Alaska News

Remembering Mark Eliason, a giant of Alaska travel

John "Mark" Eliason died last week, early on the morning of Sept. 12. The news was sudden and unexpected. In fact, Mark and I were supposed to have lunch on the afternoon of Sept. 11. When he didn't show up, I called Theresa Bayer, his vice president at USTravel here in Anchorage. Through her tears, she told me Mark was in the hospital.

Mark and I shared many things. We both were born in 1955. We both came to Anchorage in 1978, after being raised Outside. When I first met Mark in 1981, it was because we shared a bookkeeper. I was working with a dive operator in Hawaii and he worked with his father, Kay Eliason, at his Spenard office.

At the time it appeared our paths were different: He was involved in real estate development, and I was building a travel business. That changed when one of his tenants, a travel agency, brought him in as a partner. Then, we became competitors.

Though we often sought some of the same bookings when I worked for a competing travel agency, Mark dismissed it, saying "We're not playing in the same sandbox." And he was right. While I concentrated on the business of getting a good vacation deal, Mark spent more time working with businesses: oil companies, the fishing industry and state government.

Mark was more comfortable working in the business arena, and his reputation spread beyond the region. One of his best friends, Jamey Nugent, first heard about Mark and came to Anchorage to check out his travel agency for a prospective acquisition in 1988. "Based on the metrics of his business, it wasn't a good fit," said Nugent. "But because of Mark, we bought the company. When it came to business, Mark was just solid."

Mark's travel agency became part of USTravel Systems -- and Mark rose quickly in the organization to become executive vice president for the northwest region. "He worked for me," said Nugent, "but I always felt we were partners."

When the company later sold off its holdings, Nugent agreed to sell Mark the Alaska operation, USTravel. Today, the agency has offices in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Prudhoe Bay, Kodiak, Dutch Harbor, Juneau, Ketchikan, Seattle, Portland and Spokane. It is the largest travel management company in Alaska.

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"Our families traveled together and we became good friends," said Nugent. "He and I talked at least once a month, and I used him as a barometer for success. Mark and I never had a cross word with one another -- and that's pretty incredible. He's the only person I can say that about."

Mark's keen business sense brought him close to other community leaders. Bruce Bustamante, of Princess Cruises, first met Mark when he was regional sales director for Alaska Airlines.

"Mark was one of the first people I met when I came to Anchorage," Bustamante said. "We had a strong business relationship. But even if all those relationships did not exist, we still would have been lifelong friends."

When Bustamante moved on to head the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau (now "Visit Anchorage"), he encouraged Mark to become more involved. Mark served on the board for several years and later served as Chairman. "It was the same story with the Great Alaska Shootout Committee and the Visitor Industry Charity Walk," said Bustamante. "These were important projects and he was so capable. He added so much to our working group. Plus, I wanted to spend time with him -- and he was open to that, even as his company grew and time became more precious."

Bustamante paused for a moment, then continued, "Very seldom do you have the chance to make a true lifelong friend. And that's what I had."

Dave Karp, CEO of Northern Aviation Services -- parent of Northern Air Cargo -- met Mark in the 1980s. At the time, Karp headed the Kenai Peninsula's tourism office, but later was president of Hawaiian Vacations. "Mark was a pillar in my life and my career," he said. "Mark was someone I could turn to for counsel. He didn't speculate on what was right or wrong -- he just knew it. And he did what was right."

"Mark definitely was a mentor," said Karp. "I admired his drive and his desire to create and build teams around him."

In his capacity as CEO of Northern Air Cargo, Karp worked with USTravel on special transportation needs using the company's 737s.

"I was always impressed there never was any posturing in our business dealings. He always was conscientious that our arrangements had to be win-win," he said.

Theresa Bayer, USTravel's vice president, started working for Mark in 1997. Her office is right next to Mark's at their headquarters on Tudor Road in Anchorage. And since Mark's entrepreneurial footprint extended beyond the travel business, so did her duties.

"We worked on everything," she said. "I was the project manager for the headquarters building and its renovation," she said. "I'm the property manager for Eliason Holding Company," Mark's real estate development business.

"He taught me so much on the business front. But his philosophy always was 'Family First'," she said. "Mark allowed me to have a flexible schedule to take care of my family. Mark and (his wife) Linda really are true family as a result."

Karen Zak, USTravel's senior vice president for sales and marketing, was almost tricked into working for Mark in 1998. Her husband Bryan Zak had forwarded her resume -- without her knowledge -- to Mark. So during a previously-scheduled trip, Karen stopped in for an interview. At the end of the interview, Mark said, "If you decide to come to Alaska, you have a job. I don't know what -- but we'll do something."

"And boy, did we do something," said Karen. "What an opportunity. We started a meeting planning business, then a tour company -- it's never been a dull moment. It has been fun and rewarding. Mark made you believe in yourself.

"We've all grown so much from his friendship and mentorship," said Karen. "He just made you want to be a better person. It was really easy to want to do your best."

It's tough to tie a bow around a life that was so big and bold -- one that touched so many lives in our community. In addition to USTravel, Mark owned Explore Tours, which specializes in Alaska itineraries. Mark also owned Visions Meeting and Event Management, as well as Air Fulfillment Services, which specializes in air travel for large groups. He also owned an orchard in Washington about halfway between his offices in Spokane and Seattle. He was active in Junior Achievement, in Rotary, in SKAL International, and with travel and visitor associations around the state and the country.

Recently, I interviewed Mark about his role as the owner of the largest travel agency in Alaska.

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"I'm insulted when people refer to USTravel as a travel agency," he said. "Travel agents died when airlines stopped paying commissions. We're a travel management company. We compile data on airlines, hotels, car rentals and other expenses for travel. Then we work with our customers to use that data to develop profitable solutions."

For individual travelers, such specialized services may not be necessary. But for organizations and companies moving hundreds or thousands of travelers at a time, these are vital considerations. And that was one of Mark's gifts as an entrepreneur -- to identify a need and design a system to fill it.

While his business skills were solid, his mentorship capabilities are legend. To that end, the Eliason family established the Mark Eliason Education Fund. From the fund's mission page:

"One of Mark's many passions and a measurement of his personal success was having the opportunity to mentor others and to watch them grow. He took pride in providing positive input to help others on their way to success. Because he was a strong proponent of education and to honor Mark's legacy, the Eliason Family has created the Mark Eliason Education Fund through the Alaska Community Foundation. The Education Fund will support young people interested in continuing education."

A celebration of Mark's life is scheduled at the Denaina Center on Sat., Sept. 21. Seating begins at 10:30am and the service starts at 11:00am.

USTravel's tribute

Mark's Obituary at Legacy.com.

Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based travel marketing consultant who has lived in Alaska for three decades, spending much of that time traveling the far-flung corners of the state. Visit his website at www.alaskatravelgram.com or follow him on Twitter for breaking travel news.

Scott McMurren

Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based marketing consultant, serving clients in the transportation, hospitality, media and specialty destination sectors, among others. Contact him by email at zoom907@me.com. Subscribe to his e-newsletter at alaskatravelgram.com. For more information, visit alaskatravelgram.com/about.

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