is one of the primary high-voltage transmission lines supplying power between the Kenai Peninsula and the Anchorage Bowl.

The Quartz Creek transmission line has been modernized through a series of individual construction contracts awarded over more than a decade. Each completed segment improves system reliability, while the full benefits of the projects will be realized as the remaining sections are completed. This project is part of Chugach Electric Association’s long-term investment in replacing aging transmission infrastructure and strengthening the reliability and resiliency of Southcentral Alaska’s electrical grid. While individual contract values vary, T-line construction in Alaska typically costs between $1.25 million and $1.5 million per mile, including engineering, materials, and construction.

“Most people never think about the transmission system until the lights go out,” says Sturgeon Electric Line General Foreman Josh Henrick. “Collectively, these transmission improvements represent one of the most significant long-term investments in Southcentral Alaska’s electrical infrastructure.”

The transmission line corridor crosses avalanche terrain, wetlands, anadromous fish streams, major transportation corridors, and lands managed by multiple federal, state, and local agencies. Within this single project, crews work adjacent to the Seward Highway and Alaska Railroad, access remote mountain slopes by helicopter, and build through environmentally sensitive habitats. Henrick says the project demonstrates that reliable infrastructure and environmental stewardship are not competing objectives. Through thoughtful planning and collaboration, critical utility improvements can be delivered while protecting Alaska’s natural resources for future generations.

Sturgeon Electric crews are also installing two miles of new highway lighting, five signalized intersections, fiber-optic interconnect systems, and two automatic traffic counter stations to support traffic monitoring for future transportation planning as part of Phase II of the Seward Meridian Parkway Road Improvements. The electrical improvements are part of a larger roadway extension designed to improve traffic flow, increase safety, and accommodate continued growth in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

Seward Meridian Parkway is a primary north-south connector near Wasilla and serves thousands of motorists every day, including families traveling to and from four schools along its eventual length.
“Transportation infrastructure affects many Alaskans every day, whether they’re commuting to work, taking children to school, or traveling between communities,” says Sturgeon Electric Superintendent Jeremy Lutz.

The $43.5 million project is federally funded through transportation improvement programs administered by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. As of publication, construction is currently underway and scheduled for completion by August 31, 2026.

Among the other current Sturgeon Electric projects is the replacement of the Eklutna Water Treatment Facility’s aging electrical infrastructure, including seven multi-section motor control centers, the facility’s main electrical switchgear, and other supporting electrical improvements throughout the plant.

The Chugiak facility treats water from Eklutna Lake and sends it via pipeline to Anchorage, supplying most of the city’s drinking water. It’s one of the municipality’s most critical pieces of public infrastructure. Modernizing its electrical infrastructure helps ensure the continued reliability of the systems that treat and deliver safe drinking water to homes, businesses, schools, hospitals, and public facilities throughout the municipality.

While the project appears simple on paper, Sturgeon Electric Project Manager Chris Stafford says these systems serve as the electrical backbone of Anchorage’s primary water treatment facility. Each phase of construction must be carefully sequenced to replace critical equipment while maintaining continuous operation of the treatment process. Electrical systems are isolated, replaced, tested, and commissioned individually before the next phase begins, ensuring uninterrupted treatment operations throughout the project.

“Many infrastructure projects are highly visible,” says Stafford. “This one is different. Success is measured by what doesn’t happen: no interruption to water service, no disruption to treatment operations, and no impact to the community while critical infrastructure is upgraded behind the scenes.”

The $5 million project is funded by the Municipality of Anchorage through Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility’s ongoing capital improvement program to modernize and maintain critical public infrastructure.

STG, Inc. is managing upgrades of the Deltanet Phase 3 Upgrades that will affect several villages in the Yukon Region. This project serves as a precursor to a later project to upgrade cell service to higher bandwidth, which is required to improve service.

Photo provided by STG, Inc.

Out in Kivalina, STG, Inc. replaces aging bulk fuel and distribution infrastructure at two sites. The project includes the demolition of old bulk fuel tanks, the installation of new bulk fuel storage tanks in the raised containments, and the connection of the new systems to the existing infrastructure.

Photo provided by STG, Inc.

