Best of Alaska Business
W
e recognize that the Best of Alaska Business (BOAB) honors are not definitive, ironclad proclamations of which business in Alaska is metaphysically “best.” That’s a pretty tall order for any award. But in our annual search for the best, we do ask the most qualified group of people we know: our readers. Your everyday interactions with these companies are the most accurate representation of how they work to reach new heights in providing goods, services, and an amazing Alaska experience.
Every year our editorial team reviews the BOAB categories to determine what to keep, what to retire, and what to add, taking into consideration how our readers voted the year previous, as well as suggestions from our sources and partners. This year we have more categories than ever before, which directly serves our goal of recognizing and celebrating as many businesses as we can.
New categories this year include Auto Dealership, Burger Joint, Cargo/Logistics Provider, Jewelry Store, Local Broadcast Media, and Outdoor Gear Retailer.
Another new category is Best Art Gallery; meet the winners and learn how they excel in “Art in the Right Place.” Creative ventures likewise earn accolades in the Best Startup Business category, as detailed in “Sweet, Snowy, Innovative Artistry.” Small businesses like these are a critical component for economic opportunity in communities, a fact well known by Kirk Rose, CEO of the Anchorage Community Land Trust. The Trust’s Set Up Shop model is specifically geared toward helping such businesses get their start, which Rose explores in the article “Building from Within.”
Credit is also due to another guest author: BOAB voters. Until those 2,300 ballots were cast, we had nothing to print.
Now it’s time to celebrate the best, not simply in terms of scale or revenue but how a business achieves its mission and satisfies the public. The envelope please? 
Spawn Ideas CEO Karen King (kneeling, center) worked on national ad campaigns for Coca-Cola and General Mills before launching her own Denali-winning Best Advertising/Creative Agency Ever heard of Major Marine Tours, Northrim Bank, or Ravn Alaska? That’s partly because Spawn helped shape their brand.
Kerry Tasker
Spawn Ideas CEO Karen King (kneeling, center) worked on national ad campaigns for Coca-Cola and General Mills before launching her own Denali-winning Best Advertising/Creative Agency Ever heard of Major Marine Tours, Northrim Bank, or Ravn Alaska? That’s partly because Spawn helped shape their brand.
Kerry Tasker
Best Accounting Firm
While they range in size—Swalling & Associates has two offices while BDO has more than seventy US locations—all three of these firms are committed to partnering with the businesses they serve. Altman, Rogers & Co. is Alaska’s largest independent CPA firm and offers more than 100 years of professional experience to its clients. BDO’s Anchorage location serves clients throughout the state and provides them access to a “depth and breadth of resources that can only be found at a leading global accounting firm.” And Swalling & Associates has found its niche partnering with mid-size, “closely-held” Alaskan businesses and their owners.
More Favorites: Thomas, Head & Greisen; KPMG
Best Law Firm
We’re happy to say, “Hi again!” to last year’s cohort of best law firms. While Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt and Landye Bennett Blumstein have switched positions, Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot remains the top pick. Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot bills itself as “the right blend of creativity, skill, and experience,” which it has earned over more than fifty years of operations. Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt “offers a new type of client experience based on deep industry focus,” which it provides via 170 attorneys. Landye Bennett Blumstein’s credentials are straightforward: “We’ve built our practice around great lawyers who are leaders in their areas of expertise.”
More Favorites: JDO Law
Entering BOAB with a Denali placement for Best General Contractor, the crew at Watterson Construction is currently busy with projects for the US Army and Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.
Kevin Smith | Watterson Construction
Entering BOAB with a Denali placement for Best General Contractor, the crew at Watterson Construction is currently busy with projects for the US Army and Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.
Kevin Smith | Watterson Construction
Best Advertising/Creative Agency
It’s always a good sign when advertising and creative agencies demonstrate the ability to promote themselves, so congratulations to the winners of this category for clearing that hurdle with ease. Fully integrated advertising agency Spawn Ideas, which assures businesses that it can help them “stand toe-to-to with their biggest contenders” snagged the Denali spot. Yuit Comms promises to “tell your story like never before,” and explains the “Yuit difference” is that it works better when working together. ARM Creative, which has appeared in this category many times, says it’s “all about reach,” which includes reaching in, reaching deep, and reaching out.
