PETROLEUM DIRECTORY: Multi-faceted company, LCMF, stands ready to expand services with gas line growth

LCMF provides fully integrated professional disciplines in architecture, civil engineering, structural engineering, surveying and project management

Paula Easley

Q. Where is LCMF located?

A. We have offices in Anchorage, Alpine, Barrow, and Fairbanks.

Q. When was the company founded, who founded it, and what was its original name?

A. LCMF was founded in 1982 by four professionals: Loren Lounsbury, Steve Chronic, John Mulder, and Paul Fox. The original name was LCMF Limited. In 1986, LCMF formed a joint venture with Barrow Technical Services Inc., a subsidiary of Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corp. (UIC), the ANCSA village corporation of Barrow, Alaska. In 1996, LCMF was purchased by Barrow Technical Services and the LCMF name (LCMF Inc.) was retained for the newly combined company. The name was subsequently changed to LCMF LLC.

Q. Who heads up LCMF and who is on its senior management team?

A. Our firm is led by Steve Chronic, PE, PLS, the general manager of LCMF. Wiley Wilhelm, PE, is our principal engineer and manager of the Engineering Department; Richard Rearick, AIA, is our principal architect and manager of the Architecture Department; Ken Pinard, PLS, is our principal land surveyor and manager of the Survey Department; and Jared Keyser, PE, heads our structural engineering group. Charles Hopson manages our Spill Response Team based out of Barrow.

Q. Describe any partnership arrangements and when they became effective.

A. We formed the Kuukpik-LCMF Joint Venture in the mid-1990s. Kuukpik Corp. is the ANCSA village corporation for the community of Nuiqsut, approximately eight miles south of the Alpine drill site. This partnership provides services primarily to the oil industry.

Q. What is the company’s primary business sector? What services does the company offer?

A. LCMF’s primary business sector includes industry and state and local governmental entities in rural Alaska. LCMF provides architecture, arctic engineering, civil engineering, mechanical and structural engineering, surveying and mapping, and project management to these clients. In addition, LCMF provides village response teams to Alaska Clean Seas and the North Slope Borough to respond to oil spills on the North Slope.

Q. Who are the company’s main clients?

A. We have a statewide client base that includes corporate, government, industrial and private entities. A sampling of our clients includes ConocoPhillips, North Slope Borough, NOAA, Alaska Energy Authority, Village Safe Water, as well as city and village governments and school districts across the state.

Q. How many employees does your company have in each of its locations?

A. Approximately 50 employees, with 30 in Anchorage, four in Barrow, 10 at Alpine and two in Fairbanks.

Q. Does your company have subsidiaries?

A. LCMF does not have any subsidiaries at this time. We have a sister company, BTS Professional Services, that provides A/E services primarily to the federal government. As a subsidiary of Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corp., our family of companies covers a wide range of services from transportation to construction to information technology to real estate and insurance.

Q. Is LCMF expanding any of its operations and/or locations?

A. We recently expanded operations in the Interior with the opening of a Fairbanks office. The opportunity to better serve our Fairbanks clients came about when key personnel expressed an interest in moving to Fairbanks. The new office is co-located with another UIC subsidiary company, WireCom, which further allows for inter-company synergy for each company’s clients.

Q. Is LCMF changing any of its services?

A. In 2003 LCMF added spill response personnel training out of Barrow and this year, is establishing village response teams across the North Slope is a new direction for the company. While primarily focused on the North Slope, the underlying model can be applied in other regions.

Q. What is LCMF’s main strength, i.e., its edge over the competition?

A. LCMF’s leading edge over its competition is two-fold. First and foremost is our focus on meeting the client’s needs. Second but equally important is our long history and special technical expertise in Arctic engineering and other fields critical to rural Alaska. Over the years, LCMF has designed and managed many “first-of-its-kind” projects, including direct dredge material placement of fill on tundra and pile-supported fuel tank farms in permafrost areas.

Q. What new markets, clients and/or projects did your company attract in the last year?

A. Over the past year, LCMF has developed new architecture clients in the Anchorage bowl area. This work includes new projects, along with renovation of the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority’s offices and various upgrades to Anchorage School District elementary schools.

Q. Has LCMF invested in any new technology in the last two years?

A. We invest in new and changing technology every year. LCMF has heavily invested in GPS surveying technology. As a result, we have been able to reduce labor costs involved in our surveying operations, while providing clients with quicker turn-around time on their projects. Our Survey Department expanded into permitting support for industry clients including ConocoPhillips, FEX, and Petro Canada.

Q. What is the most challenging job the company has undertaken?

A. Our most recent challenging job has been the startup of the Alpine-Nuiqsut natural gas pipeline. LCMF has been involved with design and construction of both the pipeline between Alpine and the community of Nuiqsut and the community’s natural gas distribution system. Currently, LCMF is providing project management services to the North Slope Borough to assist with the regulatory and practical issues involved in starting up a new natural gas utility.

Q. What are the biggest obstacles to completing work the company undertakes?

A. Working in rural Alaska dictates that projects work with the seasons, rather than against them. For this reason, logistics is the primary obstacle we face. Up-front planning and coordination with owners and contractors allows them to get equipment and materials on barges for delivery in the summer which is essential for most of our projects. The difficulties don’t stop once the barge lands, however. In many cases, construction cannot start until freeze-up when access won’t damage the tundra.

Q. What do you see as your company’s biggest challenge in the next five years?

A. Development of the natural gas pipeline is expected to be the primary driver of the state’s economy over the next five years. When the pipeline goes forward, it will offer opportunities to all of Alaska’s businesses, some directly related to the pipeline construction, and others in areas that most have not anticipated. These opportunities will tax the labor forces in Alaska to and beyond their limits.

LCMF’s challenge will be getting into a position to take advantage of opportunities for providing additional services to existing clients and expanding to meet new client requirements. LCMF is investing in entry level personnel now so we will be better able to address client needs in the years to come.

Q. What do you see as future trends or opportunities for your company from events such as long-term weather fluctuations, resource development, etc.?

A. Our 30-plus years of Arctic experience, coupled with the knowledge our parent company — Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corp. of Barrow — brings to the company, positions LCMF to work with resource development as it moves west into the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. Work in this area will require new approaches to such issues as gravel mining, due to different geological conditions than in the Prudhoe area. LCMF has a long history of such resource development, and of making the most of available resources including mining, utilizing dredges and gravel exploration.

Q. Does your company have an anniversary or other landmark eve coming up?

A. LCMF’s 25th anniversary is coming up next year.

Q.What is the average length of time employees work for the company? Are you hiring for any positions?

A. LCMF’s success is largely due to our long-term relationships with our clients, which is accomplished by having long-term employees. General Manager Steve Chronic is a founding principal of LCMF. Next year will mark his 25th year leading LCMF. In addition, LCMF’s core employees have been with the company for more than five years with key staff averaging 10 years or more.

LCMF is always on the lookout for bright, energetic professional staff for all levels of employment. We are currently looking for registered professional civil engineers and land surveyors.

Q. What is your company’s safety record?

A. Kuukpik/LCMF was awarded Contractor of the Year in 2005 by the projects group at Alpine for our safety and performance in accomplishing our work in diverse, remote and isolated locations in supporting developments of ConocoPhillips.

Q. Does your company or its partners or subsidiaries maintain websites?

A. Our website at www.lcmf.com is currently under construction — getting a complete facelift — and will be back up and running soon. Be sure to check it out.