hree years after Typhoon Merbok—billed as the strongest storm to hit Western Alaska in seventy years—wreaked havoc in Western Alaska, the region was hit by another rogue extratropical cyclone. Typhoon Halong struck on October 8 and continued causing damage for four days across the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, up to Norton Sound, and into the western Interior.

The Alaska Organized Militia, which includes Alaska Air National Guard, Army National Guard, Alaska State Defense Force, and Alaska Naval Militia, activated more than 150 members to assist with response operations, transporting more than 600 evacuees out of the region—where many remain today.

The typhoon left devastation in its wake, prompting several state agencies and Alaskan contractors to launch recovery efforts to restore communities to functionality before the start of the cold, dark winter season.

“As with any event of this kind, the first thing we do is determine scale and scope of the damage,” says Eshleman. “We go out and survey the impacts to communities, collecting high-quality aerial and ground photos of the destruction to guide recovery efforts.”

Once surveys and imagery are collected, DOT&PF compares them with pre-storm information to determine the type and extent of damage and the best way to prioritize its workforce. Afterwards, an initial work order is created to direct repairs to facilities and infrastructure.

Once DOT&PF’s pre-construction unit has completed its assessment, the construction unit begins implementing the plan. DOT&PF deploys a mix of staff and contractors to tackle recovery efforts as quickly as possible. Emergency procurement procedures allowed DOT&PF to mobilize contractors to different worksites throughout Western Alaska. Early in November, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided $1 million in up-front funding for recovery efforts. A federal disaster declaration for Typhoon Halong authorized federal participation for eligible emergency work for ninety days from the date of the declaration.

According to DOT&PF’s West Coast Alaska Storm Response 2025 website, more than fifty communities were impacted by Typhoon Halong. Eshleman says coastal communities near Kipnuk were hit the hardest.

“They basically lost all their board roads that are used by residents to travel along the unstable terrain,” says Eshleman. Unlike a narrow boardwalk, board roads are about eight feet wide and are used daily for essential travel. “Homes were moved or completely destroyed, and utilities, water, septic systems, and roads were damaged.”

More than 250 DOT&PF employees statewide were active in Incident Command System operations, logistics, planning, finance, community engagement, and data-assessment efforts for all agencies. Joining them were more than fifteen contractors rebuilding infrastructure, eleven air carriers delivering critical supplies, and fifty-five suppliers. Many of those who pitched in were Associated General Contractors of Alaska members.

Following the governor’s direction, all impacted communities were treated as priorities for assessment. DEC worked closely with tribal health consortiums and partner agencies to evaluate every affected community. Once assessments were complete, DEC focused efforts on public health and environmental risk. That meant restoring critical infrastructure for safe drinking water, stabilizing landfills, and addressing fuel or hazardous material spills that posed immediate risks to residents and the environment.

The work was managed collaboratively with tribal health organizations, contractors, and sister agencies to ensure responsibilities were clearly defined and resources were used efficiently.

“When drinking water systems are compromised, or fuel spills threaten land and waterways, timely response is essential,” says Dapcevich. “Supporting recovery in rural Alaska ensures that basic environmental protections and community safety are upheld statewide.”

Knik Construction also assisted with many other relief projects in the region. In Bethel, Knik Construction supplied certified drivers and vehicles to support DOT&PF airlift operations from Bethel Airport to surrounding communities and managed camp facilities for personnel and contractors. In Kotzebue, Knik crews implemented stormwater pollution prevention measures to protect local waterways. The company delivered more than 1,300 tons of aggregate by barge to support urgent airport repairs in Tuntutuliak. In Akiak, Knik Construction workers graded and shaped damaged barge landing ramps and stabilized vulnerable riverbanks ahead of spring ice breakup. Crews repaired and replaced critical board roads throughout the village of Chefornak. In Napakiak, they repaired washed out road with new aggregate, restoring public access. And in Nightmute a new landfill trail was constructed to support community cleanup efforts.

“Response work is meaningful to all of us and a testament to the values that define our company. We’re proud of our team’s unwavering dedication and the meaningful difference they’ve made in the lives of Alaskans,” says Huhndorf.

Lynden also assisted with other relief efforts coordinated by the Los Angeles, California-based, veteran-led humanitarian aid organization Team Rubicon. Thomas Brown of Team Rubicon in Anchorage says Dan Marshall and Lynden Air Cargo were instrumental in helping move donations to the communities that needed them most.

“Lynden was an essential partner during the typhoon response,” says Thomas. “The compassion shown by businesses like Lynden allowed our volunteers to provide crucial items to storm survivors.”

“Over seventy-five homes between the two villages were affected,” says Harold Baysinger, GHEMM vice president, of the homes in Kipnuk and Kongiganak. “That is a substantial amount.”

In addition to restoring structures, GHEMM also worked on a two-mile temporary water line in Kongiganak. Matt Chacho, an engineer and GHEMM vice president, says working in Western Alaska was logistically challenging due to uncooperative weather and the difficulty of housing people in remote locations. Since housing was limited, crews shared rooms until additional facilities were found. Infrastructure damage required crews to ration water for drinking, showering, and toilet facilities. Food was sent out in coolers from Bethel until recovery efforts allowed for more localized preparation.

“We certainly want to thank people in the community,” says Chacho. “Without their assistance, we couldn’t have accomplished what we did. We were there to help them, but they were also great at helping us.”

“Remote communities have unique challenges and limited access to resources, services, and infrastructure,” says Thibault. “They deserve support and an emergency response like that provided in urban areas.”

