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At Saltchuk we’re proud of the positive impact our companies are making in their respective industries and communities. Regular updates will be posted here. Media Inquiries? Contact Emily Reiter at .Carlile Truck Drivers Steer for the Win At Annual Competition
July 26, 2022
ANCHORAGE – Rogue moose, heavy snow, and summer traffic are just a few examples of the many challenges motorists face in the Last Frontier. It’s all in a day’s work for Alaska’s truckers, who are trained to navigate some of the most hazardous terrains in the country. On June 4, Carlile’s professional drivers put their skills and training to the test and won top spots at Alaska’s annual Truck Driving Championship.
Bill Krenz, a Carlile driver of 12 years, took first place in the tank truck division. Brad Hinkes, also with Carlile, an Alaska shipping company, for more than a decade, took first place in the four-axle tractor-semitrailer division and was the overall grand champion. The competition featured a total of nine vehicle categories ranging from step vans to five-axle big rigs. Competitors completed a multiple-choice test on trucking safety facts and were also judged by time and proximity to targets, often winning or losing by mere inches.
“The competition is a great opportunity to come together as a trucking community. Congratulations to all drivers who placed in the competition,” said grand champion Hinkes.
The annual truck driving championship is hosted by the Alaska Trucking Association, formed in 1958 to foster and promote the trucking industry in Alaska. The organization has hosted more than 20 truck-driving championships in Alaska.
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Think you have what it takes to be a Carlile truck driver? Learn more about careers in truck driving.
Carlile is Alaska’s leading trucking and logistics company, with terminals in Alaska, Tacoma, Houston, and Alberta. The company provides trucking, ocean, air, and rail solutions to connect shippers and supply chains to Alaska.
Carlile To Transport More Than Two Dozen Bison
July 19, 2022
BOLSTERING BISON: CARLILE TO TRANSPORT MORE THAN TWO DOZEN OF NORTH AMERICA’S LARGEST ANIMALS
ANCHORAGE – Carlile Transportation, an Alaska shipping company, is working in partnership with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) on the latest phase of a major wood bison restoration project that has been in the works for several decades. Twenty-eight yearling wood bison are headed to the Lower Yukon-Innoko area as part of a long-term restoration project spearheaded by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Carlile is scheduled to transport the yearlings to Nenana from the Large Animal Research Station at the University of Alaska Fairbanks on July 20. This group of bison was among 40 animals that came from Elk Island National Park in Canada this April as part of a long-term partnership between ADF&G and Parks Canada. The transport and release of these 28-yearling bison to the Lower Yukon-Innoko rivers area is a continuation of wood bison restoration efforts in Alaska. Wood bison are native to Interior Alaska and Northwestern Canada. By the early 1900s, they had disappeared from Alaska and only a few hundred remained in Canada. As part of the effort to restore the species to much of North America,130 wood bison were released in the Lower Yukon-Innoko rivers area in Alaska in 2015.
Alaska Shipping Company, Carlile has partnered with ADF&G since 2008, providing transportation services for hay, other foods, and building materials over the years of planning leading up to the 2015 release of wood bison to the wild. After transport to Nenana from Fairbanks, this group of yearling bison will travel by barge to the Lower Yukon-Innoko rivers area to join the existing wild herd.
“We believe in contributing to the communities we serve. Carlile is pleased to work in partnership with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on this important program,” said Carlile Heavy Haul Project Manager Andy Lewallen.
“It is actions like Carlile’s that are the very essence and spirit of the wood bison restoration effort. Their generosity, dedication, and passion for the restoration of wood bison symbolize the efforts of a devoted, far-reaching, and diverse coalition of individuals and groups who called for and strongly support the return of this native species to the wild in Alaska. The care and transport of North America’s largest land mammal is a very complex task, and Carlile has and continues to contribute to the success of this work. Carlile is to be commended for being an important part of this amazing team effort to bring wood bison back to the Great Land,” said Darren Bruning, Regional Supervisor/Wood
Bison Restoration Team.
Carlile Employee Recognized as Top Alaska Member by the National Association of Women in Construction
June 29, 2022
ANCHORAGE – Elinor Harrington, Senior Account Executive of Carlile Transportation is recognized as the Member of the Year by the Alaska Chapter of National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). The organization works to strengthen the success of women in the construction industry. Harrington, even though she doesn’t have the 5 years required for Regional and National level competition, she has been recognized at the 2022 Pacific Northwest Regional Conference as the Alaska’s chapter member put forth.
“Elinor has been with the company for nearly 7 years and is invaluable to our operations. Her accomplishment is well deserved,” said Terry Howard, President of Carlile Transportation.
