The Business Beers+ Business Empowerment Series

NEW STRUCTURE! This new and improved version of the Chamber’s ever popular Business Beers will now include a brief session of easily digestible business tips, tricks, or knowledge as a part of the Chamber’s Business Empowerment Series. Join the Chamber for Appetizers, beverages, business education, and good conversations. With the goal of building community among Cordova’s business professionals, the Chamber invites you to share the triumphs, struggles, and beauty of doing business at this event.

Business Beers + Business Empowerment Classes

Starting in January 2023, our popular networking series -- Business Beers -- will now be scheduled in conjunction with our Business Empowerment Series classes. Click the button below view upcoming events!

dID YOU GO TO THE pREVIOUS eMPOWERMENT sUMMITS?

you can access all these class recordings for free with your chamber membership!

  • All current Cordova Chamber members can click this button to let us know which Business Empowerment Class recordings they’d like to watch, and we’ll email a link.

class recordings available

April 13th- 6-6:45 PM

Class Description:  

In this presentation, you will learn about the SALA Healthcare Program available to Cordova Chamber members.  Presenter Rich Lawson will give an overview of the program and information about the preventive and day-to-day care options and co-presenter, Julie Silverman from Sedera, will discuss Sedera Medical Cost Sharing that is integrated into the program.

Teacher Bios: 

Rich Lawson is the co-founder of the Small Association Leadership Alliance, a membership organization serving small staff associations.  Rich has been an association management professional and executive for over 20 years, working in various capacities before starting his own consultancy in 2016.

Julie Silverman is a Regional Sales Executive for Sedera. She has spent the last 7 years helping people around the country find more cost effective ways to pay for healthcare which promote individual ownership, flexibility, and direct access to care.

April 13th from 7-7:45 PM

Class Description:

Brilliant Media Strategies, Alaska’s senior marketing and communications firm, will be providing a seminar on top dos and don’ts when it comes to marketing strategies for any size business. We will focus on ways to communicate to your customers effectively and efficiently. President/CEO, Debbie Reinwand and VP of Client Services, Krysten Demientieff, will provide the presentation.

Teacher Bios: 

Debbie Reinwand is the owner of Brilliant Media Strategies and was raised in Fairbanks and Juneau. She worked as a reporter at the Juneau Empire following graduation from college and relocated to Anchorage to continue her career. She has been with the agency for more than 25 years managing marketing campaigns large and small. 

Krysten Demientieff is a graduate of Stanford and has served as key staff on two of the largest political issues campaigns in Alaska history, both of which were managed by our agency team. Most recently, Krysten was communications director for the OneALASKA campaign, which defeated an initiative to increase oil taxes. A Doyon shareholder, Krysten also worked a session in Alaska’s Capitol.

April 14th, 6-6:45 PM

Class Description:

While recruitment and retention is a hot topic nationwide, we know that our environment is unique.  We will be covering past and present strategies to finding and keeping the best talent.

Teacher Bio:

Paula Bradison, founder and owner of PeopleAK, LLC., has dedicated her professional career to helping develop professionals in the workplace. As a 4th generation Alaskan business owner, she learned the benefits of a strong work ethic and willingness to ask for guidance early on. After a 20-year career as an Executive Director in Healthcare, Paula decided to expand into a variety of industries. Since then, she has conducted multiple training seminars, coaching sessions, operational/financial controls assessments, facilitation, board development and business planning. Paula’s experience in management and healthcare allows her to engage with direct institutional knowledge and experience at a level that results in long-lasting benefits for the client. Paula has a deep desire for improvement and facilitating constructive change. Leading PeopleAK, Paula is deeply committed to growing and supporting successful businesses in Alaska and is devoted to a straightforward and honest approach to equip our clients with practical perspectives on complex issues. At the core of the PeopleAK team, Paula sets the standards as a consultant devoted to successful execution of client engagement and maintaining a standard of excellence in quality service

April 14th- 7-7:45 PM

Class Description:

During this workshop, you will learn the process for creating and executing an easy yet successful content calendar for your social media. One that won’t cause you to spend all your work & personal hours on Instagram, while also producing quality content that people actually want to engage with.

Teacher Bio:

Karen Deaton Perry is the Cordova Chamber of Commerce’s Events and Member Services Coordinator, fulfillment and social media manager with Liberty’s Alaskan Seafood, as well as the owner of the Kayak Cafe. Karen manages 5 different Instagram accounts and has learned some easy tips and tricks along the way for keeping it all organized that she is eager to share!

April 15th- 10-10:45 AM

Class Description:

This course will cover the basics of using QuickBooks Online to run your business, including transaction categorization, chart of accounts, reporting, bank reconciliations, and a brief look at payroll.

Teacher Bio:

Kristy Andrew, owner of K12 Business Services, LLC, has been working as a part-time, small business bookkeeper for over 10 years, across a variety of industries. She recently transitioned from a 16-year career in public school finance, to her private bookkeeping, payroll, and business services practice based in the State of Washington. Kristy currently services four clients in Alaska and hopes to remain a resource for Cordova-based businesses.

April 15th from 11-11:45 am

Class Description:

A brief discussion of the Expedition Style of Cruising, the individual vessels that are planning on calling at Cordova, and what to expect from passengers and crew members while ashore.

Teacher Bio:

 Andrew J. Mew grew up in Eagle River, AK and was active in Boy Scouts, Science Competitions, Fencing, and Competition Riflery, and spent a good deal of time in Western Prince William Sound on the family boat.  He studied Biology at Oregon State University before commissioning into the US Navy in 2007.  He served as the Electrical Officer on the USS HAWES in Norfolk, VA and the Operations Officer on the USS AVENGER in Sasebo, Japan.  After returning to Alaska in 2012, he started working with Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska and Alaska Maritime Agencies – of which he is now Vice President.  Andrew was on the establishing board of the Aleutian Islands Waterways Safety Committee, and is on the board of Alaska Steamship Response and the Alaska Steamship Association.  He currently lives in Anchorage with his partner Cait, and their pets Fergus and Freya.

presented by Ian Grant, Alaska Small Business Development Center

presented by Ron Goodrich, Goodrich Accounting

presented by Kristy Andrew, K12 Business Solutions

presented by Elizabeth Ellis, Professional Virtual Assistant

presented by Karen Deaton Perry, Cordova Chamber of Commerce

presented by Cathy Renfeldt, Cordova Chamber of Commerce

Presented by Kristin Carpenter, PWS Economic Development District

Presenting Partners