Juneau Economic Development Council NEWS | November 2025 | | Have a Happy Thanksgiving! | | | | |
Support Our Neighbors in Need
In the wake of the SNAP benefits situation, we encourage you to donate money, food, and volunteer time to your local food pantry (churches, Glory Hall, etc.) or the Southeast Alaska Food Bank.
The Southeast Alaska Food Bank (SEAFB) was established in the early 1990’s by a group determined that Juneau should have a place where food could be available to persons less fortunate than most. The operation is currently run by three employees and many more volunteers.
| | | Economic Indicators: State Jobs in Juneau | | |
2024 marked the first year since 2012 that State jobs did not decline in Juneau.
Alaska's Capital City observed an increase of 36 employees (annual average) in 2024. While relatively small, this represents a reversal in the trend of consistent decline that began in 2013. From 2013 to 2023, Juneau's state government employment declined by a cumulative total of 1,034. State government jobs in Juneau appear to have ticked up in 2024 mainly because a few key departments modestly expanded staffing after years of cuts, supported by recent state budget choices and post‑pandemic operational needs.
The increase in 2024 likely reflects a mix of modest fiscal room in the budget plus political and policy priorities that favored strengthening a few core departments headquartered in Juneau. According to the Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development, these included "public defenders, court-appointed guardians, food stamp and Medicaid offices, ferry services, and even the state’s own payroll and hiring functions, which have been hobbled by staffing shortages."
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We proudly present the 2025 edition of the Juneau & Southeast Alaska Economic Indicators and Outlook report to our community. The report is an annual publication exploring trends in employment and earnings, demographics, education, construction, business and industry, and much more.
Through this and all of our other research, we hope to increase awareness and engage citizens in local and regional economic issues.
As part of the rollout of this year’s report, JEDC is pleased to give presentations to business and community groups on the state of Juneau's economy. If you would like to schedule a presentation, send Brian an email at bholst@jedc.org or Amy at arautiainen@jedc.org.
| | | | Accepting Nominations for the AK Innovators Hall of Fame | | |
JEDC is pleased to join the Alaska State Committee for Research (SCoR) in encouraging nominations for the Alaska Innovators Hall of Fame. SCoR created the Alaska Innovators Hall of Fame in 2014 to celebrate and honor outstanding individuals and inventions that put Alaska on the map as leaders in innovation and to contribute to Alaska’s growing culture of ingenuity.
SCoR invites nominations of outstanding innovators or innovations from Alaskan communities and villages who have made achievements which have impacted quality of life, economic development, the environment, and/or the welfare of the people of Alaska and the globe. SCoR and the University of Alaska are committed to establishing equal educational opportunity and encourage nominations of minority and underrepresented individuals. Nominees who are selected by SCoR will be members of the class of 2026 and will be inducted at the Innovation Summit held in Juneau in February 25-26, 2026.
The deadline for nominations is December 31, 2025.
| | At the 2025 Innovation Summit, UA Vice President of Academics, Students and Research Brian Smentkowski presents an induction certificate to Tiffany Tutiakoff from the Alaska Native Heritage Center accepting on behalf of Alaska Native Gut Clothing, which is crafted from animal intestines by cultures like the Yupik and Iñupiaq, as a traditional innovation that has impacted quality of life, economic development, the environment, and the welfare of the people of Alaska and the globe. | | Thank You, Garrett and Alexander! | |
| A special thank you to the following Board Members who have completed two full terms and are ending their service at JEDC. | | |
Garrett Schoenberger
Director, November 2019 – November 2025
Chair, December 2020 – November 2025
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Alexander Kotlarov
Director, November 2019 – November 2025
| | Investor Spotlight: Avista | |
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JEDC Investor Program
The JEDC Investor Program offers comprehensive and consistent marketing. By joining the JEDC Investor Program, your organization will be recognized on all JEDC presentations, collateral materials, websites, and newsletters.
