Joey Crum

Joey Crum serves as the President and CEO of Northern Industrial Training (NIT) headquartered in Palmer. NIT offers vocational training for a variety of trades and has locations throughout Alaska. NIT was founded by Alaskans to serve the state’s growing industrial needs.

Growing up working a blue-collar job in Anchor Point, Crum reaped the benefits of a hard work ethic he learned at a young age. His father, a skilled tradesman, and his mother, a teacher, instilled in him that education would take many forms.

Crum acknowledged that his upbringing and work ethic is what put him through law school and eventually into the role he has today. He said it means a lot to him personally to be able to provide others with the same kinds of opportunities he had to better themselves and their communities.

“To be able to offer some of that to other people is a very good feeling, but one that I actually feel I have a responsibility to do,” Crum said.

In 2003, while he was in law school, Crum’s parents started NIT. He would help as often as his schedule would allow. When he was forced to take a break from school for medical reasons, he would work on the Slope and the Center for Employment Education, training commercial truck drivers and heavy equipment operations through the Alaska Teamsters Employee Service Training Trust.

Crum would eventually complete law school and return to NIT, where he worked full time. His experience in vocational training played an important role in the early stages of NIT. He said the original goal was to work at NIT while studying to take the bar exam. Crum never took the bar as he became more and more involved with the business.

“It was never something that I envisioned myself doing long-term, but I did it to help them out and then somewhere along the line, the job chose me,” Crum said.

NIT has grown to employ over 40 people that live in the Mat-Su and over 2,000 people received training last year through NIT. The company has grown in the people it serves and its economic and social impact within the community, staying up to date with the newest technologies, protocols and training demands. NIT’s growth and success is based on five core principles Crum said: professionalism, respect, integrity, consistency and a will to succeed.

Crum acknowledged that his support team has provided him with the opportunity to explore new aspects of his position, not as the Chief Executive Officer, but rather the Chief “Engagement” Officer. Through this role, Crum is able to support events like the Military Appreciation Night through the Mat-Su Miners baseball team, Alaska Healing Hearts, My House programs and various youth and school sports teams. NIT also partners with Mat-Su Central and homeschool programs to offer students access to CTE and shop classes. Crum said he happily uses his role to make the community a better place to live and work.

“It allows me to engage with the community and be a part of different programs, different boards. And what that allows me is it keeps me informed on what the Alaskan needs are,” Crum said. “Without a doubt, if I did not have the staff I have, I could not be as engaged as I am.”