It’s a few days past the summer solstice as I sit to write this. And the days don’t just feel long, they feel endless: a permanent twilight that—as a life-long Alaskan—I’ve learned to cherish. But not all things that linger are as welcome. The ongoing effects of a global pandemic come to mind, as does the unfortunately familiar trial of a challenged economy.

But although as a community we still feel the weight of COVID-19 and several years of a state-wide recession, there are little victories we can celebrate even now: there was a tourism season, even if it’s not quite back to its former glory; stores and restaurants are filling up (I’ve never been so grateful to wait forty-five minutes for a table at South); and here at Alaska Business we are once again conducting face-to-face interviews with our sources and attending events in person.

The barriers erected to keep people safe are being steadily and responsibly taken down, and now we can rebuild the intricate network of people and equipment we need to move Alaska forward.

It wouldn’t be possible without the companies and organizations that provide services and support to Alaska’s largest industries (which you can read about in our Industrial Support Services special section). For every project owner there are countless vendors and support companies gathering data, providing tools, sourcing skilled workers, building infrastructure, distributing information, addressing regulations, moving crews, designing solutions, securing sites, and a hundred other activities.

Everyone needs a project to work on—and every project needs a massive amount of support to find success.

And that goes for people, too. I’ve been working in support roles at Alaska Business Publishing Co. for nine years, first at the front desk and then with graduated responsibility in the editorial department. In many ways, over the years the business and I have grown together: I’ve been fortunate enough to support the launch of a new website, weekly and monthly newsletters, an expansion into social media, new directories, and the development of our Best of Alaska Business awards and annual issue.

Participating in so many aspects of what it really takes to pull a magazine together beyond its printed (and now digital) pages has given me ample opportunities for growth, and one of the greatest was learning from Kathryn Mackenzie, our managing editor for the last several years. Kathryn has moved on to find her own new networks and editorial possibilities, but the leadership she provided for the whole staff, and myself in particular, will have a long-reaching and positive effect on Alaska Business for years to come.

This month, as acting managing editor, I find myself in the dual-natured position of relying on my team while ensuring that I do my best to support them day after day. It’s a microcosm of the community we report on, a vast aggregate of little parts and big players. I’m excited to see it grow again.