Touch Alaska - a Barrow partneship.

• Author: Patkotak, Elise

This small multimedia firm of the Far North fills a business niche as it helps bolster local tourism and artisans.

Touch Alaska grew out of Susan McCumber's experience with the fledging tourism industry in her hometown of Barrow. She saw a business opportunity that would couple her desire to start her own business with a chance to have that business give something back to the community.

Aside from the tourist products she wanted to create, McCumber wanted to work with local artists to help them find a wider market for their pieces at a fairer price. She was all too aware of buyers who come to Barrow and purchase items at rock-bottom prices for resale Outside at a tremendous profit. She was firmly committed to helping local artists obtain better prices for their work at no cost to them.

She approached Natalie Ringland to become a partner in the business based on Natalie's reputation for creative, high-quality video productions, and because Ringland already had a fairly full complement of computer and video equipment capable of the projects McCumber envisioned.

McCumber and Ringland formally launched their company as a limited partnership in December 1994. Touch Alaska defines itself as a locally based multimedia production company.

Through their business, McCumber and Ringland intend to bolster the tourism industry in Barrow. But apart from Barrow as their hometown, Natalie and Susan don't appear to be likely business partners.

McCumber came to Alaska in 1977 at age 17, when she was not yet out of high school. Her parents OK'd her permanent move only if she would get her GED. She did, and Alaska has been her home ever since. She moved to Barrow with her husband in 1987. With her single-minded approach to projects and her determination to succeed, McCumber is clearly the business end of Touch Alaska.

Ringland came to Alaska in 1988 after a traveling childhood. Her parents are the only full-time gun show shooting exhibitionists in the world. She came to Alaska because it was one of only four states she'd never visited. She moved to Barrow with her husband in 1991. With a degree in communications, extensive professional credits in video production and a slightly dizzy blond look, Ringland is the artistic end of the partnership.

Initially, McCumber wanted to produce a walking tour map and brochure of the community that would have a two-fold purpose - to provide visitors with a colorful souvenir of their trip, and as a useful mail-out to...