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One would describe Carol Neeley as a jack of all trades and a master of all. She's a strong woman, a pioneer of sorts, who had to take over the family business after her husband, Sy, passed away almost three years ago.
Her daughter, Sharon Daniel, is the business manager for Copper Basin Sanitation Service Co., a company that grew out of the Neeley's first business, Copper Valley Construction. Copper Basin Sanitation Service is located in rural Glennallen and serves the surrounding communities of the Copper River Valley, which has 3,700 residents. Daniel says, "Our service area covers 200 square miles--the entire Copper River Valley. We provide services to almost all of (the residents of Copper River Valley) in one form or another."
BUSINESS DREAM COME TRUE
"The Copper Basin Sanitation Service Company was established on April 1, 1990," says Daniel. "We are the service portion of the businesses that the Neeleys started in the early 1960s. We are a sole-proprietorship. The business started with Sy and Carol, and then, was owned solely by Carol since Sy's death. The business has always been Carol's--of the Neeleys, Sy was the dreamer, and Carol was the solid anchor. She has always handled or monitored the administration portion of all the businesses."
Sy's death was a result of a car accident. Carol was severely injured in the accident, which caused her to have multiple injuries and numerous surgeries, even to this day, three years later. Because of this tragedy, Carol has had to pass on her direct management of the business to Daniel, but she stays in the background as a cheerleader and an administrator.
The history of the company was started in the 1960s when the Neeleys opened their first two businesses, Copper Valley Construction Co. and a mobile home park. Daniel explains the evolution of Copper Valley Sanitation Services: "The business had trucks and equipment, plus there was vital need to get rid of the trailer park's garbage. So, we started to haul garbage away to the local dump. Then, other businesses and neighbors asked if we would haul their refuse also. Forty years ago, we started with a Chevrolet flatbed truck. (The company now has three rear-loading garbage trucks, three sewer vacuum pump trucks, two toilet service trucks, one mobile boiler/steamer, and one high-pressure water line cleaner service vehicle, as well as four pickup trucks.) It was a truly kitchen table business. For many years, we operated the construction company, the refuse business, the trailer court, and other businesses concurrently. The office was in (the Neeley) home, (with) the children helping as soon as they were old enough."
The Neeley's businesses continued to evolve throughout the 1970s and 1980s as the construction company moved into burying trash and working on the sewage system in Northway. With each project, the Neeleys saw new opportunities for niche businesses.
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Daniel says, "We've come a long way since those days. Now, we have two shops; a real office; compacting garbage trucks; vacuum-operated sewer pump trucks; a maintained and permitted landfill; sewage evaporation lagoons; portable toilets with hand cleaner; portable boiler for steam-thawing sewer lines and the ground; high-pressure water sewer line-cleaning equipment; pickup trucks; trailers; and a staff of more than nine employees."
LEARNING TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH
Daniel shares that the Neeleys learned about the trash-hauling business through trial and error. Yet, Carol Neeley makes sure that Daniel and her other employees receive the proper education to operate the sanitation business today. "Two employees and I have received specialized training and certification as Manager of Landfill Operations from Solid Waste Association of North America. Three employees have completed a course from the University of Wisconsin on Landfill Design. The employees also have received specialized training from the National Association of Wastewater Transporters, Portable Sanitation Association, and Rural Alaska Landfill Operations. Most of the crew has taken the Alaska's Septic System Installers course, even though we don't install systems, and all of the employees receive training in basic first aid and CPR every two years, as well as regular safety training," Daniel says.
BUSINESS DECISIONS REFLECTED THROUGH WORLD VIEW
Carol is greatly respected by her employees and fellow business owners. Daniel explains, "Carol has always been a calm, careful, thinking person. She reviews the fine print before making decisions. She has a 'big picture' view of the business, and she does not disrupt daily operations without a good cause. She has a true concern for the crew and their families. Her Christian view of the world has a big effect on her relationship with her employees."
All of Carol's business acumen comes from her passion for providing good customer service to the local community. She acts on fairness and honesty to her customers and employees. In addition to the sanitation and construction businesses, Carol is actively involved with the local community. She serves as a board member, volunteer, or sponsor for many local and national organizations.
Carol Neeley has diversified herself throughout her entire career. She encompasses the pioneering spirit that marks an Alaska businesswoman due to her 50 years' worth of work experience and generosity to the local community.
Photos by Gary L. Martin
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