Kenneth C. Eichner.

• Author: Jones, Nikki Murray
• Position: Profile

Nothing about him calls attention to his success. He is quiet-spoken, most comfortable in the informal attire of a worker and modest in explaining his achievements. Kenneth C. Eichner, 71, made his mark in Alaska's business community primarily as president and part owner of Temsco Helicopters Inc. Until the recent sale of the business, he and son Dan owned 75 percent of the firm; other owners were Florence Brindle and Virginia Hawkins.

Eichner accomplished much in his half-century of doing business in Ketchikan. Beyond building an integrated aviation firm that meets the needs of passenger, tourism and freight transportation in several Southeast communities, he has amassed substantial real estate holdings in Ketchikan and mining shares in the region.

But the Ketchikan community knows him best for his selfless contributions to search-and-rescue activities. Eichner also is remembered as a fair employer who built his businesses through hard work. Says Lew Williams II, publisher of Pioneer Printing Co., which publishes the Ketchikan Daily News, He's kept his nose to the grindstone, lived clean and worked hard.'

Temsco today operates 35 helicopters and 21 fixed-wing floatplanes. During the peak of the recent tourism season, it employed 38 helicopter pilots and 32 floatplane pilots, in addition to office workers and ticket agents. Eichner counts himself among the 32 pilots that have flown year-round for the business.

Temsco's operations break down to roughly 20 percent tourism, 20 percent hire for local projects and 60 percent contract work, including fighting forest fires. The division Temsco Airlines hauls freight and mail to southern Southeast Alaska and flies scheduled flights and charters.

In the busy summer season, Temsco operates 10 helicopters from its juneau base, 6 for sightseeing and 4 for charters; 4 from Skagway, primarily for sightseeing; and 1 or 2 from Petersburg, for charters. Eichner says from 2-10 helicopters work from Ketchikan, depending on demand.

When he came to Ketchikan in 1938 with friend Bruce Parton, at 18 years of age, Eichner didn't have a pilot's license. He had left the University of Oregon at Eugene following an injury that sidelined him from basketball, coming north to help his grandfather and uncles with their Etolin Island fishtrap.

After helping with the fishtrap, he and Parton traveled to Ketchikan, where Eichner landed a job driving a cab for the White Cab and Bus Co. owned by Claude Pollock. After two months...