Silver Bay Seafoods’ CEO Promises Bright Future for Petersburg with Successful Transition

Cora Campbell, the CEO and president of Silver Bay Seafoods, addressed local fishermen, processing plant workers, and community members in Petersburg, Alaska, this week. She emphasized that her company possesses the “recipe for success,” as reported by local news outlet KFSK.

Acquisition and New Beginnings

Earlier this year, Silver Bay Seafoods confirmed its acquisition of the stake held by Cooke’s Icicle Seafoods in OBI Seafoods. This strategic move allows Silver Bay to collaborate closely with the Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation (BBEDC), which maintains a 50% stake in OBI. With the finalized agreement, Silver Bay now oversees all facilities and operations, including the processing plant located in Petersburg.

A Focus on Community Legacy

During a recent meeting, Campbell expressed her commitment to ensuring that the successful operations currently benefiting the community continue uninterrupted. “We want the things that are working for you and working for this community to continue to work,” she assured attendees.

However, she noted that some changes are on the horizon. One significant change will be the discontinuation of the OBI name. “We want to keep a strong connection to that local point of pride with Petersburg Fisheries and Icicle, but we will be operating it as Silver Bay Seafoods, Petersburg [facility],” Campbell explained.

Seamless Integration for Enhanced Operations

Campbell elaborated on the ongoing transition, stating that it is “fully up and running.” Teams are diligently working to unify systems across companies to ensure consistent support for both fleet and plant operations. The focus remains on minimizing disruption for fishermen, employees, and the broader community.

“I think what you’re going to see is more opportunity to maybe bring fish from other places to Petersburg,” Campbell stated. “Or when Petersburg has too much fish, you’ll have a bigger network to make sure that gets processed timely. But none of that is going to be seen or felt by the fishermen on the water. The goal is to make it seamless and supportive … so that they can concentrate on running their fishing businesses,” she concluded.

Community Reaction

The community members left the meeting with a sense of optimism about the future of their local industry. There is anticipation that these changes will not only preserve jobs but also bolster the local economy.

As Silver Bay Seafoods embarks on this new chapter, the commitment to the Petersburg community and its fishermen remains steadfast.

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