Several of STG, Inc.’s current utility projects are in remote and logistically challenging communities. In Kivalina, STG is replacing aging bulk fuel and distribution infrastructure at two sites. The project includes demolition of old bulk fuel tanks, containment, and systems at the power plant and community fuel storage facilities; setting up temporary systems to keep the power plant and community serviced; driving piling at both locations; installing structural steel and raised steel containments on the piling; installing new bulk fuel storage tanks in the raised containments; installing a 1,000-foot buried fill pipeline; installing a new dispensing tank and related systems for the community; and connecting the new systems to the existing infrastructure.

This project will provide a lasting bulk fuel system for the community’s only power plant. It will also provide diesel and heating oil for community residents to heat their homes and run the equipment that keeps the roads and airport operational, as well as gasoline to power the boats, ATVs, snowmachines, and other equipment that allow residents to subsist and transport themselves. The new infrastructure will also be a significant environmental protection upgrade from the current, aged-out system.

STG Program Manager Collin Pennington says constant interaction with community members is critical to minimizing day-to-day disruption to residents during such a project. STG hired community members to help keep residents informed about the work they’re doing, as well as with construction.

“STG is also working closely with the group from the other [water and wastewater upgrade] project to share both resources and the limited space within the community,” says Pennington. “We have organized joint site visits, shared lay-down space, shared equipment, and continued to coordinate schedules and give project updates. Both projects are important to the village, so ensuring their success is the goal above all else.”

This $15 million project is funded by the Denali Commission. Design began in February 2026. Construction began in early June 2026 and is anticipated to be completed in July 2027.

The Deltanet Phase 3 Upgrades managed by STG crews affect several villages in the Yukon Region. The removal and replacement of radios and antennas to increase bandwidth will ultimately bring higher-speed data to Tununak, Mekoryuk, Toksook Bay, Marshall, Pilot Station, Nunam Iqua, Chevak, Hooper Bay, Nightmute, Akiak, Akiachak, Scammon Bay, St. Mary’s, Mountain Village, Twin Hills, Togiak, Bethel, Kwethluk, Napaskiak, Napakiak, Platinum, and Goodnews Bay.

“This benefits the local population with better internet speeds,” explains STG Program Manager Jay Ubben. “It also gives the clinics and schools more capability for higher-speed virtual calls, allowing for better education and better healthcare for residents.”

Working in multiple locations requires a different approach to logistics. Ubben says STG has been working in these locations for more than thirty years and knows roughly when an area is likely to see better weather. They created camps at a couple of sites to prevent delays and also planned at least a week in advance to ensure resources were available. This allowed them to pivot between sites rather than stop and delay the whole project. STG partnered with helicopter companies to receive priority scheduling.

This project is privately funded and serves as a precursor to another project to upgrade cell service to higher bandwidth, which is required to improve service.

Other STG projects are focused on helping Western Alaska communities recover from the disastrous effects of Typhoon Halong in October 2025. In Kongiganak, Kipnuk, and Kwigillingok, crews continue to rebuild boardwalks and critical infrastructure. STG started reconstruction during the first wave of recovery efforts and wrapped up in July.

STG Program Manager Alex Lutton says boardwalks are the only means of transportation within the communities in spring and summer. In Kongiganak, STG was also tasked with building a boardwalk and path to the village’s raw water location. The community had been relying on shipped water, so establishing a path to locally available water was a priority. Crews worked seven days a week, twelve hours a day or more, living in locations without running water until the paths were built.

“Logistics teams in Bethel worked around the clock to load and coordinate charter flights to move people and supplies in and out of villages,” says Lutton.

In July, Frostline Drilling and Construction, LLC was finalizing logistics on a raw-water intake and residential water and sewer service improvement project in Selawik. The project modernizes the rural water delivery systems, addressing shifting permafrost and seasonal freezing risks experienced in the area. It includes installing and upgrading the raw water intake system to draw a consistent supply of drinking water from the Selawik River, improving residential water and sewer utility lines to withstand the Arctic freeze-thaw cycle, and minimizing line breaks. Frostline owner Derrick Branson says the projects give residents access to resources they may not have had before.

“Some of these homes have five children and two generations of parents, and they don’t have running water or sewer,” says Branson. “By connecting water and sewer to these homes, they can have water at home with a turn of a valve. It seems very simple when you live on the highway system. But when you’re somewhere where nobody has that ability, it’s new for remote residents.”

The $1.5 million project is managed by the Alaska Native Trial Health Consortium and is expected to be completed by September.