Investment levels range from $700 to $10,000+ with increasing benefits.
Best of all, your investment supports economic development programming in Juneau and beyond!
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Avista is an energy company involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy as well as other energy-related businesses. Avista Utilities is the operating division, providing electricity to nearly 418,000 customers and natural gas to about 382,000 customers across 30,000 square miles and four northwestern states. Alaska Energy and Resources Company, an Avista subsidiary, provides retail electric service in the City & Borough of Juneau through its subsidiary Alaska Electric Light and Power Company (AEL&P). Avista’s history of innovations is rooted in the renewable energy they’ve generated since our founding in 1889.
Avista was recognized for the fifth time by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2024 World’s Most Ethical Companies.
| | | | Alaska Angel Conference 2025 | | |
JEDC serves on the organizing team for the Alaska Angel Conference (AAC), which aims to increase the number of angel investors in Alaska's statewide startup ecosystem by pairing experienced angel investors with novice investors and leading them through the process of identifying, filtering, selecting, and managing a group angel investment. The AAC also helps nurture the companies and mentor the entrepreneurs who apply for funding. The end goal is to award an investment to one of the startups that apply. To date, the AAC has invested $565,000 into five Alaskan startups since 2019, made possible by the Innovating Alaska Act (informally named the Alaska Crowdfunding Act).
We are joined in this work by the Alaska Investor Network (AIN), Alaska Version 3 (AKV3), the Center for Economic Development (CED) at the University of Alaska Anchorage, and 49th State Angel Fund with the Municipality of Anchorage. AAC Investors recently selected their top companies for due diligence. Join us for the the final pitch event on December 11 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at The Nave in Anchorage, where one of these founders will walk away with a $100,000 investment!
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SBA Supports Angel Investing in Alaska
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Investment and Innovation (OII) selected JEDC as a 2025 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) winner!
GAFC award funds will be used to provide necessary resources and personnel to strengthen the AAC, helping to deepen the knowledge and skills of angel investors throughout the state to reach and support more Alaskan startups.
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Our friends at the Juneau Arts & Humanities Council (JAHC) and the Downtown Business Association (DBA) invite you to participate in Gallery Walk 2025.
Don't miss Downtown Juneau on Friday, December 5, 2025 from 4-8pm for Juneau's annual holiday celebration of the arts! From Glacier Avenue to South Franklin Street you'll discover over 50 participating locations featuring artist exhibits, holiday activities, store specials, live music, dance performances, carolers, and more!
The JAHC and the DBA are looking for volunteers! If you, your group, or your organization enjoy merry making, festive fun, and community collection, you can be part of this year's Gallery Walk! Click the link below to find out how to volunteer for this annual holiday tradition.
| | Investor Spotlight: Bartlett Regional Hospital | |
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JEDC Investor Program
The JEDC Investor Program offers comprehensive and consistent marketing. By joining the JEDC Investor Program, your organization will be recognized on all JEDC presentations, collateral materials, websites, and newsletters.
Investment levels range from $700 to $10,000+ with increasing benefits.
Best of all, your investment supports economic development programming in Juneau and beyond!
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Our mission is to provide quality, patient-centered care in a sustainable manner. This most recent fiscal year (FY25) we achieved an operating margin of 4.12%, well above our goal of 3%. The goal was set based on industry standards and is seen as the rate that enables hospitals to be successful in replacing capital and retaining staff. We also accomplished a $14.7 million positive swing in the hospital’s financial health, putting the organization in a much better position to address federal funding headwinds on the horizon.
Our vision is to be the best community hospital in Alaska. In August, we earned a five-star quality rating from The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services – a remarkable accomplishment that reflects excellence across all areas of service. The five-star rating was earned by 291 hospitals across the nation, and Bartlett is the sole five-star recipient in Alaska this year.
