Alaska Testlab Promotes New Owners

Feb 16, 2023 | Construction, Right Moves, Science

Aro

Construction materials testing and inspection firm Alaska Testlab (ATL) added four new shareholders as Owners.

Blake Aro is the field supervisor for ATL. A second-generation inspector and lifelong Alaskan, Aro has nearly twenty years of experience in construction materials testing and inspection. Serving private and public sector projects across the state, Aro has extensive experience in all facets of horizontal and vertical construction. He is certified by the International Code Council, Precast Concrete Institute, American Concrete Institute, Western Alliance for Quality Transportation Construction, and more. Aro enjoys family time at home, grilling and smoking meats in his barbecue pit.

Stephen Brewer

Stephen Brewer is a senior special inspector for ATL with more than twenty years of construction experience. A former US Army Paratrooper, Brewer enjoys the challenge of working on remote projects across the state. Strong in earthwork operations, he maintains numerous certifications from the International Code Council, Precast Concrete Institute, American Concrete Institute, Western Alliance for Quality Transportation Construction, CESCL, HAZWOPER, and more. When not on a remote site, Brewer serves as ATL’s resident troubleshooter and maintenance man. In his off time, Brewer scuba dives around the world, seeking opportunities to interact with sharks.

Ashley Kampsen

Ashley Kampsen is the operations manager for ATL. A lifelong Alaskan, she has nearly ten years of experience in administration and operations. Kampsen is responsible for the day-to-day management of the office and is an expert in multi-tasking, accommodating short notice projects, logistics, bookkeeping, and scheduling. A graduate of UAA, Kampsen enjoys disc golf, snowboarding, hiking, scuba diving, yoga, and checking out local breweries.

brandon ukena

Brandon Ukena is a senior special inspector for ATL and has more than twenty-five years of experience in construction materials testing and inspection. A former mason, Ukena is an expert in all things concrete, especially girder construction for bridges, pre-cast elements, mix designs, and troubleshooting concrete issues in the field. He maintains many certifications from the International Code Council, Precast Concrete Institute, American Concrete Institute, Western Alliance for Quality Transportation Construction, and more. Ukena’s personal time is spent working on home remodel projects and cars.

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In This Issue
Alaska Native + Southcentral
December 2025
Alaska Native regional, village, and urban corporations operate in every industry all around the state, often in regions that don’t attract attention from other corporations. Our cover story for December 2025 is an excellent example, as it covers the investment Aleut is making in its region, Unangam Tanangin, or the Aleutian Islands, which stretch 1,000 miles into the Bering Sea and Pacific Ocean. The Alaska Native special section also visits Kodiak and the handful of corporations benefiting that region, and looks back over fifty years of ANCSA corporation history and how the corporations have built, maintained, and strengthened communications and relationships with their shareholders.

Also in this issue: building a company and planning an exit strategy; several ESOPs, and UAS’ foray into a new model for tuition. Enjoy!

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