Branson says Frostline Drilling and Construction has several other utility projects currently in the works, including a $196,660 residential water service line and sewage holding tank installation project in Galena; a $183,390 residential well and septic system installation in Glenallen; and a $431,400 residential water and sewer service line installation project in Kotzebue.

he roster was completely full for a beautiful day at Chena Bend Golf Course July 17. More than 180 golfers on thirty-six teams roamed the greens at the 47th Annual Golf Tournament in Fairbanks. The golf tournament capped a roster of AGC of Alaska events in Fairbanks, beginning with an insightful AGC Executive Board meeting July 16, followed by the Construction Leadership Committee’s annual Par-Tee, held at Latitude 65 Brewing Company.

AGC of Alaska would like to thank the more than twenty volunteers and more than thirty event sponsors who made the events a success.

ig State Mechanical (BSM) is a relatively small plumbing and heating company, but its contributions to construction projects in Alaska are significant. In its ten years in operation, BSM has installed, repaired, and maintained systems in some of busiest establishments across the state. The company is dedicated to providing the best services by working with customers to determine the right plumbing solutions for every project.

Owner Ryan Sottosanti started BSM in 2016 after fifteen years working on commercial and industrial projects. He decided to start his own company when the amount of union work decreased. Right away, BSM was hired to complete a remodel of Everett’s Fine Dining and Bistro located within Mat-Su Resort. From there, BSM’s reputation for quality service spread throughout the industry, leading to more highly visible projects statewide.

“Once the name of a good plumber is out there, it spreads like wildfire,” says Sottosanti.

Sottosanti says BSM works with multiple contractors, which allows him to pick and choose projects and, ultimately, guide the company’s direction.

The list of commercial and residential services offered by BSM is long. Sottosanti says it takes experience to assess what a customer truly needs. Plumbing services aren’t cheap, but Sottosanti considers a comprehensive system that saves the client money on maintenance and energy costs over time to be a worthy investment.

“If we’re going to recommend something high level, we want to be able to back up that kind of expense,” says Sottosanti. “In the end, you always want to make sure the customer is happy.”

Big State Mechanical has developed an extensive knowledge of kitchen equipment and the necessary plumbing required to support restaurant operations.

BSM is a small company with five full-time employees, and it brings on additional hires as needed; but even with a small team, BSM gets big jobs done. DuClos and Associates, LLC recently hired BSM as a subcontractor on a project to renovate AGC of Alaska’s Anchorage office, and they recently wrapped up construction of a new restaurant for Basil Ginger in Wasilla, a project for which Chulitna, Inc. was the general manager.

“That is a beautiful building,” Sottosanti says of the new $13 million restaurant, which took two and a half years to complete. “The mechanical side was just under $1 million. That’s a project we’re probably going to submit for an award.”

Currently, BSM is working directly with Mark Begich to renovate the 4th Avenue Marketplace in downtown Anchorage. Half of the big blue building will be torn down and replaced with a parking garage and fifteen high-end apartments on the upper floors; a new marketplace on the second floor; improved office spaces on the first floor; and upgrades in the basement area.

Sottosanti says projects like these allow BSM to showcase its ability to design plumbing and heating solutions for specific industries, such as restaurants and medical facilities. Prior to starting BSM, Sottosanti maintained the plumbing systems at Alaska Regional Hospital for six years and developed a deep understanding of the plumbing needs of specialized medical equipment. Likewise, after BSM completed its first restaurant project, the company had developed an extensive knowledge of kitchen equipment and the corresponding plumbing requirements.

Even with those areas of expertise, Sottosanti says his crew is ready to take on any challenge anywhere in Alaska.

“I like to keep them on their toes and keep them happy so they don’t get burned out,” says Sottosanti of his employees. “People reach out to us because we’ve got the experience to figure out solutions for the most unique jobs.”

Customers at Basil Ginger in Wasilla will likely never see the plumbing and heating system installed by Big State Mechanical, but the system plays a vital role in allowing the staff to provide safe and efficient service to guests.

BSM’s flexibility and expertise have helped DuClos & Associates on several remodel projects. Owner David DuClos says he first worked with Sottosanti and his team while at Neeser Construction, Inc. and continued working with BSM after starting his own commercial general contracting company. He says the BSM team completes the work in a timely, professional manner and is always willing to be flexible.

“Big State Mechanical and Ryan Sottosanti can be a vital part of your construction team, working collaboratively to bring your project to a successful completion. You definitely want to consider Big State Mechanical for your project team,” says DuClos.

