The Kahtnuht’ana Duhdeldiht Campus in Kenai houses the Kenaitze Indian Tribe’s Early Head Start and Head Start preschool programs. Blazy completed construction on the facility in 2022.

Photo provided by Wayde Carroll Photography.

t’s not difficult to pick Blazy Construction’s owner and president out of a line-up of Alaskan company project managers—he’s the one in sandals.

Kelly Keating is living the best of both worlds—heading up one of the larger construction companies on the Kenai Peninsula and operating the Soldotna-based company’s Hawaii branch from his home and office in Maui.

While Blazy maintains its reputation of quality and integrity within commercial construction at both locations, the company’s Alaska roots run deep.

Blazy Construction was started roughly 60 years ago by homesteaders Thomas and Mavis Blazy. Having established their homestead on the North Fork Road out of Anchor Point, they found a need for farm homes in the Soldotna area, Keating says.

With no local material supplier, Tom Blazy would drive his flatbed to Anchorage for supplies. Working together, the couple built some of the Kenai Peninsula’s landmark structures, such as the Blazy Soldotna Mall, the Sterling and Kasilof post offices, Soldotna Visitor Center, and the Kenai Recreation Center, to name a few.

Keating was working as a custom home builder in the early ‘80s, but he wanted to shift his career toward commercial construction.

“I had worked for Tom as a carpenter, so I walked into his office and told him what I wanted to do,” Keating says. “Tom promptly told me he did not currently have a job, but there was an empty desk out front and I was welcome to use it to see if I could find us a project. I spent six weeks at that desk before I found a project that would produce some income.”

Keating and his wife Gerri purchased the business in 2006.

Blazy’s fabrication foreman, Russell Guernsey, at the bottom of stairs, oversees installation of a birch handrail at the Kenaitze Education Center. The handrail had to be fabricated and slowly shaped to match the radius of the stairway.

Finished interior detail at the Kenaitze Education Center.

What prompted opening a branch in Hawaii?

“You mean besides weather?” Keating quips.

The couple spent many Christmas vacations in the tropical climate and thought about someday retiring there.

“I felt the only way for us to live on Maui was to work on Maui, so we spent five years doing our due diligence and acquiring our license,” says Keating. “Eventually the right project came along and we were the successful bidder on the $20 million South Maui Community Recreational Center.”

Completed in 2020, the new gym was the first on the island in more than 25 years.

“It was something the community had wanted for a long time, so it was important we got it done and delivered for the community,” says Samual Marvel, chief of planning and development for the Department of Parks and Recreation of Maui County.

The project was not without its challenges, but Blazy brought the issues to the owner’s attention and prevented delays, Marvel says.

“Something kind of small but having a big impact—Blazy did a lot of coordination for the grand opening,” Marvel explains. “Kelly gave a really touching speech at the grand opening. It was a nice conclusion to the project and left a good impression on us and the community.”

“Blazy makes a sincere and earnest attempt to collaborate and work with the owner and designers as a team,” says Keating. “We try to show understanding and appreciation to both our subcontractors and employees. It really is all about the details and the little things that inspire people to do good work.”

The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center’s educational facility includes 10,852 square feet of interpretive display area, administrative offices, and an open lobby featuring a hanging whale skeleton. This construction project allowed Blazy workers the opportunity to highlight some of their more unique capabilities.

“Being in the business, we don’t like surprises,” says Public Works Director Scott Curtin. “Communicating well avoids things from becoming surprises. It’s not just Kelly. He has multiple individuals who work with him, and I think they all share that same sentiment.”

Keating credits Blazy’s success to the company’s employees.

“We also have been able to attract and keep other key crew leaders such as Matt Hanley for 13 years and Walter Moore, 11 years,” Keating adds.

Being a six-year member of Associated General Contractors of Alaska plays a hand in retaining employees.

“Initially, I felt AGC was just a way to get information on current projects to bid,” says Keating. “But AGC has grown into an incredible resource for contractors. While we have not even begun to utilize all that is offered, we do take advantage of the retirement plan and are looking forward to utilizing the many trainings that are offered to enhance our employees’ capabilities.”