chieving a fifty-year corporate anniversary “feels great” to Brad Osborne, president of NANA Management Services (NMS). But it also evokes feelings of gratitude for all the customers who have helped make Anchorage-based NMS a premier provider of support services throughout Alaska and North America. “We appreciate the long-term relationships that we have developed over the years,” Osborne says. “We want to say, ‘Thank you for working with us.’ We see it as a relationship that goes both ways, and we really do value that.”

This year’s golden anniversary also reminds Osborne of the dedication of NMS’ more than 2,000 employees—some of whom have been with the company for three decades. To celebrate its fiftieth year in business, NMS has planned a series of events to express its gratitude to clients and staff. For instance, the company is treating a number of customers to fishing trips in Homer this summer.

Upcoming festivities will also include a family-friendly barbecue that will allow employees to connect on a more personal level outside of work. The cookout will underscore NMS’ genuine appreciation for its personnel—the driving force behind the company’s ability to successfully execute its mission: to provide management and support services at a level of quality, value, safety, and expertise beyond clients’ expectations. As Osborne sums it up: “NMS is a great organization, with a lot of good, hardworking employees spread throughout Alaska.”

Although NMS is a successful Alaska Native-owned company and certified Minority Business Enterprise, it originated from humble beginnings. NMS’ journey began in 1974 as NANA Commercial Catering, which managed food services for remote camps during the construction of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System.

Over the years, it expanded service offerings to meet the industry’s growing needs. By 1986, the company was also servicing pipeline camps at Deadhorse and Sheep Creek. NANA Commercial Catering continued to diversify, entering the hospitality sector in 1997 with the opening of the Courtyard Anchorage Airport hotel. The company distinguished itself by setting new standards in hospitality management. Soon, it experienced another significant transition when it joined forces with global food services company Sodexo in 1998. Their strategic alliance led to the creation of the entity currently operating as NANA Management Services. NMS augmented its capabilities with the integration of Purcell Security into its operations. The expansion enabled NMS to further enhance its management services and emerge as a leading provider of support services in Alaska.

NMS is owned by NANA North (51 percent) and Sodexo Alaska (49 percent). NANA North, headquartered in Anchorage, is a wholly owned subsidiary of NANA Regional Corporation, which is owned by more than 15,500 Iñupiat shareholders who live in or have roots in Northwest Alaska.

Today NMS offers a range of integrated support services, including food, facilities management, janitorial, remote camp services, security, and tribal support services. Whether it’s providing nutritious food options at the University of Alaska Anchorage or integrated remote camp support at Red Dog Mine or on Prudhoe Bay, NMS has the expertise and experience to deliver high-quality services for diverse clientele. NMS offers scalable solutions that can be tailored to clients’ specific needs.

Companies that choose NMS as a trusted partner can capitalize on the distinctive advantages of working with a world-class provider and local Alaska Native-owned business. “We offer the benefit of having both Alaska Native ownership and a partner with global reach, as far as purchasing power and insight into the latest trends,” Osborne says.

NMS is committed to providing clientcentered solutions, supported by its ethical business practices, distinct corporate culture, and traditional values anchored in honesty and integrity. However, what also distinguishes NMS from the competition—beyond from its advantageous ownership—is its people, according to Osborne. “I feel that a company really is defined by the culture, and the culture is driven by the people,” he explains. “We have the advantage of having some longstanding, dedicated employees.”

Naturally, Osborne attributes NMS’ success to its well-trained, experienced, and resourceful employees. “Our people are willing to work with the customers and look at the latest trends to customize a solution,” he explains. “We are not set in our ways; we are looking for ways we can help our customers utilize the latest advances in technology.”

As a prime example, NMS is leveraging robotics out in the field. It’s using robots to dispense food at a senior care facility in Anchorage. NMS is also deploying robots to clean floors and complete other tasks, which helps alleviate Alaska’s labor shortage. “We are a ‘people’ company first, and we use technology to supplement our workforce,” Osborne says.

In addition, NMS prioritizes safety as a central component of its fifty-year legacy of excellence and success. As a testament to its exemplary safety practices, NMS has garnered a string of impressive awards. These honors include a Governor’s Safety Award as well as multiple National Safety Council Occupational Excellence Achievement Awards and Alaska Oil and Gas Association Contractor of the Year for Safety Performance Awards (received three years in a row).

NMS is proud of the accolades it has earned over the years, but the company is not resting on its laurels. NMS is relentlessly focused on expanding its capabilities, services, and geographic reach. Hence, its unwavering strategy is securing and building in Alaska while looking beyond the state. Through a partnership with Harvest /Hilcorp., NMS recently began providing security services in Louisiana. “We are working with what we currently have and seeing where it makes sense to provide services in the Lower 48,” Osborne says.

In the meantime, NMS is savoring the remarkable milestone of completing five decades in business. Yet, the company is looking far beyond the present, eagerly anticipating the future. “It’s good to pause, reflect, and show appreciation—but get ready for the next fifty years,” Osborne says.