BSM has been an AGC member since 2020. Sottosanti says one of the best benefits of being a member is meeting other contractors in a casual environment. He says many AGC events offer an opportunity to build relationships and get to know people on a personal level, something that isn’t possible with a cold call.

“General contractors are constantly getting hammered by subcontractors trying to get their foot in the door,” says Sottosanti. “This allows them to let their guard down and open up a little bit more.”

As for the future, Sottosanti says he is not in a rush to become a larger company. He says BSM has developed a solid niche with an experienced crew, resulting in good profit margins. Rapid growth comes with increased stress of consistently finding work for a larger workforce. He adds that the construction industry seems to be in a holding pattern at this time.

“Everybody asks me if I want to get bigger,” says Sottosanti. “Eventually, when the industry warrants it. But right now, things seem slow, and I’m glad I don’t have a huge monster to feed every day.”

A Timely Move

Relocating twenty houses in Kotlik

By Kevin Klott

or years, families in Kotlik watched the edge of the Kotlik River creep nearer to their homes as the river chewed away at its bank. Houses that once sat a comfortable distance from the water were in some cases now teetering above it. Erosion undercut foundations with no sign of slowing.

By 2025, that slow-motion crisis had a solution. Drennon Construction & Consulting Inc., working under CRW Engineering Group, Inc.’s project management, relocated twenty houses from the eroding riverbank to a new subdivision built on the village’s former airport runway. Drennon crews slid them across the frozen Kotlik River on steel skids in the dead of winter without losing a single house to the water.

“With the community support and resources, what may seem impossible is possible,” says Eric Hohmann, construction administrator with CRW Engineering, which managed the project under a contract with the village.

The project began in 2024 with more than $5 million in funding from a combination of sources, including the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Indian Community Development Block Grant, HUD’s HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan Program, and the Association of Village Council Presidents. The funding reflected a broader goal beyond housing safety: reducing pollution entering the river as eroding houses and debris washed downstream.

CRW managed the project under an existing contract mechanism with the village, coordinating with residents to prioritize which houses faced the greatest risk. Not everyone wanted to move, Hohmann says. The new subdivision sits on higher ground, but it lacks the direct river access that has shaped life in Kotlik for generations. Some families chose to stay rather than relocate.

The original plan called for wood post-and-pad foundations for the relocated houses, along with a new boardwalk, already designed with helical piles, connecting the subdivision to the rest of the village after the previous boardwalk failed and became submerged. But Drennon proposed a change to the house foundations early on.

“We believed this would offer a far superior foundation lasting generations,” says Drennon Construction president Roy Drennon of the company’s pitch to switch the houses from wood foundations to steel helical piles.

Working with CRW’s structural engineers, Drennon used a custom 6-inch helical pile system for the houses, to go alongside the boardwalk’s lighter 3-inch helical piles already called for in the original design.

Rows of newly installed boardwalk joists stretch across the wetlands near Kotlik’s relocated subdivision, awaiting decking.

Crews raise a house off its original foundation in Kotlik, preparing to lower it onto a steel skid for the move across the ice road.

A boat ferries equipment across the Kotlik River as storm clouds gather over the village.

Moving houses across a frozen river is not a task with much room for error, says Hohmann. Crews returned to the village in January 2025 to build an ice road across the Kotlik River, a job complicated by a warm fall that left crews uncertain whether the ice would reach sufficient thickness. It did, and by late February the relocation project was underway.

The process repeated itself for each of the twenty houses, Hohmann says. Families moved into temporary housing. Crews disconnected utilities, raised the house, removed the foundation, lowered the house onto a steel I-beam skid, and towed it across the ice road using an excavator and skid-steers. At the new subdivision crews set the house on its new piles, welded and cross-braced the foundation, built new stairs and decks, and reconnected power before moving the family back in. The whole process of moving each house took three to four days, Hohmann says, though larger houses took longer.

The sequence mattered just as much as the speed. Drennon had to move houses in the exact order they’d been prioritized because the ice road gave crews access to each new site from only one direction. Once a house was set in its spot, there was no way to get equipment back in to place another house behind it.

“We didn’t have options,” Drennon says of the sled approach. He added that his crews built a chain system to keep the process moving within the brief winter window when the river stayed frozen solid enough to bear the weight of the equipment and houses.

Power was also critical to the timeline. CRW facilitated contracts between the village and Alaska Village Electric Cooperative to install additional mainline overhead power to the subdivision before relocation began. Houses needed to be reconnected quickly in the middle of winter. As AVEC’s local crews worked alongside Drennon workers throughout the move, Hohmann says the AVEC employees discovered that some houses required minor electrical upgrades to meet code before reconnection.