More Favorites: Brilliant Media Strategies; MSI Communications
Best General Contractor
We’re pretty confident that almost every Alaskan has visited a building constructed by the winners of this category. This year’s best general contractors have more than 105 years of combined history working on hundreds of critical facilities in the state, including public and private buildings providing retail opportunities, financial services, education, healthcare, hospitality, office space, government services, and more. Not only that, they’re doing it safely: Cornerstone has received eight consecutive Alaska Safety Excellence Awards, Davis was recognized nationally by the Associated General Contractors of America in the Safety Excellence Building Division, and Watterson has not had any OSHA lost-time incidents in more than nine years.
More Favorites: ASRC Construction; Tutka
Best Cargo/Logistics Provider
Moving stuff in, out, and around Alaska can be complicated, time consuming, and require a truck, train, boat, or plane—and maybe all of the above. The good news is there are companies that like providing transportation and logistics services and have been perfecting their craft for decades. Top contender Lynden’s multi-modal capabilities allow its clients to “balance speed and budget by shipping via air, land, or sea.” Carlile moves all sizes of cargo on its fleet of trucks, “everything from less than truckload to full truckload freight.” And Northern Air Cargo’s team of shipping experts can handle everything from hazardous materials to extra-large shipments.
More Favorites: Span Alaska; Alaska Air Cargo
Best Swag Supplier
At Alaska Business we attend a lot of events, conventions, and conferences, and you can see the evidence around our office: pens, eyeglass cleaners, magnets, notebooks, and bags, all of which we use. So how’s your swag game? Have you contacted the right people—conveniently listed here—to make sure your logo is living in offices across the state? For Stellar Designs, “promoting your business is our business,” and it’s been doing so since 1981. Alaska Serigraphics has completed more than 200,000 projects as they help companies achieve their goals through branded merchandise. And BOAB newcomer Skiff Chick Custom Designs offers custom apparel, signs, decals, magnets, and stickers out of Homer.
More Favorites: Bore Tide One Source; Sunshine Custom Promotions
Loren Dixon (left) is director of programming and Charles Sather (right) is chief operating officer of Koahnic Broadcast Corporation, the CIRI spinoff that operates KNBA 90.3, the sole radio-only selection among the top three in the first ever Best Broadcast Media voting for BOAB. The station wins the Foraker slot for its non-commercial mix of eclectic music, culture, news, and talk from an Alaska Native point of view.
Kerry Tasker
Loren Dixon (left) is director of programming and Charles Sather (right) is chief operating officer of Koahnic Broadcast Corporation, the CIRI spinoff that operates KNBA 90.3, the sole radio-only selection among the top three in the first ever Best Broadcast Media voting for BOAB. The station wins the Foraker slot for its non-commercial mix of eclectic music, culture, news, and talk from an Alaska Native point of view.
Kerry Tasker
Best Printing Services Provider
According to Pip, “If you can visualize it, we can print it.” The printer offers quick turnarounds, professional service, and the expertise necessary to execute complex projects ranging from signs to business cards. Color Art Printing, which has been operating in Alaska for more than sixty years, says, “Our success and growth has been the result of building business partnerships in Alaska, and not just filling orders.” Alaska Printing also has a long history in Alaska, more than forty years, and it recently acquired Northern Printing, step one in owner Adam Williams’ plan to consolidate Alaska’s printing industry.
More Favorites: Digital Blueprint; Great Originals
Best Bank/Credit Union
Alaskans remain confident in their financial providers, as their opinions about the best financial services in the state didn’t shift at all this year. Top winner First National Bank Alaska is celebrating 100 years of providing banking solutions to Alaskans and Alaska businesses. Next year Alaska USA Federal Credit Union will mark its 75th anniversary, even as it continues expand within and outside of Alaska. The youngest winner, Credit Union 1, still has seven decades of operations under its belt and has the daily mission to “lead change, uplift others, and value people.”
More Favorites: Northrim Bank; Wells Fargo
Treeforms Furniture Gallery has specialized in hardwood furnishings since opening in Alaska in 2001, earning a Foraker ranking in the Best Furniture Store category.
Carter Damaska | Alaska Business
Treeforms Furniture Gallery has specialized in hardwood furnishings since opening in Alaska in 2001, earning a Foraker ranking in the Best Furniture Store category.
Carter Damaska | Alaska Business
Best Trade Association
We love trade organizations, which promote safety, job growth, training, and economic opportunities in their various fields. Associated General Contractors of Alaska and Associated Builders and Contractors of Alaska are both local branches of national advocacy groups, which provides them even better tools to pursue their missions on behalf of their members. The Alaska Travel Industry Association is all-Alaska, but you’d be hard pressed to find an organization with a more comprehensive reach across Alaska as it works to promote every inch of the state as the world’s destination of choice.
More Favorites: IBEW Local 1547; Alaska Support Industry Alliance
Best Telecommunications Provider
The pandemic demonstrated how essential communication is. As hard as it has been, it would have been immensely harder without our communications devices. As a home-grown company, GCI is well aware of Alaskans’ needs and has taken unprecedented steps to provide internet access to Alaska’s remote locations. AT&T’s coverage in Alaska has grown over the years, and it now serves Anchorage, Eagle River, Fairbanks, North Pole, Homer, Kenai, Soldotna, Kodiak, Palmer, Wasilla, Ketchikan, Juneau, and Sitka. MTA remains a 100 percent wholly owned co-op, which ties it directly to the communities it has served in Southcentral since 1953.
More Favorites: Alaska Communications; Verizon
Heather Robuck (right) and her husband Roy Habib (left) took over her father’s 5th Avenue Jewelers shop in downtown Anchorage in 2018. The St. Elias ranking in the debut of Best Jewelry Store as a BOAB category nudges ahead of another Robuck family store, Michael’s Jewelers.
Kerry Tasker
Heather Robuck (right) and her husband Roy Habib (left) took over her father’s 5th Avenue Jewelers shop in downtown Anchorage in 2018. The St. Elias ranking in the debut of Best Jewelry Store as a BOAB category nudges ahead of another Robuck family store, Michael’s Jewelers.
Kerry Tasker
Best Local Broadcast Media
KTUU-TV, or Alaska’s News Source, has a history dating back to 1953, when KFIA (First in Anchorage) was issued a broadcast license. Over the years its identity has changed, but its purpose has remained: informing Alaskans of local news. Alaska Public Media (founded in 1975 as KAKM TV) uses multiple platforms to “make a more informed and connected life possible for all Alaskans.” In addition to playing music, KNBA 90.3 incorporates programming from National Public Radio, Native Voice 1, Public Radio International, and APRN. Its debut was in 1993 as KANH; it changed its call sign two years later to KNBA.
More Favorites: KENI 650
Best Florist
There’s nothing quite like flowers to brighten someone’s day, and there’s nothing quite like voting for your favorite florist to brighten theirs. On the surface florists sell flowers, but as Bagoy’s Florist & Home puts it, “the floral business is one that creates a connection between people.” Jeff and Mineko Hummel, who founded their eponymous shop, would agree, as they started with the dream to “bring joy to people every day, be that through flowers or through a smile and a conversation.” Uptown Blossoms also sees the beauty in its trade as is focuses on “upscale, creative floral artistry.”
More Favorites: Oopsie Daisy
Best Art Gallery
Without signage on the street, Stephan Fine Arts is hidden inside the Hotel Captain Cook. Hidden, that is, except for a nearly fifty-year reputation as dealers of wall art, jewelry, and glassware from Alaskan and out-of-state artists. Staging virtual showings through the COVID-19 shutdown helped the family-owned gallery boost its profile. A few blocks away, Sevigny Studio began as an outlet for the owner’s creations; now Katie Sevigny stocks dozens of Alaskan artists, plus lightweight trinkets for tourists to take home. Outside of downtown Anchorage, Dos Manos quickly established itself in Midtown/Spenard, specializing in 100 percent Alaskan, hand-crafted art and “funktional” housewares and clothing.
