Alaska Business Hall of Fame Laureate Max Hodel.

• Position: JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT SPECIAL SECTION - Interview

2017 Alaska Business Hall of fame Laureate Max Hodel respond to Alaska Business Monthly's question via email. Here is the Q&A.

ABM: How did you get your start?

Max: I spent a couple of semesters at the University of New Mexico. After that, I had odd jobs in the oil and gas industry until, out of curiosity, I decided to come to Alaska. In March of 1950 in company with two friends we departed Texas bound for Alaska via the Alaska Highway, arriving in Anchorage after a sixteen-day trek.

I had no specific objective, but fate took a hand, and in August, 1960,1 became the Studebaker dealer and part owner of Inlet Motors, at age twenty-five. The following nine years, and until Studebaker went out of business, I was engaged in running that business. After that, and to have some time to reconnoiter, I spent a couple of semesters at the University of California, Santa Barbara. In the interim, Alaska Sales and Service approached me, leading to my becoming a part owner and principal operator of that business for the ensuing thirty years.

Throughout that forty-year time period I was engaged in various organizations, civic and business. It was easy to become involved by just being willing to say "yes." That is one of the great aspects in being a part of a growing, vibrant community.

In 1990 I responded to Governor Wally Hickel's invitation to be a part of his Cabinet, first as Chief of Staff for a couple of years and then as a Special Envoy to Japan and other Far East nations, in the interest of promoting trade, specifically marketing our natural gas, an endeavor that still eludes us.

I have been married to my wife, Joanne [Seeley] Hodel for fifty-six years. We have six children, two boys and four girls, and twelve grandchildren.

ABM: Where did you grow up?

Max: I was born and raised through my high school years in the state of Texas. In 19431 entered the US Army Air Corps where I served in the...