Solid Foundations: Construction is a reliable business for Alaska Native corporations.

• Author: White, Rindi

Alaska Native corporations are tied to the land in a very tangible sense. All twelve of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) regional corporations own companies that move the earth, lay foundations, erect structures, or provide construction materials. Construction is just one flake in a blizzard of business activities, but it is an important one. There are millions of dollars to be made in private sector building projects, plus billions more in public works.

Steady at the Helm

With the passage of ANCSA, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC) was initially conveyed approximately 3 million acres. It then signed oil and gas exploration leases with several companies on its land, a move that helped the corporation underwrite some of its first businesses, such as fuel distribution company Eskimos, Inc. and tourism company Tundra Tours.

Today, ASRC operates six business segments: government services, energy support services, industrial services, petroleum refining and marketing, construction, and resource development.

ASRC Construction is a holding company that operates six companies, most of which contract directly with the state, federal government, and private clients. The group includes: ASRC Civil Construction, ASRC Earthworks, ASRC SKW Eskimos, ASRC Builders, ASRC Prime Constructors, and Builders Choice Lumber.

ASRC Construction Director of Operations Paul Kari says the six companies offer a variety of talents, allowing ASRC to pursue a wide range of opportunities.

"There aren't many projects that come out to bid that we don't take a look at, that we don't have some ability to navigate," Kari says. "In the last twenty-two years we played a part in the F-22 buildout [at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson], pursued the F-35 [at Eielson Air Force Base] and the LRDR [Long Range Discrimination Radar]: we pursued for both vertical and civil, both in the 8(a) and competitive market. We've been involved in the ebb and flow of state projects."

Kari says ASRC leadership strives to gauge where the market is going and tailor its approach to responding to that need. In the last twenty years the corporation has gone from being a contractor that is "really comfortable" doing projects that total between $1 million and $15 million to an entity that is capable of executing projects exceeding $100 million.

"We're less afraid of the bigger opportunities out there," he says. "As you gain experience over time, you get more comfortable."

It can be difficult to grow a company and keep it right-sized for current needs. Kari attributes...