More Favorites: Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center; Aurora Fine Art Gallery
Best Jewelry Store
Family-owned shops stand toe-to-toe with a nationwide chain. Helps to have a big family. In 1967, Doug Robuck started both 5th Avenue Jewelers in downtown Anchorage and Michael’s Jewelers in Kenai, named for his son. Michael’s later moved to midtown Anchorage (and son Mike took over the family’s third business, Alaska Mint). Mike’s brother Dave now co-owns Michael’s with his wife, while sister Heather and her husband run 5th Avenue. A relative latecomer, Fred Meyer Jewelers was launched in 1973 by supermarket founder Fritz Grubmeyer himself. The chain leverages the size of parent company Kroger to stock ten locations in Alaska.
More Favorites: Zales Jewelers; David’s Jewelers
Salmon Berry Travel & Tour employees, referred to fondly as the SalmonBerries, strive to ensure every guest has the best Alaska experience they can, which is what snagged this company the Denali award for Best Travel/Tour Company.
Salmon Berry Travel & Tours
Salmon Berry Travel & Tour employees, referred to fondly as the SalmonBerries, strive to ensure every guest has the best Alaska experience they can, which is what snagged this company the Denali award for Best Travel/Tour Company.
Salmon Berry Travel & Tours
Best Cannabis Retailer
Since legalized sales began in 2016, cannabis retailers have sprouted like weeds (pardon the expression). To stand out among almost 150 licensed retailers statewide, size matters. Having multiple locations helped all three winners grab votes. Great Northern Cannabis has three shops in Anchorage, earning the people’s choice at the 2021 Anchorage Budtender Awards and selling candies, CBD bath bombs, and hybrid flowers that won top marks at the 2021 Alaska Leaf Bowl. Catalyst Cannabis and Uncle Herb’s, both repeat BOAB selections from 2021, each boast two locations across Anchorage, and Uncle Herb’s has a third outlet in Homer.
More Favorites: Samuel Croker; Raspberry Roots
Best Furniture Store
The top picks are a lock for a third year in a row. Both Bailey’s and Sadler’s have grown into chains with locations in Anchorage, Soldotna, and Fairbanks, though Bailey’s has the greater reach with a store and clearance center in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, as well. The true upstart is Treeforms, which brought Amish-style hardwood furnishings to Anchorage in 2001. With a second showroom in Wasilla, Treeforms bumps perennial favorite Scan Home to ranks of the also-liked.
More Favorites: Scan Home Furniture
Best Swag Supplier Foraker winner Skiff Chick Custom Designs is brand new to the BOAB ranks this year. From left is Dawn Cabana, a Skiff Chick artist; Jennifer Cabana, the owner and graphic designer; and Michelle Melchert, also an artist. Skiff Chick Custom Designs operates out of Homer.
Skiff Chick Custom Designs
Best Swag Supplier Foraker winner Skiff Chick Custom Designs is brand new to the BOAB ranks this year. From left is Dawn Cabana, a Skiff Chick artist; Jennifer Cabana, the owner and graphic designer; and Michelle Melchert, also an artist. Skiff Chick Custom Designs operates out of Homer.
Skiff Chick Custom Designs
Best Auto Dealership
This category is new to BOAB, yet two winners have appeared before. Kendall and Continental were recognized in 2020 for outstanding car care, and what’s good for service is good for sales. Kendall grew from an Oregon dealership to sell Ford, Chrysler, Volkswagen, Toyota, Honda, Subaru, and Kia vehicles in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Wasilla, Soldotna, and Kenai. Continental is an Alaskan family-owned cluster in midtown Anchorage, also dealing Honda and Subaru, as well as Nissan, Mazda, and Volvo. That leaves the Alaska branch of Oregon-based Lithia Motors to specialize in BMW, Chevrolet, Kia, and Hyundai at its Anchorage, Wasilla, and Fairbanks locations.
Best Outdoor Gear Retailer
By striving to combine the expertise that smaller, local shops provide with all-under-one-roof selection, nationwide superstores cater to customers wishing to commune with nature and those who wish to show nature who’s boss. REI is the senior chain, founded in Seattle in 1938. Cabela’s came next, started in Nebraska in 1961; it was bought by Bass Pro Shops (established in 1972), whose votes could be combined but not enough to change the standings. And lastly, Utah-based Sportsman’s Warehouse came around in 1986; it nearly became part of the Bass Pro/Cabela’s family in 2020, but the Federal Trade Commission blocked the merger.