An initial flyover of the affected villages of Kasigluk, Atmautluak, and Nunapitchuk revealed a situation that was extremely concerning, says Thibault. Mass X crews observed widespread structural shifting along the boardwalk system, which serves as the only route of travel for the communities. After the storm surge, high waves and strong winds moved large sections of the boardwalk, uprooting them and making them impassable.

Mass X managed logistics and freight for most materials delivered from Bethel to surrounding communities. DOT&PF transported 8 million pounds of materials and lumber by air to the village hub of Bethel for use across Kasigluk, Atmautluak, and Nunapitchuk, as well as other coastal communities. Crews rebuilt safe, reliable access for residents by removing damaged sections of the board road and installing helical pilings to reestablish the structural stability needed for new elevated travel systems. From there, they reconstructed and raised the board roads so the communities could regain dependable daily travel routes.

“What really stood out to me throughout this project was how grateful I felt to be able to help,” says Thibault. “Spending time in these communities gave me a whole new appreciation for the infrastructure we sometimes take for granted in Anchorage. Being on the ground and engaging with residents and learning about their culture, traditions, and daily challenges made an impact.”

Mass X crews are still installing helical piles, rebuilding sections of board road, and completing stabilization work. Each community has roughly 1,500 feet of board road that requires repair, much of which had to wait for the ground to fully freeze before crews could drill for the helical pile installations.

“The coastal erosion was 10-plus feet of exposed bluff eaten away at the coastline in Tooksook Bay,” says Blake Anderson, Qayaq general manager. “We used 2,000 gravel-filled Super Sacks to protect the area.”

Similar erosion occurred in Scammon Bay along the north side of the airport runway that faces the sea inlet of the river. Crews had to coordinate air traffic with the airport manager to safely install geotextile fabric under new riprap to prevent underlying soil from eroding through the stone and causing the riprap to sink.

In Mekoryuk, most recovery efforts focused on culverts and realigning power poles from the airport into the city.

“We wanted to help wherever we could,” says Anderson. “We saw the storm as it happened, and so many villages were impacted. As a native-owned company, we wanted to make sure these villages, many of which are mostly native, were taken care of.”

DEC is finalizing a comprehensive scope of work for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, which will outline the next phase of recovery. As conditions improve and the thaw begins, DEC will remain actively involved in spill cleanup, hazardous material management, landfill stabilization, and infrastructure issues that could not be addressed during freeze conditions. Its spring plan, with scopes of work outlined for affected communities, is available at its website.

DOT&PF also continues to support recovery efforts across affected communities. Department staff say 2026 work will be closely aligned with scopes of work approved by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and FEMA, particularly as they relate to long-term community and residential infrastructure recovery. In parallel, DOT&PF and its contractors are actively repairing community transportation infrastructure, including extensive boardwalk and board road systems that are critical for daily access and safety. This work is logistically complex, requiring significant material delivery, specialized installation, and careful timing around seasonal ground conditions. To maximize progress before spring thaw, DOT&PF staff say the department is supporting extended and 24-hour operations in several communities and will continue advancing this work as conditions allow. Projects are expected to continue through 2026.

Meanwhile, leaders in several affected communities have begun meeting to discuss whether to rebuild at their current locations or whether their communities should focus instead on rebuilding further inland, where they might be sheltered from the next extratropical cyclone.

PM, Inc. is built on five core values: collaboration, drive, family, integrity, and safety. Founded in 2017, HPM’s leadership team wanted a company with a different philosophy—one focused on collaboration; that considers the success of its clients, partners, and employees integral to its own; and that strives to make the workday enjoyable, as opposed to a burden.

“We wanted to start a new company with a different culture that was more focused on the people,” says JT Wilhelm, senior vice president of HPM’s Alaska office. “We want to make sure our employees can work a day and then still go spend time with their families.”

Almost a decade later, that philosophy has helped make HPM one of Alaska’s go-to general contractors.

“They’re one of our preferred providers,” says Samson Electric Project Manager Rick Novotny. “If we have a client looking for a general contractor, HPM is one of two or three that we push them to.”

“We do everything, but our bread and butter is federal work,” Wilhelm says.

“We work out on bases across the nation, everything from civil infrastructure to barracks and hangars.”

A subcontracting opportunity at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson facilitated the opening of the Alaska office in 2021, Wilhelm says. When the company opened an Alaska office, it also became an Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Alaska member. As it built its federal résumé, HPM Alaska branched out into local projects, including security upgrades for the Anchorage School District, renovations to ENSTAR Natural Gas Company’s headquarters, and the new, 64,000-square-foot Seward cruise ship terminal, which broke ground in March 2025 and is scheduled to open in April.

“That’s the most exciting one we’ve done since I’ve been here,” Wilhelm says.

“It was just kind of a compressed schedule, but working with our partners at Turnagain Marine, it was a really smooth process.”

“Alaskans are a tight-knit community,” he explains. “That’s why we’ve been intentional with who we hire. We are committed to our community—and that means hiring local Alaskans. I want to make sure we have the local Alaskans; people who are from here, raise their families here, and are a part of the community. That also means everybody we’re working with knows our people.”

Building a homegrown team meant the office had a near-immediate level of trust within Alaska’s broader construction industry.

“We know almost everyone at HPM from their previous employment, and we worked with a lot of those folks on a lot of projects,” says Jason Gamache, principal architect with Explore Design, which worked with HPM on the ENSTAR renovations, the Seward Cruise Ship terminal, and recently contracted them to head its office renovation project. “We had such an excellent experience, we kind of, for lack of a better term, followed them, because the people are so awesome to work with.”