“AVEC worked extremely well with us,” says Hohmann. “They have local utility people who live there, and they had to bring in additional crews to efficiently connect services as quickly as possible as each home was moved.”

Drennon demobilized at the end of June 2025, leaving local hire to finish the remaining punch-list work over the summer. AVEC signed off on electrical service for the last house by early September.

Then came an unexpected real-world test. Typhoon Halong hit the region in October 2025, weeks after the project closed out. The typhoon brought a massive storm surge and high winds to the Bering Sea coast.

Every relocated house stayed dry, says Hohmann. A few had wind damage to their roofs—nothing tied to the move itself—but none flooded, and none moved on their new foundations. One house elsewhere in the village that hadn’t been part of the relocation was flipped over in the storm.

“It was extremely satisfying to know that every house we impacted could have been severely damaged, and it wasn’t,” Hohmann says.

Drennon says he sees the storm as proof his crew made the right call on foundations.

“We are thankful the decision was made to change to a raised helical pile foundation,” he says. “Elevating the homes proved beneficial in adding elevation and strength to the foundations. We are not aware of any issue from the new relocations we provided.”

Community members walk the new boardwalk connecting Kotlik’s relocated subdivision to the rest of the village.

The job isn’t fully done. The new subdivision needs about 1,900 feet of boardwalk to connect the community properly and only 700 feet was built under this contract, says Hohmann. Money to finish the rest had been lined up through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, but a federal grant review has stalled the project for now.

Separately, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium is designing a water and sewer extension to the new subdivision, with construction possibly going out to bid in 2027, says Hohmann. Just seven of the twenty relocated houses had public water and sewer before the move. They gave that up for a safer place to live.

Hohmann has spent nearly three decades working in Alaska construction and engineering. This project sticks with him for what it proved: given the right funding, the right engineering, and a community willing to buy in, even the most impossible-looking puzzle can get solved, one house at a time.

“I think, as a community, they were able to really step up and come together,” Hohmann says.

ompetition was hot, even if the temps were cool at the 2026 AGC Sporting Clays Shoot at Birchwood Recreation & Shooting Park on August 7.

Of the twenty-eight teams competing, Turnagain took home the first-place prize with 410 points, followed by KC Corporation with 405 and Spenard Builders Supply with 403. It was a three-way tie for top shooter, with John Carlson, John Martin, and Aaron Milnes each finishing with 97 points. After a scorecard countback, John Carlson claimed the title as 2026 Top Shooter.

Congratulations to all participating teams, and a special thank you to the AGC Clay Shoot Committee and sponsors who helped make the tournament a success. AGC would like to thank the major event sponsor, Shoreside Petroleum, along with food sponsors Granite Construction and Craig Taylor Equipment, prize sponsors Fullford Electric and SystemCenter Alaska, and ammo sponsor John Carlson of SteelFab.

Ready for Success

Work Ready Alaska connects teens and young adults with training, support, and jobs

By Victoria Petersen

or a young person trying to enter the workforce, getting a job involves much more than filling out an application. Obtaining a driver’s license, reliable transportation, stable housing, work clothes, a bank account, and mentorship can all be challenges to teens or young adults entering the workforce. For Alaskans experiencing homelessness or housing instability, the path to employment can be even more difficult.

Work Ready Alaska, a partnership between Covenant House Alaska, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF), and AGC of Alaska, is designed to address those challenges, connecting young people with careers in transportation, construction, and skilled labor.

AGC of Alaska was asked to partner with Covenant House Alaska and DOT&PF in recognition of AGC’s statewide initiatives to address Alaska’s workforce shortage and increase awareness of career opportunities in construction, transportation, and the skilled trades. AGC is helping amplify Work Ready Alaska by housing the program within its We Build Alaska website and leveraging its statewide membership network to connect young Alaskans with employers, training opportunities, and career pathways. Through this partnership, AGC is helping bring industry, workforce development, and young people together to strengthen Alaska’s workforce and create lasting career opportunities.

The Work Ready Alaska program launched in March with a focus on Alaskans between the ages of 16 and 24 who are experiencing housing instability or facing barriers to education and employment. Rather than focusing only on job placement, the program combines workforce preparation with support services intended to help participants remain employed and build long-term stability.

