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A Message from our Board of Directors President, Mary Beth Loewen

February 2024

Dear Chamber Members,

I’m honored to assume the role this year of President of our Chamber of Commerce, and for a year of collaboration and community building with all of you. For those of you who don’t come into Next Step Dance Kodiak regularly, you may have never met me, so I wanted to introduce myself!

My start in the Chamber began as a small business owner seeking resources for education and a stronger connection to fellow entrepreneurs in our unique location. As the proud owner of Next Step Dance Kodiak for the past seven years, it's been my privilege to get to work with staff and our dance and tumbling students every day. Studio owners and teachers from around the world have come to teach at NSDK, and they are always impressed by the quality of our training, the love and friendships that are so evident in our students, the commitment of our teachers, and the beauty and friendliness of our island home. Community is one of the values NSDK is built on, and as someone who grew up in Kodiak, I’m committed to doing what I can to help Kodiak be a wonderful place to live. During my tenure, I hope to meet more business owners, facilitate connections and help address business and training needs within our community.

With a background in fisheries research, I understand the bedrock of Kodiak's economy and the importance of a thriving business community on our island. I see the key strengths of our local businesses in their creativity and tenacity, as we all rely on each other in ways both big and small. We have great examples of business success here- not only the longevity of some of our local retailers or transport companies, but also the expansion and optimism of stores into the Kodiak Marketplace, and the long-term vision of a local food co-op, to name just a few.

As we continue to navigate a period of transition for the Chamber, I am excited about the positive changes underway. With a new, strong Executive Director and a fully staffed team, we are poised to continue our impact for and on Kodiak's community. We are currently on the lookout for a passionate Community Relations Director to join our team, someone who enjoys engaging with our business community and is dedicated to ensuring Kodiak remains a vibrant, livable community. If you know of someone who fits this description, please don't hesitate to reach out.

The calendar fills quickly each year, with programs throughout the year that help our community be a good place to call home- whether big community events like ComFish and Crab Festival, as well as smaller programs like litter pick up and supporting raffles and business openings. We can always use help and creative ideas, so I hope you will have time in the next year to get involved. Together, I look forward to strengthening the web that keeps our community afloat, to celebrating our local businesses, and supporting a thriving environment for all our island residents.

Sincerely,

Mary Beth Loewen

President

Kodiak Chamber of Commerce

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S UPDATE

Dear Chamber Members,

Welcome to 2024! I hope the start to this year has been good to you.

Courtesy of the City of Kodiak, 2023 literally went out with a bang! Huge thanks to the City for bringing fireworks back after such a long pause. It was an outstanding Fireworks Show and a wonderful and exciting way for our community to kick off the new year.

It has been refreshing to see so much hustle and bustle throughout our downtown over the past several months thanks to the opening of the Kodiak Marketplace and quite a few new businesses opening up in the downtown area recently. It appears as though our Kodiak businesses all across the community are busy and thriving. Sales Tax Free Day is Saturday, March 2nd this year and usual promises to be a busy day for local retail and business in Kodiak. Our gratitude and appreciation goes out to the City of Kodiak for encouraging and helping to incentivize Q1 local shopping to strengthen our economy.

The beginning of the year is always an incredibly "Busy Season" at the Chamber. Behind the scenes your Chamber Staff is working hard on ComFish forum planning, vendor & attendee registration and we just finished up a wonderful Coast Guard Appreciation Dinner. We're also hard at work on CrabFest planning, ordering merchandise and launching Vendor Registration, we're working on this year's Relocation Guide and Photo Contest, and it must be time to start thinking Spring because Community Clean Up Day is also part of our planning right now and is set for Saturday, May 4th!

The dates for ComFish Alaska 2024 are April 11-13, 2024 in the brand new Kodiak Marketplace and Crab Fest planning is in the works for Memorial Day Weekend! We are excited to announce that Tons of Fun Entertainment is returning for CrabFest 2024 with their inflatables after ten years and we have other plans for family fun at CrabFest in the works! We'll keep you posted!

Please remember that if you have an event or sale coming up, a press release that you want to get out to our members, an open house or have some questions for ideas and plans you’re working on, be sure to reach out and talk with us or email us your flyer and information so we can share it with our membership. We are here to help. Our Small Business Collaboration Group Meets once a month, send me an email at ellen@kodiakchamber.org if you'd like to be a part of our monthly meetings. If you'd like to host a Business After Hours, if you're ready for a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony or you would like to record an interview on Chamber News & Views.

On Februray 27th we will hold our first Business After Hours of the Year at the Kodiak Public Library from 5:30-7:00pm we hope you'll join us there. In March we have two Business After Hours events scheduled, for Island Trails Network on March 20th and then one on the 29th at Kodiak College.

Here's to a successful first quarter and to a great year in 2024!

Ellen Simeonoff

Executive Director

Kodiak Chamber of Commerce

WE APPLAUD YOU 2024

On Friday, February 9th we held our Annual Coast Guard Appreciation Dinner at the Kodiak Marketplace. We were blessed to have excellent speakers, guests, Chamber Board Hosts and absolutely incredible food. Senator Lisa Murkowski was set to speak in person, unfortunately events in Washington D.C. that week prevented her from speaking in person. Thankfully she recorded a message for the night that was moving, meaningful, and deeply appreciated.

