Taking Off: Thanee Morales Cabrera
Thanee Morales Cabrera
Thirteen years ago, Thanee Morales came to Fairbanks from her native Peru. When she started looking for a job, she had to take a drug test to work as a housekeeping assistant at a hotel. Her life took a 180-degree turn when the worker at the drug and alcohol testing collection site offered her a job.
Thanee started in 2014 as a medical screening assistant and certified collector for the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Later in 2016, as a third-party administrator. “After 10 years of work, I decided to start my own dream and last January, I officially opened Alaska Testing Logistic, LLC. My business offers services focused on drug and alcohol testing in the workplace and solutions to ensure compliance with regulations in Alaska and other states.” The company’s services include workplace testing services for DOT (Department of Transportation) and non-DOT (federal businesses, retail stores, schools, etc.) programs, ensuring businesses meet regulatory requirements and maintain a safe workplace. They also provide program setup, record keeping systems, and comprehensive training for employees and supervisors on drug and alcohol policies. Finding the office space, securing business insurance, and the entire process of putting all the business pieces together, “would not have been possible without the help of Alan Owens, my soulmate,” Thanee said. She also had the support of Jade Greene, a business advisor at the Alaska Small Business Development Center (SBDC), whom she turned to in 2021 to create her alcohol and drug testing company. As for the loan to start her business, she is grateful to Scotty Watkins, from Northrim Bank. “I feel a beautiful pride in being Peruvian and living in Alaska. I am grateful to have found wonderful people along the way who believed in me, and now I can contribute with my services to companies that require them and, especially, give a hand to Hispanic businesses.” Thanee has another side. She is a singer-songwriter and recorded her own CD with cumbia Tex Mex style music in Peru. She performed in shows and musical concerts also singing the songs of her idol Selena Quintanilla. “Since I was little, I admired my father who was a folk artist and from him, I inherited the love for singing,” she said. “The Thanee Show” aired on KSUA 91.5 FM in Fairbanks and spread Latin music for two years. Alaska Testing Logistic is located at 3535 College Rd, Suite 207, Fairbanks, AK 99709. Learn more at alaskatestinglogistic.com or call 907-328-0477. |