AGC membership furthers those connections, among other benefits.

“AGC provides access to industry best practices, safety resources, and education that help us strengthen our teams and stay current with evolving regulations and standards,” Wilhelm says. “Beyond the technical benefits, membership connects us with a broader network of contractors, owners, and partners, which supports collaboration and shared problem-solving.”

Novotny and Gamache say HPM’s emphasis on collaboration is just one aspect that sets the company apart.

“What makes them different from a lot of general contractors is that JT [Wilhelm] brings on his preferred team early,” Novotny says. “We work through the process from 35 percent design through to installation, which is good for us because that gives us a chance to control the design and the budget, and it helps with the progression of the schedule.”

HPM is currently in negotiations for several Anchorage projects, including some “exciting” opportunities at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Wilhelm says. He hopes the company will be involved in future tourism and oil and gas industry projects, as well as healthcare and infrastructure in rural Alaska, where he spent his early childhood. His goals all circle back to HPM’s people-first mindset.

“As we continue to expand our operations in Alaska, we want to continue providing future generations of Alaskans the opportunity to advance our state,” he says.

hat’s the best part of your job?” “How do you balance work and life?” “What kind of money do you make?”

Students at North Pole High School had the opportunity to turn the tables on adults and ask them the hard questions at a November Speed Mentoring event held through a collaboration of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Alaska, Alaska Resource Education (ARE), and the Fairbanks-North Star Borough School District.

Held in two sessions, more than thirty mentors from the construction industry—mostly from AGC member companies—answered questions from high schoolers about their work. The event during school hours, replacing their usual environmental science or geometry in construction lessons.

“We were looking for not only field personnel but office management as well. It takes all of these people to make a company run well,” Matar says.

With more than two dozen professionals representing all facets of the construction industry, each pair of students had five minutes to ask questions about their career. When time was up, the students rotated to the next mentor and repeated the process.

“I thought it was excellent to be able to get in touch with kids who maybe had no thought about getting into the industry,” says Jennifer Quakenbush, vice president of Great Northwest, Inc.

The small-group format made it easier to answer questions about salary and the number of hours worked, Quakenbush adds—it was less invasive than answering those questions in front of a broader audience.

“You’re not just talking at them; you’re talking to them,” she says.

ARE Interior Program Coordinator Naomi Mitchell suggested the idea for the Speed Mentoring event. She says it’s an event ARE has successfully held in Anchorage. She was thrilled when the Workforce Development Task Force not only liked the idea but immediately jumped on it, putting it on the calendar.

Mitchell called the event a “smash success.” Task Force members liked it too; another is on the schedule for Hutchinson High School in March, and Task Force members say they plan to continue holding the events next school year.

indows are a building’s first impression. But in Alaska communities, windows must do more than look good: they must withstand winds over 100 mph and provide insulation in frigid temperatures.

Capitol Glass, formerly Capitol Northerm, provides windows, doors, and custom glass for projects statewide, ranging from single-family homes to hospitals and schools.

Capitol Glass is the Alaska source for Northerm windows: double, triple, and quad-paned windows featuring rubber gaskets, foam spacers between panes, and exceptionally thick, multi-chambered profiles. They are rated to withstand 165 mph winds and have high U-factor ratings (non-solar heat transfer) and condensation resistance numbers from the National Fenestration Rating Council.

Pennington also lauds Capitol Glass’ flexibility and expertise. He recalls a hotel project for which exterior installation would have required diverting power from nearby lines at the customer’s expense. Capitol Glass engineered a custom product that could be fully installed from within, greatly reducing project costs.

Capital Glass’ local knowledge also helps clients avoid last-minute or excessive costs. “Logistics takes up a large part of any supplier’s time and bandwidth in Alaska,” says Capitol Glass General Manager Zac Shelton.

Shelton explains, “At certain times of year there are certain ways to get products to certain communities. An air carrier can only carry certain sized crates, and different carriers have different requirements for how they want their crates built. To meet those logistical constraints, we may need to help customers with design of large windows using combined, smaller openings to create a unified large piece. If it’s getting on a barge, we need to prioritize those orders knowing when that barge is going to leave and making sure it gets there.”

Products are custom-crated in house and delivered by company staff to the airport.

Even on the road system, flexibility is key. Shelton recalls having a load of windows meet a customer at the Hub of Alaska gas station parking lot in Glennallen because that was the best place for the customer to arrange for labor to help unload.

Zac Shelton photo

Eventually, the company transitioned from automotive glass work to manufacturing. Now, windows are manufactured at a plant in Whitehorse, Canada, owned by sister company Northerm. Insulated and custom glass is made in Anchorage. Both companies are part of the RAB Energy Group, which bought the business from the Phelps family in 2000. Shelton adds that Northerm is 100% Yukon First Nations owned, which he says he believes provides a strong connection to Alaska Native corporate customers.

Throughout the changes, the Phelps family has stayed part of the company. Byron “BJ” Phelps Jr. grew up in the shop with his dad, Byron Phelps, and spent summers sweeping the shop floors. BJ joined the company as a full-time employee in 1997. Over his long career, BJ has done just about everything from delivery driving to glazing and auto-glass replacement. You can find him today as the lead on tablework, which is the art of hand-cutting custom glass and mirror orders.

Shelton has been GM at Capitol Glass for just over a year. He came from a background in big box retail management. He enjoys that with just twelve employees, the company provides “a great opportunity to get to know each other and enjoy the people you work with. A lot more responsibility is on each person to be a positive part of the team. When your crating person is out, you’ve got to help. When there’s a family emergency, we can all step in.”

