Making a difference.

• Author: Harrington, Susan
• Position: Editorial

Though it's hard to know if winter is really over this time of year, at least it's light out, and that tells me spring is here, and with it is our annual Corporate 100 special section (page 110) where we name one hundred companies doing business in Alaska to honor their contributions to Alaska. This year's Top Citizens of Industry all share in, well, sharing. A sense of community, actions of volunteerism, and a myriad of contributions are found throughout the ranks of the Corporate 100, across the great state of Alaska, and in some cases, beyond the borders of the United States.

Millions of dollars in both cash and in-kind donations are made to a multitude of nonprofit and educational organizations and other community and service associations by the Corporate 100. We see this in ways such as ASRC's Ty Hardt climbing Mount Everest to raise funds for Boys and Girls Clubs-Alaska to corporate and personal participation in fundraising events such as the Empty Bowl project to raise money for Bean's Cafe and the Children's Lunchbox.

Many employees of the Corporate 100 companies volunteer their time (both on-the-clock and off) to help Alaska communities grow and thrive in every region. Collectively, we're talking about tens of...