2022 BEST of ALASKA BUSINESS AWARDS.

We recognize that the Best of Alaska Business (BOAB) honors are not definitive, ironclad proclamations of which business in Alaska is metaphysically "best." That's a pretty tall order for any award. But in our annual search for the best, we do ask the most qualified group of people we know: our readers. Your everyday interactions with these companies are the most accurate representation of how they work to reach new heights in providing goods, services, and an amazing Alaska experience.

Every year our editorial team reviews the BOAB categories to determine what to keep, what to retire, and what to add, taking into consideration how our readers voted the year previous, as well as suggestions from our sources and partners. This year we have more categories than ever before, which directly serves our goal of recognizing and celebrating as many businesses as we can.

New categories this year include Auto Dealership, Burger Joint, Cargo/Logistics Provider, Jewelry Store, Local Broadcast Media, and Outdoor Gear Retailer.

Another new category is Best Art Gallery; meet the winners and learn how they excel in "Art in the Right Place." Creative ventures likewise earn accolades in the Best Startup Business category, as detailed in "Sweet, Snowy, Innovative Artistry." Small businesses like these are a critical component for economic opportunity in communities, a fact well known by Kirk Rose, CEO of the Anchorage Community Land Trust. The Trust's Set Up Shop model is specifically geared toward helping such businesses get their start, which Rose explores in the article "Building from Within."

Credit is also due to another guest author: BOAB voters. Until those 2,300 ballots were cast, we had nothing to print.

Now it's time to celebrate the best, not simply in terms of scale or revenue but how a business achieves its mission and satisfies the public. The envelope please?

BEST ACCOUNTING FIRM

While they range in size--Swalling & Associates has two offices while BDO has more than seventy US locations--all three of these firms are committed to partnering with the businesses they serve. Altman, Rogers & Co. is Alaska's largest independent CPA firm and offers more than 100 years of professional experience to its clients. BDO's Anchorage location serves clients throughout the state and provides them access to a "depth and breadth of resources that can only be found at a leading global accounting firm." And Swalling & Associates has found its niche partnering with mid-size, "closely-held" Alaskan businesses and their owners.

Altman, Rogers & Co.

altrogco.com

BDO

bdo.com/about/us-locations/anchorage-office

Swalling & Associates

swallingcpas.com

More Favorites: Thomas, Head & Greisen; KPMG

BEST LAW FIRM

We're happy to say, "Hi again!" to last year's cohort of best law firms. While Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt and Landye Bennett Blumstein have switched positions. Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot remains the top pick. Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot bills itself as "the right blend of creativity, skill, and experience," which it has earned over more than fifty years of operations. Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt "offers a new type of client experience based on deep industry focus," which it provides via 170 attorneys. Landye Bennett Blumstein's credentials are straightforward: "We've built our practice around great lawyers who are leaders in their areas of expertise."

Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot

birchhorton.com

Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt

schwabe.com

Landye Bennett Blumstein

lbblawyers.com

More Favorites: JDO Law

BEST ADVERTISING/CREATIVE AGENCY

It's always a good sign when advertising and creative agencies demonstrate the ability to promote themselves, so congratulations to the winners of this category for clearing that hurdle with ease. Fully integrated advertising agency Spawn Ideas, which assures businesses that it can help them "stand toe-to-to with their biggest contenders" snagged the Denali spot. Yuit Comms promises to "tell your story like never before," and explains the "Yuit difference" is that it works better when working together. ARM Creative, which has appeared in this category many times, says it's "all about reach," which includes reaching in, reaching deep, and reaching out.

Spawn Ideas

spawnideas.com

Yuit Comms

goyuit.com

ARM Creative

arm-creative.com

More Favorites: Brilliant Media Strategies; MSI Communications

BEST GENERAL CONTRACTOR

We're pretty confident that almost every Alaskan has visited a building constructed by the winners of this category. This year's best general contractors have more than 105 years of combined history working on hundreds of critical facilities in the state, including public and private buildings providing retail opportunities, financial services, education, healthcare, hospitality, office space, government services, and more. Not only that, they're doing it safely: Cornerstone has received eight consecutive Alaska Safety Excellence Awards, Davis was recognized nationally by the Associated General Contractors of America in the Safety Excellence Building Division, and Watterson has not had any OSHA lost-time incidents in more than nine years.

Watterson Construction

wattersonconstruction.com

Davis Constructors & Engineers

davisconstructors.com/safety

Cornerstone General Contractors

cornerstoneak.com/firm

More Favorites: ASRC Construction; Tutka

BEST CARGO/LOGISTICS PROVIDER

Moving stuff in, out, and around Alaska can be complicated, time consuming, and require a truck, train, boat, or plane--and maybe all of the above. The good news is there are companies that like providing transportation and logistics services and have been perfecting their craft for decades. Top contender Lynden's multi-modal capabilities allow its clients to "balance speed and budget by shipping via air, land, or sea." Carlile moves all sizes of cargo on its fleet of trucks, "everything from less than truckload to full truckload freight." And Northern Air Cargo's team of shipping experts can handle everything from hazardous materials to extra-large shipments.

Lynden

lynden.com

Cartile

carlile.biz

Northern Air Cargo

nac.aero

More Favorites: Span Alaska; Alaska Air Cargo

BEST SWAG SUPPLIER

At Alaska Business we attend a lot of events, conventions, and conferences, and you can see the evidence around our office: pens, eyeglass cleaners, magnets, notebooks, and bags, all of which we use. So how's your swag game? Have you contacted the right people--conveniently listed here--to make sure your logo is living in offices across the state? For Stellar Designs, "promoting your business is our business," and it's been doing so since 1981. Alaska Serigraphics has completed more than 200,000 projects as they help companies achieve their goals through branded merchandise. And BOAB newcomer Skiff Chick Custom Designs offers custom apparel, signs, decals, magnets, and stickers out of Homer.

Stellar Designs

stellar-designs.com

Alaska Serigraphics

akserigraphics.com

Skiff Chick Custom Designs

facebook.com/skiffchickcustomdesigns

More Favorites: Bore Tide One Source; Sunshine Custom Promotions

BEST PRINTING SERVICES PROVIDER

According to Pip. "If you can visualize it, we can print it." The printer offers quick turnarounds, professional service, and the expertise necessary to execute complex projects...