Speakers talk about ‘Why Mat-Su matters’

WASILLA — Members of the Mat-Su Business Alliance met at Evangelo’s Restaurant in Wasilla Dec. 20 for their end-of-year event and to present the group’s annual Business and Industry Leaders Awards.

The for-profit business advocacy group invited Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development Commissioner Susan Bell and Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority executive director Ted Leonard to speak on the topic of “Why the Mat-Su Matters — Moving Alaska’s Economy Forward.”

Leonard said the agency’s mission is to provide long-term financing to Alaska businesses, and that about 11 percent of its $426 million loan portfolio is in the Valley.

He said the agency can co-invest in projects or provide direct funding, but it is not a granting agency.

Both Leonard and Bell talked about how various development projects around the state impact other regions of the state, too.

For instance, “Did you know a significant number of Red Dog Mine employees live in the Valley?” Leonard said.

He said likewise development of the Ambler Mining District would boost the Mat-Su economy because ore would be shipped out via the new rail link to Port MacKenzie under construction now.

“We believe investing in Port Mac infrastructure will benefit this project, too,” he said of the Ambler deposit.

Leonard also suggest AIDEA has its eye on Port Mac as the site for an ore terminal, similar to the one in Skagway, which it also helped to fund.

Bell mentioned other Valley resources, like energy, tourism, fishing, farming, natural and cultural history that also are part of the local portfolio.

“Farm tour helps people understand what’s going on now and what the potential is,” she said. “The agriculture potential is significant.”

But Bell said the Mat-Su has many other resources, too.

“We need to be investing in infrastructure now,” she said. “You can’t get resources to market without it.”

At the end of the meeting the business alliance present its annual awards.

Honored this year were: Northern Industrial Training, Jake Libby, Roxy Mayberry, Noel Woods, Tutka LLC, Steve Colligan and Kay Slack.

Contact Heather A. Resz at 352-2268 or heather.resz@frontiersman.com.