1st Quarter 2010
Transcription
1st Quarter 2010
1st Quarter, 2010 AEDCconnections The Newsletter Of Anchorage Economic Development Corporation WHAT’S INSIDE page 1 Build It And They Will Come Diamond Investor Spotlight Build It And They Will Come. page 2 Letter From The President page 3 Local Business Positive About 2010 Outlook page 4 “Flat Is Good” May Become The “Old Black” page 5 AEDC Elects Officers For 2010 Board Of Directors page 6 Local “Forces” Join To Deliver Star Wars Exhibit Launched in 2000 with only a website and email campaign, the Anchorage International Film Festival (AIFF) celebrates its 10th Anniversary this year. AEDC investor company, Walsh Sheppard, a marketing communications firm, is the Founding Sponsor of the Festival, and partner Tony Sheppard, is the Founder of the event. Each December, Anchorage welcomes dozens of international filmmakers and industry guests, and passionate film festival lovers that visit from out of state. Filmmakers have come from as far away as Beijing and Sydney. One year, a delegation of 15 filmmakers from Cameroon visited the Festival. Past attendees include independent producers and directors, executives from studios such as Paramount Pictures, and Dreamworks, the Director of the LA Film Festival, and the Program Director for the Seattle International Film Festival. Several Alaska film projects have been inspired and produced by some of the attending guests. Venues: Bear Tooth Theatrepub • Alaska Experience Theatre • Anchorage Museum • Out North Presenting Sponsors: KTUU • GCI • 101.3 KGOT • APTI Primary Sponsors: KYES • Anchorage Press • The Alaska Experience Theatre • Inlet Tower • KFAT 92.9 Supporting Sponsors: AVIS Alaska • G Street B&B • Oscar Gill House • Hotel Captain Cook • Out The Festival has become well known for its exotic location and outstanding hospitality, venues, and program presentation. Over the years five AIFF Official Selections have gone on to become Oscar winners. North • KLEF 98.1 Hospitality And Event Supporters: Midnight Sun Brewing Company • Specialty Imports • Copper Whale Inn • The Magic Bus • ALL screenings are $7 • ‘09 ALL FILMS passes are available for $75 at Bear Tooth Theatrepub box office • Check website for listings • Opening Night Film And Gala starts at 7:00pm, Friday, December 4 at the Bear Tooth • Gay-La starts at 8:00pm, Wednesday, December 9 at the Bear Tooth • After Party at Mad Myrna’s • Martini Matinee starts at 2:30, Friday, December 11 at the Bear Tooth • Golden Oosikar Awards Ceremony starts at 8:00, Sunday, December 13 at the Bear Tooth • Best of the Fest December 14-17 • Check the festival website for schedules and show times. The AIFF has also garnered worldwide media attention over the years. Dozens of travel articles and numerous film industry writings, from the likes of Premiere magazine have been published, and the Sundance Channel and the mega European network Canal+ have presented the AIFF in their programming. Beyond the entertainment opportunities, there is a payoff from the Festival that transcends the fun and excitement, glitzy parties and workshops. The Festival boosts Continued on page 8... 1 AEDC ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT Quarterly Employment, 3rd Quarter Letter From The President 152,800 155,300 154,200 2007 2008 2009 According to Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development data, employment in Anchorage declined to 154,200 jobs during the third quarter of 2009, 1,100 jobs (0.7 percent) below the third quarter of 2008, and 1,400 jobs above the third quarter of 2007. “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” It has a uniquely satisfying sound doesn’t it? Although we are not able to use that phrase to describe the economic downturn that crippled the nation and most of the world, there is light at the end of the tunnel. As the rest of the nation slowly inches back towards prosperity, Anchorage will eventually flatten its economic decline by mid-year and work towards modest economic growth. Now is the time to look towards the future and take advantage of the opportunities presented by the relatively soft decline Anchorage has experienced and position ourselves for growth at the end of 2010. In this newsletter you will read about Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination, the new exhibit at the Anchorage Museum and may wonder what it has to do with economic development. For a start, it is not only expected to bring in over 50,000 attendees, but many local businesses