Five businesses owned by Arctic Slope Regional Corp. shareholders have been selected as winners of the 2013 North Slope Marketplace business plan competition. The competition is funded by ASRC and managed through Alaska Growth Capital BIDCO Inc. (AGC). AGC is a subsidiary of ASRC.
Two Point Hope residents were selected for their business plans. Emma and Herb Kinneeveauk are awarded $9,000, which will fund the purchase of new equipment and the expansion of their existing DVD rental inventory and food products for their store named Sylver's. The couple received a partial grant from the 2012 NSM of $15,000, which was used to purchase building improvement materials and a small amount of start-up inventory. Once the Kinneeveauk's opened Sylver's in August of 2013, they applied to the NSM again to increase their inventory selection.
Tonya and Eldon Hunnicutt of Point Hope have been awarded $25,000, with the first $11,000 going toward the purchase of equipment and supplies for their startup, Ezkimo Ice Cream. Once the ice cream shop is set up and operating successfully, the Hunnicutts will use the remaining $14,000 to improve and expand their shop.
Andrew Tooyak, Jr., also from Point Hope but residing in Barrow with his wife, Pinky, designed a Whale's Tail bobble head. The $4,500 award will go toward producing the first 500 units of the bobble head, which will be distributed amongst local gift shops and others throughout Alaska.
Snowbird Housekeeping, a cleaning service owned by Nancy Stotts of Barrow, was awarded $25,000 to purchase new cleaning equipment and upgrade transportation to help support increased cleaning contracts in the Barrow area. Approximately seven shareholders are estimated to have been employed by the company in the past three years.
In Atqasuk, a community of 240 people 60 miles south of Barrow, Jessica Itta and Peter Gunderson obtained a business license for a small store to help improve food and snack selection in their community. P&J Store was awarded $7,300 to purchase equipment and inventory for the business. P&J Store accommodates the village of Atqasuk with a variety of beverages and snacks.
ASRC press release