The 2019 Best of Alaska Business Awards: All your votes, dozens of businesses, and tons of local talent.

• Position: THE BEST OF ALASKA BUSINESS AWARD 2019

Welcome to the fourth annual Best of Alaska Business Awards! As part of our continuing mission to support Alaska's business communities, each year we look to you, our readers, to tell us which businesses excel in a range of diverse categories. For the 2019 Best of Alaska Business Awards we presented twenty-three categories: some of them are fan favorites from previous years and several are brand new.

How do we determine the categories you ask? Good question. Each year the editorial team analyzes survey results from the previous year, looking at which categories connected with our readers and which (if any) were regularly skipped; we combine those results with your feedback and suggestions for new categories, and voila! A Best of Alaska Business Awards series of questions is born. This year we added a number of new categories that saw great response, including Best Grocery Store, Best Gym, and Best Florist, to name a few. And as always we saw amazing engagement for Best to Place to Work, Best Coffee Shop, and Best Brewery.

Beyond great content (thanks again for voting!), an important part of the Best of Alaska Business Awards special section is the artwork. Each year we find an Alaskan artist and give that person free reign to pursue a design that he or she thinks best represents Alaska, the business community, and the categories you're voting on that year. This year we are fortunate to feature the work of Jontue Hollingsworth (check out Off the Cuff to learn all about this talented entrepreneur). Hollingsworth's incredible design skills, combined with the work of local, talented photographers and your participation, made this year's section one for the books.

We're thrilled to be given the opportunity to recognize so many new names in 2019 and to celebrate those businesses that have been voted best in their field year after year. One significant and exciting change is to the Corporate Citizen category. Because there are so many exceptional companies and employees donating their time, money, and hearts to important philanthropic causes, we've published all of the companies you voted for in this category with three editor's picks, in no particular order, that work tirelessly to improve Alaska's communities in unique ways.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey and congratulations to the 2019 Best of Alaska Business Award winners.

BEST PLACE TO WORK 250+ EMPLOYEES

BEST PLACE TO WORK 1-250 EMPLOYEES

Altman, Rogers & Co.

altrogco.com

Alaskan-owned and -operated, full service accounting and tax firm Altman, Rogers & Co. invests in talented people, providing "the culture. resources. and support" that employees need to develop as professionals and find success. Altman Rogers also builds Alaska's workforce through internship and job shadowing opportunities at its Anchorage, Soldotna, and Juneau offices.

Covenant House Alaska

covenanthouse.org/homeless-shelters/anchorage-alaska

Covenant House Alaska's mission to provide services to homeless, trafficked, and runaway youth demands employees who will invest in others-so Covenant House Alaska invests in turn in its employees, who are both talented and motivated to make a difference for the 2,331 youth the organization serves annually.

PDC Engineers

pdceng.com

"Career growth is nurtured at PDC: 100 percent employee-owned engineering firm PDC Engineers states. In addition to generous health insurance, leave, and retirement benefits, the company also offers tuition reimbursement, society memberships, and professional development support, as well as one-on-one mentoring at all career levels.

First National Bank Alaska

fnbaiaska.com

First National Bank Alaska has swept this category for the fourth consecutive year. Board Chair and CEO Betsy Lawer says. "It's all about our employees," which the bank demonstrates through competitive salaries, training and development opportunities, generous leave, healthcare plan choices, a 401(k)/profit sharing plan, and opportunities for

career advancement.

GCI

gci.com

"At GCI our employees are our most valuable resource," GCI states, and to keep that resource happy and productive the company provides a competitive 401(k); paid leave and holidays; and medical, dental, vision, and life insurance options. GCI seeks out professionals who exemplify leadership, are connected to the industry and seek to build up Alaska's communities.

Credit Union 1

cul.org

According to financial institution Credit Union 1, "One of the biggest benefits of working at Credit Union 1 is the true opportunity to help others. We encourage our employees to participate in community service programs and volunteer their time to the causes they care about." Other benefits include insurance, tuition assistance, and paid leave and holidays.

BEST HOTEL FOR CORPORATE TRAVEL

The Hotel Captain Cook

captaincook.com

The Hotel Captain Cook offers top-notch service and meticulous attention to detail to guests in every one of its 546 rooms, which includes 96 suites. Located in downtown Anchorage, the hotel is particularly advantageous for corporate travelers, featuring four onsite dining options and several athletic facilities open every day.

Hilton Anchorage

hilton.com

For the convenience of its business travelers, the Hilton Anchorage offers A/V equipment rental, complimentary printing services, express mail, meeting rooms, video conferencing, video messaging, and a business center, as well as a fitness room and pool and onsite bar and cafe--all combined with the hotel's warm, inviting guest rooms.

Anchorage Marriott Downtown

marriott.com

The Anchorage Marriott Downtown is located close to the Anchorage Museum, Egan Center, and Anchorage Cruise Port. Whether visiting the pool and fitness center or taking advantage of the hotel's meeting rooms and business center, the Marriott is a welcoming home-base for any corporate traveler.

BEST AIR CHARTER SERVICE

Ravn Alaska

fiyravn.com

Ravn Alaska provides air transportation to more than 115 towns and communities throughout Alaska, as well as into Canada and the Lower 48. Business travelers, tour companies, oilfield crews, athletic teams, and other parties with specific travel needs have taken advantage of Ravn's well-equipped fleet and expert pilots for decades.

Rust's Flying Service

flyrusts.com

Owned and operated by the Rust family, Rust's Flying Service is the oldest and largest seaplane operation based at Lake Hood. Having purchased sister company K2 Aviation in 1996, the two airlines now have a fleet of twenty-two aircraft between them and are poised and ready to get Alaska's travelers where they need to go.

Security Aviation

securityaviation.biz

Billing itself as "Alaska's premier air charter company," Security Aviation specializes in 24/7, full service, on-demand twin engine and jet charters. The company's entire fleet is IFR-rated and equipped with GPS tracking, and all of the aircraft can be crewed with one or two pilots to fit a client's safety requirements.

BEST EVENT VENUE

Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center

anchorageconventioncenters.com/denaina-center

The Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center has everything any business needs to host an incredible event. With its modern design, stunning views, technology and professional services, and multiple meeting rooms and halls, the Dena'ina has the unique distinction of being both beautiful and functional.

The Hotel

Captain Cook

captaincook.com

With fourteen meeting and conference rooms including a library with a fireplace and a ballroom, The Hotel Captain Cook has the space to make any event a memorable one. The venue can accommodate meetings of "every size, from small board meetings to large-scale international conferences."

49th State...