More Favorites: Alaska Mountaineering & Hiking; Big Ray’s; The Hoarding Marmot
Best Travel/Tour Company
Last year’s one-two-three repeat this year, so Salmon Berry Travel & Tours must be doing something right to rank among giants. Since 2005, the company founded by Candice Kotyk has packaged Alaska in bite-sized chunks for visitors. At the other end of the scale, Holland America and Princess, as West Coast subsidiaries of global cruise titan Carnival, carry almost 1,500 tourists at a time. And with its own fleet of three catamarans, Kenai Fjords has been showing off glaciers, islands, and rainforests around Seward since 1974.
More Favorites: Major Marine Tours
Best Brewery
Since its BOAB debut in 2016 as Best New Startup, 49th State has appeared on every annual list. The venue overlooking Ship Creek is superb, and this year its liquid output gets top honors. On the south side of Anchorage, King Street supplies retailers and restaurants statewide with IPA and stout. Rounding out the redux of last year’s top brewers, Midnight Sun offers more than a dozen beers, ranging from barley wines to Belgian ales. Raise a glass to the Big Three, floating to the top of a crowded field.
Best Hotel
Visitors can find hotels at any price point, so the top picks distinguish themselves with exceptional amenities. Alyeska Resort is perfectly situated for out-of-towners or for locals in need of a getaway less than an hour’s drive from downtown Anchorage. In downtown, Hotel Captain Cook looms large, also hosting a BOAB-winning restaurant and art gallery. In its literal shadow, the Copper Whale Inn is tiny, a historic house built in 1939 for Dr. Howard Romig and expanded in 1996 to fifteen rooms. Its affiliation with BOAB-dominating Salmon Berry Travel & Tours explains its strong showing among voters.
More Favorites: Hilton; Marriott
Best Hospital
The biggest is the best: for a fifth year in a row, Providence earns the most votes. Part of a nonprofit network that operates in Anchorage, Eagle River, Seward, Valdez, and Kodiak, Providence is practically synonymous with hospital care in Alaska. Not to be outshined, for-profit Alaska Regional distinguishes itself with the state’s only “A” grade for safety from the Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog. Meanwhile, Alaska Native Medical Center blazes its own path with the Nuka System of Care developed by Southcentral Foundation, the hospital’s co-owner, which blends emotional and spiritual wellness with physical and mental health.
More Favorites: Fairbanks Memorial Hospital; Mat-Su Regional Medical Center
Chugach Alaska enters the BOAB listings for the first time with a hat trick: a St. Elias selection for Best Place to Work 250+ Employees and Denali rankings for Best Business Adaptation to COVID-19 and Best Corporate Citizen.
Chugach Alaska
Chugach Alaska enters the BOAB listings for the first time with a hat trick: a St. Elias selection for Best Place to Work 250+ Employees and Denali rankings for Best Business Adaptation to COVID-19 and Best Corporate Citizen.
Chugach Alaska
Best Coffee Spot
Java junkies can find Kaladi Brothers roasts just about anywhere, but the category is for Coffee Spot, singular. Voters might’ve chosen the flagship café in South Anchorage or any of a dozen other Kaladi spots in Anchorage, or one in Wasilla, or two in Soldotna. Relative upstart SteamDot has expanded from its original roastery near Ship Creek into a chain of three retail spots across Anchorage. Meanwhile, the one and only Jitters is a go-to gathering place in Eagle River, growing from an art gallery into an ersatz reunion venue for ex-students of co-founder Dennis Johnson. (Hi, Mr. Johnson!)
More Favorites: The Drip; Black Cup
Best International Cuisine
Ray’s Place in Anchorage and Basil Ginger in Wasilla are repeat selections from last year. Ray’s Place serves Vietnamese food at the north end of Spenard Road, while Basil Ginger specializes in sushi as well as Chinese and Thai-inspired entrees. Asian cuisine sweeps the category with the addition of Bombay Deluxe, which has built a following for home-style Indian dishes from its Midtown location and south Anchorage spin-off. Carnivores can enjoy spiced meats, while vegetarians and vegans have a wide selection as well, and everyone loves tearing into a round of naan bread.
