A Final Note from the Alaska SBDC State Director | | | | |
I’ve been the State Director for the Alaska SBDC for almost nine years and have written more intros to our newsletters than I care to count.
No matter how many times I do it, it’s never easy, and our amazing Comms Director, Harley, inevitably needs to harass me into getting something in just before the deadline.
But as hard as those past intros were to write, this is by far the hardest because it will be my last.
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I have decided to leave my position as State Director of the Alaska SBDC at the end of this month to take on a new role. This was by no means an easy choice, as my time at the Alaska SBDC has been some of the most personally and professionally fulfilling years of my life. However, there comes a time in any organization when change at the top is the only way to ensure continued innovation and growth.
As my last day here draws nearer, I look back in awe at what this team has accomplished. We went from Alaska’s “best kept secret” with 12 staff and a limited number of programs to being one of the top business development programs in the nation with over 30 staff and around a dozen programs for Alaska’s small businesses.
We’ve developed new tools and methods for assisting rural businesses that dozens of states have replicated. We’re a national leader in deploying SSBCI capital funds to small businesses and created the largest Tribal SSBCI consortium in the nation with 125 of Alaska’s federally recognized tribes.
Our efforts to help businesses weather the economic storms of COVID-19 and various natural disasters over the years have allowed us to prove our effectiveness and worth to policymakers and business owners at every level. Our partnerships with federal, state, and local government agencies have grown by leaps and bounds over the years, but we have also engaged more private sector partners than ever before. These successes have led us to help tens of thousands of businesses start, grow, and thrive over the last nine years, giving us KPIs on a much larger scale.
The good news is that all of these successes were due to the fantastic team we’ve built over the years, which means that the program will continue to grow and thrive long after I leave. Kendra Conroy, Gretchen Fauske, and Jay Halverson have been the best co-leaders any executive could ask for. Their hard work and help have made all of the program growth possible. Harley Hedlund and her communications team (Dante & Sami Jo) have used digital platforms and media know-how to move the Alaska SBDC from an unknown entity to a nationally known organization through their talent and innovation.
The SBDC Center Directors and Advisors (Cliff, Misty, Jade, Angie, Ruth, Sandy, Ginny, Trish, Robert, KellyAnn, Kristi, Katie, Pascual) have built an amazing team that have helped more businesses each year than any other two development programs combined. The SSBCI team (Aurora, Dawn, Viola, Genta, Geoff & Casey) has turned our SSBCI capital and technical assistance programs into national leaders in deployment and effectiveness.
Under the leadership of Carlos Machuca and Solomon, we’ve become a national leader in Generative AI, providing guidance and training to 47 other state SBDCs and other organizations across the nation. Last but certainly not least, our State office staff (Frances and MaryAnne) are exceptional and have helped drive the Alaska SBDC to new heights of success.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my time here, it’s that being a manager is easy when your entire team is made up of high-performing rockstars. I can’t express how much I will miss this organization, the clients we help, the programs and people we partner with every day, and the community leaders who have supported us through thick and thin over the years. It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve all of you over the years, and I look forward to seeing how the organization continues to grow.
In the meantime, I hope that all of you continue to work with the Alaska SBDC to help your businesses start, grow, and thrive. If you’re interested in reaching out to me in the future, go ahead and email me at jonsbittner@gmail.com. I may not be with the SBDC anymore, but I’m always excited to help Alaska’s small businesses in any way I can.
Thank you all for the amazing experience and opportunity.
| | What's New at the Alaska SBDC | | Virtually Pitch Your AI Idea, Win Up to $50K in Professional Services & Project Support! | | |
For nearly 40 years, the Alaska SBDC has helped businesses statewide innovate and thrive. Now, we’re helping Alaska’s small businesses harness AI to grow and compete.
We’re partnering with AWS and PREDICTif Solutions to offer professional services and project support (now generously valued at up to $50,000!) to help you bring your AI idea to life.
Up to 10 selected businesses will pitch their AI ideas virtually during Alaska Entrepreneurship Week on October 1, 2025, to AWS and industry experts.
- Application Deadline: September 22, 2025
- Gain expert guidance
- Statewide exposure
- Take your AI idea from concept to action
| | Meet Anchorage Center Director, Angie Gerken! | | | | |
Earlier this month, several members of our team joined over 1,000 SBDC professionals from across the U.S. in Orlando for America’s SBDC 46th Annual Training Event. This national gathering is the premier professional development event for the network, filled with workshops, collaboration, and new ideas.
