Rene Haag, Blaines Art: SBA Alaska Small Business Person of the Year.

• Author: McKee, K.T.
• Position: Special section: SMALL BUSINESS - Cover story

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

At first glance, Blaines Art store owner Rene Haag seems like your typical successful entrepreneur--hard working, dedicated, creative, and forever on top of sales, supplies and employees. It doesn't take long, however, to realize Haag, of Anchorage, is anything but your standard-issue business profile.

From having the wherewithal to save the state's only professional-grade art shop from closing and then persevering through spirit-busting obstacles to erect a new Blaines building in Spenard, to continually giving back to the art community, as well as local charities and worthy causes as far as Katmandu, it's easy to see why Haag was the Small Business Administration's clear choice as Alaska's Small Business Person of the Year for 2012.

"She just stood out among this year's nominees in all categories," SBA's Senior Northern Area Manager Scott Swingle said from Fairbanks in March. "What she's done is pretty huge. She never gave up when the going got rough with the new property, and she even took on additional employees while cutting her own pay. By saving Blaines and expanding it, she's improving so many other businesses, as well as the lives of those in the art community and beyond. It's a win-win for everyone."

HER MIDDLE NAME IS 'SERVICE'

To those who know and love the photographer-turned-businesswoman, the prestigious award is a no-brainer and long overdue. No matter who you talk to about the Montana-raised farm girl, it's difficult for them to maintain their composure in the process.

"Rene has such a big heart. She supports everybody," fellow photographer and long-time friend Jay Jackson said recently as she fought back tears. "I think her middle name is 'Service.' She does so much for the art community and local charities, and she didn't think twice about becoming involved in the nonprofit organization I founded called 'Helping Hand for Nepal,' which provides low-cost eye surgeries and other medical procedures for people who otherwise would remain blind or die from other medical issues. She's just amazing."

Not only did Haag rally 31 Alaska artists to each contribute a piece of art through her "A Painting a Day" program for Nepal at her new Spenard store in April, but she hopes to raise at least $5,000 through the local Rotary Club and one in Kathmandu, Nepal, to begin providing micro loans to Nepalese women who wish to start their own cottage industries there.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes...