He and his wife Catina (also a nearly lifelong resident of Unalaska) have three beautiful children, Hayden (8), Laneah (6) and the boss of the operation, Keenan (5 mo.). Blaine is an active member of his community. He has served on several boards and currently holds a seat on the Qawalangin Tribal Council. He and his wife enjoy raising their children in Unalaska and spend their free time hanging o
ut with their family whom they are very close to. Blaine, who “let’s God guide the opportunity," can trace his roots to a long line of entrepreneurs. His grandfather, the late Larry Shaishnikoff, started the first movie theatre in Unalaska and was also the owner of the renowned Elbow Room. His parents, Bill and Diane Shaishnikoff, are the owners and operators of Bering Shai Rock and Gravel. It’s no wonder that Blaine, at the age of twenty-seven, is now a third generation Shaishnikoff to own and operate his own local business. Growing up in Unalaska, Blaine recognized the challenges that his community faced with not having a reliable and sustainable food source. “Our people have lived here for thousands of years and have always provided for themselves by living a subsistence lifestyle. Providing my community and my region with a locally-grown, quality food source is something that I feel very strongly about and it is what we’re trying to do.”
In 2014, Blaine competed and was a finalist in the Aleutian Marketplace Contest hosted by the Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association (APICDA) and the Aleut Corporation (TAC) for his hydroponic greenhouse submission. In 2016, Blaine began talking with Dan Duame, the Executive Director of Aleutian Housing Authority (AHA), who was also considering a form of hydroponic growing in the region after attending a Vertical Harvest Hydroponics seminar during the Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference (SWAMC). Mr. Duame retired from his position as AHA Executive Director in late June and handed the operation over to Deputy Director, Erin Wilson. “We’re known for providing affordable housing in our region, but this venture reinforces our mission of also being a major generator of economic development. Growing up in King Cove, we didn’t always have access to fresh, quality foods. Our hope is to reduce our region’s reliance on shipped produce and supply our people with the first ever, locally-grown food source,” she stated. Although there are nearly 800 miles between them, as partners, Blaine and Erin are focused on their ultimate goal and their company’s mission: “To enhance the health and well-being of our Aleutian residents by providing a locally-grown, sustainable source of fresh foods that are of the highest quality and nutritional value, year-round.”
