July 2020 News
SE Alaska Business Survey, 2020 Annual Meeting Update, AK Cares and more
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Southeast Alaska COVID Impacts
and Business Climate Survey
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We released our Southeast Alaska Business Climate and COVID-19 Impacts Survey 2020 in June. Each year Southeast Conference asks regional business owners and top managers to complete a business climate survey allowing policy leaders, program developers, and project proponents to form projections regarding the economic direction of Southeast Alaska. In 2020 businesses were also asked to provide information regarding how COVID-19 has been impacting their business operations, and 460 Southeast business leaders provided their insights.
Community specific reports for Skagway, Wrangell, Haines, Petersburg, and Sitka are now also on our website. We would like to thank our partners on this survey, including Spruce Root, the City and Borough of Wrangell, the Petersburg Borough, the Sitka Economic Development Association, the Haines Chamber of Commerce, the Skagway Development Corporation - and thank you to the Juneau Chamber for helping get word of the survey out.
Unsurprisingly, the report paints a very negative picture of the Southeast's current economy, but is extremely valuable as it provides a roadmap that will allow us to target our resources and assistance to those who need it the most, and build upon our existing resiliency.
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2020 SEC Annual Meeting Update
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There is no other event in Alaska like the Southeast Conference Annual Meeting! However, with the COVID-19 impacts surrounding us, the Southeast Conference Board of Directors wanted to be sensitive to concerns related to travel and gathering for our annual meeting. The SEC Annual Meeting will take place this September - but in a modified format via Zoom.
The tentative plan is to meet, Tuesday-Friday, September 22-25, from 9-12 each day. Stand by for more information. We look forward to meeting in person with the Mid-Session Summit scheduled for February 9-10, 2021 and our annual meeting in Haines next September 2021.
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The Alaska CARES Grant Program launched June 1st to provide emergency relief funds to Alaskan small businesses. These funds are available on a first come first serve basis to businesses with 50 or fewer employees and to businesses that did not receive funding through the CARES Act such as the PPP or EIDL. For more information on eligibility and for the online application please click on the links below:
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SE Conference Board Elections
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Send us your letter of interest. Any Southeast Conference member in good standing may declare their interest in a seat on the Southeast Conference Board of Directors. Please follow these procedures: You must be a member of Southeast Conference. You must submit a letter of intent to the Board of Directors no later than August 15th to run for the available seat. The letter must contain: a statement of the candidate's interest to run, full name, residential address, phone number and signature. Email communication is acceptable.
Send email communications to
[email protected]
All nominees will be reviewed by the SEC Nominating Committee and then approved by the entire SEC Board of Directors before being presented to the membership for consideration.
Four open seats (3 year terms):
- (2) Northern Private
- (2) At large
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Meet SEC's Newest Staff Member!
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Sarah Woodruff
Administrative Assistant
A life-long Southeast Alaskan, Sarah joins our team as the new Administrative Assistant. With over 15 years of experience providing support in tourism and the health care sector and a background in web and graphic design, she is a great addition to our team.
Sarah and her husband have three energy-filled children who keep life busy! When not at work or wrangling kids, Sarah dreams of tropical beaches and enjoys baking, crafting, exercising and getting outside as much as she can!
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SEC Honors Retiring UAS Chancellor
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After 35 years of exemplary service and leadership at the University of Alaska, UAS Chancellor Rick Caulfield retired in June 2020. In a press release, Caulfield said, "I have dedicated my career to the University of Alaska, and I have especially appreciated the opportunity to provide leadership at the University of Alaska Southeast over these past 10 years.”
At his virtual retirement party last month, Southeast Conference's Executive Director, Robert Venables, presented Caulfield with a plaque honoring his dedicated service to Southeast Alaska communities, businesses, and students.
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Upcoming Committee Meetings
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Be Part of the Solution!
Stay informed and weigh-in on the issues facing the industries that matter the most to you! Join the conversation at the next Southeast Conference Committee meeting! All meetings take place via Zoom and are held at 10am, unless otherwise noted.
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July
Health Care - July 22, 2pm
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August
Timber - August 5
Transportation - August 12
Energy - August 19
Visitor's Industry - August 27
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A Message from Dr. Anne Zink
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Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska’s chief medical officer said says she wears her mask in public for three reasons:
"Humility, because I don’t know if I have COVID as it is clear that people can spread the disease before they have symptoms. Kindness, because I don’t know if the person I’m near has a kid battling cancer, or cares for an elder. And for community. I want my community to thrive, businesses to stay open and employees to stay healthy.”
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