ave Johnson, sales manager of Anchorage Sand & Gravel, is the 2024 recipient of the Hard Hat award. The most prestigious award given by the Associated General Contractors, or AGC, of Alaska, the Hard Hat has been awarded since 1964 to someone with a distinguished record of giving their time and talent on behalf of the construction industry in Alaska.
Johnson grew up in the Midwest in Downers Grove, Illinois; there he worked with a home remodeler, starting at the age of 15. He worked that job each summer as he attended Warren Wilson College, from which he graduated with a degree in biology and minors in business and chemistry.
After college, Johnson went to work for Baha Concrete Company, chipping concrete trucks. He advanced into roles in sales, quality control, and eventually operations. Johnson moved to Alaska in 2005, pursuing work as a cement salesman for ABI Cement and eventually became sales manager for Anchorage Sand & Gravel.
AGC involvement has been a mainstay for Johnson throughout his career in Alaska. He chaired and participated in numerous committees and currently holds the title of Life Board Member, a title bestowed after serving twelve years on the AGC board.
Johnson has also contributed to several other industry organizations, including the Associated Builders & Contractors, Alaska Resource Development Council, Anchorage Economic Development Corporation, Anchorage Homebuilders Association, Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, Construction Specifications Institute, American Concrete Institute, and Alaska Rock Products Association.
“At least forty-five years,” says Vice President of Operations Randy Beltz. That’s more than half of the company’s seventy-five years in existence. Throughout that nearly five-decade membership, NSES has had a hand in almost every aspect of AGC.
It is that dedication that led AGC to honor the stevedoring and crane operations company with its Associate of the Year award at last November’s annual Dinner Dance Gala.
“They have representation at almost every event AGC hosts and have team members present at events both in Fairbanks and Anchorage,” AGC Executive Director Alicia Amberg told gala attendees before presenting the award. “They pour support into our organization.”
Last year alone, that support included sponsoring the AGC Sporting Clays Shoot, the 45th annual Fairbanks Golf Tournament, and the Anchorage spring member mixer. North Star employees are also well-represented on AGC committees. Business Development Manager and AGC’s 2014 Volunteer of the Year Scott Vierra is a member of the Board Development and Political Action Committees and co-chair of the Membership Committee. Business Development Coordinator Heather Sottosanti sits on the Membership and CLC Steering Committees and is an active member of the Workforce Development Committee.
Beltz says NSES’ membership in AGC is mutually beneficial.
“One of the most significant benefits of being part of AGC is the ability to connect with other professionals in the industry,” he says. “The relationships built through AGC have led to collaboration on various projects, allowing us to expand our reach and take on larger projects than we could have alone. The support and camaraderie amongst fellow members foster an environment where we can share knowledge, best practices, and innovative solutions.”
Headquartered in Anchorage, NSES began operations in 1950 and has grown to become Alaska’s largest full-service stevedoring company. It has business locations in Valdez, Seward, Homer, and Dutch Harbor, but has the flexibility to establish operations almost anywhere in Alaska. AGC membership played an important role in the company’s growth.
“AGC has provided us with invaluable networking opportunities, access to industry resources, and a platform to advocate our interests within the construction industry,” Beltz says. “Our involvement in AGC has had a profound, positive impact on North Star. It has opened doors for growth, provided essential support and resources, and connected us with a community dedicated to excellence in construction.”
Amberg said NSES “truly goes above and beyond for their customer service.” That, along with their reputation for hard work and dedication to quality, is a point of pride for the company.
“We are honored to receive the AGC Associate of the Year award,” Beltz says. “This recognition of our team’s hard work and dedication to not only AGC locally and nationally but to our entire team at North Star holds significant meaning for us.”
QAP Area Manager Kris Jensen is one of those volunteers. Since becoming an AGC member in 2018, Jensen willingly and enthusiastically shares his time and talents to help AGC members connect with–and learn from—each other and to promote the industry to the next generation of workers. That dedication garnered him AGC’s 2024 Volunteer of the Year award.
“This individual is always helping to set up and take down events,” AGC of Alaska Executive Director Alicia Amberg said in November at AGC’s annual Dinner Dance Gala before announcing Jensen as the winner. “They helped with the Contractor Classroom Playbook and co-chair the Workforce Development Committee. They welcome educators several times a year to get a deeper understanding of our industry.”
Jensen’s two-decade career in the heavy civil construction industry began in Idaho. After eleven years there he came to Alaska in 2015 and joined Colaska/QAP as a project superintendent before being promoted to area manager. He is a past member of the AGC’s Conference Committee and Speaker Committee but “has really stepped up [his] involvement in AGC over the past couple of years,” Amberg said.
Jensen is co-chair of the Workforce Development Committee. He’s active in both the UAA construction management program, which prepares students for entry-level professional positions in the field, and AGC’s Educator Externship program, which held its inaugural event in October 2023. The committee was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the externship program, which exposes Alaskan educators to opportunities in the construction industry and brings them into the field to provide real-world, practical applications of how the concepts they teach in school apply to construction.
With the construction industry facing a workforce shortage, Jensen says he relishes the opportunity to share how rewarding—and expansive—a career in the construction industry can be.
“AGC volunteer opportunities to get involved with education and our future workforce is what fills my bucket,” he says. “AGC created an opportunity for the workforce development committee to figure out a way to connect the construction industry with educators and help deliver a proper message to students about the opportunities of employment within our industry.”
Jensen says AGC membership also provides an invaluable opportunity to connect with colleagues, which ultimately strengthens the entire industry.
“AGC offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a wealth of industry knowledge,” he says. “There are so many great people in all aspects of construction that attend AGC events and activities. It is a great way to introduce newer people to some of the more seasoned.”
Jensen says being named Volunteer of the Year “is a huge honor” and reinforces what he already knew.
“This award cements the fact that what we are doing is making a difference.”