were integral in making it happen and many will see a direct economic impact as the exhibit runs. And as the fiction of Star Wars has inspired much of the technology we see today, it will take the imagination of us all to envision the economic future of Anchorage. Just as Star Wars gave many young minds a starting point for scientific curiosity and the drive to explore new ideas, you will read about the AEDC Business Confidence Index and 2010 Economic Forecast. Although, they don’t paint a rosy picture, they are a snapshot of the coming year and will help us all plan for the future. You will also learn about a film festival that started out as a small idea with just a website and e-mail campaign that has grown into one of Anchorage’s premier events. With a fertile place to grow; anything is possible. Along with many small ideas, new technologies and the recently announced expansion of high speed broadband in rural Alaska, Anchorage’s economy is well position to start seeing modest growth by the end of 2010 and the benefits realized will be by those organizations that look at the future today...not light years from now. Bill Popp President and CEO, AEDC Anchorage Unemployment Rate (percent), 3rd Quarter 6.6 5.0 5.3 2007 2008 2009 The Anchorage unemployment rate for the third quarter of 2009 was 6.6 percent, 1.3 percentage points higher than in the third quarter of 2008, and 1.6 percentage points higher than during the same time period in 2007. TSAIA Cargo Transit (thousand pounds), 3rd Quarter 1,164,344 887,771 725,887 2007 2008 2009 In the third quarter of 2009, 726 million pounds of cargo moved through Anchorage International Airport, an 18 percent decline from the third quarter of 2008, and 38 percent below the third quarter of 2007. Commercial Building Permit Values (million), 3rd Quarter $110.0 $42.5 $28.4 2007 2008 2009 Commercial building permit values totaled $28.4 million for the third quarter of 2009, a decrease of 74 percent from the third quarter of 2008, and 33 percent below the same period in 2007. Tax Revenue from Lodging Room Rentals (million), 3rd Quarter $9.5 $8.8 $7.4 Did you know?...If every Anchorage household with an income of $50,000 or more spends $50 a month locally rather than online or out-of-state for three months $10,000,000 will be injected into the Anchorage economy. 2007 2008 2009 The Municipality of Anchorage collected $7.4 million in room tax in the third quarter of 2009, 22 percent less than in the third quarter of 2008, and 16 percent less than in the same time period in 2007. Economic data compiled by 2 Local Business Positive About 2010 Outlook AEDC once again released its annual barometer of local business sentiment. The second annual AEDC Business Confidence Index sponsored by Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska was presented to the public at the 2010 Annual Forecast Luncheon along with the 2010 Economic Forecast. For the second year in a row, the index showed that respondents had a positive outlook about the coming year even in the face of the recent economic downturn. This leads Bill Popp, President & CEO, AEDC to believe that businesses feel things are starting to level out. According to Popp, “although they have some concern about the overall economy, individuals are already looking forward.” The Business Confidence Index for 2010 is 53.6, indicating that the business community has a slightly positive outlook for 2010. (An index between 51 and 100 indicates a positive outlook, while an index below 50 shows a negative outlook.) Businesses expressed somewhat more confidence in the upcoming year than they did at this time last year. In 2009, the AEDC Business Confidence Index was 51.8. Some key findings include: • In terms of gross sales (or operating budgets), a majority of businesses (60 percent) expect an increase in 2010, with 28 percent expecting a moderate or large increase. • With respect to net profits, a majority of respondents (58 percent) expect an increase in 2010. The outlook for 2010 is more positive than was the outlook for 2009 where a minority of respondents (48 percent) expected an increase in net profits. • One-third of businesses (33 percent) anticipate hiring more workers in 2010, while nearly half of respondents (49 percent) anticipate no change in employment. Of the 17 percent that expect job cuts, most anticipated small decreases. Health insurance at 58 percent and federal regulations at 50 percent were rated the most significant barriers to growth for local business