Covenant House Alaska became involved after the DOT&PF leaders approached the organization to discuss ways to connect young people with training and career opportunities.

The partnership was a natural fit, says Covenant House CEO Alison Kear.

Covenant House has been serving young people experiencing housing instability and barriers to education and employment for more than thirty years. DOT&PF, meanwhile, was looking for ways to develop a stronger pipeline for Alaska’s transportation workforce.

“We saw a significant gap between young people’s potential and their ability to access training opportunities that lead to meaningful employment in good paying, high-demand occupations,” Kear says.

The teens and young adults were often ready and willing to work.

“Many of the young people we serve are unemployed and disconnected from education or the workforce, but the biggest barrier isn’t a lack of motivation,” Kear says. “It’s a lack of stable housing, transportation, life skills, and trusted adults to help them navigate the path to employment.”

Those barriers can include practical needs that many other job seekers may take for granted. Some young people are also navigating trauma, behavioral health challenges, or a lack of family support. Before a young person can succeed in a workplace, Kear says, those foundational needs often have to be addressed.

“That’s why Work Ready Alaska starts with supporting the whole person—not just placement in a job,” she says.

AGC member Jen Schrage says the program also addresses a longstanding concern within the industry.

Schrage serves on AGC’s Workforce Development Committee. She and her husband own Signature Land Services, an Anchorage-based paving, concrete, landscaping, and snow-removal company. She has participated in AGC’s legislative affairs efforts, where she has heard repeated conversations about Alaska’s workforce needs. Workforce development is a top legislative priority for AGC.

“There has been a gap in skilled labor, a skilled workforce,” Schrage said.

She says the construction industry is facing a labor gap at the same time that Alaska is struggling to move infrastructure projects forward. Schrage says her own frustrations with trying to fill her company’s labor needs led her to look for ways to improve workforce development in Alaska.

“It became more important to become a part of the solution than it was to complain about the problem,” Schrage says.

Since Schrage is also an avid supporter of Covenant House, she saw an opportunity to bring together organizations approaching different parts of the same problem. The goal, she says, is to create stronger connections between schools, workforce programs, trade organizations, employers, and young people.

“We’ve got lots of great opportunities in Alaska,” Schrage says. “But we do really need to coordinate.”

Young people take part in a classroom training session at Covenant House.

Young people explore opportunities to build skills and prepare for the workforce.

Career preparation can help young people gain skills, experience, and confidence.

Work Ready Alaska is built around those connections.

Participants can receive career guidance, industry-recognized training and certifications, transportation assistance, case management, behavioral health services, and housing support.

The program also connects participants to vocational training providers, postsecondary institutions, school districts, apprenticeship intermediaries, trade associations, youth-serving organizations, and employers.

Kear says the goal is to create a path that begins with career exploration and continues through training, credentials, and employment.

“We recognized during the planning phase of Work Ready Alaska that no single organization can prepare young people for long-term career success alone,” she says.

The program is designed to reach young people outside of those already receiving services from Covenant House. The statewide approach includes virtual programming and partnerships outside Anchorage, making sure geography does not become another barrier to opportunity.

The response so far suggests that demand for the program is significant.

During its first eight months, Covenant House reports that more than 200 young people completed an eligibility form, more than 400 were connected through outreach efforts, more than 140 entered the active pipeline, and more than 100 formally enrolled. The response has exceeded expectations.

“The demand continues to outpace capacity, which tells us there is a real need for this type of workforce development model in Alaska,” Kear says.

Kear sees participation as about more than completing a certification or securing a first job. It’s also about building confidence.

As participants earn certifications, obtain driver’s licenses, complete CPR training, or secure their first jobs, Kear says they begin to see new possibilities for themselves.

“One of the biggest changes we see is that young people begin to believe in themselves again,” she says.

She says one participant told the organization, “I’ve never had this amount of help in getting a job.” Another said, “For me, it is not being helpless—that is the precious thing.”

Those experiences are part of what Kear says the program is intended to accomplish: helping young people transition into adulthood with greater independence and self-determination.

The employment component is important, but so is helping participants develop the skills and confidence needed to remain employed over the long term.

For AGC, that long-term perspective is important. The construction industry depends on a steady supply of skilled workers, while Alaska’s young people need access to careers that can provide stability and a future in the state.

“We’ve got to make sure that they’re well-skilled, well-trained, and inspired, and willing to stay in Alaska,” Schrage says.