Shelton appreciates the networking made possible by being part of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Alaska. “AGC has been good in helping build a network of local contractors and getting visibility into projects early. It’s been great to be a part of that.”

Shelton adds that he is always on the lookout for the right projects for Northerm’s quad-pane windows, citing its “fantastic thermal performance.”

After more than seventy years, Capitol Glass has not forgotten what glass is for. Shelton reflects, “There’s so much real estate that you’re paying a premium for because of the view.”

n October 3, 2025, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) that introduces substantial modifications to the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program, significantly impacting contractors in Alaska.

The DBE program was set up to, as the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) describes it on its DBE website, “level the playing field by providing small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals a fair opportunity to compete for federally funded transportation contracts.”

The IFR removes the automatic presumption of social and economic disadvantage based on race, ethnicity, or gender and now requires a “personal narrative” to prove disadvantage. The IFR required all currently certified firms, including those in Alaska, to complete a thorough, individualized re-evaluation to retain their certification status.

Now months later, DBEs remain in an awkward position, as all current DBEs were de-certified and must recertify. This pertains to any businesses working with the Department of Transportation, including the Airport Concessions program.

“The DBE program is still in law. The part that has changed is how a DBE is defined,” explains Lauren Little, DOT&PF Northern Region acting director and chief engineer. “Before the ruling, we could issue presumptive approvals based on gender, race, and other factors. Now, the business has to establish why it is disadvantaged. Fortunately, Alaska is race-neutral, which means we don’t have project-specific goals but a program goal to attain.”

State agencies cannot set new DBE contract goals or count DBE participation toward existing goals until the Alaska Unified Certification Program (AUCP) finishes re-evaluating all firms.

Although Alaska Native corporations are recognized as socially and economically disadvantaged under federal law, the new IFR creates ambiguity. Native corporations may not be able to fully leverage their DBE status to meet program goals in the near term until the re-certification process is finalized.

Heightened competition among non-DBE contractors presents an additional concern. When DBE goals are suspended or reduced, non-DBE contractors may face increased competition for federal contracts.

“One of the confusing parts has been whether we should strictly enforce all of our DBE language from our contracts,” shares Little. “We’ve chosen to keep the forms the same but acknowledge that until all DBEs have been recertified no participation may be counted towards goals.”

Supporters of the changes argue that individualized determinations increase fairness and legal durability. Critics express concern that removing categorical presumptions may weaken participation by historically disadvantaged groups unless agencies agreeably pursue race-neutral outreach and support strategies.

The changes to acquisition regulations and other revisions have raised concerns and created uncertainty within the industry.

“With 8(a) contracts, the administration is not changing everything, but there is a focus on reducing regulations,” says Anne Marie Tavella, a partner at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. “This is a very stressful time for the contractors, and I think there is a lot of fear and concern about the future of the program itself because it has been very publicly scrutinized. They’re worried about the future of their contracts and how they’re going to continue their business.”

This document outlines five principles to guide development of future initiatives supporting small and emerging contractors. AGC of America remains committed to monitoring the current programs and is preparing for the implementation of alternative strategies if warranted.

In the longer term, Alaska’s transportation sector may see a recalibrated DBE landscape, potentially smaller but legally reinforced, depending on how many firms successfully meet the new standards.

For now, Little and Tavella both believe the key takeaway is that the DBE and 8(a) programs remain operational, despite procedures that have seen substantial changes. For Alaska contractors, airport operators, and Native organizations, understanding and adapting to the revised framework will be critical to maintaining participation in federally funded transportation projects.

ayne Westberg had no idea a delay in construction of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) in the early ‘70s would launch the drilling company he’s still running almost sixty years later.

Westberg and business partner Mike Miller started M-W Drilling in 1968, buying their first drill rig with the intent to do foundation and piling work for the startup of TAPS. Miller dropped out of the partnership shortly after it was formed. Without an established reputation in Alaska, the fledgling drillers found themselves facing a hefty rig payment and no work to pay for it when pipeline construction was delayed. So, what to do, except start drilling water wells?

The company grew exponentially when TAPS construction resumed in 1974, and by 1976 it was operating three drill rigs full time. Wayne Westberg died in 2023 and M-W is now under the second-generation direction of his son, Kris Westberg.

“M-W Drilling is a very diverse company, specializing in drilling projects for the construction, mining, oilfield and pipeline industries,” says 49-year-old Kris Westberg, president and owner of the company. “We’ve completed over 5,000 new wells for private land developers, construction companies, oilfield companies, municipalities, and the federal government.”

In addition to drilling water wells, M-W also offers cathodic protection wells, as well as grounding, geothermal, cooling, and dewatering wells.

“When a thaw-bulb aquifer is identified, a drill rig can be set up on the bank of a lake or river and drill at an angle into the bulb to construct a producing water well,” Westberg explains. “We made it possible to construct wells in areas previously thought incapable of producing a viable subsurface source of water.”

Westberg has witnessed significant changes in the water well drilling profession since his father started the company.

Top drive rotary rigs have replaced the ‘60s-model cable tool drill rigs, resulting in safer, more efficient operation. However, the price tag for top drive rigs can run between $800,000 and $1.5 million.

Drilling commercial and public drinking water wells has also become more engineered and standardized, with emphasis on maximizing well efficiency and protecting aquifers from surface and cross contamination, Westberg says. Testing water quality after drilling a well is more common, too.

