Governor Palin Announces Winners of Governor’s Exporter of the Year Awards

May 29, 2007, Anchorage, Alaska - Governor Sarah Palin announced today the winners of the Governor’s Exporter of the Year Awards: Usibelli Coal Mine, Inc. and Fairbanks Convention & Visitors Bureau.

At the Export Alaska luncheon in Anchorage today, Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell presented Usibelli with the Governor’s Exporter of the Year Award and Fairbanks Convention & Visitors Bureau with the Governor’s Exporter of the Year Award for Services. The Lieutenant Governor presented the awards on behalf of the Governor.

“It is a delight to honor Usibelli and the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau with these awards,” said Governor Sarah Palin. “I thank Usibelli for its international export activity that creates jobs at the mine in Healy, the coal terminal in Seward, and with the Alaska Railroad. And FCVB and its 400 members are doing a great job exporting the Alaska winter experience by attracting increasing numbers of international visitors.

“Their international activities may vary widely but the result is the same – they are promoting economic growth in our state. These awards illustrate how international activity is succeeding across our state in all kinds of businesses,” said the Governor.

Usibelli Coal Mine, Inc. has been an important family owned and operated Alaska company for decades. Since its founding in 1943 by Emil Usibelli, the company’s work and commitment to interior Alaska have won awards and recognitions both inside the state and outside. Since 1985, Usibelli has exported more than 13 million tons of coal to several Pacific Rim customers, primarily in South Korea. Since initial test shipments to Chile in 2004, Usibelli has exported more than 500,000 tons to three utilities which operate power plants along the west coast of Chile.

“We’re honored by this recognition today. It is the culmination of years of hard work by many people that has resulted in successful marketing of Alaska’s abundant coal resources to countries on the Pacific Rim. UCM has a long and proud history of international coal trade with South Korea and we are especially pleased to be included in Chile’s portfolio of fuel suppliers,” said Joe Usibelli, Jr., President of Usibelli Coal Mine, Inc. “Chile’s demand for coal is expected to increase significantly in the near future and we look forward to being a long-term reliable fuel supplier to meet their growing energy needs.”

The Fairbanks Convention & Visitors Bureau represents more than 400 large and small businesses that care about the visitor industry in interior Alaska. FCVB worked to encourage an airline to initiate nonstop international passenger air service between Japan and Fairbanks. The team included the Fairbanks International Airport, the Fairbanks Economic Development Corporation, the International Arctic Research Center at UAF, and the Alaska Travel Industry Association. This past winter, 10 Japan Airlines’ charters brought Japanese visitors to Alaska.

FCVB President and CEO Deb Hickok said, “Fairbanks is honored to host thousands of travelers who are returning home to Japan with stories of awe, adventure and amazing Alaskans. We are deeply grateful to the Governor for acknowledging our efforts.”

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