Earlier this year, an ACEs Peer Group, co-hosted by The Grow Group and McFarlin Stanford, trekked to Alaska for a few days of meetings, a site visit at Titan LLC and a trip to Bristol Bay for bear watching and fishing.
Here are some of the sites the group took in:
Meeting of the minds: Before heading to Bristol Bay, the group met at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage to do a few case studies and provide individual company updates in a roundtable discussion. (Photo: LM Staff)
Watching Cook: Following dinner the group walked to take a photo with this statue of Captain James Cook. The Cook Inlet, which the statue faces, was named after Captain Cook in 1794. (Photo: Paul Myers)
Watch your head!: Most travel to get to the remote areas of Alaska is done by plane or by boat. The ACE Peer group packed themselves into this TransNorthern propeller plane — capacity 16, including the pilots — to fly to Bristol Bay. In the front row are Chris Strempek (left) and Gene Freeman of Complete Landscuplture. (Photo: Gene Freeman)
Polar plunge!: A challenge was issued and it grew in numbers each day — starting the morning off with a leap into the icy cold waters of Bristol Bay. Here, (left to right) Strempek, Cole Weller, Weller Bros., Vince Torchia, The Grow Group and Jason Cromley, Hidden Creek Landscaping, get the heart rates pumping. (Photo: James Cali)
Man’s best friend: Cromley reunited with his friends in the ACE Peer Group in Alaska, and also made a new one while in Alaska: Manny, the Rapids Camp dog. (Photo: LM Staff)
Captain Cole: On the flight to go fishing, the co-pilot spot was up for grabs. Here, Cole Weller makes co-piloting look easy. (Photo: Gene Freeman)
Catch of the day: GRO CEO Garret Hergert shows off one of the many fish he landed during his time in Alaska. (Photo: Vince Torchia)
Timed it just right: The bear watching at Brooks Camp in Katmai National Park made for some incredible sights, including this image caught by Vince Torchia of a bear catching a fish on the fly. (Photo: Vince Torchia)
Caught the limit: Chase Coates, Outback Landscapes; James Cali, McFarlin Stanford; Seth Jones, Landscape Management; David Amigo, G&G Landscape; Josh Amigo, G&G Landscape and Torchia at the conclusion of their day fishing — nice job reaching the limit, guys. (Photo: Vince Torchia)
Until next year: That’s a wrap on this year’s ACE Peer Group trip to Alaska. We hope to see you all at ACE Summit New Orleans, November 13-15! (Photo: Chase Coates)