— Joe Wanner, Bartlett CEO in the 2025 Report to Southeast Communities
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The Program Assistant provides critical organizational and operational support to ensure effective day-to-day functioning of JEDC. This role will balance the needs of programs, operations, and special projects with administrative support. | | | | |
The Local Frequency is an app-based loyalty and rewards program exclusively for local business.
Earn cash-back when you shop local.
Good for you and local business.
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Merchant Highlight:
Juneau's Imagination Station!
Roger and Alicia Smith started Juneau’s Imagination Station in 2003. Inspired by their two young boys, the Smiths opened an 800sq/ft store in downtown Juneau and filled it with quality playthings, unusual novelty items, and Alaskan toys. Juneau’s Imagination Station has since moved to its current location at 174 S. Franklin St, and offers games, dolls, arts & crafts, science, active toys, pretend play toys, toddler and infant toys, building toys, and Alaskan toys and books. Blessed with wonderful employees and fantastic customers, Juneau’s Imagination Station is looking forward to bringing imaginative play to children for years to come.
Scan your Local Frequency app during checkout at Juneau's Imagination Station
to claim exclusive offers like:
- Pay with Credit, Debit, or Cash get 1% back!
- Pay with Local Dollars (in app cash) get 5% back!
- Spend up to $100 Local Dollars cumulatively and get $10 back on your next purchase!
| | | | | Donate When You Shop Locally | | |
JEDC encourages shopping locally and supporting local non-profits and charities. When you shop, you can directly support STEM education in Juneau by contributing to the Alaska Development Corporation (ADC), a 501©3 charity affiliated with JEDC.
Did you know that the Local Change feature in the Local Frequency app allows you to round up your purchases to donate to local organizations like ADC?
Did you also know that Fred Meyer will donate to Alaskan organizations like ADC when you shop with them?
Choose the "Alaska Development Corporation" via the Fred Meyer and Local Frequency apps to support impactful STEM programming in Juneau!
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Fred Meyer offers a Community Rewards program. When you shop with your Fred Meyer's reward card they will donate to a non-profit or charity of your choice.
How to opt in:
- Visit www.fredmeyer.com.
- Sign in or create an account.
- Click on "My Account".
- Click on "My Community Rewards".
- Search for "Alaska Development Corporation" or your favorite Alaska non-profit!
- Click "Enroll".
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Local Change is a feature in the Local Frequency app that allows users to round up their purchases and donate to a non-profit of their choice.
How to opt in:
- Download the Local Frequency app (available in the Apple Apor Google Play stores).
- Go to "More"
- Click on "Setup Local Change"
- Choose "Alaska Development Program" or a local non-profit of your choice.
- Choose a round up amount.
- Start Local Change
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JEDC creates more childcare capacity in Juneau by assisting new or existing
childcare providers access, improve, or expand the physical infrastructure needed to deliver quality childcare to more families.
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| | Southeast Alaska Revolving Loan Fund | If you have a project that will create or retain jobs in Southeast Alaska, JEDC could be the lender you have been looking for! | | | | |
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chancellor Aparna Palmer, Vice-Chair
Aaron Morrison, Treasurer
Melissa Kookesh, Secretary
Melissa Beedle
Trenton English
Keith Greene
Marc Guevarra
Brian Kleinhenz
Jill Weitz
Todd Schur
Mayor Beth Weldon
Maureen Hall, Assembly Liaison
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JEDC's FIVE AREAS OF FOCUS
- Help Make Juneau a Great (Capital) City
- Strengthen Key Regional Industries
- Develop Talent
- Promote Entrepreneurship & Small Business Development
- Deliver Economic Services
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We invite you to invest in Juneau by becoming a JEDC Investor. Show your support of the work done to advance Juneau and Southeast Alaska's economy.
Supporting JEDC impacts the long-term economic success of Alaska's Capital City while creating a business climate that bolsters your business or organization.
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We welcome your feedback!
If you find JEDC News to be of interest and value, please forward the newsletter to your friends and colleagues.
Brian Holst
Executive Director
Juneau Economic Development Council
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