Above: Cover photo of Community Choir carolers directed by Jill Rohrer from the 2024 Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. Emperor goose in flight by Denise Link, from our 2025 Relocation Guide Photo Contest.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

Dear Chamber Members,

I hope that your December is off to a great start. The holiday season keeps us all very busy, here’s to making time for all the things that matter most to you this month, especially for our busy retailers. May you all be blessed with an abundance of meaningful experiences and a very welcome craze of retail year end shopping.

I’m pleased to say that even with some rainy weather, we ended November on a high note with a wonderful Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Harbor Master’s Office last Saturday. Huge thanks go to everyone who attended, to our City of Kodiak Mayor Terry Haines, the Harbor Master Staff, Parks & Rec, DJ Marc Ignacio, Alexxandra Carter, Aaron Cottam & the Kodiak High School Band, our very own hometown Santa Claus Zach Koehler, Java Flats, Harborside Coffee, the Community Choir Members and their incredible leader Jill Rohrer. 

As you scroll through this newsletter, you’ll find some information on a few of our upcoming events and member services, the 2026 Relocation Guide, the Holiday Decorating contest and so much more. Something new that we’ve added is a Chamber backed trip to Greece next November 2026. We are excited to partner with Aventura Travel to offer our members overseas travel. Please remember to VOTE in our Annual Holiday Decorating Contest, and work with Ericka & Jen on your Relocation Guide ads and listings. Vendor Registration is now open for ComFish and the Kodiak Home Show and you can expect registration for Crab Fest to open before the end of the month.

It took us far longer than we’d hoped to, but we made our final decisions on our Relocation Guide Photo Contest Winners just this week, you’ll find the images below. Congratulations to Kris Luckenbach, Ellen Carty, Darlene McClelland, Suzanne Abraham, Dylan Faber and Alexa San Juan, this year’s contest winners!

Here are just some of this month’s upcoming events this month: First Friday Artwalk Tonight, at the auditorium this weekend “Joy”, A Coastal Nutcracker, December 12^th & 13^th, the Harbor Lights Boat Parade on Saturday the 20^th and numerous other sales and events all month long leading up to Christmas, especially Christmas in Kodiak. We will finish off the year with fireworks courtesy of the City of Kodiak on New Year’s Eve. Scroll down for even more.

Remember that as a Member of the Chamber you now have access to free classes and workshops with the Alaska Small Business Development Center, contact our team if you need more information on how to take advantage of that service so we can help you get started.

With tremendous gratitude to my hard working and talented staff, our Board of Directors for their dedication, and to all of our members for your time, your continued support of the Chamber, our programs, this extraordinary community, sponsorships, and for your membership - thank you all so very much!



Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours!

Ellen Simeonoff, Executive Director

Deadline to reserve your space: December 19, 2025

THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE YOUR BUSINESS TO NEWCOMERS IN A WAY THAT INSPIRES THEM TO CHOOSE YOU!

Deadline to reserve your space: December 19, 2025

Final content and details due: January 15, 2026

THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE YOUR BUSINESS TO NEWCOMERS IN A WAY THAT INSPIRES THEM TO CHOOSE YOU!

Be sure that your basic free listing is accurate, please enter your details using the link below. If you don’t, we’ll use the information we have on file, and it might not reflect your current information:

Order and/or Update Your Ad Here If you need help or have questions, feel free to call me at 907-486-5557 or 619-581-1076.

For inspiration, check out last year’s guide to see how your business could stand out:

2025 Kodiak Relocation Guide

SHOP LOCAL FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

Want to be part of our local network that accepts Loyal to Local Gift Cards and allow customers the convenience of shopping, eating, and playing in our beautiful region AND increase the visibility of your business and expand your customer base? 

Here's how it works:

1. Visit Alaska SBDC Workshops Page
2. Choose a workshop and click “Sign Up”
3. At checkout, enter the discount code: SBDC4FREE
4. Click “Save” — your total will become $0.00

You can use this code as often as you'd like for any workshop through July 31, 2026!

Thank you for being a valued member of the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce. This benefit is exclusively available to current Chamber members, and we’re proud to offer you access to resources that support your success.

We hope you take full advantage of this exciting opportunity!

November 2 - 10, 2026

9 DAYS/7 Nights

$4,299 per person

INCl. HOTELS, MEALS, DAY TRIPS, AND AIRFARE FROM ANCHORAGE

Save $100 if booked & deposited before March 31, 2026

Extended stay in one location • Cultural connections and Greek interactions • Ouzo tasting • Discussions with local guest speaker • Local olive farm plantation visit • Beautiful countryside of Greece • Astounding archaeological sites • Bucolic villages • Ancient Athens – birthplace of Western civilization • Worldfamous Acropolis & Parthenon • Acropolis Museum • Corinth Canal • Archaeological site of Mycenae • Arched Tombs of Kings & Gigantic Lion’s Gate • Cyclopean Walls • Picturesque Venetian town of Nafplion • Oracle & Museum of Delphi •Archeological site of Olympia • Temples of Hera and Zeus •Santorini, island of extreme beauty • Stunning sunsets and much more

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this year's Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony!

Scroll down through the newsletter for a full listing of our upcoming Business After Hours through the remainder of the year.

Kodiak Rotary Club

Kodiak Morning Rotary Club: Coats for Kids!!

Coats for Kids: A Season of Warmth and Community Spirit

As Kodiak moves from Thanksgiving into the Christmas season, you can really feel the generosity in the air. This time of year is all about sharing, helping one another, and looking out for our neighbors — and the Kodiak Morning Rotary’s Coats for Kids program is a great example of that spirit.

Donation bins are set up around town, making it easy for anyone to drop off winter coats for kids and adults who might need a little extra warmth this winter.

Once the coats are collected, they’re taken to Quality Cleaners in the Waldo Building. The team there cleans them up, fixes what needs fixing, and sorts everything by size. From there, the coats go to the Salvation Army, where they’re given directly to families or made available in the thrift store.

A Tradition That Started Nearly 30 Years Ago

Coats for Kids began back in 1997, thanks to Rotarians Kurt Law and Frank Irr, who was commander of the Coast Guard Communications Station at the time.

In the early days, the project teamed up with “Santa to the Villages,” sending coats to nearby communities with help from the Coast Guard.

A Whole Lot of Warmth: More Than 8,500 Coats Donated

Rotary members estimate that about 300 coats a year have been passed along since the project started. That adds up! In 2025, the total sits at over 8,500 coats donated to kids and families right here in Kodiak.

How to Help This Year

If you’d like to pitch in, you can drop off new or gently used coats of any size or style at any of the designated donation locations:

• Grand Slam Toys & Games / Marketplace
• U.S. Post Office
• Safeway
• Quality Cleaners
• Kodiak Athletic Club

Every coat makes a difference. It’s more than just something warm to wear, it’s a gift of comfort and hope during a season that’s all about caring for one another.

Get your tickets to JOY now!!

BUOY 4 FITNESS

Kodiak Marketplace

Sunday, December 20th

Big Ray's Annual

Big Buck Contest



_{Bring your Sitka Blacktail antlers to Big Ray’s in Kodiak by December 31st to enter!}

HOSPICE GALA - HEARTS FOR HOSPICE

Tickets go on sale December 15th

HAVING AN EVENT?

List Your Event on the Chamber Calendar

Monthly Chamber Board Meeting in November

• Tuesday, November 25th
• 11:30 am
• Kodiak Chamber Conference Room

Active Member Job Postings

Kodiak Fishmeal: Assistant Office Manager/Bookkeeper

Kodiak Arts Council: Programs Coordinator

KeyBank: Lead Teller

Kodiak Island Housing Authority: Youth Activites Assistant

Kodiak Island Housing Authority: Facilities Carpenter

Kodiak Island Housing Authority: Warehouse Assistant

Chamber News & Views

Let's talk about what's new at your business!

Chamber News & Views is a weekly, two-minute, pre-recorded radio segment that airs on KVOK & HOT 101.1

Each segment spotlights one of our local Chamber Members and is recorded at the KVOK studio.

What is Discussed?

Maybe you have a sale coming up, or a new menu, or want to let the community

know about a new feature, event or changes at your business. We will help guide your message, but anything business-related is fair game!

Who Can Take Advantage?

Any Chamber Member is able to take advantage of this unique promotional opportunity. Anyone from the organization can be interviewed. You choose the direction and goal you'd like to accomplish, and we will work with you to achieve it! This is a completely FREE service we provide for our Chamber Members.

How Do I Get Started?

Contact Alexa to schedule an interview with Jen, via  email, stop by the office, or

call (907) 486-5557 to schedule an interview by calling the Chamber office. Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for (audience)? Why should they care (benefit)? What do I want them to do (call-to-action)?

Create a great offer by adding words like "free," "personalized," "complimentary," or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take action, so consider inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining!"

Contact our office to set up an appointment to share what's happening at your business through Chamber News & Views!

Membership Portal

Alaska Small Business Development Center

Visit https://aksbdc.org/ for more On Demand Workshops and More!

Workshops &

On-Demand Classes

• Combating Fraud & Identity Theft
• Creating a Compelling Commercialization Plan
• Avoiding Security Disasters for Small Businesses
• SBA Loans & What the Lender Requires
• Digital Marketing Trends
• Beginner's Guide Sell Your Products on Etsy
• Credit It is that important
• ADA Law What Businesses Should Know
• Financial Health of Your Business
• Anatomy of Modern Websites
• Bookkeeping Basics
• Creating Financial Projections for your Business Plan
• Developing a Marketing/Sales Strategy
• How to get a Business License in Alaska

Health Care for Chamber Members

As a Chamber Member, you and your employees have access to excellent health care insurance. Participation is available through Associated Industries, whose mission is to provide comprehensive healthcare products to Alaska employers at affordable prices. 

Please email us for more information.

THANK YOU TO OUR NEW & RENEWING PIKE SPONSOR:

Kodiak Daily Mirror



If you're interested in becoming a PIKE Sponsor let us know.

Reach out to Ellen at

907-486-5557 or email: ellen@kodiakchamber.org or Ericka via email at erickathompson@kodiakchamber.org

Not a member? Join the Chamber

Interested in becoming a member?

The Chamber Membership gives your organization the tools and support it needs to succeed. With access to business resources, educational materials, advocacy, networking opportunities, and much more... 

Chamber Board of Directors

President Sara Fraser

Past President Mary Beth Loewen

Vice President Robert Greene

Secretary/Treasurer Rebecca Skinner

Board Members              

Lindsay Knight, Emily Stewart, Wesley Snyder, Sarah Vega, Nicholas Mangini, Nichole Miles, & Laura Mullican



City of Kodiak Representative

Josie Bahnke

Kodiak Island Borough Representative Aimee Williams

USCG Base Representative

Capt. Jeremy Hall

USCG Air Station Representative Capt. Timothy Williams

KEA Representative Dan Menth

Discover Kodiak Representative

Sabrina Hicks

Play Pull Tabs @ Henry's!!