Hello Again! Well, summer is coming to an end, but I am excited as I prepare for fall. I enrolled my son in kindergarten, registered my daughter in gymnastics. I have also registered for my classes and can’t wait to go school shopping!

The Tanana Valley State Fair has opened today and Sourdough Fuel has sponsored a booth for the Red Cross. Despite all the thick smoke, I am sure the fair will be great. Work is also slowing down for me due to the transition into fall. I have become more independent with the projects presented to me. This has made me more comfortable in this internship, and I am sure whoever fills this position will feel the same. Projects can be challenging, but not stressfull.

I first began by replacing decals on the fuel pumps, replacing posters, designing menus for customers, and doing monthly marketing updates. Driving to the different retail location was great too because I like driving. The weather has always been nice and I record the mileage in the expense statements.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to share my insight of this internship with everyone. I can only hope I have inspired another shareholder to take advantage of the outstanding opportunities surrounding them provided by ASRC. Thank you ASRC and good luck to all Iñupiat striving for success! "You can do it!"

Hey there beautiful! Thanks for checking out my insight. This week I was faced with a new challenge of creative writing. I attempted to create new marketing messages to be seen on company reader boards, receipts, and scrolling LEDS! The task was harder than I expected and I soon developed writer’s block. I did manage to come up with a few such as: "Sweet & Tasty, Pick up a Breakfast Pastry!", and, “Feast Your Eyes on Our Delicious Homemade Pies!” Creative writing has always been a passion of mine. I write songs and poems and it always came naturally, but marketing a product to the customer through clever messages is totally different. I couldn’t imagine writing songs like the famous "B-O-L-O-G-N-A", so I took a crack at it and suppose I did alright.

A fun new project for Sourdough Fuel and Hilltop Truck Stop is a monthly coloring contest for kids ages 3-10. I began creating new coloring pages for each calendar month using online graphics and correct dates for the year. The prize for children to win is a $15 meal coupon at the Hilltop restaurant which makes my stomach growl! The ages are of course separated for fairness in competition; otherwise it would be lame for a 5 year old to lose to a 12 year old. This project sparked an excitement for me and brought back memories of living in Fairbanks as a child. I remembered participating in coloring contests from several different businesses as a kid. It was always exciting to be acknowledged, challenged by creativity and praised by having your coloring page hung on the wall for all to see. I believe coloring contests are a pleasant and affordable aspect for businesses to provide to children. It’s always an attribute to a community when businesses are kid-friendly. That’s an aspect of Sourdough Fuel that I truly am respectful of is their appreciation and respect for family. Don’t you agree?

My first trip this summer had to be cut short due to work and school, but I had a blast regardless. My husband and I traveled with other family members for a 10 hour drive from Fairbanks to Kenai; because I haven’t been south past Anchorage in over 10 years, it was an enlightening adventure for me. The atmosphere is so beautiful driving along the cliff-side of the mountain, on the edge of Cook Inlet. The rain clouds increased the majestic beauty of the Alaskan Range and landscape. I love traveling Alaska and believe every Alaskan should have an awareness of the many different regions within our great state. We fished for salmon on the mouth of the Kenai River flowing out to the inlet. This was my first time dip net fishing in the ocean. The method of fishing was so much more relaxing and less life threatening than dip netting on the Copper River in Chitna, which we usually do. The beach was full of people standing shoulder width apart, side by side in water up to their chest, holding 10 foot poles with a 5 foot net attached. The weather definitely took some getting used to after being in 90 degree Fairbanks heat. It was rejuvenating taking in all the fresh, moist air as opposed to the dry-smoky air in Fairbanks caused by surrounding forest fires.

My family and I were amazed at how much Homer has grown over the years. There were houses all over the hills. A sign read “Bear Sightseeing for $399” which made me laugh because last month I had to report a black bear wandering the streets of North Pole 3 blocks from my house! And of course I remember counting at least 25 polar bears at the point on several occasions.

Returning to work I had began working on our company’s monthly calendar. The calendar states all events, meetings, birthdays etc…that pertain to all Sourdough Fuel employees. It’s fun because it gives me a chance to be creative and add pictures and digital detailing. I’ve received many compliments on previous ones I have created and enjoy doing so. Employees rely on the calendar for important updated information such as what retail promotions to apply to the store, and I have fun making the calendar pleasant for viewing. It’s been a relaxing week despite the pressures of school, family and work because everyone deserves a great summer getaway! Thanks for listening!