Representative Louise Stutes and Senator Gary Stevens were able to attend in person to share a short speech and presented Proclamations to the Coast Guard. Our hosts for the evening were Chamber President Mary Beth Loewen along with Past President Jeff Sanford and Secretary/Treasurer Sara Fraser, Captain Jeremy Hall CO Base Kodiak & Captain Tim Williams CO Air Station Kodiak.

For the very first time we gave out awards to 10 Coast Guard Enlisted and Spouses who were nominated for Coast Guard Hero & Citizen of the Year Awards because of their outstanding volunteer efforts within the Kodiak Community.

2024 Coast Guard Community Hero Award Winners:

Katie Hamilton, Valerie Buckner, Sara Tellinger, Bradley Hansen, Rob Whaley, Hunter Nykamp, Jason Frayne, Jessica Shell, Wayne "Tony" Musselwhite & Justin Talley

2024 Coast Guard

Citizen of the Year Winner:

Justin Talley

Thank you to Major David Davis, the Civil Air Patrol, Photographer Tyler Jackson and to Drew Sablon & Ronnie Wolf for providing exceptional live music throughout the night.

Tremendous thanks goes out to everyone who attended and participated in making the evening a great success! Thank you to everyone involved in helping to make this year's Coast Guard Appreciation Dinner a Huge Success!

Big Thanks to our sponsors for the night: Chris Kyle Patriots Hospital, Afognak Native Corporation, KANA, Matson, and the Den Catering.

Thank you to WildSource, OBI Seafoods, Bearfoot Bakery, Henry's Great Alaskan Restaurant, MeLaine's Crazy Cakes, Chef Joel Chenet, Alaska Weathervane Seafoods, The Best Western Kodiak Inn & The Chart Room Restaurant, Kodiak Hana, and the Den Catering.

Thanks to the Kodiak Marketplace IT and Events Staff for helping to make our event a successful one!

Congratulations to our Crab Fest 2024 Logo & Poster Contest Winners Makoto Seto & Robert Wagner!!

"Crab Fest 66-All Roads Lead To The Spit"

Makoto is a Kodiak High School Senior who became interested in art and design after taking a class his junior year at school. He learned about the logo contest through an article in the Kodiak Daily Mirror.

Local Artist Robert Wagner created this year's winning poster design for CrabFest 2024. Posters will be ordered for purchase in the next few weeks. We will let you know as soon as they are available. Our 2024 CrabFest Merchandise with the new logo has been ordered! We are excited about some new changes this year that we hope you'll appreciate too!

CrabFest Vendor Registration is now open!

Click here to fill out the vendor registration form & reserve your booth space today. The 2024 Vendor Handbook is available by clicking here.

Be sure to join us our Next Business After Hours!

February 27th from 5:30 to 7:00pm join us for first Business After Hours of the year at the Kodiak Public Library!

Come learn about the KPLA aka "Friends of the Kodiak Public Library", learn about KPLA membership, upcoming used book sales, opportunities to volunteer and come see our beautiful public library. This is a great way to learn about the Library’s programs and events. There'll be a Slide Show with Music, Door Prizes, Split the Pot, food & drinks! Appetizers: charcuterie boards, veggies, dip, dessert, and Delicious Mocktails made from fresh & frozen ingredients. Coffee, Tea, Hot Cocoa & Water will also be available. It's a great way to explore our public library!

SALES TAX FREE DAY IS MARCH 2nd!

Email your flyers & specials to ellen@kodiakchamber.org by February 26th and we will send it out to our membership.

COMFISH VENDOR REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

COMFISH 2024 will be April 11-13th at the Kodiak Marketplace.

There is still space available and opportunities for sponsorship. Contact Ellen at ellen@kodiakchamber.org or call 907-486-5557. Visit comfishak.com to sign up today.

COMFISH ATTENDEE REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO ATTEND COMFISH 2024 April 11th-13th at the Kodiak Marketplace.

Congratulations to our 2024

RELOCATION GUIDE PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS:

1st Place: Denise Link--Sitting Bear

2nd Place: Denise Link--Fox

3rd Place: David Cox--Windmills

Cover Photo Winner: Ellen Carty--Anthem

Category Winners:

Alutiiq Culture: Ellen Carty--Masked Dancer

Chamber Events: Ellen Carty--CG Appreciation Dinner Happy Person

Fishing: Ellen Carty

Scenery: Denise Link--Forest

Wildlife: Mike Munsey--Orca

Outdoor Adventure: Jenna Hassinger--Hunter

Transportation: Ellen Carty--Kennicott

Coast Guard: Denise Link--C130

Thank you to everyone who submitted photos!

There were so many great images it made our final decisions very challenging! Look for this year's relocation guide in the coming months to see more winners and submissions.

Below are some of our winning photos and favorites from this year.

Share what's happening at your business through Chamber News & Views!

