Dear Shareholder-owners,
This has been another great quarter for Ahtna, its subsidiaries, employees and of course, our shareholder-owners. Our enterprises continue to prosper and grow, and our employees have a safe and secure workplace.
For more than a year now, Ahtna has worked diligently on a plan to sell carbon credits. Right now, we are in the verification process and that is going extremely well. Ahtna managers Shane Jolin and Chris Cook are supervising the program, and it is on track to have a completed transaction next year. This will benefit Ahtna and its shareholder-owners for many decades to come.
The Ahtna Board of Directors made excellent decisions on some complex issues related to carbon credits that allowed us to move forward ahead of anticipated changes to California’s carbon-trading program.
Keeping everyone safe during the verification process were several shareholder-owners hired as bear guards, and per Shane, they did a great job. Programs like this allow Ahtna to develop even more robust internship opportunities. Interns represent the future of Ahtna.
Everyone at Ahtna would like to say congratulations to Craig O’Rourke and his team at Ahtna Design-Build for winning the federal Small Business Administration’s Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year Award. We are all proud of ADB and the amazing work it does each day.
Ahtna’s outstanding safety and health record are paying off with relatively stable premiums for workers’ compensation and auto insurance coverage. Our great relationship with the insurance carrier and broker contributes to keeping costs down for the corporation.
On the technology front, Ahtna is working with computer security experts on a Cyber-Security Table Top program with nationally recognized security experts. Ahtna staff will participate in realistic cyber-threat scenarios, and responses will be evaluated so they can learn actionable steps to prevent a cyber attack. Ahtna is always working to upgrade its cyber security by teaming with industry experts and major law enforcement agencies to prevent us from becoming a target and maintain the integrity of Ahtna’s computer assets.
It’s also hunting season for all our 8(a) companies. Proposals are being prepared and we expect to be successful in securing new contracts under the federal 8(a) program. September is the heaviest time of the year for proposals and we anticipate several awards for workplace safety and performance from various federal agencies. We are very proud of the work our 8(a) companies perform in Alaska and around the nation.
We participated in a July meeting in Cantwell on the proposed in-state natural gas pipeline. Also known as the ASAP line, the project would lay a pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to the Cook Inlet area, delivering plentiful and (hopefully) more affordable natural gas to all communities along its path. Ahtna’s shareholder-owners would certainly benefit from this project. Executive Vice President Roy Tansey Jr. and Vice President for Land and Resources Joe Bovee will continue to meet with all key stakeholders, including the village of Cantwell.
Ahtna is also expanding its business footprint globally. Ahtna Support and Training Services (AhtnaSTS) is working with the Republic of Georgia to develop a new combat training center like those utilized by the U.S. armed forces. While back at home, AhtnaSTS was awarded a one-year contract for the Homestation Instrumented Training System, a system that aids the military in evaluating units so they are prepared for different combat situations. This work will be done at military bases in California, Wisconsin, Georgia and Alaska.
Finally, we are all saddened by the horrendous hurricanes in Texas and Florida. Our largest individual contract is at Port Isabel Detention Center (PIDC) in the Brownsville, Texas, area. Our team, under Vicky Dunlap’s leadership, had to evacuate the facility with several hundred detainees and relocate them elsewhere during the storm. We also had to make plans for Irma in Florida. Many Ahtna operations are 24/7 businesses and our executive leadership team is on-call 100 percent of the time. Operations’ Safety and Human Resources teams are ensuring the safety and welfare of our employees in the affected areas.
Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who have had their lives disrupted, were displaced and lost their homes to the hurricanes.
Thank you,
Tom Maloney
Chief Executive Officer
Ahtna Ranks 16th of Top 49ers
Crystal Ewan, Ahtna Netiye’, Inc. Executive Assistant to the CEO, accepts the Top 49er Award from Charles Bell, Vice President of Sales, Alaska Business Monthly. Ahtna ranked 16th on the list of the top 49 Alaska-owned companies.