Palmer business wins prestigious award

PALMER — Alaska Farm Tours, owned and operated by Palmer’s Margaret Adsit, was named the Chuck West Award winner during last week’s Alaska Travel Industry Association’s annual convention in Kodiak.

According to a news release, the award honors a new pioneer in the tourism industry has exhibited entrepreneurial creativity, innovation and courage in introducing a new product. The award comes with $5,000. The award is named after the late Chuck West, a legend in the Alaska tourism industry who started both Cruise West and Westours. West’s wife, Marguerite, started and funded the award to honor her husband’s memory.

Adsit started her business two years ago. On her Palmer-based tours, she visits several Mat-Su Valley farms and talks about the history of the area, the importance of agriculture, and why agriculture works in Alaska. It is the only farm tour in the state, and it has shown growth since Adsit launched her business two summers ago.

Mat-Su CVB Marketing Manager Casey Ressler presented her the award in Kodiak.

“Margaret is telling our destination’s story in ways that have not been told before,” Ressler said while introducing Adsit. “We’re proud and excited about the success of Alaska Farm Tours.”

Quill wins election to ATIA Board

At the Alaska Travel Industry Association’s annual convention in Kodiak last week, Bonnie Quill of the Mat-Su Convention & Visitors Bureau won reelection to a three-year term to the ATIA Board of Directors.

The board seat represents Southcentral Alaska on the state’s tourism association. Quill has been a member of the ATIA board for more than 10 years, and has served on the Alaska Tourism Marketing Board as well.

Quill is the executive director of the Mat-Su CVB.