were speaking in favor of the sale. This is where the state’s nascent contractor and service community was called on to help. ARCO asked some of service companies and contractors to show up at the hearings to show that ordinary Alaskans were affected. What resulted was an outpouring of employees in the service industry who filled the hearing room, recalls Joe Mathis, who was there. It was the beginning of the Alliance. The idea of forming an organization was not yet born but the potency of public advocacy by medium-sized and small Alaska companies and their employees was vividly demonstrated. In 1979, there was ample motivation for service companies and contractors. The Trans Alaska Pipeline System had been completed two years earlier. The pipeline workers who had fueled a mid-1970s construction boom had left the state. An economic recession was underway. Large new discoveries on the slope, like the Kuparuk River field, were still in the future. Alaska business and labor leaders were deeply worried about the industry’s future. It was at this point that the idea of forming the Alliance jelled, to continue the effort. The out-of-state organizations whose goal was making Alaska a park hadn’t left, the seeds of future controversies over leasing in what was to be the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the National Petroleum Reserve– Alaska were already being sown. The person who played a central role in making the Alliance happen was Bill Webb, who came to Alaska in 1975 to work on the pipeline and who stayed, with his wife Barbara, to make the state their home. Webb worried about the post-pipeline economic slump in the state and what he and others in the contractor community could do to help. It seemed obvious that continuing the expressions of support by ordinary Alaskans was very important. Meanwhile, there was another problem that was concerning the Alaskan service companies. www.AlaskaAlliance.com 2024 Meet Alaska Conference & Trade Show 37 MEET MANH CHOH ALASKA’S NEWEST GOLD MINE Mining is now underway at Manh Choh near Tok, where it will bring hundreds of jobs and millions in business opportunities to the region. Manh Choh is a joint venture with Contango ORE. CONTINUED on PAGE 39 January 24, 2024 “The members of the 33rd Alaska State Legisalture proudly honor Bill and/Barbara Webb for outstanding dedication, leadership, and being pillars of the Alaska Support Industry alliance. Since arriving in in Alaska in 1975, they have served this great state. “Bill’s significant role with Greyhound Support Services Inc, overseeing nine construction camps on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, laid a solid foundation for a legacy of infrastructural excelling in Alaka. Bill’s entrepreneurial spirit and innovation foresight were further demonstrated through the founding of Arctic Hosts, showcasing his business acumen and commitment to Alaska’s prosperity. As a board member of the Alliance in 1982 and its president in 1985, Bill was pivotal in steering the organization to new heights, making it a player in Alaska’s support industry. “During Bill’s presidency, the Alliance saw the inception of Meet Alaska, an annual hallmark event and The Link, a communications magazine, both of which have become cornerstones of the alliance’s community involvement and industry dialogue. Bill’s tenure as CEO/General Manager from 1986 to 1993 was marked by initiatives, notably the formation of the Prudhoe Bay Environmental Alliance, showing his commitment to environmental /stewardship and sustainable / development. Barbara Webb, standing side by side with her husband, was an integral part of this journey. Barbara was the best partner Bill could have asked for and they made a formidable team. “Bill’s leadership in the groundbreaking back project of scrap metal from Prudhoe Bay not only led to significant environmental remediation, but also fortified the financial future of the alliance. “Bill and Barbara’s creative and sometimes unconventional approaches, including handing out bologna sandwiches to legislators in the Capital and organizing the Alliance’s first “Fly-In” to Juneau, left an indelible mark on the Alliance and its Legislative engagement. “The members of the Thirty-Third Alaska State Legislature extend their gratitude and appreciation to Bill and Barbara Webb for their lifetime of remarkable achievements, exceptional service, and enduring commitment to Alaska; theirs is a legacy that will inspire generations to come.” Cathy Tilton, Speaker of The House Gary Stevens, President of The Senate Rep. Tom McKay, Sponsor
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