Our team returned energized and equipped with fresh tools and insights, ready to put them into action to help Alaska’s small businesses start, grow, and thrive!
| | | | Three of our advisors: Trish Moreland, Sandy Hussain, and Ruth Wolfe, are officially AI U Certified! Ruth also served on the national certification team, helping shape how SBDCs across the country use AI tools. Alaska SBDC is bringing fresh innovation to help entrepreneurs across the state harness cutting-edge technology for growth and success! | | | | |
Almost 40 attendees packed the Alaska Experience Theatre for our first From Dream to Doorstep workshop, diving into the realities of finding the right space for a business. From Mark Begich’s keynote to a dynamic panel of lenders, business owners, and real estate experts, attendees walked away with practical insights and a tour of Anchorage’s Market Project in action.
This strong turnout shows the demand for real talk on scaling in Alaska, don’t miss the next workshop in the series!
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Alaska's unique challenges, from supply chain disruptions to extreme weather, don't have to derail your business. This National Preparedness Month, discover how smart Alaska businesses turn uncertainty into competitive advantage through strategic preparedness planning.
Our latest article breaks down practical resilience strategies specifically for Alaska's business environment, plus how Alaska SBDC's free workshops and expert advising can help you build a custom continuity plan that protects your operations and serves your community.
| | Alaska SBDC Workshops & Events | | Workshops Tailored for Your Success | | |
Entrepreneurs are resilient and gritty. No matter the hour or where you live in the state, we're right there with you.
Visit our website for our suite of statewide SBDC workshops to get started at your convenience and at your pace. Remember to ask your Alaska SBDC advisor about accessing client discounts on fee-based workshops!
All Alaska SBDC workshops are free for active duty military, spouses, and veterans. Contact us to set that up for you!
Upcoming Workshops:
| | | | Ready to bring your business vision to life? Learn from a business owner, lender, contractor, and architect as they share the journey from financing to buildout, then tour Anchorage’s newest boutique hotel, the Wild Birch, to see it in action! | | | | Looking to grow your business? Join Alaskan entrepreneurs, a lender, and an investor as they share real-world strategies, from funding and operations to managing risk. End with a behind-the-scenes tour of the new Market Project to see expansion take shape! | | | | Confused about HR? Join Fairbanks SBDC Director Jade Greene to learn the essentials of Human Resources, covering compliance, hiring strategies, and best practices to grow and manage your workforce effectively. Set your business up for HR success! | | Alaska SBDC Success Stories | | |
Since 1986, the Alaska SBDC has been dedicated to helping Alaska’s small businesses start, grow, and thrive through expert advising, workshops, and resources.
Check out our recent success stories and join us in celebrating the incredible entrepreneurs who make our communities stronger!
| | Alaska SBDC Business Programs | | | | Alaska SBDC's Carlos Machuca and Ruth Wolfe packed the Florida Ballroom at the ASBDC Conference with their session Creating Custom GPTs for Business Advising. They showed how custom AI assistants can streamline advising, deliver faster insights, and boost client outcome, positioning SBDCs as innovation leaders nationwide. Attendees left energized and ready to bring AI into their own centers, with Alaska once again leading the charge! | | | | |
Reasons we think (in a totally unbiased way) you should become a BuyAlaska Member!
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📣 Need customers to actually find you instead of scrolling through ads? Say less.
🤝 Want to feel like you have a hype team ready to celebrate your every win? Done.
Join BuyAlaska and be part of the amazing!
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In September, the State SSBCI program supported 96 businesses with 112 loans totaling $99.5 million, reaching 27 communities across Alaska. Of those funded, 81 were SEDI businesses and 66 were very small businesses (VSBs), continuing strong momentum in expanding access to capital for Alaska entrepreneurs.
Tribal SSBCI lending grew to $58.8 million across 50 loans, funding 48 businesses in 18 communities. Of these, 46 were SEDI businesses and 27 were VSBs, reflecting the program’s ongoing commitment to strengthening small business growth statewide.
| | Partner & Statewide Updates | | | | The Alaska SBDC network and its programs, housed within the University of Alaska Anchorage, are funded by a $777,777 grant from the US Small Business Administration which is matched by $777,777 of non-federal funds. All opinions, conclusions, or recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. All SBA-funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. | | | | |
