Face to Face
Peter Andersen, SERVS Operations Manager

“Qualifications: must have a lifetime of experience with boats and Alaska coastal communities and love everything about the water.” Although not the formal job description for the position of SERVS Operations Manager, it is very close to what Peter Andersen would describe as his dream job.

Andersen manages all prevention and response operations for SERVS, including the fleet of 10 tugs used to escort laden tankers in and out of Prince William Sound; the response system that comprises eight barges; pre-positioned equipment throughout the Sound; and fishing vessel contracts with about 350 boats in the surrounding communities of Homer, Seward and Kodiak.

Although Andersen has only been at the helm of SERVS for a year, he has worked in that department since 2001. Since then, he has earned the experience needed for his current position working as a SERVS response specialist, coordinator and operations supervisor. Prior to that, he was an intern through the Building Foundations for Excellence Program (BFEP), an Alyeska internship and employee development program. He is a shareholder descendant from both the Chugach and Eyak Alaska Native Corporations.

How did your prior professional experience help prepare you for this job?
I was born and raised in Cordova, then lived in Kodiak and was captain of the M/V Nuka, a Bering Sea crab boat that was home ported in Kodiak. It has come in handy to have led people and crews while working on the Bering Sea. Working as a team comes with leading a group of people during what can sometimes be very difficult situations.

What do you like best about working for Alyeska?
The people are fantastic to work with and the job is really interesting. I do everything from working with people on the pipeline and at the terminal, to having exposure to people in the community, and working on the water and the land. It’s all about being ready to respond in any event by preparing and training our people so we can do the job we’re committed to.

What do you like best about living and working in Alaska?
I love being near the water. I enjoy the people and the fact that it’s a great big state with a small population. It’s amazing that everywhere you go there’s someone you know. I’m a third generation Alaskan. My great grandfather first came to Cordova from Norway and fished in Prince William Sound and raised fox while living on an island in Sheep Bay. My dad was a commercial fisherman here and on the Copper River and my grandfather fished those same waters.