This week Nicole and I visited Sourdough Fuel Hilltop. Hilltop is off the Elliot Highway, which turns into the Dalton Highway, commonly used by truckers. The restaurant is popular for its great food, low prices, friendly service and large portions. The gorgeous drive to Hilltop is past the city of Fox, which is 8 miles outside of Fairbanks. It was great to go on a little road trip, considering the 90 degree weather!

Upon arrival, I began updating the ATM machine with the July promotional messages that print on the receipts. The process can be confusing and takes full attention. I also programmed the scrolling LED message board. It is used for advertising the food and product promotions with the use of clever phrases, bright colors and animation. The programming is easier than I thought it would be and gives me the chance to be creative. The store locations each have LEDs inside and outside. Although they are different by programming they are just as much fun to light up. I also had the opportunity of doing a marketing checklist which is done for all the retail locations. Basically, it’s a checklist for employees to do every month to make sure the store is tidy in full operation according to the company’s standards. It’s also important for the managers to view the results so they see where improvement is needed. Primarily the marketing checklists are done during the in-store inspections. During that time I drive to the retail store locations and take pictures to be used for the marketing and advertising posters. Being able to fill out a checklist for my opinion was a privilege. Not only is it required to do but it’s good to know that my opinion is being included. My interests in the marketing field continue to grow as I am learning new strategies involved, as well as advertising techniques. So stay tuned!

Hello again. I would like to begin my second insight by sharing a bit of family information. I am the second oldest daughter of Emma V. Koonaloak Adams- Ferguson. She is the daughter of Ruby Koonaloak, from Barrow, and Gene Schroeder. My father is Victor Jones from Georgia. I have many brothers and sisters, some I haven't met yet on my dad's side.

The past week has been exciting and eventful. Sourdough Fuel held its 8th Annual Father’s Day Car Show! Sunday morning started off cloudy and cold, with showers of rain all around town. Due to the weather, my boss Nicole decided to cancel the show, yet people kept arriving in their hot rods, muscle and antique classic cars. It was our luck that the drag races that were scheduled were canceled due to the rain, so we had more entries into the show.

It wasn’t until the start of the car show that the sunshine beamed through the clouds and temperatures rose to 70-75 degrees! Despite the fact that my boss, a co-worker and I were the only ones working the event of about 200 people, we had a blast. I was in charge of the registration and door prizes tickets as well as supplying balloons and free drinks. I met a lot of great people and had fun seeing all the cars, taking pictures and enjoying the hot sun. The show lasted 4 hours during summer solstice in Fairbanks. It was great to see that our guests were having a great time and were looking forward to next year’s car show.

Public relations may be intimidating to some, but if you make yourself approachable and are polite there is little difficulty. I have experience in customer service and I enjoy meeting new people. I think that people confuse public relations as having to befriend and make everyone happy which can be overwhelming. A great quality for an employee to have is to be approachable and cordial which is an attribute that any company looks for. This to me comes naturally. Public relations is just one aspect of business that I’m learning to excel in. I really appreciated the praise I continually receive from Nicole, and I look forward to work each day. There is always something new to accomplish so stay tuned!

My name is Jamie Lowery. I am a student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, majoring in Business Administration Management with a minor in Art.

I am a marketing Intern for Sourdough Fuel in Fairbanks, the local fuel company owned by Petro Star, an ASRC subsidiary. I began working for Sourdough Fuel as an intern in December of 2007. Since then I’ve gained experience and knowledge in the administrative fields of business, as well as government projects and in the hiring process that makes ASRC such a success.

I am excited to participate in the “I Am Iñupiaq” Intern Insights Program. I absolutely love what ASRC is doing to benefit its shareholders and those continuing their education. I am also enjoying my job here at Sourdough Fuel. I am blessed to have a supervisor who takes interest in sharing ideas and giving great advice to ensure my success with my job, school and my family. It is important to share the same priorities with those you work with. So far, I have visited every Sourdough Fuel location in Fairbanks. The field of marketing and advertising is becoming increasingly familiar as I am primarily working on promotions, and public relations projects.

During my weekends or time off, my family and I enjoy all day barbeques and swimming at Chena Lakes Recreation Park or the airport lake. We also enjoy four wheeling on the dikes and trails in North Pole, fishing on the Copper River, taking road trips, and participating in community-held events. I especially enjoy having date nights with my husband, renting late night movies, and playing “Rock Band 2” with friends and family.

I am grateful to be able to share my insight with others with this new project. I look forward to increasing my experience and knowledge of marketing and business. I would like to encourage all shareholders to take advantage of the opportunities ASRC presents you and to be successful in your career and education endeavors.

Quyanaqpak.