Harrington has served many roles in the company since 2015. She has led system implementation and process development projects that have streamlined workflow at Carlile. Her primary function is communications planning and maintaining quality control for customers.
Harrington serves on the Board of Directors and chairs the NAWIC Membership Committee. She is active in recruiting, training, and maintaining members for the Alaska Chapter, which in 2021 won the National award for “Best Retention in a Large Chapter.” Additionally, she serves on the “Women in Construction Week – WIC Week” which she has planned and collaborated with Carlile Transportation in celebrating all the women of Carlile, and is a program presenter for the community. She is part of the planning committee to bring the Spring Forum to Anchorage, Alaska in May of 2023 which will showcase our amazing community and the various construction projects across the state.
NAWIC is a network for women in construction or construction support and related fields. The professional association began as Women in Construction of Fort Worth, Texas in 1953. Today, NAWIC is still based in Fort Worth and has over 115 chapters throughout the United States and over 5000 members and growing.
Carlile is Alaska’s leading trucking and logistics company with terminals in Alaska; Tacoma, WA; Houston, TX; and Edmonton, Alberta. The company provides logistics expertise in trucking, ocean, air, and rail solutions to connect shippers and supply chains to Alaska.
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Saltchuk companies contributed $4.9M to community-building organizations in 2021
June 28, 2022
Giving time, talent, and treasure to the communities that support our employees and businesses is a value the founding members of Saltchuk shared, and one that has become a cornerstone of our family business.
Saltchuk companies provided almost $5M million in grants, in-kind freight transportation, and employee-matching contributions to our communities in 2021.
In 2021 Saltchuk matched employee donations of $231,000 and gave another $2.2 million in cash grants through individual operating companies and Saltchuk Regional Giving Committees in Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, and Florida/the Caribbean.
Our Regional Giving Program largely returned to its historical focus on youth development and post-secondary education programs after turning our efforts in 2020 on emergent needs such as food security, housing, and healthcare insurance related to the COVID-19 crisis.
Our companies provided $2.5 million in in-kind transportation for emergency supplies, recycling, food bank donations, and other community programs in 2021. Whether focused on health, the environment, social services, the arts, youth, and/or education, Saltchuk companies intend for their gifts to build capacity and resiliency in our communities.
As shareholders, we set a minimum target for community giving to ensure consistency and accountability to our value of giving back. As we reflect on the last year, we want to express our appreciation and gratitude to the communities and employees who support our family of companies. We hope this report provides a sense of ownership and pride, reflecting the values we share and the commitment we as shareholders feel to our communities.
– Saltchuk Shareholders
TOTE Maritime Alaska Receives Governor’s Safety Award of Excellence
May 24, 2022
ANCHORAGE– TOTE Maritime Alaska, LLC, (“TOTE”) received the Governor’s Safety Award of Excellence last week during the Alaska Safety and Health Conference for outstanding achievement in safety, health, and environment for 2021.
The Governor’s Safety Award of Excellence is presented to organizations demonstrating distinction in the safety and health of their personnel, stewardship for the environment, and a demonstrated commitment to corporate citizenship. Awards are based on safety and environmental systems and performance metrics, reviewed from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety data.
“We are honored to be recognized by the Alaska Safety Advisory Council for our safety performance and our commitment to environmental stewardship, ethical business practices, and the communities we serve,” said TOTE Maritime Alaska President Alex Hofeling. “I’m incredibly proud of our Alaska team and congratulate all the organizations that were recognized this year.”
Since 2019, TOTE has strategically focused on programs to support a safe and healthy workplace. These include adding QR codes and signage for fast and efficient “near miss” reporting, new sanitization stations throughout their terminals, regularly scheduled zone audits and third-party inspections, as well as a robust “Speak Up/Take Action” program to promote a culture of transparency, trust, and compliance throughout the organization.
TOTE Maritime Alaska is committed to excellence in safety and service, maintaining internationally recognized certifications for Corporate Social Responsibility (MVO 8000), Occupational Health and Safety (ISO 45001), Quality Management (ISO 9001), and Environmental Management (ISO 1400).
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About TOTE Maritime Alaska
TOTE Maritime Alaska, LLC belongs to the TOTE Group family of companies, a leading transportation and logistics company, overseeing some of the most trusted companies in the US. TOTE Maritime Alaska, LLC and TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, LLC bring unmatched reliability and service to their respective markets. TOTE Services, LLC offers crewing and technical services to meet the needs of commercial, privately owned and U.S. Government vessels. TOTE Group is part of the Saltchuk family of companies. www.totemaritime.com