Hopper Introduction

Hello,

My name is Dusty Hopper.  I have been in Alaska since 1989, and live in Sterling, Alaska with my wife and two daughters. We have really come to love fishing and hunting as a family. My wife and I have been able to harvest five caribou over the last 6 years with one of them being our oldest daughters first drawing tag up on the Denali  Highway. Last year we were able to get a nice bull moose on the Kenai  Peninsula. We also enjoy fishing, hiking, traveling, and camping. We are actively looking to add a dog to our family, but have not found the right fit yet.

I have been working in Prudhoe  Bay for 11 years. My current position is a Maintenance Planner at one of the Oil Processing  facilities which I plan, coordinate materials, determine the right time frame for performing  work, request additional resources if needed, call out third party vendors, build manning schedules, and until recently schedules the technicians at the plant I work at. I started out as a pipe insulator, and have transitioned into this role over the years I have spent in the field. I enjoy what I do, but I enjoy my time off from work even more. It allows me to spend more time with my family, and enjoy what Alaska has to offer.

I have been taking a break from school for the last several years. I was working the summers as a concrete finisher/mason, and attending classes at KPC and UAA for a BS in Biology in hopes of entering the WWAMI program. However, life had other plans. I started work in Prudhoe Bay, and decided that I would complete the Process Technology AAS. This helped me better understand the equipment and processes that I was working around. It also helped me enter the role I have now. After much thought and consideration I thought it was time to go back to school and complete my BS. This is my first semester back, and I am hoping to complete my BSATL by Winter Break 2020.

Thank you for your time,

~ Dusty