Vol. 2, No. 6 • April 13, 2007

Stones in the road to success

Helvi Sandvik
NDC President

How often do we recognize milestones…as we pass them by? While we keep sight of where we want to land, we also need to celebrate milestones along the way. It’s these smaller accomplishments that keep us motivated and remind us that we have what it takes to accomplish great things. Here are just a few NANA milestones we can all celebrate:

DOWL Engineers turned 45 this week. The company has evolved from an Anchorage civil engineering and surveying firm with a staff of two, to being one of the top 500 civil engineering firms in the country, with more than 200 staff, and offices in Arizona and Washington.
Last year, ASCG blew out 25 candles. A recent milestone for this nationally known firm is that it made the Engineering News-Record Construction Management Top 100 list. ASCG was listed No. 97 in the annual ranking, based on 2005 revenues from 18 offices in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona.
More recently, NDC hired David Márquez as its new Chief Operating Officer. His strong background working for large corporations and in natural resources will be instrumental as we move toward our new goal of becoming a $10 billion corporation.
One of the most significant modern day developments was the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) legislation resulting in the formation of Alaska Native Corporations, including NANA. As we get ready to celebrate our 35th birthday this year, we are proof that this “grand experiment” is, in fact, a success that only became possible because of our hard work and planning.

New NDC Chief Operating Officer

David Márquez
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

NANA Development Corporation has hired David Márquez as its Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Helvi Sandvik, NANA Development Corporation President, announced today.

“David is a very talented and experienced business leader,” she said. “As a member of our senior team, he will be actively involved as we move our corporation forward to new levels of success. We are extremely pleased to have David join our NANA team”

Márquez most recently served as Alaska’s Attorney General under Governor Frank Murkowski. He has had an active role in the development of Alaska’s natural resources throughout his 33 year career. Prior to his State service, Márquez was an executive in the oil industry. He was Chief Counsel for Phillips Alaska and ARCO Alaska, as well as General Counsel for Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. He also served as Vice President of External Affairs and Environment, Health and Safety for ARCO Alaska. He has served as a trustee for the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation and as state trustee of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Fund. He also served as co-chair of the Alaska Rural Justice and Law Enforcement Commission.

Márquez has been active in leadership roles in numerous Statewide and Community organizations, including the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement of Alaska, the Alaska Community Foundation, and the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of the President’s Council on Sustainable Development.

It takes a village

Selina Moose, Human Resources Vice President, is known for developing supervisor and employee training programs and creating a company-wide mentoring program to help shareholders receive business and management training. Selina is also a well-known AIDS activist. On March 21st she was the Keynote Speaker at the National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in Washington, D.C.

It’s a match

James Smart, MSpace Superintendent; Dan Sturgis, ACS Construction Manager; and Joe Farago ACS Project Superintendent in front of new modular office building at Fort Belvoir, VA.

Tag lines were used to ensure no workers were near the load at any time and that the units were exactly in line and on target.

The Program Executive Officer building at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, is proof of Akima’s innovative approach to construction management. The 7,800 square-foot administration building is modular construction, built on the site of the outdated masonry structure it replaced, and designed to match the architectural style of adjacent buildings.

While modular construction is not new to Akima, unique elements of this project presented some challenges. The existing structure, containing hazardous materials, had to be demolished, a 30” storm drain relocated, and the new building’s foundation poured within 100 days of notice to proceed. In addition, the new building needed to match aged finishes on the surrounding buildings. The construction budget for the project was developed two years prior to contract award and Akima was required to perform within those outdated budget constraints.

Construction management and design services provided by Akima included demolition of the existing structure, new construction, adding additional parking for 12 vehicles, and developing the landscaping and utilities. The project was completed on time and within the Army’s budget, allowing the first tenants to move in last month.

The Ol’ Switcheroo

A Windows Tip