Annual SBA award.

• Position: Alaska district office of U.S. Small Business Administration - Alaska Business Briefs: Small Business

Annual SBA Award

The Alaska District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration named Jerry Scudero, president of Taquan Air Service Inc. of Ketchikan, Small Business Person of the Year for Alaska. Scudero started Taquan Air Service 13 years ago in Metlakatla with one plane and three pilots. Today he operates out of Ketchikan with eight aircraft and 11 pilots. Scudero has flown 750,000 passengers in the intervening time without an accident.

Frank Cox, SBA's Alaska director, says Taquan air's founder was selected on the basis of his company's growth and development. Cox also lauds the business' outstanding accident-free safety record and notes that the hazardous flying conditions in Southeast Alaska make the accomplishment even more remarkable. Taquan Air runs an all-floatplane fleet -- five deHavilland Beavers and three Cessna 185s. The air-taxi operation services communities near Ketchikan year-round.

Scudero attributes much of his success to long-time employees whose experience makes his operation run smoothly. Three of his pilots have been with him 10 years or longer, and his dispatcher has been with Taquan for a decade. "When she's on the job I know she'll keep everything running smoothly," he adds.

His wife Candy, is an integral part of the operation. Scudero says, "She makes sure that everything works, and that all the loose ends are taken care of." Now vice president of...