One challenging project was in the village of Koyukuk, located on the Koyukuk River, 90 miles south of the Arctic Circle.

“The project required careful planning and execution due to its remote location, limited access, and reliance on river transportation for personnel, equipment, and materials,” Caldwell recalls. “M-W Drilling’s crew demonstrated strong field experience and adaptability, successfully performing under constraints.”

“M-W Drilling’s knowledge and technical capacity is what keeps clients coming back for complex and highly technical projects where failure is not an option,” says Kranich.

M-W contracted with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources to drill three exploratory wells for the Nenana-Totchaket Agricultural Project, overcoming challenges of access to undeveloped areas, saturated soil conditions, and variable groundwater resources.

“M-W Drilling was highly communicative and professional throughout the test drilling process,” says Dan Jenkins, a natural resource specialist with the Division of Mining, Land, and Water (DMLW). “Kris also spent time with DMLW after the project was completed to debrief the project with state specialists.”

Tammy Kellard has held the job of office manager for the past eight years and works closely with the crew.

“M-W has a niche because we do the challenging logistics of getting our equipment and crews to rural villages,” says Kellard. “This includes coordinating short summer barge schedules, sparse village accommodations and resources, and crew travel with clashing flight schedules.”

“We have a great group of guys,” Kellard says of the company’s eight employees. “Well drilling can encounter all kinds of difficulties, whether within the well, the rigs and equipment, severe weather, and more. Oftentimes they are in remote locations with limited resources, yet with their vast skill-sets and creativity, they figure it out.”

“When I applied for this ‘specialty construction’ company, I envisioned winter vacations,” she adds. “Surprisingly, winter is great for well drilling with better access in some areas. We’re busy year-round.”

“It provides our company with critical advantages in safety, workforce development, and project execution,” says Westberg. “Membership also ensures access to industry specific training, regulatory guidance, and advocacy on contract and labor rules, helping us manage risk in Alaska’s challenging and remote environments. It also connects us to engineers, project managers, and peers, improving project planning, logistics, and bid competitiveness.”

n July 2017, a Boeing 737 approached Deadhorse Airport on the North Slope. As the plane began its descent, the landing gear deployed.

Then the flight crew spotted the caribou on the runway.

The pilot aborted the landing and maneuvered the plane for a “go-around”—but not in time to avoid hitting the animal with the plane’s landing gear and killing it.

Nearly ten years after the incident, QAP is one year into a three-year project to control wildlife access to Deadhorse Airport. It’s an essential upgrade long in the making at an airport that serves as a crucial connection between the North Slope’s oil and gas industry and the rest of the state.

It’s a generally effective method, but it takes a lot of work, says Deadhorse Airport Manager Tim Parault.

“You have multiple people babysitting caribou, so it eats up all your manpower. You can’t get anything done.”

If it’s not caribou, it’s bears. Last year, when Matt Schram of QAP was on site as superintendent for the airport upgrade, he says he saw more bears than he’d ever seen in one place in his life, even compared to jobs he’s worked in Kodiak.

At one point, a pair of bears broke into several trucks and ripped them apart, adds Steve Oswald, construction project engineer with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.

Then there are the birds.

“It kind of shocked me,” Oswald says. “I mean, I grew up duck hunting. Watching people caribou hunt [in the region], I’m like, what are you caribou hunting for? There’s ducks everywhere!”

Migratory waterfowl of all kinds are drawn to the airfield by the infill ponds—which happen to be just 250 feet from the runway. When airport staff aren’t chasing caribou and bears off the runways, they’re shooing the birds from one pond, only to watch them land in the next one.

“You just chase them up and down all day long—the same birds—and then they cross in front of aircraft,” says Parault. “You can’t really do much with them except modify the habitat and get rid of the water.”

Local fauna on the runway is a headache and a nuisance—but it’s also a danger for the planes, their passengers, and the animals themselves. For years, Deadhorse Airport has been awaiting the go-ahead to construct a much-needed fence on the east, west, and south sides of the airfield.

Parault estimates that roughly 130,000 passengers depart the airport annually, most of them on charter planes.

“I don’t think this airport would really be its size without the oil field,” he says. “We move a lot of people.”

Closing a runway—even temporarily—due to wildlife is a major disruption to the airport and the oil and gas industry. Parault says it’s been a few years since he’s had to close runways for a long duration, but brief closures due to wildlife happen every year, especially when caribou herds are migrating.

The 2017 caribou strike triggered action on a “correction item” the FAA had previously identified: the lack of a perimeter fence to mitigate against wildlife. An environmental impact analysis and further investigation to identify other FAA discrepancies at the airport led to a 2024 request for bids to build a perimeter wildlife fence and a maintenance service road, fill in ponds, complete drainage improvements, and complete associated work.

QAP won the $44.7 million contract and is performing the work alongside its subcontractors, which include Associated General Contractors of Alaska members Alaska Electrical Contractors and Pacific Asphalt.

Last year, a portion of QAP’s work focused on placing the first lift on a perimeter road that will flank the wildlife fence. FAA requirements prevent the placement of frozen material, so QAP must build the gravel perimeter road on thawed tundra during Alaska’s short summer season.

“Which isn’t necessarily the optimum time to do it, but we make it work,” Schram says. “It’s basically a swamp that you’re putting material on.”

In addition to the complication of building a road on wet ground, the gravel QAP mines to pave the road is mixed with permafrost. Workers have to scrape layers of ice and gravel, let it thaw, then put the gravel in a pile and allow it to drain so it’s usable.

