Business Briefs
Indoor climbing gym opens Friday
JUNEAU - The Rock Dump Indoor Climbing Gym opens Friday at 1310 Eastaugh Way, near Alaska Litho off Thane Road.
The facility includes a variety of climbing walls and is open to beginners as well as experienced climbers. Matt Cecil, who owns the business with his wife Ami, said he hopes to provide Juneau with a new form of indoor exercise and recreation.
The grand opening runs from 2 to 10 p.m. Friday. To find the business, turn right off Thane Road near Alaska Litho, turn right again at Eastaugh Way and look for the large green building. Call 321-3264 for details. The Rock Dump will be profiled on the Empire's Thursday Outdoors Page.
State chamber announces annual awards
JUNEAU - The Alaska State Chamber of Commerce announced achievement awards at its 42nd annual Convention and Business Trade Show at Centennial Hall.
Fairbanks-based WebWeavers, an Internet company, won the Bill Bivin Small Business of the Year Award for its show of leadership, ethics, community involvement and leadership.
Carl H. Marrs, president and CEO of CIRI, earned the Outstanding Alaskan Award for continually making substantial contributions to the state in the private sector. Marrs has held directorships with Key Bank, Resource Development Council, Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council, Alaska Public Radio Network, the state chamber and the Special Olympics World Winter Games.
The Homer Chamber of Commerce took the Chamber of the Year Award in recognition of its programs.
Shell returns to Alaska with lease bids
ANCHORAGE - The company that discovered the Northstar oil field is once again showing an interest in Alaska. Shell Exploration and Production Inc., a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell Group, was one of the two top bidders in a North Slope lease sale last month.
Houston, Texas-based Shell Exploration bid on 13 leases and was high bidder on 10, committing a total of $2.4 million.
Shell essentially bowed out of Alaska in 1999 when it sold the last of its major assets, an oil field in Cook Inlet, to Cross Timbers Oil Co. In earlier decades, Shell was an explorer in just about every area of the state, including Cook Inlet, the Chukchi Sea, the Gulf of Alaska and the Beaufort Sea.
Shell has never been major player on the North Slope, but it intends to be, Rich Hansen of Shell Exploration said.
"Shell is committed to growth in North America. Alaska looks very promising. We're very interested in establishing a presence on the North Slope," he said.