North to the future: forty-nine companies lead the way.

• Author: Cutler, Debbie
• Position: 2008 Alaska's Top 49ers: North to the Future

Nationwide, the economy is in a recession, sparked by a doom-and-gloom housing market and oil reaching well over $100 a barrel. Morale is down due to conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and recent natural disasters. And layoffs have been frontline news in many industrial segments.

But in Alaska, our economy is strong and stable, our housing market about average and we are seeing growth, not declines, in many industries.

Take a look at our Top 49ers companies, the Top 49 Alaskan-owned and -operated companies in the state based on 2007 gross revenues, and you can see how stable we really are. Of the 49 companies, only 11 saw a decrease in gross revenue from 2006 to 2007, the majority of those less than 10 percent.

The remaining 38 saw growth, with one, The Eyak Corp., the Native village corporation for Cordova and one of five village corporations located within the Chugach region, saw a whopping 141.32 percent growth in gross revenues from 2006 to 2007. Eyak is involved in investment management, real estate, construction, government contracting and staffing.

Another with great growth was the Tatitlek Corp., with a 76.53 percent increase in gross revenues. Ken Brady Construction, which came in 49th on the list and made a Top 49 ranking for the second time, showed a 72 percent change, and Frontier Alaska showed a 71.43 percent increase.

"These companies showing growth ranged from 1.92 percent to 141.32 percent," said Jim Martin, general manager and vice president of ABM. "Those showing losses ranged from minus-1.24 percent to minus-12.16 percent. Several of those were car dealerships, Native corporations or construction companies."

Two companies on the listing topped the $1 billion mark, a feat never before accomplished. Arctic Slope Regional Corp. has had gross revenues of more than $1 billion since 2003, and has topped the list for 14 consecutive years.

Bristol Bay Native Corp, with revenues of just more than $1 billion, increased revenues from 2006 by 31.87 percent, from $762.41 million.

Still, all that made the list should be applauded.

"We are always especially anxious to find a reason to sing the praises of the achievements of these super-achiever companies among us in this Great Land we know as Alaska," said Vern McCorkle, publisher of ABM. "Not because '49' is such a big number among the thousands of other successful Alaska businesses, but more particularly because of their enormous economic stimulus that benefits all of us. Their total...