Last summer, contractors placed 160 “equalizer” culverts needed to prevent water from flooding on either side of the road. Thanks to some Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities funding that was received unexpectedly early, QAP was also able to start placing fill in some of the infield ponds frequented by waterfowl.

The project has another complication beyond working on wet land with wet material; contractors must complete work at night to avoid interfering with air traffic.

“It shortens down your work window to haul that much material—1.2 million tons. It’s quite a haul,” Schram says.

When they’re able to return to work this year, QAP will continue building the perimeter road, letting it settle for a final season before completing it in year three of the project. The 9-foot perimeter fence will also be completed in year three. The contractor will also build a temporary taxiway for Alaska Airlines aircraft to access a hangar temporarily blocked by culvert work.

When work is complete in 2027, Deadhorse Airport may not look significantly different, but airport staff will feel palpably relieved.

“Wildlife has probably been the most stressful part of running this airport,” shares Parault. “With the new fencing and everything, we can breathe a sigh of relief working here.”

n 2025, AGC delivered meaningful results for Alaska’s commercial construction industry. Through strong advocacy, targeted workforce initiatives, and high-quality education and engagement, AGC continued to serve as the leading voice for the industry. As we reflect on the year’s progress, we remain focused on advancing shared priorities and positioning our members for success in 2026 and beyond.

AGC also supported hands-on learning and industry excellence by sponsoring Wasilla High School’s SkillsUSA team and the University of Alaska Steel Bridge Competition, reinforcing the importance of education, innovation, and technical skill development.

Meet the Match – Bringing $700 million into the construction economy for summer 2026.

• Advocacy & Industry Promotion – Advancing policies that promote safe worksites, fair contracting, and sustainable industry growth. Notably, AGC of Alaska’s “Meet the Match” campaign and AGC of America’s “America’s Moving Forward” campaign.
• Education & Professional Development – Delivering high-quality training, safety education, and leadership development programs.
• Member Engagement – Strengthening outreach, collaboration, and communication to elevate the industry’s role in Alaska’s economy.
• A New Space to Celebrate Members Achievements – Modernizing the Anchorage space to better serve the AGC community.

ach year, a small group of volunteers sits down with hundreds of pages of essays and recommendation letters—stories of ambition, planning, and pride in work. They come from students, apprentices, and working adults across Alaska, all seeking support as they take their next steps in construction-related careers.

Over the past five years, the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Alaska has steadily expanded the scholarship program that supports those applicants—growing not just in size but in reach. What began as a $20,000 scholarship has increased to $50,000 in 2026. Alongside the growth in funding, AGC this year launched a new scholarship application system, replacing a process that has remained largely unchanged for more than a decade.

The scholarship is administered by AGC’s Workforce Development Committee and is designed to support Alaskans entering or advancing in construction-related careers, from construction management and engineering to skilled trades. Awards are funded by AGC and the Construction Industry Progress Fund.

Despite years of refinement, Bartel says the underlying system had become increasingly cumbersome.

“We’ve made minor changes to how we’ve operated the scholarship in my ten years of being a part of it,” Bartel says. “We’ve always used Excel, and we use a grading rubric that we’ve kind of tweaked over the past ten years to get to where we really like it. We’re really proud of how we do it. It’s very fair, and I think it’s a wonderful system we’ve developed over the years, but it is very archaic.”

Under the old process, applicants submitted six or seven separate PDF documents—including essays, letters of recommendation, and questionnaires—through a Dropbox link. AGC staff then manually consolidated, reformatted, and distributed the materials to scholarship reviewers.

Bartel says that responsibility largely fell to AGC Deputy Director Norma Lucero, whom he credited with pushing for modernization.

“She suggested finding a software more up-to-date that automates the process,” Bartel says.

“At the heart of AGC’s mission is our commitment to advocate, educate, and promote on behalf of our members,” explains Lucero. “One of our greatest strengths is learning from one another across the AGC family so we can continually raise the bar in how we serve. By collaborating with other chapters, we identified a more efficient and impactful way to deliver our scholarship program—one that expands access, supports education, and creates opportunity.”

Lucero notes that AGC is testing the new system on the scholarship application process, but if it works well, it will be adopted in other areas.

“Launching our new online AGC scholarship program is just the beginning. This platform will also allow us to further promote excellence by modernizing how we recognize achievement through our Excellence in Construction and Safety awards beginning this fall,” she says.

According to Bartel, it typically took about a week just to organize and disseminate applications before grading could even begin.

“And then, we’d have to go through, do our work, and then we have to send it all back. It was a very long process,” he says.

“We’re really excited about the workload that it’s going to take off of AGC staff and specifically Norma,” Bartel says.

From the applicant’s perspective, Bartel says the changes are subtle but beneficial.

“It’ll be similar enough that I don’t think anybody would ever notice the difference,” he says. “But honestly, it should be easier.”

The portal guides applicants step by step and restricts uploads to the correct file types, addressing a recurring issue under the previous system.

“We gave them very specific instructions, but you could submit the wrong types, and people would,” Bartel says. “Then it was a pain for everybody.”

While the technology is new, Bartel emphasizes that AGC is approaching the transition cautiously.

“Especially this first year, we’re going to be pretty cautious about how much we jump in with both feet,” he says. “Our old system was archaic, but it was extremely fair.”

That fairness remains central to the scholarship’s evaluation process. Applications are reviewed by a scholarship task force formed by AGC’s Workforce Development Committee, with reviewers dividing grading responsibilities across categories such as letters of recommendation, Alaska-focused intent, and literacy.

