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Weekly UpdatesYou could say Wayne Stevens' passion for skiing made a way for him to slide into the presidential seat of the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce (ASCC). But perhaps it's more a matter of a man who's not afraid to follow his own heart, who focuses on opportunities instead of obstacles.
"I guess I'm one of those guys who sees the glass half full," Stevens said.
Along with an eye on opportunity and a can-do attitude, Stevens brought decades of leadership experience to the table when he took on the position of Alaska State Chamber of Commerce president/CEO last year. Stevens has lived and worked in Alaska since 1971. He joined the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce in 1985, serving as executive director through June 2004. During his tenure, membership tripled from 125 to 375 members.
Opportunity led Stevens to Alaska, and it is part of what keeps him around. "People can be involved and have a hand in the state's future," he said. "That excites me."
THE JOYS OF YOUTH
In his past, it might have been difficult to predict Stevens' present. He was born and raised in Lebanon, New Hampshire, graduating from the town's high school in 1970. His siblings obliged parents who believed all kids should be college-bound, but Stevens' heart was set on skiing. So following high school graduation, he worked as a professional member of the National Ski Patrol for one year. During that time, his parents thought the scientific arena might appeal to Stevens and consequently lead him to college, so they introduced him to members in that profession. As a result, Stevens left the slopes of New Hampshire and headed, not to college, but for the North Slope of Alaska. Scheduled to work one year at the Naval Arctic Research Lab in Barrow, Stevens stayed for two.
Next Stevens was fully prepared to pack his bags and return to the east, but then he heard of an opportunity to work for Wien Air Alaska. Reviewing the job's requirements, Stevens thought, I can do that, and so took the spot. From there he held various positions of progressive responsibility, staying with the company until its end in 1984.
In 1982, Stevens had transferred to Wien's operations in Kodiak, where as customer service manager, he was essentially responsible for all operations, including personnel, budget and terminal management, as well as public relations.
CHAMBER NO. 1
That experience helped Stevens think he could be the man for the job when he heard about an opening at the Kodiak Area Chamber of Commerce.
He was hired and stayed for 19 years. During that time, Stevens developed many of their current policies and procedures, as well as operational policies and programs, among many other administrative activities.
Since 1982, Stevens has participated and/or is participating in 15 different public service assemblies, boards, associations and councils, including service on the Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference Board of Directors (SWAMC). During his tenure as president of that board, SWAMC oversaw the distribution of $31 million of Steller Sea Lion mitigation funds from the federal government. He's also found time to complete 45-credit hours of business-related studies at the University of Alaska.
The opportunity to participate on a statewide level is just one reward Stevens has experienced since taking on the position of the ASCC president one year ago.
"I'm able to take the skills learned in a singular market and apply them in a broader market," he said. "With that, I hope to build an organization that can grow and thrive and prosper into the future. I like that-building stuff."
NEEDED SKILLS
Stevens says that he brings strong organizational, operational processes, policy and procedure skills to the organization.
"I believe these skills will help me build an internal structure within the State Chamber that will make the organization stronger, more efficient and more effective," Stevens said.
Furthermore, Stevens brings a willingness to find common ground and a desire to build collaborations within the organization's membership and with other like-minded organizations.
"Ultimately, what we are all trying to build is a stronger economy in which we can all be successful," he said. "That takes collaboration."
Stevens' first year as the ASCC president has presented challenges, as well as rewards. He's found the transition from one style of management to another to be the biggest test. Much of his first year in this position has been focused on the internal building of structure, spending a lot of time on establishing processes, procedures, systems and getting the right people in the right place to do the right jobs. "These things need to be in place to be successful," he said.
Even so, the position demands a lot of external attention, as well. Established in 1953, the ASCC is Alaska's largest and most diverse statewide organization representing business. The interests and concerns of its membership are represented each legislative session through full-time lobbying efforts in Juneau.
POWERFUL VOICE
"The size, diversity and geographical spread of our membership give us a powerful voice in influencing statewide economics and politics," Stevens said. "And we're the only business organization with full-time representation in the Capitol."
Stevens is a registered lobbyist, so in addition to in-house responsibilities, he and his staff spend a lot of time interacting with legislators as business decisions are being made. "Generally we try to participate in the process on a regular and routine basis," Stevens said.
He describes his first year in the statewide chamber as frantic: a lot of work and not a lot of time. "So much is going on," he said. "We try to be effective and bring focus by prioritizing and making sure things keep moving."
Stevens' approach is the same ascribed to eating the proverbial elephant. "One bite at a time," he said. "We just keep working at it."
LEGISLATIVE INVOLVEMENT
Top five 2005 legislative priorities for the ASCC include implementing a state fiscal plan, building an Alaska gas pipeline to the contiguous U.S., opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), supporting a superior education system, and resolving the workers' compensation crisis.
The ASCC considers certain workers' compensation structures and current escalating rates an ever-increasing burden on Alaska's businesses. Consequently the organization advocates meaningful insurance and regulatory reform. Stevens pointed out workers' compensation insurance is a huge expense to the business community. Those expenditures are partly driven by the rising cost of health care--which impacts all of us. "We need to start arresting those costs," Stevens said. "Of some businesses won't be able to continue."
He confesses the crisis is a tough nut to crack. "In solving the problem, you don't want to not take care of the worker," Stevens said. "But if you can't reduce costs, it can cause businesses to shut down, and that eliminates the worker's job.
"The Legislature undertook an attempt to bring about substantive workers' comp reform and were able to pass legislation that will begin the process of putting downward pressure on workers' comp rates. We consider this only a first step in what will be a multi-year process to bring substantive reform to workers' comp. The Legislature is to be congratulated in recognizing and taking this first step."
In addition, the ASCC supports development of an Alaska Gas Pipeline along the southern route through Alaska, and passage by the State of Alaska for a process that will provide for fiscal certainty and appropriate tax benefits to encourage an Alaska pipeline development. The Chamber also supports consideration by the State for participation in the pipeline to the contiguous U.S. as a means of providing the State with benefits associated with equity ownership in the project-without adding undue bureaucracy and inefficiencies.
The ASCC further supports Alaska's role in providing our nation with a major portion of its domestic oil and encourages the U.S. Congress to pass a bill opening the coastal plain of ANWR to responsible exploration, development and production of its oil and gas resources.
"When it comes to ANWR, there's not a lot the Chamber can do to impact Congress," Stevens said. "But we've weighed in on the issue."
And the same holds true for the gas line. "We're not at the table, but we can continue to support its importance," Stevens said. "The financial investment required is of mind-numbing magnitude."
FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS
Still another priority is a need for Alaska schools to provide "excellence in education" so every student is enabled to make a successful career choice. Therefore, the ASCC supports a responsible increase of funding for K-12 public education, vocational education and the University of Alaska. But Stevens believes it takes more than money. "Educators, students, employers and public policymakers must work toward a common purpose to benefit all Alaskans," Stevens said.
He's willing to go out on a limb to provide an illustration. Stevens points out the airlines, telecommunications and banking industries have undergone dramatic transformations in the past 30 years. But the education system was designed back when agriculture was central to society. "Maybe it's time to rethink how we deliver the material in the education system," he said. "Do we have the right system for the right time?"
Stevens emphasizes he is not slamming today's educators. "I think they do a remarkable job with the tools and system given," he said. "But maybe it's time to hold the discussion; is our education system built for today's environment?"
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