Schrage says she sees Work Ready Alaska as part of a larger workforce development effort to connect those components together. For Covenant House, the same coordination is what makes the program different from a traditional workforce initiative. The goal is not simply to help a young person find a job, but to help remove barriers that can keep young people from keeping a job, and creating pathways toward a career in an industry that needs workers.

“We all need to do better by our children and our young people,” Schrage says.

f the project is a human body, the project manager is the mind,” says Matt Gutacker, managing principal of Alaska Remote Imaging (ARI), offering an analogy for what his company provides. “In order for the mind to be healthy, it has to be receiving and disseminating information to all other parts of the body.”

Gathering that information is what Anchorage-based ARI does with cutting edge technologies that allow the company to collect vital information about job sites—information that could take days or even weeks to amass for a crew lacking access to the tools Gutacker and his associates have at their fingertips.

“There’s new technology that trades and engineers and architects can utilize,” he says. “But it’s moving so fast, who’s gonna pay attention to it?”

This is where ARI steps in. Constantly upgrading its range of available equipment, Gutacker and his associates use drones, 3D scanning, thermal imaging, LiDAR mapping, and other methods to provide contractors with accurate details about their projects.

Then ARI furnishes its clients with data they can interact with in order to finalize crucial planning.

“We turn real things into digital things,” Gutacker says. “With an emphasis on serving construction and anything that requires geospatial data.”

To this he adds, “We do the what and the where. We don’t do the how.”

With the interactive data they provide, ARI can help architects decide where to place windows and doors, assist developers in determining the best site for a structure on a piece of property, or offer telecom companies accurate modeling of existing towers, showing precisely where pieces of equipment are placed.

“As the world increasingly is working digitally and as design is increasingly done in 3D,” Gutacker says,” the demand for geo-referenced, to-scale 3D modeling is rising.”

Gutacker grew up in rural New Jersey, where he was homeschooled. He says this background has served him well in building his business.

“Self-teaching is a part of that experience,” he explains.

After high school, he rode a bicycle across the country, passing through mountains, prairies, and other landscapes he’d never seen before. The following year he took a self-supported ride across 700 miles of Alaska. Along the way he says he realized, “I didn’t want to raise my family one day in New Jersey.”

After marriage, he and his wife decided to place their bets on Alaska. Gutacker found a job with a construction company and quickly worked his way up from apprentice to project manager. Near the end of his seven years there, “I started using 3D scanning to document my construction sites.” This is where the seed for ARI was planted.

Seeing the profound impact these tools had on his projects, Gutacker started running ARI out of his garage in 2021. Initially he ran the company full time while remaining with the construction firm, but success came quickly and the company grew rapidly. ARI served 420 projects for 70 organizations in 170 different Alaskan communities last year alone.

An Alaska Remote Imaging technician launches a drone to complete the aerial portion of a 3D telecom audit. ARI executes around 1,000 drone missions throughout Alaska each year.

Sometimes data collection is semi-autonomous, but often it requires significant manual effort. Here an Alaska Remote Imaging surveyor takes field notes after digging and locating monumentation in Western Alaska.

The team provides a large swath of virtual information, using digital tools that are often costly or inconvenient for builders to purchase for themselves.

As land survey firm, ARI often finds itself in the balance between the modern and the traditional. Conventional land survey is a trade within itself, and in many ways new technology has a more limited impact on what it means to be a surveyor that one might think. Finding, testing, and standardizing this balance requires a lot of attention and review from seasoned experts.

“If you’re a construction company, you might go out and buy a 3D scanner because you need one for a specific task,” Gutacker explains. “But if you want to have a whole suite of options and hardware and software to solve your problems, you can call up ARI. We have a whole staff dedicated in the field, in post-production, and we have access to more tools.”

Matt Gutacker

Travis Weist, vice president of project management and construction consulting firm Meridian Management, says, “Meridian has used Alaska Remote Imaging for orthographic mapping, LiDAR, surveying, and digital twin work in urban Alaska and in remote locations. They’re collaborative in defining scope and right-sizing deliverables to each project’s objectives. A true value-add partner we utilize on our projects consistently.”

Like any tool, there’s a learning curve in becoming adept at using imaging equipment and software. Having a partner with the tools and the knowledge base required to use those tools effectively can be an asset. That’s where ARI shines.

“We can buy more toys and dabble in more software. We have more depth on the bench than most companies would care to self-perform with,” Gutacker says. “We’re where the technology meets the job site.”

ow in its tenth year of business, Eklutna Construction and Maintenance has become a major player in Alaska, taking on federal, state, and municipal projects. The company specializes in new construction and renovation projects, primarily on military installations in Southcentral and the Interior.