“For the first time ever, half of [the scholarships] went to trades,” Bartel says.

In 2025, AGC split its $40,000 scholarship pool between degree-seeking students and trade applicants, with funding support from both AGC and the Construction Industry Progress Fund.

“We’ve been wanting to do this for about five years,” Bartel says. “There’s a lot of details. How do you grade them? How do you be fair?”

Trade applicants are required to explain exactly how the funds will be used, and reviewers assess if those requests align with AGC’s mission and whether the request duplicates existing support.

For Bartel, the scholarship review process has become one of the most rewarding parts of his work with AGC.

“I told our group I kind of dreaded the work, but then while doing it—especially after doing it—I’m so happy I did, because it really kind of gives you faith back in humanity, that there are a lot of good people out there doing a lot of great things,” he says.

As AGC prepares to award $50,000 in scholarships this year, Bartel says the program’s growth reflects intentional choices by AGC leadership, staff, and funding partners.

“That’s a huge commitment,” he says. “There’s a lot of opportunity that we’re putting into workforce development, which is amazing.”

nhancing the lives of shareholders. Investing in community and culture. Increasing economic development. Chenega Regional Development Group (CRDG) LLC is hoping to achieve all that and more for Chenega Corporation shareholders and Native Village of Chenega residents.

Formed in 2023 as a subsidiary of Chenega Corporation, CRDG operations largely take place in Prince William Sound. There, the company maintains and improves the infrastructure and quality of life in the village by providing construction, land management, and maritime services. It also contributes to the education and preservation of the traditional culture of the Chenega people. In addition to serving both the Native Village of Chenega and corporate-owned properties of the Chenega Corporation, CRDG also serves multiple native communities through its cultural and subsistence educational programs.

“We are in an ideal position with both marine transportation and construction capacity and a deep history and knowledge of Prince William Sound to grow development opportunities in the sound and to support contractors and others working in the area,” explains Project Manager Douglas Lipinski, adding that CRDG also owns a number of housing units and lodging facilities in western Prince William Sound to accommodate those working in or visiting there. “I don’t know of another company that offers the array of services that we provide under one umbrella.”

This synergistic, team-focused approach was demonstrated particularly well this past fall, Lipinski says, when Chenega was notified of the discovery of an old dug-out canoe on Montague Island.

“Our team was able to join our cultural, marine logistics, and construction expertise for a complicated and successful recovery of this important artifact,” he says.

While the Chenega Corporation consistently ranks among the top ten most successful Alaskan-owned businesses in the state, it has had to overcome numerous obstacles to thrive. The village of Chenega was devastated by the 1964 earthquake, in which 26 residents—one-third the community’s population—died. It was the largest loss of any community in Alaska. After rebuilding the village in a new location twenty years later, the Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred, creating more devastation to the ecosystem and severely impacting the subsistence lifestyle of the people in Prince William Sound and within the spill area.

“The people of Chenega have lived and subsisted in Prince William Sound for thousands of years, requiring innovation and resiliency through challenging times,” says Lipinski. “It is important in everything we do to always be respectful of our culture and the history of the indigenous people of our region. Resiliency and resourcefulness is what has kept the village and the Chenega people strong—and we exemplify those values in the work we do every day.”

The Chenega Regional Development Group construction crew is finishing up the fourth of six full-home renovations in the village, taking the buildings down to the studs to allow for the addition of energy-efficient improvements and providing access for necessary repairs.

The six-plex Multipurpose Lodging Facility has capacity for 12 people in three different room layouts and a multiuse common area. Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Alaska member F&W Construction Company, Inc. completed the project. Lipinski notes F&W staff communicated consistently throughout the project and finished ahead of schedule. The building doubles the available overnight capacity in the village, allowing support personnel, contractors, and medical professionals to comfortably provide essential services.

“CRDG was our client on this design-build project, and their collaborative approach streamlined decision-making, which minimized change orders and ensured clear communication from conception through completion,” says Saigen Harris, project manager for F&W Construction. “We appreciated their professionalism and would enjoy an opportunity to work with them again in the future.”

According to Lipinski, the project with F&W Construction is a good example of the benefits that being an AGC member provides, in addition to access to educational opportunities and industry support.

“Coming out of the residential construction industry, and as a board member and president with the Anchorage Home Builders Association, I was very familiar with AGC,” says Lipinski. “In my new role with CRDG, they were an excellent fit to establish relationships that could benefit the development of Chenega and the surrounding area. They are a very professional and organized association with a great reputation.”

“The housing stock in the village was largely constructed in the mid-1980s and was showing its age in this tough marine environment,” says Lipinski. “The completed homes have allowed improved housing access for both existing and returning residents.”

Other projects CRDG has in motion include work at the Chenega Village bulk fuel tank farm, Eshamy Bay Lodge and Sawmill Bay Lodge improvements and tourism development, continued housing renovations, and a new housing subdivision development. The company is also providing support on Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities ferry dock improvements, as well as the Beatson Mine reclamation project, a cleanup effort of the copper mine once owned by J.P. Morgan and the Guggenheim family and later sold to the Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation. The mine operated on Latouche Island between 1904 and 1930. The state learned of potential contamination in 2013 and Rio Tinto has been investigating the extent of the contamination since 2016. Rio Tinto and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation are working to develop a cleanup plan to address the contamination, which includes both surface and submerged tailings.

ust beyond Valdez’s downtown and ferry terminal, a forested hill that once sat quietly in private ownership has been transformed into one of the city’s newest public assets.

