Fall arrived with force in Alaska this year. Halfway through November, Anchorage had already witnessed its snowiest November since recordkeeping began, some 70 years ago. Along the Richardson Highway, about 21 miles northeast of Thompson Pass, six feet of snow accumulated in a single day, coming close to the national record for snowfall in a 24-hour period. Before winter even officially began, we were looking at record snowfall in places all throughout the state. When it all falls at once, it can overwhelm. It’s tough to dig out of, so schools, transit, and other essential services shut down, people lose power, and highways and passes close. It’s a test of endurance and grit, and Alaskans always come through. We pitch in to help our neighbors, families, and communities when the going gets tough, making sure they’re always taken care of.

These hallmarks of a strong community—living our values, lending a hand, cooperating, embracing a can-do spirit, and innovating our way through challenges—have been on my mind. BBNC was recently honored as one of the 2023 Best Workplaces in Alaska by the Alaska Journal of Commerce and Peak 2 Peak Events, and I’m reminded yet again that the qualities that make a strong community also shape our greatest workplaces. We’re honored, humbled, and proud to have received this designation, especially because it was BBNC’s own employees who nominated us by participating in an anonymous survey that ranked how BBNC delivers on a variety of factors, including employee engagement and retention, culture and values, leadership, mentorship, support, and much more.

One of the things we strive for is to live, breathe, and model our values, purpose, and promises. That begins at the leadership level, but everyone who works alongside us at BBNC carries forth our mission, values, and strategy in their own way. It’s natural to our corporate culture, and it guides the way we think, the ways we innovate, and the way we relate to and treat one another as colleagues and peers. It gives us clarity in how we recruit new talent and retain the talent we have. And it’s one of the ways we can continue to achieve a “Best Workplace in Alaska” status.

We hear all the time from our employees that they feel like they’re part of something important, that they’re doing something that matters. Whether preserving the cultures within the Bristol Bay region, standing beside our people, or protecting our lands and resources, the work we do has purpose, and is itself a promise to the people we serve.

You can read more about the 2023 Best Workplaces in Alaska award here, but I’ll close with this: we work hard to be a good employer and aspire to create a great place to work, and it’s an honor to have that validated by our own team. Yet, we’re always thinking about where we can do even better. Part of it is our unwavering commitment to the ongoing financial and strategic successes of BBNC. But in terms of purpose and progress, there are two areas of focus that have our attention—taking strides toward ways that we can enroll descendants and looking for ways to form partnerships that further develop and bolster the local economy in Bristol Bay. Each of these is time-consuming and requires care and creative thinking. Yet both things are extremely important and we’re working towards tangible results we hope to share sometime in the near term.

As we approach the holidays and another new year, remember to stay safe and look out for one another. As winter bears down, reach out to others when you’re in need—if the power is out, your driveway isn’t clear, if you’re struggling to get groceries or gas or heating fuel—turn to your family, friends, and neighbors. We’re in it together.

Finally, find joy and inspiration where you can and run with it.

Have a wonderful holiday and a happy New Year.

Jason Metrokin
President & CEO