with municipal taxes and regulations being the lowest ranked barriers at 28 percent and 25 percent respectively. Thirty-six percent of the respondents think the Alaska gasline is the most important project for the future of the Anchorage economy, while 20 percent feel a pipeline from the North Slope to Southcentral Alaska is the most important, followed by 15 percent citing resource development in the Cook Inlet as most important. More than 200 businesses completed the survey, representing a broad cross section of the Anchorage business community in terms of size and business sector. The complete AEDC Business Confidence Index can be found at www.AEDCweb.com. AEDC Business Confidence Index Survey Prepared for: Anchorage Economic Development Corporation AEDC 2010 Business Confidence Index 44.9 46.7 49.3 51.9 53.8 53.0 54.6 58.0 56.4 58.5 51.8 53.6 Anchorage Economy Capital Expenditures Employment Net Profits Gross Sales Composite Index 0 26 50 Large No Decrease 2009 2010 January 2010 76 100 Sponsored by: Large Increase 3 AEDC “Flat is Good” May Become The “Old Black” AEDC presented the 2010 Economic Forecast, sponsored by AT&T Alaska, to a record crowd at its 2010 Annual Forecast Luncheon on January 27 at the Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center. Although AEDC predicts slight decreases overall for 2010, modest growth looks to be on the horizon for the last half of 2010. This projected decline plateau as well as a small turn around has AEDC President & CEO Bill Popp predicting, “slight economic growth is the new black.” He goes on to say, “It shouldn’t be long before flat is yesterday’s good.” AEDC forecasts modest employment loss in Anchorage for 2010 with 1,200 job losses mostly in the transportation (-200), wholesale and retail (-300), construction (- 400) and leisure and hospitality (-300) sectors. Oil and gas, business and professional services, and government sectors are projected to stay the same. The one sector with predicted growth is the health care industry with 200 new jobs. In addition to the airport, the loss of cruise ship passengers will directly affect the lodging sector which, in turn, will bring down the overall leisure and hospitality number. It should be noted, however, that it is likely that a significant share of the decline will be in seasonal jobs held by non-Alaskans. Overall, AEDC forecasts employment decline throughout the first half of 2010, continuing the downward trend that began in the middle of 2009. Anchorage should see a return to modest growth in the second half of the year as national and global economies rebound. As the economy of the south central region gradually flattens out we should look to modest growth as the new standard to judge our economy rather than the “flat is good” standard of the last year and a half. AEDC 2010 Economic Forecast The business and professional and government sectors should remain the same and, along with the construction industry, be somewhat insulated from a downward swing by federal ARRA projects finally hitting the streets in 2010. The projected loss in transportation can be attributed to two main factors affecting Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport: softer demand for air cargo due to the world wide economic slowdown and a potential loss of 120,000 cruise ship passengers to the south central region. Thank You To Our Generous Sponsors Of The 2010 Economic Forecast Luncheon 2010 Speaker Sponsor: 2010 Economic Forecast Sponsor: 2010 Business Confidence Index: Primary Sponsors: Additional Sponsors: ACS Alaska Regional Council of Carpenters Alaska USA Federal Credit Union Aleut Corporation BiNW Eklutna, Inc. Special Thanks to: Hotel Captain Cook Orso Ristorante 4 ENSTAR First National Bank Alaska KeyBank Lynden International TOTE USKH, Inc. Shell Dimond H.S. AP Language & Composition Students AEDC DIAMOND INVESTORS AEDC Elects Officers For 2010 Board Of Directors Lon Wilson Of The Wilson Agency Elected As Chair The board of directors of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation elected officers at the group’s 2009 annual meeting in November, selecting Lon Wilson to chair the executive committee and lead the organization in 2010. The board also elected Chris Brown of AT&T Alaska as vice chairman and Greg Pearce of GCI Communications to the position of secretary/treasurer. Wilson is the president of The Wilson Agency and is a current member of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) as well as past president of