Community Focus

The commitment of Kuna’s team to improve the quality of life for Alaskans is not limited to work hours. Our staff’s genuine interest in Alaska and its people is obvious in our activities outside the office. At Kuna, we are active participants in our community. Here are just a few examples of Kuna’s extra-curricular teamwork:

Team (2)

American Heart Association Heart Walk

In 2020, Kuna held our own Heart Walk event since COVID-19 prevented a large gathering. We enjoyed coming together to help fight heart disease and stroke. It’s important to keep our focus on community, especially in times of change.

Alissa Pempek, Rudder St. Croix, Keith Guyer, Jay Hermanson, and Suzanne Taylor pose with our Adopt-A-Road sign before heading out to pick up trash on Arctic Blvd.

Anchorage’s Adopt-a-Road Program

Kuna has participated in this program for more than 10 years and is excited to have recently been assigned a segment of Arctic Boulevard near the Midtown office.

Jay Hermanson, Ben  Lloyd, Daniel Nichols, Suzanne Taylor, Marlene Stengel, Sam Strackeljahn, and Sandi Velleca. Bike to Work Day 2019.
Jay Hermanson, Ben Lloyd, Daniel Nichols, Suzanne Taylor, Marlene Stengel, Sam Strackeljahn, and Sandi Velleca. Bike to Work Day 2019.

Bike to Work Day

This celebration of community and health kicks off the summer biking season in Anchorage, although we have employees who bike year-round.

BWISE

Kuna actively participates in a program called Businesses Working in School Environments (BWISE). BWISE is a program created to encourage Northwest Arctic Borough K-12 students to pursue a higher education for a career that interests them. In April 2022, Rose Walker and Brett Kirk traveled to Kobuk and Noatak. The topics this year were earthquake-related engineering and water treatment engineering. Activities included projects involving balloon powered race cars, popsicle stick bridge building, toothpick, marshmallow and Jell-O structures, and a drinking water treatment simulation.

pie jars

United Way

Annually, we contribute to the United Way. Over the past seven years, our employees have raised $38,500 for causes in the Anchorage community and in the NANA region, including the Aqqaluk Trust, which provides scholarships for NANA shareholders.