H.E.R.O. was created in 2008 to bring a heightened level of attention and affordable service to smaller-scale field projects.
Company founder Josh Horst believed there was a void in the camp services industry that was leaving “the little guy” paying too much for too little. Josh’s goal was to start a company that would provide affordable and personalized service to projects throughout Northern Alaska, where he could have a positive impact on their success.
As a year, then a few years, slipped into a decade of servicing field projects of all sizes and across a variety of industries, Horst Expediting & Remote Operations, Inc. has grown along with its customers, but has not lost sight of that original goal. We continue to provide affordable and personalized services to projects of any size. We believe that today’s start up project could be tomorrow’s mega project and helping each of them strive to reach their potential is our goal.
At the core of H.E.R.O. are four key people charged with managing different elements of the company and particular aspects of the client experience. A dynamic group of seasonal support staff and subcontractors work with our core four to bring our team to full strength.
Community Involvement
Fairbanks Alaska is our home and the vitality of our community is very important to us. Ours is a unique and special city situated in the heart of Alaska’s wilderness.
- We source our services and supplies locally
- We donate excess camp consumables to the Fairbanks Rescue Mission
- We sponsor local events & organizations
- We participate in community Events & Organizations
Josh is the founder of Horst Expediting & Remote Operations. His duties encompass all operations of the company, but his primary focus is contracting and business administration. Although much of his time is spent at his desk these days, Josh savors the opportunities to fly out and work on a camp, drive a load up the haul road, or hike the woods locating mining claims.
As our Controller, Crystal brings nearly 20 years of business management and accounting experience to the team. With a diverse industry background, she has managed several businesses, large and small from the start-up and development phase to the reorganization phase. She also has extensive experience in human resources and employee development and boasts a keen eye for organization and efficiency.
Cate has spent several years working in remote places where you just can’t get the things you need unless you have someone reliable in the “big city” to get them for you. She then took a hiatus to travel in those remote places including many years as a guide and as a support for wilderness guides. Whether that was repair and maintenance of gear, coordinating flights, or making sure there was enough food, Cate has been a behind-the-scenes worker for a wide variety of trips and projects for almost a decade. Since joining Horst Expediting, she’s added hazmat preparation and welding to her repertoire and works as an account manager, claim staker, camp builder, and performs countless tasks in support of our client’s needs.
Thom has been deploying and managing field camps in northern Alaska for 17 years. His camp projects have varied in size and purpose from small short-term environmental man camps to year-round 100+ occupancy arctic research facilities. He has been responsible for all three phases of many camp projects – from preparing the gear in town, building the camps in the field, and care and maintenance of the equipment upon it’s return. Thom is more than just the boots on the ground, he collaborates with project managers to ensure all the details of the field camp are looked after so the client gets what they need to function and succeed.
Layne was born and raised in Alaska. Growing up in a family of marksmen, Layne has stayed involved in the community, first as a part of the NCAA Champion Rifle Team and now as certified Bear and Firearm Safety Instructor. Layne has nearly 15 years of experience in remote exploration and mining camps where he put his Geology degree to work. Aside from his impressive education and career experience, Layne is a Jack of All Trades where if it can be broken, he can fix it. His background lends well to understanding what makes remote camps work well.
Ray is a Wisconsin native whose passion for adventure eventually led her to Alaska in 2017. With a diverse background in management, care giving, hospitality, and cooking, she quickly discovered her passion for serving others. As the Food Program Manager, Ray meticulously handles everything food and grocery related ensuring product reaches remote locations across Alaska efficiently and in quality condition. Ray’s high level of attention to detail coupled with her advanced organizational skills makes her a perfect fit for her role. Ray also handles account management, office management, fleet management and anything else sent her direction making her an invaluable asset!
