Home grown energy
When John Sims, M.B.A. General Management ’10, was named president of Enstar Natural Gas in September 2017, a lot of fanfare was made about him being the first born-and-raised Alaskan to lead the energy company. But Sims’ roots are much more than a talking point — they’re what keeps him plugged into the distinct needs of his customers and neighbors.
“What’s really unique about Alaska is how independent we are as a state, as individuals and as an economy,” said Sims. “Our military, our hospitals and our universities play a huge role in that. But if you don’t have a low cost to energy, it’s really not sustainable. That to me is why this job is so important. We’re constantly trying to find ways to lower our cost because we know the impact that can have on the state and our economy.”
Reinforcing his personal connection is his leadership philosophy of communication and cooperation. That approach was put to the test just one year after Sims became president due to the arrival of a magnitude 7.1 earthquake striking Anchorage in November 2018.
In the weeks following the earthquake, Enstar shared resources as part of a city-wide effort with sister companies, engineering firms and Alaska Native corporations to ensure homes were safe and restore the integral infrastructure.
“Sen. Murkowski used to tell a story about showing federal colleagues the aftermath to demonstrate need [for federal aid], but everything already looked fixed!” said Sims. “The community didn’t see everything we did. Again, we’re a really independent state, and because of that you see a lot of cooperation that might not happen in other places. Even though Enstar was a small part of that effort, it’s a very proud moment for me.”
Leading up to his promotion to president, Sims worked through virtually every part of Enstar. After seeing former Enstar president Tony Izzo give a presentation on how energy impacts the economy, Sims was motivated to find a job — any job — with the company. His entry point was in business development in 2005, which also served as a reentry point back to school as his then-supervisor encouraged Sims to earn an M.B.A.
Sims chose UAA to pursue his graduate studies, partially inspired by his fandom for athletics. Born and raised in Eagle River, he played baseball in high school and in college in Hillsdale, Michigan. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in marketing management, Sims was offered a position with the Chicago White Sox Academy, setting up baseball camps across the city. Despite the connection to sports, the traffic made Sims miss home, leading to his return.
In addition to using his background and position to anticipate his customers’ needs, Sims takes his involvement a step further by not only giving back, but encouraging his employees to do the same.
“Community involvement is critical and it’s a responsibility I take seriously,” said Sims. “I have seen the difference that businesses can have locally, so we really place an emphasis on that. On the nonprofit side, we coordinate with a lot of stakeholders and empower employees to look for opportunities. At every level, we find creative ways to provide support because it really makes an impact. I know it made an impact on me.”