EDUCATION & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR RIGHT-OF-WAY PROFESSIONALS IN ALASKA.

We just held our Annual Chapter 49 Awards Banquet at Kinley’s on 2.20.26. A good time was had by all thanks to Skylar Furlong (with Enstar), for serving as our chapter’s Election and Nominations Chair and handling all of the event details. We appreciate you. Photos will post shortly.

February also brought a special education offering as Chapter 49, through DOT&PF, organized a pilot class on Waiver Valuations as part of an International Valuation Committee’s initiative to bring this class to the standard IRWA catalog. We had 40 attendees, including 5 from other regions at the Megan Room 2.11.26. Thank you Andrew Sorba and Vince Coan for providing strong instruction on the new limits and tiers. Photos will post shortly.

General Members are always welcome to attend and participate in board or committee meetings as we love to hear from those we serve.

Keep an eye on the calendar and check back regularly for updates, job announcements, ROW resources, and more.

Feel free to contact mychael.alfaro@alaska.gov with website issues, feedback, ideas, etc.

As always, to keep our chapter strong and resilient, we are looking for giving and creative IRWA Member ROW professionals to serve as executive board officers, committee chairs, and/or strategic planning members.

Come talk to one of us, you might be surprised how little free time it takes to make a HUGE impact on your chapter or how much more you can get out of it than what you put in.

We still need a chairperson for

• the Young Professionals Committee,

Please talk to any of us (see leadership page) if you are interested in any of the great opportunities above.

Thank you to all our amazingly dedicated and talented member volunteers, without whom we could not sustain the awesome momentum we are enjoying.

Our Education and Professional Development Chairs (PDC) have been working hard to bring members a steady and wide range of course selections. They have created a three-year education plan allowing our members to become credentialed as a Right of Way Agent (RWA) in one year, a Right of Way Professional (RWP) in two, and the prestigious Senior Right of Way (SR/WA) designation in the third year.

If you are interested in completing course work for the above designations, please reach out to your PDC chair.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWEST SR/WA.

Sterling Lopez, SR/WA

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CHAPTER 49 CERTIFICATION CANDIDATES.

RWA

‍‍Steven Ray

Joseph Lujan, PLS

RWP - EU

‍Staci Quinlan, RWA

Our Chapter has lost 19 members, down from 100 reported in May due to retirements, leaving service, and non payment of dues. We have inspired 81 members to join or renew their membership. While retention of 81 members is worth celebrating, growing our numbers back to 100 member is the goal.

Please be sure to talk to your co-workers and share the benefits and rewards of joining IRWA today.

Don't forget to Renew your Membership. A 90% Member renewal earns our Chapter an additional "5 ChIPs".

Please note that International has voted to raise the cost of annual membership by $10 this year (2025) and $10 again next year (2026).

Please email Paula Brault with membership questions.