Who we are
About Us
Who We Are
About Us
Tutka, LLC, a woman-owned small business, was originally established in 1999 by Amie Sommer and her sister as an environmental and instrumentation company and has evolved into an environmental and heavy civil construction company now owned by Amie and her husband, John. Working together as a team where one partner is an environmental scientist and the other is a civil engineer has proven to be challenging, but this dedicated couple has proven they have what it takes to run a successful business. It was on this dynamic that we based our tag line, “Where Engineering Meets the Environment.” The company name Tutka also has an interesting meaning for the couple. Many people think that it comes from Tutka Bay near Homer, Alaska, a place both Amie and John enjoy spending time, but that is not why Tutka was chosen for the business. "Tutka" is a Finnish word which when translated means “radar,” which reflects the business philosophy the couple has embraced, as both Amie and John are constantly looking at what’s next on the radar for Tutka's continued success. This forward-thinking approach has proven successful for the firm as Tutka is starting its 20th year in business, and the couple continues to strive to keep Tutka at the forefront of industry.
Meet Our Team
Our Super Heros
Amie SommerOwner/ Member
Amie Sommer has more than 20 years of experience in the environmental and construction industry. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Science and is responsible for Tutka’s daily operations. She is essentially the CFO of the business. She has both a technical and business background which enables her to be an excellent negotiator as well as contract administrator on Tutka’s Government Contracts. She works closely with contracting officers and Agencies and ensures that Tutka is in compliance with all local, State and Federal regulations on our contracts. She has been trained in HAZWOPER, RCRA, and DOT. Her background is in environmental remediation and hazardous waste removal projects. She has been involved in small waste removals to larger scale remediation projects in Alaska and the Lower-48. She has performed as a field sampler, regulatory specialist, and project manager on projects in remote locations of Alaska.
John SommerOwner/ Member
Mr. Sommer received his B.S. in Civil Engineering in 2000 from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He is co-owner of Tutka, LLC. Prior to that he was employed by another large heavy civil contractor for 12 years as a project engineer, project manager, and Mat-Su Area manager. He has managed over $100 million in civil construction work, over $10 million in environmental cleanup work, and over $8 million in vertical construction work throughout the State of Alaska. At Tutka, Mr. Sommer has built a stable, reliable and profitable construction division which has extensive bridge construction experience. Mr. Sommer has an extensive engineering background with the hands-on heavy civil project management approach. He has worked with designers and owners on Tutka’s projects to develop cost-effective solutions. As a managing member and working owner, Mr. Sommer is essentially in charge of all Tutka’s projects and oversees all Sr. Management, Superintendents, Foreman, etc.
Scott NygardProject Manager
Mr. Nygard holds a B.S. in Chemistry/Biology from Western Washington University. He has been a Tutka employee since the start of the company in 1999. He has more than 30 years of experience as a quality control manager, health and safety manager, project manager, chemist, and environmental scientist. He has worked on multiple and various project types including construction, demolition, site assessment, cleanup, and remediation. Mr. Nygard has performed hazard monitoring and quality control work including active military bases and operating airports and roadways throughout Alaska. He is experienced in analytical methodologies, and requirements for sample collection, preparation, packaging and transportation, analytical reporting, data management, data quality review and assessment, and analytical chemistry quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC).
Kyle JohnsonEnvironmental Scientist
Mr. Johnson holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from Bemidji State University. He has 4 years of experience as a Storm Water Pollution Plan (SWPPP) preparer for projects throughout Alaska. His professional education has included the development of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), microbial interaction in biofilm environments, waste water treatment technology, evaluative Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), and performing lab analysis of water sources to EPA standard methods. He has experience in various aspects of EPA and ADEC standards for collection and analysis of solid and hazardous waste, water, and other medias. Mr. Johnson participates in a diverse range of environmental response, environmental assessment and characterization, and environmental restoration projects. Clients, in part, include: the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army, Native Village of Tanacross, Matanuska Borough, Chenega IRA Council, and various others throughout the State of Alaska.
Austin KruseProject Manager
Mr. Kruse holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from University of Alaska Anchorage and has one year of experience as a Project Manager. He’s responsible for creating schedules, material acquisitions, requesting state approval on materials, communicating with the client, and project oversight and has managed projects valued up to $2 million. He originally was hired as an intern to work on the Roche Mountonnee Creek Bridge project, for which Tutka was awarded the AGC award for Excellence in Construction.
Kara SeversonOffice Manager/ AP Clerk
Working as a team and anticipating needs has always been an essential part of a day’s work for Kara. As office manager she is responsible for all office procedures and uses her organizational skills and attention to detail to ensure smooth operations during Tutka’s sometimes short but always hectic construction season. She is very proud to work with a group of talented Alaskans who are excited about the industries they are in and giving back to their community. Prior to joining the Tutka team she operated an “at home” daycare and was a buyer for the Alaska Commercial Company. Kara is also a wife, mother of three, grandmother to four and enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Julie MontgomeryBookkeeper
As Bookkeeper, Ms. Montgomery is responsible for payroll, subcontractor administration, and all accounting functions for Tutka.
