By Lori Kropidlowski, Ahtna Environmental, Inc.

Alaska-based Ahtna Environmental, Inc. is honored to announce it is the recipient of the 2020 Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Small Business Award. The award was celebrated at the SAME Small Business Conference for the Architecture / Engineering / Construction (A/E/C) industry which was held virtually in November. 2020 marks SAME’s centennial year of existence.

The Small Business Award recognizes SAME sustaining member firms that “achieve outstanding results in support of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, and Navy as well as company support for the professional development of its employees through participation in SAME education and activities.”

Ahtna Environmental received its first U.S. military contract in 2010 — and joined SAME the same year (although its management and sister subsidiaries had already been involved for many years). Ahtna Environmental’s affiliation with SAME has been unwavering. Ahtna Environmental and its sister subsidiaries (Ahtna Engineering Services, Ahtna Global, Ahtna Solutions, and Ahtna Infrastructure & Technologies) are sustaining members of the Albuquerque, Anchorage, Denver, Kansas City, Omaha, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Francisco, and Seattle Posts.

Ahtna fully supports the many employees who volunteer, serve on committees, and hold board positions at these SAME Posts as well as SAME National. This is exemplified by Ahtna’s senior management including Tim Finnigan M.SAME, (President), who is active in supporting the Anchorage Post, and Timothy F. Gould, PE, F.SAME (Executive Vice President), who is past President of the Anchorage Post and was recently inducted into the SAME 2020 Class of Fellows.

Tim Finnigan states, “For 100 years, SAME has been a collaboration among government and industry to develop multi-disciplined solutions to national security infrastructure challenges. Ahtna Environmental is proud to be recognized by SAME for our efforts and will continue to foster this collaboration.”

Timothy Gould added, “Ahtna Environmental’s selection as the SAME 2020 Small Business of the Year is an incredible honor. Above all, the true prize is the professional and leadership development, as well as the volunteer opportunities, afforded our staff. SAME continues to provide great value to our management and staff, both professionally and personally.”

Through SAME, Ahtna Environmental networks with other small and large business partners and clients; shares best practices; learns about the latest industry trends; hires new employees; is frequently published in The Military Engineer magazine; attends Post meetings and conferences; and forms long-term business relationships — all with the common goal of serving the project needs of U.S. military clients.