Amie Sommer, owner Tutka LLC.

• Author: Gallion, Mari
• Position: View from the Top

Tutka LLC was founded in i999 as Professional Services & Safety Instruments LLC (dba PSI Environmental & Instrumentation LLC) by two sisters, Amie Sommer and Crystal Nygard, to provide onsite gas detection installation, repair and sales to the drilling companies on the North Slope. Tutka's revenue grew from $20,000 in their first year of business to more than $2 million in 2003. In 2011, Nygard departed the company to start other business ventures, and Amie and her husband John Sommer are now the co-owners of Tutka LLC.

FROM CONCEPT TO COMPLETION: I started work in | the environmental field as a hazardous waste technician and continued my career while in college as a project manager/ environmental scientist. When I was completing my bachelor's degree in environmental science at Alaska Pacific University, part of my senior project was to develop a business plan. That plan became Tutka LLC.

AN EMERGING PARTNER: My husband John and I were expecting our son in 2008. We had some life choices to make personally and financially. He worked for Wilder Construction for 12 years and was their Mat-Su branch manager and is a civil engineer. It was a great time for him to transition to Tutka LLC directly so he started our Construction Division. Once again, this decision allowed our family the flexibility we needed to live the lifestyle we wanted for our children. In 2011, upon Nygard's departure, John assumed ownership in Tutka LLC. We are now life partners and business partners.

LEARNING CURVE: In the beginning, it was hard to admit that I needed help--I had to learn to hire good people, and ultimately develop enough trust to delegate, delegate and delegate ... I had to learn to trust my instincts. When it comes to hiring employees, I hire based on character. If someone has the skill set for the position and great character, they will succeed. Generally you can...