More Favorites: Siam Cuisine; Turkish Delight
Set Free Alaska, the St. Elias Winner of the Best Place to Work 1-250 Employees category, works to address substance abuse and behavioral health issues, offering outpatient and inpatient services. “We work hard to hire passion and talent and then walk with our team as they flourish,” the company states.
Set Free Alaska
Set Free Alaska, the St. Elias Winner of the Best Place to Work 1-250 Employees category, works to address substance abuse and behavioral health issues, offering outpatient and inpatient services. “We work hard to hire passion and talent and then walk with our team as they flourish,” the company states.
Set Free Alaska
The Copper Whale Inn bills itself as “Alaska’s Favorite Boutique Hotel,” and voters for Best Hotel agree, awarding a Foraker ranking. “The Gem of Downtown Anchorage” is located in a historic house with a view of Cook Inlet and walking access to the Coastal Trail and the city center.
Kerry Tasker
The Copper Whale Inn bills itself as “Alaska’s Favorite Boutique Hotel,” and voters for Best Hotel agree, awarding a Foraker ranking. “The Gem of Downtown Anchorage” is located in a historic house with a view of Cook Inlet and walking access to the Coastal Trail and the city center.
Kerry Tasker
Best Fine Dining Restaurant
Voters go back for seconds, returning two restaurants to the top of the category. In midtown Anchorage, Altura invents and reinvents “New American” cuisine, like the quote-unquote “Classic” Cheeseburger made with a filet mignon/bacon patty on a challah bun. Downtown, Simon & Seafort’s has been a favorite since this category was Best Business Lunch and Best Business Dinner, yet surf and turf is fine for any occasion. And atop the BOAB-winning Hotel Captain Cook, the Crow’s Nest adds to the appeal with its menu overseen by Chef de Cuisine Cameron Richardson and its unmatched 360-degree skyline view. Food worth dressing up for.
Best Pizzeria
One of seven Alaska restaurants with a Wikipedia page (and the only one of those not notable for being a historic building), Moose’s Tooth has been a BOAB winner every year. Its consistent popularity is reflected by the constant crowds craving the dazzling variety of pizza combinations and prize-winning brews. Uncle Joe’s, with four locations across Anchorage, is a bit more traditional, while The Hungry Robot seeks meat and vegetables from around Fairbanks whenever possible. All three had a lock on last year’s list as well. Any pizza beats no pizza, and these pizzas beat all the rest.
More Favorites: Saverio’s Pizzeria; Hearth Artisan Pizza
Best Bakery/Dessert Spot
An industry rising like a well-proofed dough attracted votes for plenty of favorites. Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop tapped into the market for fine, crusty bread baked fresh at three locations in Anchorage. Sweets are on the menu, too, but not to the degree of Sweet Innovations by Bri. The newest entry on the list offers elaborately decorated cakes and chocolate “breakables” for special occasions. Flying Dutchman explores the range of pastry, from puff-wrapped meats to tarts, rolls, and cookies, as well as a full spectrum of cakes.
More Favorites: Charlie’s Bakery & Chinese Cuisine; Benji’s Bakery & Café
Best Burger Joint
What is a chicken restaurant doing in the burger category? Well, Lucky Wishbone serves some dang fine beef patties, according to BOAB voters. And after sixty-three years on the edge of downtown Anchorage, word has gotten around. Arctic Roadrunner, a.k.a. Local Burgerman, is also some aged beef, enticing eaters to the banks of Campbell Creek since 1964, when that was the outskirts of Anchorage. Compared to those, Tommy’s is a burger baby, born in Spenard in 2002, offering Cajun-inspired fare as well as Philly cheesesteaks and po’ boys. It’s billed as an “eclectic dive/diner,” which seems to describe where all the best burgers are found.