the Alaska Association of Health Underwriters. He also is actively involved in civic organizations including the Children’s Hospital at Providence Advisory Council, Commonwealth North Healthcare Coalition, and the Anchorage Downtown Rotary. The immediate past chairman, Dennis Mitchell, and the vice chairman, Chris Brown, will serve as co-chairmen of the Investor Relations committee and have already started to actively solicit new investors as well as encourage more direct interaction between board members and the AEDC staff. The 52-member AEDC Board of Directors is responsible for establishing overall policy for the organization, providing oversight for all agency programs, and establishing fiscal parameters for agency and marketing functions. Alaska Ranks 7th In Forbes.com Article “Best States For Women’s Earnings” Alaska ranked seventh in the December 2009 Forbes.com article, “Top-Earning States For Women,” with a weekly median income of $719. Washington D.C. topped the list with area women earning $866 a week. Both scored well above the national median of $638. On the bottom of the list was Mississippi, where women’s median income was only $510 per week. 5 AEDC 2010 Board of Directors Voting Members Anand Vadapalli Chief Operating Officer, ACS Bill O’Leary Vice President of Finance & CFO, Alaska Railroad Bob Lacher VP Business Development Energy & Chemicals, CH2M HILL Brian Wenzel VP, Finance, ConocoPhillips Bruce Bustamante Vice President of Community and Public Affairs, Princess Tours Bruce Lamoureux Chief Operating Officer, Providence Alaska Medical Center Chris Brown, Vice-Chair Chief Operating Officer, AT&T Alaska Chris Stephens Associate Broker, Bond, Stephens & Johnson, Inc. Claire Fitzpatrick Vice President & CFO, BP Exploration Alaska Connie Carter Managing Director for Alaska Operations, FedEx Express Dale Pittman Alaska Production Manager, ExxonMobil Corporation David Hamilton Sr. VP Business & Commercial Lending, AK USA Federal Credit Union Dennis Mitchell, Chair Vice President - Alaska, Lynden International Ed Herndon CEO, Chugach Alaska Corporation Greg Kessler Director of the Alaska Commercial Group, Totem Ocean Trailer Express Greg Pearce, Secretary/Treasurer VP & GM, Commercial Services, GCI Jeffrey Davis President, Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska Joseph Everhart Sr. VP of Alaska Commercial Banking, Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Lon Wilson, Chair President, The Wilson Agency, LLC Mark Liland Director of Sales, Northern Air Cargo Marla Wellington Manager of Sales, WA, ID, OR & AK, Continental Airlines Michael Prozeralik President, kpb architects Mike Devlin Founder, Evergreen Films, Inc. Pat Walsh President & CEO, Walsh Sheppard Peter Grunwaldt President, Premier Alaska Tours Scott Hanson Business Manager, Carpenters Local 1281 Sophie Minich Chief Operating Officer, CIRI Stephanie Holthaus President, Alta Air Logistics Stewart Osgood President, DOWL HKM Suzanne Cherot Shareholder & Attorney, Birch, Horton, Bittner & Cherot 6 Timothy Vig President, USKH Local “Forces” Join To Deliver Star Wars Exhibit The Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination exhibit opened at the Anchorage Museum on February 10 and is as exciting and impressive as many knew it would be. What many may not know is the incredible amount of effort that went into bringing the event to Anchorage as well as the continued effort to maintain it during its six-week run. Even greater, is the economic impact the exhibit has on Anchorage. In “Episode III,” Darth Vader’s limbs are severed and he’s severely burned by lava. To save him, medical droids encase him in a black armored suit, mask and respirator. Alongside Darth Vader memorabilia, the exhibition displays several real-world medical breakthroughs, including a living skin substitute and a prosthetic knee that includes a hydraulic piston, microprocessor and rechargeable lithium battery. ©Lucasfilm Ltd. Source credit to Anchorage Museum of History and Art. The exhibit, which is spread across three floors of the museum, is the largest to date and received help from many local entities including TOTE, who donated their services. “Having a long and extensive relationship with the Anchorage Museum, TOTE was very excited about having the opportunity to be a partner in bringing the Star Wars exhibit to Anchorage,” says Cindy Curtis, TOTE Community Relations Coordinator. “Not only is it one of the largest exhibits the Museum has ever displayed—requiring eleven 53-foot