The Alaska Contractor: Fall 2006

2) industry education and information,
3) safety education and information,
and
4) building relationships with other
contractors.
Tony Neal has been on the AGC
National Naval Facilities Engineering
Command Committee, a member of
the AGC board for more than 20 years,
and has brought in new members
while working on the AGC membership
committee.
In 1987 he was picked as Homer’s
Citizen of the Year.
Working in the construction industry
is hard work and can be challenging
with the vastness Alaska offers. Projects
located deep in the “bush” and remote
military facilities all contribute to what
could be considered a logistical nightmare.
One of the hardest challenges of
being a contractor in Alaska is the coordination
and delivery of equipment,
materials, and supplies.
Neal and Company made a living
out of fi guring out the logistics and
making it work for them.
According to the Neals, they have
nearly reached the sunset of this career.
Their plans for the next fi ve years include
fi nishing their investments in the
condominium and land division projects
and retiring.
Although retirement in the construction
business is looming, life will
not slow down just yet. As it turns out
ending one job starts another as Aurora
just fi nished law school and is intending
to practice in Homer, while Tony
will continue to work in his other business,
Popsie Fish Company, a commercial
fi shing operation.
When Neal and Company closes its
doors in a few years Alaska will lose a
good business, but the friendships and
contacts made over the years will remember
the small business from Homer
that made a name for itself around
Alaska and the world.
For more information, please visit
www.nealandcompany.com.
Laura Bruck is a freelance writer
based in Alaska.
Fall 2006 The Alaska CONTRACTOR 57