More Favorites: Long Branch Saloon; Burger Jim
Basil Ginger is a repeat selection for Best International Cuisine, earning a Foraker ranking for its Asian fusion dishes. No, the Monkey Brain is just deep fried tuna and crab in avocado
Carter Damaska | Alaska Business
Basil Ginger is a repeat selection for Best International Cuisine, earning a Foraker ranking for its Asian fusion dishes. No, the Monkey Brain is just deep fried tuna and crab in avocado
Carter Damaska | Alaska Business
The Flying Dutchman was Anchorage’s first European pastry shop, established in 1982 by Ben and Tina Koper. The Foraker Winner of Best Bakery/Dessert Spot was named after Ben, a Dutchman by birth with a lifelong dream to fly—which he achieved, earning his private pilot’s license in 1982.
Kerry Tasker
The Flying Dutchman was Anchorage’s first European pastry shop, established in 1982 by Ben and Tina Koper. The Foraker Winner of Best Bakery/Dessert Spot was named after Ben, a Dutchman by birth with a lifelong dream to fly—which he achieved, earning his private pilot’s license in 1982.
Kerry Tasker
Best Catering Service
The town in Our Town is Sitka, punching way above its weight alongside heavy hitters in Anchorage. Since 1993, Our Town has catered private parties and large weddings with Mediterranean cuisine based on local ingredients. Peppercini’s menu also skews Mediterranean with a wide selection of easy-to-love choices for breakfast, lunch, or special events. The eatery has grown since 2007 from a sandwich shop into a 24-7 deluxe delicatessen. Main Event cooks up elaborate surf and turf, pasta, barbecue, and burgers as takeout, buffet, plates, and boxes.
More Favorites: Mo’s Deli; Dianne’s Wild Fork Catering
Best Place to Work 1-250 Employees
Accounting firm Altman, Rogers & Co. is on the list for a fifth year in a row. Why? “Great pay and benefits, amazing atmosphere, excellent and supportive leadership,” says one voter. “Takes good care of and is accepting of all kinds of employees,” says another. New to the list, substance abuse treatment center Set Free Alaska earns praise for friendly, respectful, compassionate staff. Put simply, “They help people get off drugs, and it actually works.” And Coffman Engineers is singled out for its “great culture,” “dynamic energy,” and “rewarding work.” Small employers, take note.
More Favorites: Cook Inlet Region Inc.; Watterson Construction
Feeding Fairbanks with specialty pizzas topped with dill pickles or five kinds of mushrooms, the Hungry Robot defends its claim as Best Pizzeria with a Foraker ranking.
The Hungry Robot
Feeding Fairbanks with specialty pizzas topped with dill pickles or five kinds of mushrooms, the Hungry Robot defends its claim as Best Pizzeria with a Foraker ranking.
The Hungry Robot
Best Place to Work 250+ Employees
A seventh year of love for FNBA. Now in its second century, the bank’s stated belief is that what’s good for employees is good for customers and the community, and vice versa. The dominance in the category indicates FNBA lives up to that promise. MTA is another repeat selection, thanks to “great benefits and employee support” and “great working environment.” “They treat you like family,” says one nominator. New to the list is Chugach Alaska, the Alaska Native regional corporation for Prince William Sound. Their secret? “Monthly team goals,” “family environment,” and “making employees feel appreciated by doing employee appreciation activities.” That’s how it’s done.
Best Business Adaptation to COVID-19
Nobody wants to see this category again, but while the SARS-CoV-2 virus is around, businesses live in its world. Chugach Alaska Corporation earns kudos for “mandatory vaccines, strict quarantine,” for “consolidated supply ordering,” and for “great communication” via an employee survey. “Chugach was early to see the COVID threat,” said one nominator. FNBA gets credit for closing lobbies as needed while keeping almost all branches open daily. “They make you feel comfortable and safe,” one voter commented. And eight MTA staff praised their company specifically for partnerships with Mat-Su Health Foundation.
More Favorites: Bear Tooth/Moose’s Tooth; Cook Inlet Tribal Council
A beautiful day in Sitka, where Our Town Catering earned a Foraker ranking for Best Catering Service. Chef Edith Johnson opened the business in 2016 after cooking for pro athletes, including the St. Louis Cardinals and Rams and Seattle Seahawks. (Back L-R): Teresa Baines, Mike Vandal, Dylan Weis, and (front) Edith Johnson.