“Eklutna self-performs minor civil, minor concrete, carpentry, electrical, and dry-side mechanical work on most of its projects, allowing for greater control over quality, schedule, and cost,” says General Manager Bill Doss. “Eklutna is a competitive and successful contractor outside the federal government contracting arena as well.”

Over the past eight and a half years, Doss says the company has completed projects for the Anchorage School District, the State of Alaska, Municipality of Anchorage, and private clients.

Owned by the Alaska Native village corporation Eklutna, Inc., Eklutna Construction and Maintenance launched in 2016 under the US Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program. Two years later, Doss, who possesses extensive experience overseeing large construction projects, was brought in as general manager.

“When I came on board, I was given a lot of autonomy to take the company in a different direction and grow the revenue,” Doss says. “It’s for the benefit of the employees, staff members, and to provide a benefit back to the Native Village of Eklutna shareholders.”

Doss is Alaska Native. His father was serving in the US Army when he met and married Doss’ mother. Though born in Ohio, his family divided its time between the two states. As an adult, he’s called Alaska home for twenty-one years.

“When I got old enough to where it was my decision making, I chose Alaska,” he explains.

Doss began his construction career after high school, and gained “extensive hands-on experience across multiple trades and project types,” he says. He attended a construction management program in Ohio, he adds, but owing to career demands he came just short of finishing a degree. He’s worked in construction for thirty-eight years, including operating his own company in Ohio.

“I’ve pretty much run the gamut for background and experience,” he says.

Bill Doss, center front, stands with the members of the Eklutna Construction and Maintenance team inside its Viking Dr. shop location in Anchorage.

Under Doss’ leadership, Eklutna Construction has rapidly grown its footprint in Alaska by working on federal, state, municipal, and Alaska Native corporation projects.

Doss cites Eklutna’s work rebuilding and upgrading Anchorage School District roofs as one of many examples of the company’s focus on “sustainment, renovation, and maintenance” projects.

Edie Knapp, construction supervisor for the Anchorage School District’s Capital Planning and Construction department, praises Eklutna’s capabilities. The district’s history with Eklutna, Inc. began with Eklutna Services, with Eklutna Construction and Maintenance’s predecessor company.

“The district has worked with Eklutna, Inc. for almost fifteen years. Eklutna has always been professional and responsive to the needs of the district. They stepped up to assist the district with recovery after the November 2018 earthquake, ensuring a timely and safe return to education for the students,” Knapp says.

“The company participates pretty heavily in the Southcentral construction market,” Doss says. “We’ve done work for UAA, Southcentral Foundation, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and various other state and municipal clients.”

The F-35A OSS Weapons Intelligence Facility at Eielson Air Force Base, for which Eklutna Construction and Maintenance was the general contractor.

Recently, Eklutna shifted its focus to federal and military contracts, such as those related to Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Eielson Air Force Base, and Fort Wainwright.

“It’s basically a federal government contracting company,” Doss explains, adding that Eklutna’s workload is about 15 percent new buildings and 85 percent renovation projects. “It’s primarily renovations to existing facilities and infrastructure via multi-year contracts on JBER, Eielson, and Fort Wainwright.”

Eklutna was awarded the $12.8 million contract to build the F-35 Operations Support Squadron’s Weapons/Intelligence Facility at Eielson Air Force Base in 2018. Calling it “the milestone project for Eklutna,” Doss says the Eklutna team is particularly proud of that project.

Building a high-security facility in Interior Alaska is no easy task. But on this and other federal projects, the Eklutna Construction and Maintenance team received praise, Doss says. He notes that Eklutna has “demonstrated exceptional performance on previous and current multi-year contracts, often leading in the overall volume of awards while achieving favorable CPARS [Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System] ratings from the various government clients.”

Those favorable ratings come in part from Eklutna’s commitment to delivering complex projects safely, on time, and on budget. That commitment goes beyond Doss’ leadership.

Building a solid reputation is a team effort, he explains. The company’s team of project managers, superintendents, estimators, quality control managers, administrative staff, and field employees collectively enable the company to succeed and grow in a challenging and competitive construction market, he says.

“One thing I don’t believe is that a company is about one person. I can’t do anything without these people. Our fantastic team is the reason why we have success. It’s all of us,” Doss says.