BEST OF ALASKA BUSINESS 2023.

Welcome to the 2023 Best of Alaska Business special section! Through the 2023 Best of Alaska Business awards, we are again highlighting Alaska's outstanding companies. But unlike our other special sections, we didn't choose who to feature here--our readers did. Throughout the month of March, we invited all Alaskans to choose their favorite businesses in forty-three categories ranging from Best Pizzeria to Best Bookstore to Best General Contractor.

The Best of Alaska Business awards survey is a write-in survey, which means voters know the companies they love enough to manually enter their names, not just select randomly from a pulldown. In a handful of the categories, we ask our readers to provide additional context for their nominations, such as Best Corporate Citizen: it's one thing to say a company invests in the community, it's even better to hear from our readers how the company is doing it.

The Best Corporate Citizen is an interesting category, as 1) it's the only one in which the winners aren't ranked and 2) the results are calculated through a combination of reader votes, reader comments, and the editorial team's knowledge of how the nominated companies get involved in the community. Again this year, while we have selected three winners, we have also chosen to list every nominated organization. All their efforts are significant, and all are appreciated.

We have several new categories in 2023, and we chose one of them to feature in an article; learn more about how coworking spaces are a viable office option in "Putting the 'Co' in Company." Also in this section, we're highlighting Alaska's robust coffee industry, though we narrowed our scope to focus on a specific type of venue in "Barista in a Box," which explores Alaska's iconic coffee kiosks (or huts, stands, shacks, whatever you call them). Rounding out this excellent special section is a piece by Alaska Chamber President and CEO Kati Capozzi, who talks about the benefits every company can reap through getting involved in the business community.

Community is what the Best of Alaska Business awards are about: our Alaska Business community working with us to take the opportunity to recognize greatness.

ACCOUNTING FIRM

Altman, Rogers & Co.

altrogco.com

BDO

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

Swalling & Associates swallingcpas.com

The numbers add up the same way as last year. Altman, Rogers & Co. is Alaska's largest independent CPA firm and offers more than 100 years of professional experience to its clients. BDO is part of a nationwide chain with more than seventy US locations; the Anchorage location serves clients throughout the state. And Swalling & Associates, with two offices, has found its niche partnering with midsize, "closely-held" Alaskan businesses and their owners.

LAW FIRM

Landye Bennett Blumstein lbblawyers.com

Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot birchhorton.com

Schwabe schwabe.com/location/anchorage According to law leader Landye Bennett Blumstein, "By choosing Landye Bennett Blumstein, our clients access an experienced team of attorneys who work collaboratively to find effective solutions to legal challenges... we consistently rise above client expectations to deliver results." Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot has offices in Anchorage and Washington, D.C. and says it provides legal representation of the highest quality. Schwabe has nearly 170 attorneys in seven offices in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, making it one of the largest law firms in the region. According to the firm, it's "driven to be different and better, daily."

ADVERTISING/CREATIVE AGENCY

Brilliant Media Strategies brilliantak.com

Optima Public Relations optimapublicrelations.com

ARM Creative arm-crea tive. com

The wordmark for Brilliant Media Strategies contains a "BR!" to signify its previous, and perhaps better-known, name: Bradley Reid Communications. Alaska's senior full-service communications agency (established in 1968) returns to the rankings thanks to its creative, energetic, and intelligent staff. Optima has been providing media and public relations strategies since 2011, formed by commercial realtor Frank Dahl and two Tom Andersons: a former state legislator and his father, a retired Alaska State Trooper colonel. ARM Creative, founded by Zach Aregood and Deanna Miller, is the only firm to maintain a three-year streak in the rankings.

SWAG SUPPLIER

Stellar Designs stellar-designs.com

Alaska Serigraphics akserigraphics.com

Sunshine Custom Promotions sunpromo.com

According to Stellar Designs President Tim Ellis, "We are always looking foryour reorder. That means it is working for both of us." This approach to customer satisfaction is integral to how the company operates. "We try to provide the best possible experience for our clients, from concept to delivery," he says, emphasizing the company is reliable, creative, on-time, and has a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee. Alaska Serigraphics says it is "all about helping you promote your image in the best way possible," which it does by offering the gamut of swag options. Sunshine Custom Promotions also offers a huge range of products, from customized clothing to unique awards.

PRINTING SERVICES PROVIDER

PIP Marketing Signs Print pip.com

Color Art Printing colorartprinting.com

Great Originals greatoriginals.com

Our readers have again selected PIP, which is fast approaching five decades of operations, as the cream of the crop of local printing services. According to the company, "Our customers know they can rely upon us to complete their print jobs in a professional and timely manner, while providing expert advice and guidance along the way." Color Art Printing has been providing printing services to Alaskans since 1958, launching the business out of a basement shop and growing ever since. The relative youngster of the group, Great Originals, has been serving Alaskans for thirty-five years, and has "developed into the most diverse printer in the state."

STAFFING AGENCY

Opti Staffing Group optistaffing.com

PeopleAK

peopleak.com

TDL Staffing tdlstaffing.com

For Opti Staffing group its business is all about people, results, and relationships. The company provides direct hire and contract-to-hire services in the professional and skilled trade markets. In addition to helping companies with recruiting anc staffing needs, PeopleAK also provides coaching and succession planning services, "empowering you and yourteam with the right people." TDL Staffing specializes in administrative, light industrial, and medical employee services from offices in Anchorage and Fairbanks.

JOB TRAINING PROGRAM/CERTIFICATION

Northern Industrial Training nitalaska.com

AVTEC

avtec.edu

Alaska Safety Alliance alaskasafetyalliance.org

Another new category in 2023, we're excited to highlight the organizations that are building Alaska's skilled workforce. Northern Industrial Training is "proud to be Alaska's number one resource for vocational training," specializing in training for construction equipment, welding, truck driving, and safety. Located in Seward, AVTEC is operated by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development and provides practical training in programs from culinary arts to industrial electricity to business and office technology. The Alaska Safety Alliance focuses on industry-driven workforce development, helping "Alaskans find the training they need to be great employees in Alaska's process industries."

GENERAL...