Caitlin Blaisdell
A beautiful day in Sitka, where Our Town Catering earned a Foraker ranking for Best Catering Service. Chef Edith Johnson opened the business in 2016 after cooking for pro athletes, including the St. Louis Cardinals and Rams and Seattle Seahawks. (Back L-R): Teresa Baines, Mike Vandal, Dylan Weis, and (front) Edith Johnson.
Caitlin Blaisdell
Best Startup Business
Among ninety suggestions by BOAB voters, three bouncing baby businesses are instant hits. Sweet Innovations by Bri already cracked into the top BOAB bakeries. “Her treats are amazing,” said one voter about Brittanni Foster’s cakes. Another said, “She is great! Works hard and always has beautiful creations.” Appealing to the sweet tooth also won raves for Snowy Berry, rapidly gaining fame for “Best Hot Chocolate Bombs year-round!” Meanwhile, Julie Moraes applies her artistry toward helping others unleash their inner sparkle at her workshop in Spenard. “Such creative and unique art classes,” said one nominator. We wish other startups the best of luck and hope to see them in BOABs to come.
More Favorites: Northern Wings Café; Spinz Pollo a la Brasa; Raven’s Ring Brewing; Fresh Cup Playhouse
“It seems it is part of [Matson’s] ethos to be involved in the community, ”says one of our readers, and the editorial department agrees, which is why Matson won the St. Elias award for Best Corporate Citizen. Here, the Matson team joins forces with other volunteers to clean up Ship Creek as part of their Caring for Alaska program.
Matson
“It seems it is part of [Matson’s] ethos to be involved in the community, ”says one of our readers, and the editorial department agrees, which is why Matson won the St. Elias award for Best Corporate Citizen. Here, the Matson team joins forces with other volunteers to clean up Ship Creek as part of their Caring for Alaska program.
Matson
Best Corporate Citizen
Editor’s Note: The Best Corporate Citizen winners are selected by the editorial team; we use the votes and input of our readers to determine which companies excel at mindfully operating in their communities. The comments below are quotes from our readers.
Chugach Alaska Corporation:
“Chugach Alaska Corporation lives up to its core values—We do things the right way. We create meaningful value. We empower people. We build community. We leave things better than we found them.—at each and every one of its subsidiaries!” | “Chugach cares deeply about its Alaskan Heritage and is a socially responsible corporate citizen. Chugach embraces diversity not only in its investment portfolio but also in its employee base. Chugach provides essential services to the United States Military.” | “I don’t know of any business that going to the length that Chugach does to support the local community, Alaska Natives, and their culture!”
“Chugach Alaska Corporation lives up to its core values—We do things the right way. We create meaningful value. We empower people. We build community. We leave things better than we found them.—at each and every one of its subsidiaries!” | “Chugach cares deeply about its Alaskan Heritage and is a socially responsible corporate citizen. Chugach embraces diversity not only in its investment portfolio but also in its employee base. Chugach provides essential services to the United States Military.” | “I don’t know of any business that going to the length that Chugach does to support the local community, Alaska Natives, and their culture!”
ConocoPhillips Alaska:
“They sponsor everything, frequently under the radar.” | “They saved the Sea Life Center.” | “They provide extensive philanthropy to many nonprofits.” | “It supports the local community in big ways and provides jobs and drives the Alaska economy.”
“They sponsor everything, frequently under the radar.” | “They saved the Sea Life Center.” | “They provide extensive philanthropy to many nonprofits.” | “It supports the local community in big ways and provides jobs and drives the Alaska economy.”
Matson:
“They created the Caring for Alaska program to reward nonprofits for doing environmental stewardship projects.” | “Matson has really stepped up their game with the support and sponsorship of Citywide Cleanup.” | “It seems it is part of their ethos to be involved in the community. They also sent multiple containers to earthquake and tsunami affected areas in the South Pacific.”
“They created the Caring for Alaska program to reward nonprofits for doing environmental stewardship projects.” | “Matson has really stepped up their game with the support and sponsorship of Citywide Cleanup.” | “It seems it is part of their ethos to be involved in the community. They also sent multiple containers to earthquake and tsunami affected areas in the South Pacific.”
