Convention Photos by Judy Patrick Nearly 1,000 gathered in November for RDC’s 44th annual Alaska Resources Conference in Anchorage with its theme of “Leading the Way.” It was an upbeat, optimistic crowd that filled the meeting rooms at the Dena’ina Center. ConocoPhillips’ Willow project was about to be approved and Santos, Ltd. was gearing up for a big season at Pikka, another new North Slope project. Both projects promise thousands of new jobs in Alaska. Tourism continued its rebound from the pandemic, with more to come. But work on minerals discoveries continue to be threatened by federal policies, and the state’s seafood industry, Alaska’s largest manufacturing sector, is stressed by adverse markets. Our timber industry continues to face challenges on federal lands but new state programs creating opportunities for our forest products industry were highlighted. Our natural resources industries always have ups and downs, and Alaska business and community leaders tune in to RDC’s annual convention to learn the latest. It’s the go-to place for networking, too. An important signal of business confidence this year: the convention’s annual trade show was up 20 percent from 2022. New in 2023, and a nod toward our future leaders, a “Young Professionals” event was held the day before the convention. Outstanding emerging professionals gathered with established leaders to share experiences. It was a success and promises to be a fixture at future conventions. RDC has been a cornerstone of Alaska’s policymaking arena since 1975. RDC fills a diverse and unique niche as a place where major industries, organized labor, Alaska Native corporations, local governments, policymakers and individuals come together to solve common problems to boost the state’s economy. There can be differences, but the RDC’s events provide a platform to help find solutions to ensure our industries continue to “lead the way” for responsible resource development. See you next year! www.AKRDC.org 15
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTcxMjMwNg==