Industry representatives, and residents of the Kenai were honored on Saturday, August 19th, at Industry Appreciation Day.
The annual event aimed at giving back to the the community and thanking those of the oil and gas, tourism, healthcare, and commercial fishing industries who have gone above and beyond not only in their industry, but as residents of the Kenai.
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, present for the event, summed up the concept; “It is about giving back through thanks, right? Sometimes I think we take for granted that the businesses come here. Sometimes I think we take for granted the jobs, the resources that we receive. It’s not asking too much to just give back as a community and say thank you, Thank you for being the ones that have made help to make the investment in our community so again we can be stronger.”
“We are pretty solid,” said Borough Mayor, Peter Micciche. “No matter how we look at how things are going here, even through those silly COVID years, and everything else, we’ve remained strong, and that’s really important. So, today is celebrating that, celebrating that industry.”
Awards were presented to representatives of each industry. Recipients included:
Oil and Gas
- Outstanding Business: Marathon
- Outstanding Individual: Dustin Moore
- Outstanding Support Business/Organization: CCI
Commercial Fishing
- Outstanding Individual: Dyer VanDevere
- Outstanding Support Business/Organization: Great Northern Hydraulics
Tourism
- Outstanding Business: Frames and Things
- Outstanding Individual: Kelley Brewer
- Outstanding Support Business/Organization: Soldotna Chamber
Health Care
- Outstanding Business: Peninsula Radiation and Oncology
- Outstanding Individual: Southcentral Consulting – Abby Struffert
- Outstanding Support Business/Organization: Allison Smith
Special Awards
- 2023 Innovation Award: Sara Erickson – AlaSkins
- Don Gilman Award: Freddie Pollard Sr.
Industry Appreciation Day is held annually, and offers free food, games, prizes, and contests for adults and kids. The event’s growth reflects a similar trend within the people of the Kenai. As the peninsula grows both in population and economy, more and more of the people who are raised here either stay, or return to contribute to the community through these industries.
Mayor Micciche, who retired from the oil and gas industry, echoed the notion behind this trend; “We’re looking to support those innovative individuals that will keep our young people here, give them a place to come back after the university or start here in a in a vocation and to stay right here and raise their families right here on the Kenai.”