Chamber News & Views is a weekly, two-minute, pre-recorded radio segment that airs on KVOK and HOT 101.1

Each segment spotlights one of our local Chamber Members and is recorded at the KVOK studio.

What is Discussed? Maybe you have a sale coming up, or a new menu, or want to let the community know about a new feature, event or changes at your business. We will help guide your message, but anything business-related is fair game!

Who Can Take Advantage? Any Chamber Member is able to take advantage of this unique promotional opportunity. Anyone from the organization can be interviewed. You choose the direction and goal you'd like to accomplish and we will work with you to achieve it! This is a completely FREE service we provide for our Chamber Members.

I'm Ready, What Do I Do Next? Contact us, via email, stop by the office, or call (907) 486-5557 to schedule an interview by calling the Chamber office.

The Small Business

Collaboration Group

The Chamber's Small Business Collaboration Group's next meeting will be the week of March 11th. Email ellen@kodiakchamber.org if you'd like to attend in person or via zoom.

The Group's mission is to support an environment of success for small business through collaboration, communication, and education.

MEMBER INFORMATION & UPCOMING EVENTS

KEA PRESS RELEASE

Three Seats Up for Election

Kodiak Electric Association, Inc.

Board of Directors

Deadline for filing petitions is March 13, 2024

Three seats on the Board of Directors are up for election this year in Kodiak Electric Association, Inc.’s membership election. The Board of Directors consists of nine elected voting Directors and one United States Coast Guard appointed non-voting liaison. This year, the seats currently held by Directors Stosh Anderson, Michael Brechan, and Cliff Davidson are up for election. All three seats are for three-year terms. KEA members locally elect KEA’s directors. Candidate petition packets are available by contacting the KEA office. To be an eligible candidate, you must be a member of KEA. Completed candidate petition packets must be received by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at the KEA office at 1614 Mill Bay Road.

The Notice of Annual Membership Meeting, Annual Report, and ballots will be mailed to members of KEA on Thursday, March 28, 2024. Completed ballots must be returned by mail in the envelope that is provided with the notice of the meeting, and must be received by Friday, April 19, 2024. All voting will be done by mail.

Ballot results will be announced at KEA’s Annual Membership Meeting on Monday, April 22, 2024. The meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m.

During 2023, regular meetings of the Board were held on the fourth Thursday of each month, beginning at noon. An average of 30 hours is required for 12 regular meetings during the year. The Board also meets as a whole for the Annual Membership Meeting and on the next

day to organize the slate of officers. Meetings may be held virtually.

KEA’s Bylaws state that each member is entitled to one vote. Joint members are jointly entitled to one vote. A ballot is voided if a person not listed on the account signs the return envelope. KEA members uncertain about the name(s) listed on their accounts are encouraged to call KEA to find out how to update their accounts. The deadline for any changes to be in effect for this year’s election process is February 28, 2024. Business Accounts (corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships) should annually update their list of officers/owners authorized to vote on behalf of the account.

For further information or to request a candidate petition packet, contact Nancy B. Sweeney, Communication/Human Resource Specialist, at 907.486-7709.

COMING UP! FRIDAY, MARCH 1st

Kodiak Arts Council in March

MEMBER RESOURCES

Visit https://aksbdc.org/ for more On Demand Workshops and More!

Alaska Small Business Development Center

Workshops & On-Demand Classes

Combating Fraud & Identity Theft
Creating a Compelling Commercialization Plan
Avoiding Security Disasters for Small Businesses
SBA Loans & What the Lender Requires
Digital Marketing Trends
Beginner's Guide Sell Your Products on Etsy
Credit It is that important
ADA Law What Businesses Should Know
Financial Health of Your Business
Anatomy of Modern Websites
Bookkeeping Basics
Creating Financial Projections for your Business Plan
Developing a Marketing/Sales Strategy
How to get a Business License in Alaska

Put Your Membership to Work for You

POST YOUR JOB ON THE CHAMBER WEBSITE

Email us your job listing and we can share them on our online Job Board, post them on our social media, and include them in our monthly e-newsletter. You can also easily upload your job listings through the Member Portal yourself.

Contact the Chamber office for more details! 907-486-5557 or email chamber@kodiakchamber.org.

Job Openings currently on the Chamber Website

Kodiak Chamber of Commerce:

Community Relations Director

The Alutiiq Museum:

Director of Operations

Click Here for open positions on the

Chamber Website.

Email ellen@kodiakchamber.org & chamber@kodiakchamber.org to list your open positions on our website today.

Access Your Membership Portal!

We want our members to get the most out of our online directory and resources by updating their membership listing with the most current contact information for the Kodiak Chamber's website! Login to your member portal or call (907) 486-5557 or email chamber@kodiakchamber.org to get your online portal set up today!

The Chamber Offers Heath Care

for Members!

As a Chamber Member, you and your employees have access to excellent health care insurance. Participation is available through Associated Industries, whose mission is to provide comprehensive healthcare products to Alaska employers at affordable prices.

Please email us for more information.

Membership with the Chamber

Interested in becoming a member?

The Chamber Membership gives your organization the tools and support it needs to succeed. With access to business resources, educational materials, advocacy, networking opportunities, and much more...