Top 49ers.

• Author: Anderson, Tasha
• Position: SPECIAL SECTION: 2015 Top 49ers - Top industry revenue in Alaska - Report

On September 1, Google's logo went through another revolution. If a company like Google, whose name has become so engrained in our every day functions that it's been a verb for years, feels the need to re view, rethink, and revise its logo, it only underscores the importance of marketing and branding in today's business world.

Alaska Business Monthly is honored again this year to use our platform as a media entity writing about business for business to celebrate the Top 49ers--Alaska's owned, operated, and branded companies. For the companies ranked here, home is where the headquarters are, and marketing in the state is a way of telling family, friends, neighbors, and communities that the Top 49ers are here to provide what Alaska needs. These companies have raced to the Top (49ers), and they intend to stay.

This year's economic drivers reported for 2014 gross revenues a collective $15.04 billion, employing 73,509 people worldwide, of which 26,750 are fellow Alaskans. While gross revenues are approximately $200 million less than the $15.25 billion reported for last year, worldwide employment remains about the same from last year's 73,556 and Alaska employment increased by 1.03 percent from 25,951, meaning the Top 49ers provided approximately 800 more jobs in the state.

Arctic economic engine Arctic Slope Regional Corporation is again driving the list at Number 1, reporting $2.66 billion for 2014, accounting for 17 percent of the Top 49ers 2014 gross revenues. This is an approximate 1.1 percent increase over 2014, when the company reported $2.52 billion. Arctic Slope Regional Corporation employs 11,115 around the world and has created job opportunities for 4,988 Alaskans.

Alaska Native Corporations

Again this year, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation is only the first of many Alaska Native owned and operated companies that top the Top 49ers. Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, Bristol Bay Native Corporation, NANA Regional Corporation, Inc., and Chenega Corporation are four of the top five companies. These illustrious organizations are joined by sixteen other regional and village corporations in 2015. As a sector, Alaska Native Businesses reported $11.08 billion in gross revenue for 2014, up 1 percent from 2013 gross revenue figures of $10.97 billion. They employ a total of 18,542 in Alaska and 62,596 worldwide.

This year we welcome back The Kuskokwim Corporation, last seen in the 2010 Top 49ers with reported gross revenue of $89 million. The Kuskokwim Corporation manages more than 950,000 acres of land that comprises ten villages: Lower Kalskag, Upper...