very job counts, which is why Alaska Business celebrates the corporations in Alaska that keep people employed across the state every April in our Corporate 100 Special Section. The top five this year—Providence Health & Services Alaska; Trident Seafood Corporation; Princess Cruises, Holland America Line & Seabourn; Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC); and NANA—are representative of some of the brightest industries in Alaska’s economy.
In support of that mission, Providence pursues opportunities to make its services readily available to Alaskans. In February it opened Providence Medical Group Primary Care Huffman, a primary care clinic with extended hours and same-day appointments that is focused on “highly coordinated care and long-term, participative relationships.”
Providence is also expanding its virtual services through its Express Care Virtual, which allows people to schedule online appointments with a provider via computer or mobile device. “Providers can diagnose and treat minor medical concerns and prescribe medication or lab work as needed,” Providence says.
In 2018 the healthcare provider spent $10 million on community health improvement and strategic partnerships; $12.7 million on health professionals’ education and research; $10.5 million on subsidized health services; and $19.4 million on free and discounted care for the uninsured and underinsured—a portion of the $84.3 million Providence spent to benefit Alaskans that year.
Since founder Chuck Bundrant launched his first boat in 1973, the company has grown to have locations in ten Alaska communities: St. Paul, False Pass, Akutan, Sand Point, Naknek, Kodiak, Cordova, Petersburg, Wrangell, and Ketchikan.
Trident reports it is the largest vertically integrated seafood company in North America; it operates its own fishing fleet (in addition to partnering with independent, local fishers) and processes the catch. The company says “the work that our processing team does is vital. It adds value to the fish that we pull out of the water. Our processing team’s efforts allow us—as a family of fishermen—to make products that are healthy and taste great.”
Trident offers more than sixty-nine products, ranging from fish sticks and gluten-free protein noodles to salmon burgers and beer battered cod. The company says: “Whether fished locally, or sourced globally, our objective is the same: to ensure our customers receive the safest, highest-quality, and healthiest seafood from the source to the plate.”
Princess is the number one cruise line in Alaska, as more guests choose Princess in Alaska than any other cruise line. The company is known for its innovation in the industry and has led the market in making private balconies affordable for more cruisers, 24-hour dining opportunities, and wedding chapels at sea, among others.
Holland America Line has been cruising to Alaska for more than 70 years and has been operating in other markets for 145 years. “We believe travel has the power to change the world,” the company states. “We consider it our higher purpose to help make the world a better place through opening minds, building connections, and inspiring a shared humanity.”
“Seabourn combines ultra-luxury with expedition-style flair to bring you a more in-depth experience of the area’s nature, history, forestry, and wildlife,” is how the cruise line describes itself. Seabourn has been focused on luxurious experiences since the Seabourn Pride, it’s first vessel, was launched in 1988.
Whether on a cruise ship, a bus, or in a hotel, the companies rely on front-line employees to make sure all guests experience Alaska to the fullest.
ASRC developed its 2018-2023 strategic plan to mitigate risk factors and grow the corporation over five years; the plan uses financial performance, shareholder and employee growth, and community economic development as “pillar strategies” to stay on track.
According to ASRC, “Between 2012 and 2016 alone, ASRC and its subsidiaries donated more than $25.6 million in grants to cultural, educational, health, and other organizations in the North Slope region and statewide.”
In 2019, ASRC won an Emmy for a 2018 commercial campaign that featured Anaktuvuk Pass, Kaktovik, and Nuiqsut. “These beautiful commercials highlight the fact that while ASRC continues to diversify and expand its operations, our home is in Alaska and we continue to be guided by our Iñupiaq values and the lessons from our elders,” ASRC President and CEO Rex A. Rock Sr. said of the award. It’s the third Emmy the corporation has won.
These principals apply to shareholders, employees, business partners, and any person within its sphere of influence, which is made clear by the ANCSA corporation’s mission “to improve the quality of life for our people by maximizing economic growth, protecting and enhancing our lands, and promoting healthy communities with decisions, actions, and behaviors inspired by our Iñupiat Iļitqusiat values consistent with our core principles.”
NANA’s business activities include construction and engineering, information technology and telecommunications, facilities and logistics, and resource management, which means there are many opportunities for those with varied interests and skills to find a fulfilling and challenging career path at NANA.
According to the company, “A safe, healthy, and motivated workforce is one of NANA’s greatest assets.”
Toward the end of 2019, NANA broke ground on an 80-foot by 140-foot facility at the Deadhorse Airport that will house the company’s maintenance and infrastructure work for the oil and gas industry and act as a North Slope base of operations. “NANA continues to invest in Alaska and the industries that drive its economy,” Grant Vidrine, interim president of NANA’s Commercial Group and previous vice president of HSSE and operational excellence, said in a release about the new construction. 