This year marked the 10th anniversary of the Alaska Seafood Processing Leadership Institute, developed by Alaska Sea Grant to grow and strengthen leadership in Alaska’s seafood processing sector. In these 10 years, nearly 100 mid-level managers, selected and sponsored by their employers, have attended training.
This year’s 18 graduates participated in a week of training in November 2017 and again in March 2018. They worked on a plant project of their choosing with a mentor during the intervening months, and 10 of the students attended Seafood Expo North America in Boston.
“The 2018 graduates overall seemed exceptionally motivated, energetic and eager to participate in the series of topics presented,” said Quentin Fong, Alaska Sea Grant seafood marketing specialist. Fong, based in Kodiak, is lead organizer for the course.
Sam Nothstine, expediter at Kwik’pak Fisheries in Emmonak, Alaska, said the most useful part of the training was the session taught by independent leadership trainer Al Bolea. Nothstine learned from Bolea’s first-hand stories about how he became a chief executive in the oil industry and the decisions he made on the job.
“He encouraged us to be communicative and challenge others, and not to retreat from issues,” said Nothstine.
