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Local movie theater, radio station and paint store owners win Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 awards
Gross-Alaska Theaters is business of the year, Cliff and Lisa Dumas are citizens of the year, and Charlie Williams gets lifetime achievement award at annual gala Saturday
By Mark Sabbatini
Juneau Independent
A local movie theater company, a couple that owns several commercial radio stations in Southeast Alaska, and the owner of a local paint store for the past 40 years were honored with annual awards presented by the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce at its annual gala Saturday night at Centennial Hall.
Gross-Alaska Theatres, founded in 1897 and in its fourth generation of family ownership, was named Business of the Year. Cliff and Lisa Dumas, owners of Local First Media, were honored as Citizens of the Year. Charlie Williams, who opened Valley Paint Center 40 years ago and still owns it, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The winners were recognized for achievements beyond the existence of their businesses, including support provided to the community, and the involvement of owners and other employees in civic activities.
Business of Distinction: Gross-Alaska Theatres
"We ask things like: Do they support our youth?" said Eric Forst, a chamber board member and co-owner of the Red Dog Saloon, when introducing the Business of Distinction winner. "Do they give generously to local causes? Do they offer opportunities for employment and growth? Are they locally owned, deeply rooted, and invested in the well-being of our community? Do they give not just of their resources, but do they give of their time, their energy, and their heart? This year's recipient embodies all of these qualities and more."
"Hundreds, if not thousands of people can say their first job was with this business," Forst, a former employee, said. "From the expensive conversion from film to digital cinema, to the devastating shutdown of the industry during the pandemic, and all of the ups and downs that come with the movie industry they have been steadfast in their commitment to their community, their employees, and the legacy of their family."
A video made in 1997 to celebrate the company’s 100th anniversary narrated by David Gross, the grandson of founder William David Gross, was shown to the audience. The company over the decades established theaters in Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Douglas, Haines, Petersburg, Wrangell and Skagway, offering live performances as well as films. But it has scaled back since that peak, currently operating Glacier Cinemas in Juneau after selling its lone other remaining theater in Ketchikan in 2025.
Current owners Dorain Gross and Kenny Solomon-Gross accepted the award at Saturday’s gala.
"I thank you, the chamber, the community of Juneau, and all of Alaska for this very prestigious award that we will honor forever," Dorain Gross said. "As you saw, my father spoke most of it for all our history, which is a very long legacy, and I'm proud of it today still for all that we have done and will continue to do to help support all the businesses in all of Alaska. This is quite an honor, so I thank you from the bottom of my heart for me and my family."
Citizens of the Year: Cliff and Lisa Dumas
When the fate of 10 commercial radio stations in Juneau and elsewhere in Southeast was under threat due to bankruptcy proceedings, a former co-owner stepped in to reacquire them this year, leading to the honor presented by the chamber Saturday night.
"There are very few institutions that work tirelessly and sometimes under challenging circumstances to create and maintain a media network that serves Juneau and Southeast Alaska," said Craig Dahl, winner of last year’s Lifetime Achievement award. "This year's recipients moved to Juneau to make it their home and take control over a legacy media network that has been serving the community of Juneau since 1935. And just when everything seemed to be going in the right direction, unforeseen events placed this business, its future, in jeopardy."
The complexities of a bankruptcy filing in May of 2025 would be resolved nearly a year later when Cliff Dumas, who became majority owner of the stations as well as several in Texas in a 2022 deal, reacquired the Alaska stations under the Alaska First Media company he formed last summer. He is listed as the company’s owner and president, while his wife, Lisa, is listed as vice president.
The company earlier this year relocated its Juneau operations from its longtime location on Channel Drive to a new Juneau Media Center at the Mendenhall Mall.
"We are humbled to be recognized by a community that means so much to us," Cliff Dumas said in comments provided by video from Europe, where the couple is currently on vacation. "I've spent more than 40 years in broadcasting, working in different cities, meeting extraordinary people and having opportunities I could never have imagined. But after all those years I can honestly say that the greatest accomplishment of my career is what Lisa and I now have the opportunity to build right here in Juneau. Juneau has become so much more than a place where we live, work. It's home and being able to invest in these radio stations, give them new life, a new home, and a future is something we're incredibly proud of."
Lisa Dumas, who is a board member of the Juneau Symphony and Glacier Valley Rotary, offered similar thanks as well as praise to the company’s employees, stating "we really do share this honor with everyone who works towards a common goal at our Juneau stations."
Lifetime Achievement: Charlie Williams
When Southeast Paint Center closed in 1985, a person who four years earlier was learning the painting trade while still in college decided he wanted to fill the gap.
"So he leased 1,100 square feet in the space which Valley Liquor now occupies across from Super Bear, and undertook the work to open a paint supply store on April Fool's Day 1986," said Max Mertz, in an introductory speech honoring Charlie Williams, whom he nominated for the award. "Everything was in place to open, but he said he’d better pick a better day to open it. And so on April 2, 1986, Valley Paint Center opened its doors to the people of Juneau. Charlie was 25 years old."
Williams still owns the business in a new location, but has accomplished many other things over the decades, Mertz said. Those include starting a snowplow business in 1983 that he operated until 1998, being a licensed pilot and competitive bike racer, and serving as a member of the local ski team board and Glacier Valley Rotary. Through the latter association he was involved in the launch of numerous local projects such as playgrounds, as well as helping since 2008 on a project to educate poor children and agricultural workers in a small mountain village in Mexico.
A letter Mertz read from a person who supported his nomination of Williams states "what makes Charlie special is that I know we are not the only ones he has helped. Over the years I have watched him do the same thing for other contractors and people starting new businesses. He refers work, he shares his knowledge, helps people stay busy, and generally wants to see other people succeed. That kind of support has a lasting impact on the community. Charlie does much more than sell painting materials. He builds relationships. He creates opportunities for others, and has helped strengthen many local businesses along the way."
While Williams received the longest introduction of the event, his acceptance speech was the shortest.
"I feel blessed," he said. "It's been a joy for me to serve this community, to be able to help people when they're doing their projects to help to be successful because I've always felt when I help someone to be successful, it comes back to me. And because of this community support it's come back to me in a big way and I really enjoy giving back to the community. Thank you for this honor and I truly, truly treasure it."
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.
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