Known today as Nayurluku Park at Meals Hill, the 184-acre site is now a four-season recreation area shaped by years of planning, layered funding sources, and a construction phase that required flexibility. The name, agreed on through discussions with Alaska Native groups who live in the area, is pronounced “neigh-og-lou-goo”. The name is from the Sugpiag people, who fished and traded on the land for centuries. Nayurluku means to “guard” or “keep safe.”

Completed in September 2025, Phase 1 of the park is designed to serve both the Valdez community and the growing number of visitors arriving by cruise ship just steps from the park’s entrance.

That changed in November 2019 when Great Land Trust purchased the property using Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (EVOS) settlement funds and placed it under a conservation easement. The agreement preserved the land and set aside funding for a future master plan.

Valdez City Manager Nathan Duval, who previously served as the city’s capital projects and facilities director, said conservation alone was not the goal.

“It had been a recreation area, kind of an informal recreation,” Duval said. “Putting in the conservation, the intent was not to just be a nice thing to look at but also something that we could actually use and enjoy.”

The master planning process began in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and focused on opening the land to public use while respecting ecological constraints and long-term stewardship. Great Land Trust led the effort, working with partners including The Port Valdez Company, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, and multiple federal, state, and local agencies.

“Community input made it clear that people wanted to experience Meals Hill regardless of age, ability, or confidence level,” said Lucy Baranko, who worked on construction administration for the project.

To address that, the master plan centered on a regraded, multi-use spine trail that follows an existing road alignment originally intended for subdivision access. The first quarter mile meets universal design standards, says Baranko, creating a consistent and manageable grade for a wide range of users.

“This decision influenced everything from trail widths to surfacing and even where viewpoints were located,” Baranko said. “Key experiences, like harbor overlooks and forest canopy views, were intentionally placed along accessible routes so that users don’t have to choose between ease of access and meaningful scenery.”

From the spine trail, narrower routes branch out to serve more specific uses, including purpose-built mountain bike singletrack, hiking trails, and winter ski and snowshoe routes. The layered system allows users to choose their experience while minimizing conflicts.

As the primary contractor, Drennon was responsible for both trail design-build work and the physical construction of Phase 1, including trails, bridges, park amenities, and hard-surfacing components.

The work required careful trail layout to fit proposed routes within tight corridors, all handled “in a safe and aesthetic way,” says Drennon president Roy Drennon. It was a challenge to maintain access on the ridgeline where crews were often working in multiple areas with a single access point in and out.

Trail construction required advance planning to keep materials moving while preserving access throughout the site, says Drennon. Crews worked with specialized materials, including yellow cedar for fences, rail caps, and posts, and performed rock excavation into solid bedrock by hand to build stair access to key viewpoints.

“Working in Valdez added another layer of complexity,” says Drennon, “with long lead times to fly or truck in materials and narrow weather windows due to heavy precipitation.”

With a fixed grant budget, not every element of the master plan could be built at once.

“From the beginning, Phase 1 needed to do two things well: establish access and set the tone for the park’s long-term identity,” says Baranko. “That meant prioritizing the primary access route, early trail connections and visible improvements that help people understand how the park works.”

That also meant making some decisions on the fly, such as routing mountain bike trails.

“We didn’t have a lot of subsurface or geotech information,” says Duval. “They had to be kind of creative with the layouts and the routing of the trails.”

Natural springs and drainage issues led to real-time decisions in the field, including removing roughly a quarter-mile of trail to avoid costly structures, such as bridges.

“The design team worked closely with Drennon and city staff to problem-solve in the field,” says Baranko.

Drennon says the collaborative approach with the City of Valdez and the design team was one of the most rewarding aspects of the project, pointing to the finished trails and overall beauty of the site as a source of pride from a construction standpoint.

“Every time I went up there for a site visit,” says Duval, “I had to kick people off, saying, ‘Hey, we’re still running a loader up here.’ People were chomping at the bit.”

The official ribbon cutting took place September 11, 2025, in conjunction with a state parks conference in Valdez. The ceremony included the unveiling of an entry plaza artwork honoring the Meals and Hazelet families, Alaska Native history, and the Exxon Valdez oil spill restoration funding that helped make the project possible.

Once opened, the park saw immediate use.

“The next weekend was beautiful,” says Duval. “It was mountain bikes up and down the hill all day. The cross-country teams from the middle and high schools were running up there doing their laps.”

For Cole Beck, Valdez’s Park Maintenance Supervisor, Phase 1 marked the transition from construction to daily operations.

“We are just getting into our management and maintenance of the property,” says Beck. “It’s been fun to use the snow to create new winter recreation opportunities.”

Valdez’s heavy snowfall has allowed the city to lean into winter recreation. The main spine trail is groomed with a PistenBully, while the Alder Flow mountain bike trail is groomed with a snowmachine and rollerpacker and remains open to non-motorized use.

“The view stations have worked well and are the focal point of the park, with a beautiful cedar fence and high-quality informational signs,” he says.

The park’s proximity to downtown, the ferry terminal, and cruise ship docks will influence city operations.

“I’m interested in seeing how the summer tourist season impacts the park,” says Beck. “With such beautiful views and easy-access trails so close to the dock, I’m expecting it will be highly used.”

Without EDA and EVOS funding pieces, a project like this would probably never happen, Duval says. Coordinating the funding added complexity, but he says the result was worth it.

“It’s going to have a return on investment from a tourism and community perspective,” he says.

With Phase 1 complete and future phases identified, Nayurluku Park at Meals Hill stands as a working example of how organizations can come together to deliver long-term public value just steps from the heart of Valdez.