orking at Alaska Business and being a parent have one major aspect in common: I learn something new every day. As one example, while I was still pregnant I thought six weeks of maternity leave would feel like a long time. It did not. As my previously scheduled maternity leave wound down, I knew that I needed more time before I was ready to return to the magazine and its daily, weekly, and monthly deadlines. Fortunately, I had two things working in my favor: my incredible editor Scott Rhode, who managed this publication in my absence with skill and finesse, and an ownership team that values me enough to recognize that it would be worthwhile to extend my time away if it meant I could return in a healthy, productive state of body and mind.

Of all the organizations I’ve worked for, I have never been employed at one that is so dedicated to ensuring its employees feel like people. So many companies advertise a policy of “putting people first” that the phrase is becoming cliché, but working in an environment where that really is true has been a great blessing in my professional life.

Even though I love working here, as do my coworkers, Alaska Business will never win a “Best Place to Work” Award in our annual Best of Alaska Business survey for two reasons: that would obviously be inappropriate and, even if we lacked any sense of editorial integrity, we simply don’t have enough employees to win the category. I’m sure there are hundreds of other small businesses around the state with employees that would say the same.

We know our ability to celebrate the “best” Alaska businesses is limited, for that and other reasons; we have limited space on the page, some businesses are difficult to classify by just one category, and we’re constantly building our outreach to make sure all of our readers have an opportunity to weigh in.

That doesn’t prevent me, however, from being confident that the businesses that are celebrated within our Best of Alaska Business special section are absolutely at the top of their field. Our survey is write-in only; none of our readers are picking randomly from a drop-down menu, and every nomination is deliberate.

This year we’re again hosting a Best of Alaska Business summer party, which has been on hiatus since the pandemic. Our team is looking forward to taking in the gorgeous Alaska summer sun, overlooking Cook Inlet from the rooftop of 49th State Brewing, and celebrating both the amazing businesses contained within these pages and our very own best place to work.