containers for shipping— but a large portion is devoted to the science of robotics and creative hands-on learning activities for children and adults. It’s rewarding for us to have a part in an exhibit that generates so much excitement in the community.” Also doing their part to help make fantasy a reality, AT&T Alaska, BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., and ConocoPhillips partnered with the museum as corporate sponsors of the exhibit. “ConocoPhillips has historically been an avid supporter of both the Anchorage Museum and the Imaginarium,” says Natalie M. Lowman, Director of Communications, ConocoPhillips Alaska. “Our sponsorship of the Star Wars exhibit is consistent with our goal of funding history and art through the Museum, and also supporting science education for youth through the Imaginarium.” In addition to its transportation partner and sponsors, the Anchorage Museum has worked closely with many local businesses including printers for collateral and signage, independent graphic designers such as GRA.F/X Design, and multiple hotels who hosted the Museum of Science, Boston staff in Anchorage for several weeks during the installation of the exhibit. During the day-to-day functions of Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination, one local business takes up a corner of the third floor exhibit area and is so involved EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS Appointed by the Board that visitors may not realize they are not part of the exhibit. Bosco’s Comics plays the part of the Star Wars merchandise store at the museum. Brian Nerland District President, KeyBank Alaska Carol Comeau Superintendent, Anchorage School District Selling everything from authentic light sabers to Yoda costumes for dogs, Bosco’s retail shop is an integral part of the Star Wars experience and In “Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination,” was an easy fit for the Anchorage one of the major themes is the future of transportation, particularly hovering vehicles. The many Museum. When Bosco’s owner, vehicles on display include the podracer owned John Weddleton, heard about Star by Sebulba, the major rival of the young Anakin Wars coming to the museum, he Skywalker in a tense “Episode I” podrace scene. © immediately contacted Anchorage Lucasfilm Ltd. Source credit to Anchorage Museum of History and Art. Museum Director & CEO James Pepper Henry about cross-promotional opportunities. After some thought, both men realized that a retail partnership would benefit both organizations. By running the retail side, Bosco’s would have access to a market that is keenly interested in their products while the museum would get a partner who intimately understands the Star Wars fan base as well as a business that would be able to rotate any remaining items into their stock at the end of the exhibit, thus relieving the Museum of the liability of overstocked merchandise. Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination not only provides an economic benefit to Anchorage, but an educational one as well. The traveling exhibition uses the familiar imagery of the six Star Wars films to teach visitors about real-world scientific progress. Displays focus on four main themes: transportation, robots, medicine, and the environment. Visitors can see more than 80 authentic costumes, models, and props from the Star Wars films, including Luke Skywalker’s landspeeder and Darth Vader’s menacing black suit. These objects are displayed alongside modern technologies that may one day make the universe of Star Wars a reality. Emerging technology on display includes a mechanical heart and a personal assistant robot designed for NASA astronauts. With 7,000 school children already signed up to see the exhibit, it is definitely accomplishing the goal of matching imagination, sci-fi, and education. “Star Wars is a great way to get kids excited about engineering, math, and science,” says AEDC President & CEO Bill Popp. “Obviously, I have a reason to be happy about this; we are creating Alaska’s technological workforce of tomorrow through a little imagination today.” Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination runs through April 25, 2010. Tickets are on sale now at www. anchoragemuseum.org or can be purchased at the door. Star Wars memorabilia is available at Bosco’s at the museum during the event, or find Bosco’s store location at www.boscos.com. Chris Anderson Deputy Director – Credit & Business Development, AIDEA Elisha Baker Dean, College of Business and Public Policy, UAA John Parrot Airport Manager, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport George Vakalis Board Member, AWWU Julie Saupe President & CEO, Anchorage Convention & Visitor’s Bureau Larry Cash President, RIM Architects Mary K. Hughes Past Chairman of the Board, AEDC Board Tennys Owens President, Artique, Ltd. Tony Izzo Chair, Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, Tmi Consulting LEGISLATORS Craig Johnson Representative, Alaska State Legislature Lindsey Holmes Representative, Alaska State Legislature Johnny Ellis Senator, Alaska State Legislature Lesil McGuire Senator, Alaska State Legislature MUNICIPALITY Mayor Dan Sullivan Municipality of Anchorage Bill Starr Assembly Member, Municipality of Anchorage Dan Coffey Assembly Member, Municipality of Anchorage In “Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination,” displays about C-3PO and R2-D2 help visitors understand how androids navigate, sense, and understand the world around them while communicating in increasingly sophisticated ways. ©Lucasfilm Ltd. Source credit to Anchorage Museum of History and Art. 7 INVESTORS PRSRT STD US Postage PAID WELCOME Anchorage, AK Permit #882 To our new investor: Charlene’s Express Travel 510 L Street, Suite 603 Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 258-3700 www.AEDCweb.com THANK YOU TO OUR Renewing investors: AK Supply, Inc. Alaska National Insurance Company ...continued from page 1, Build It And They Will Come Alaska Sales and Service the winter economy. It gets locals and guests out spending money and attracts the film industry. And isn’t that something our state has been working to do? Anchorage Daily News Anchorage Sand and Gravel Co., Inc. Beacon OHSS, Inc. Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce Coffman Engineers, Inc. The future holds many possibilities, from developing a market atmosphere for Pacific Rim and Northern Hemisphere film producers and distributors to creating a local media arts center and producing more yearly events and community outreach programs for students. This December, wake up, smell the popcorn, and support the Festival as a sponsor of one of the events, or by attending one of the many screenings or events during this season’s 10-year anniversary. AIFF - films worth freezing for! Davis Constructors & Engineers, Inc. AEDC STAFF DOWL HKM Bill Popp President & CEO Dowland-Bach Corporation Evergreen Films, Inc. Erin Ealum Business & Economic Development Director First National Bank of Alaska Holmes Weddle & Barcott Ken Brady Construction Company Northrim Bank Penco AK RIM Architects, Inc. Schwantes, Inc. Ted Stevens Anchorage Int’l Airport The Wilson Agency, LLC UAA – CBPP USKH Weatherholt & Associates, L.L.C. Wells Fargo Bank Alaska 8 Anchorage First is a citywide campaign to encourage consumers to spend locally during March, April, and May. This will not only help the Anchorage economy, but will also give consumers a feeling of control and the ability to improve the economic situation through spending locally, in this time when many feel they cannot control what is happening in our economy. In addition, it helps to show business owners and their employees that they have support in the community and that we will all step up to support Anchorage and each other. How can you be involved in Anchorage First? 1. Say Yes! to participating as a business or consumer. 2. Print and display the Anchorage First logo in your business. 3. Talk to other businesses or your favorite local store about participating. 4. If you have a business, offer a promotion in the months of March, April, and May that ties into the campaign. 5. Get out and spend locally yourself. Contact AEDC today for more information, to get logo files, and to be involved: Ryan Makinster Communications Director 907.334.1204 rmakinster@AEDCweb.com or www.GoAnchorageFirst.com Ryan Makinster Communications Director Amy Goodwin Business & Economic Development Assistant Director Allison M. M. Van Eck Office Manager Dana Krawchuk Executive Assistant AEDC is a private nonprofit corporation (IRS code 501(c)(6)), operating since 1987. It exists to encourage growth and diversity in the Anchorage economy, promote a favorable business climate and improve the standard of living of Anchorage residents. Funding sources for the corporation are municipal and state grants, contracts, and private contributions. For permission to reproduce any part of this newsletter, please call (907) 258-3700.