Business Climate Survey Results | | |
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Southeast Conference, in partnership with organizations across the region, conducts an annual Southeast Alaska Business Climate Survey. A total of 440 Southeast Alaska business owners and top managers, representing a combined staff of approximately 11,000 workers, responded to the survey in April 2024. Survey analysis includes the following key findings:
• Strong Business Climate Overall
• Strong Visitor Sector
• Seafood Sector in Decline
• Outlook is Slightly Below Average
• Housing, Workforce Challenges
• Businesses are Hiring
• Industry Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats: Business leaders were asked to participate in sector specific SWOTs. The sectors that received their own SWOTs in 2024 include seafood, energy, transportation, tourism, and mining.
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The Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida is updating the 2018 Southeast Alaska Tribal Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy – a Tribal CEDS. This project needs YOUR input to help us develop ideas and strategies to support Tribal economic health and rural economies in Southeast for the next five years. Check out our project website at https://tlingithaidaceds.com/ to learn more and to take the 10 minute survey to share your ideas. It’s open to all Southeast Alaska residents. Gunalchéesh/Háw’aa (Thank You)! | |
EV Charging Station Implementation Program | |
Staff Stories: Kaitlyn Jared | |
Kaitlyn Jared, Transportation and Special Projects Manger, has been on staff SEC since December 2023 after serving on the Board of Directors for three years. | |
When you take a job with the title “special projects” in it, with a company like Southeast Conference, you better be ready for some special projects. One of my favorite initiatives I have been getting to help with since I started has been the Regional Biomass Strategy and Southeast Alaska Containerized Pellet Mill. This project brings our region’s passion for a healthy, sustainable forest together with having a locally-sourced heat energy supply by utilizing the by-products or waste from other forest industry efforts and creating a usable product for heating commercial buildings and homes. With funding from the USFS through the USDA Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy (SASS) and from Denali Commission, SEC was able to purchase a new containerized pellet mill plant from Biomass Systems Supplies in February of 2024. By the fall of this year, Southeast Conference, thanks to a property lease partnership with the Ketchikan Gateway Borough, will have a fully operational pellet mill located on Gravina Island! It’s an exciting opportunity for the biomass industry and users in the region that we hope to inspire business activities and a re-thinking of the forest economy from. If you want to learn more about this project, reach out to staff at kaitlyn@seconference.org or energy@seconference.org. | |
Join us in welcoming new staff to SEC! | |
Charles Westmoreland, Energy Coordinator | |
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Charles joined Southeast Conference in May 2024. As the organization’s energy coordinator, he believes strongly in SEC’s mission of helping communities develop all the resources at their disposal to ensure energy independence now and into the future.
Prior to joining SEC, Charles operated his own research, writing and consulting firm, working with organizations such as Rain Coast Data, Wostmann & Associates, Southeast Alaska Association for the Education of Young Children, and Institute of the North, among others. He previously worked in the media industry for nearly 20 years, serving as executive editor of newspapers such as The Juneau Empire and Columbia (MO) Daily Tribune. He also is a proud Army veteran.
Charles studied English at the University of Louisville in his home state of Kentucky before moving to Alaska in 2008. He returned to school to earn an undergraduate degree in business from the University of Alaska Southeast, and then a Master of Science degree in Management and Leadership from Western Governor’s University. He lives in Juneau with his wife, Eldri, and together they have four sons: Jaden, Karsten, Bill and Bruce.
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Charlie Herrington, Program Manager | |
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Southeast Conference is pleased to welcome Charlie Herrington as a SEC project Manager. After a few years of living and working seasonally post-college, Charlie moved to Alaska thinking it would be a short-lived experience. Nine years later, he's very much settled into and thankful for Juneau's outdoor offerings, community fabric, and pace of life. Charlie has experience in business development and marketing from previous roles with Juneau's Waterfront Restaurants, Eaglecrest Ski Area, and Steep Motion Films. He is thrilled to work for a growing, mission-driven organization that supports strong and healthy regional economies. Charlie received a bachelor's degree in communication & media from the University of Michigan. He enjoys basketball, skiing, cooking, and relaxing at home with his family and friends.
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Jamey Young, Revolving Loan Fund Manager | |
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James “Jamey” Young ditched full-time retirement to use the opportunity to work with helping to set up the implementation of the Alaska Maritime Cluster Revolving Loan Fund. He has over 30 years of banking and lending experience and has lived in Juneau most of his life. He also has lived in Haines, Dillingham, North Pole and Anchorage, giving him a nice perspective on the regional differences and opportunities across the state. He grew up in Washington and Oregon and is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University. It was there that he was hired for a summer job driving tour buses in Alaska and adopted the state as his home.
His life outside of work includes being a husband to his wife, Joy, a father to sons Stephen and Alan and very recently a “Grand Daddio” to grandson Owen. He fished part-time in the SE Alaska gillnet fishery and later changed over to owning halibut quota, which he still fishes. He also enjoys hunting, sport fishing, gardening, and spending time as available in Vardaman, MS (Sweet Potato Capital of the World) where his wife bought the home her great grandparents built and was where her mother was born. He is a collector of guitars and enjoys annoying the pets and family with the noise he makes trying to play them. He is also a volunteer with the American Red Cross and men’s Christian ministry retreats.
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SE AK Community Transportation (Virtual) Workshops | |
The Alaska Municipal League is facilitating a series of community transportation workshops on behalf of the State of Alaska, and USFS to identify funding and collaboration opportunities for local projects. Visit AKML.org for more info or email britta@akml.org. | |
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Be Part of the Solution!
Southeast Conference has begun the development of a new Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the region, which will guide our trajectory for the next 5 years. We depend on you, our members, to weigh in on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to our region on an industry specific level. If you would like to receive invites to a committee that you are not currently on, please email your request to office@seconference.org
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Upcoming Committee CEDS Workshops:
Natural Resources
Friday, May 24, 3pm
Energy
Tuesday, May 28, 10am
Visitor's Industry
Thursday, May 30, 10am
Economic Development
Thursday, May 29, 2pm
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AMHS Long Range Planning Update | |
Regional Economic Initiatives | |
Bioeconomy Development Opportunity Zone | The BDO Zone Initiative is a regional risk rating, certification, and economic development program that drives biobased project development to specific areas, increases demand for goods and services of local businesses, and creates jobs in economically distressed communities. SEC is working to support the wood industry of POW through grant applications. Stay tuned for more on these exciting developments! | |
Regional Planning Organization | An RPO is an organization that identifies local transportation needs, conducts transportation planning, assists local governments, and supports the statewide transportation planning process in non-metropolitan regions of a State. SEC’s Board of Directors has approved efforts to participate in the State of Alaska’s RPO Pilot Program to both better understand the needs of our region and fully communicate them to the State. | | | | |
