Ounalashka Corp - The Eider Pointer Newsletter_Feb2019_11 web | Page 4

BOARD MEMBER
SPOTLIGHT
Alice Barbara Rankin
Q. Full Name
A. Alice Barbara Rankin
Q. Where did you grow up? Where do you live now?
A. I grew up in Unalaska, Alaska and that is where I
currently live.
Q. Children, family?
A. I have two children, both adults now. Denise M. Rankin
lives in Unalaska, and works for the Ounalashka
Corporation as the Lease Manager. Brian D. Rankin
also lives in Unalaska and works for the City of
Unalaska as an equipment operator. I have two grand
daughters, Abbygale Jensen and Sasha Rankin.
My extended family is larger. I have two sisters
remaining from my mothers’s seven children with
numerous nephews, nieces and cousins. I have also
many cousins on my fathers side.
Q. Do you practice subsistence or other traditions?
A. Yes, although my subsistence is limited to berry
picking due to my age and limited mobility. My son
very willingly shares whatever subsistence he catches,
as in fish and crab. We do participate in the Russian
Orthodox traditions such as Starring, and observing
the two Christmases and two Easter’s. We make kulich
at Easter, fried bread, fish pie, and jams and jellies.
Q. How long have you served on the OC Board?
A. I was appointed to the OC board in the autumn of
1986, and have served continuously since then.
Q. What is your role on the board?
A. I am currently serving as the Vice President. I served
19 years as the Chairman.
Q. What do you think the Boards role is?
A. I believe that the board’s role is to represent all of the
shareholders. Our second role is to develop and set
policies for the efficient management of the company
and to provide its continuous growth and profitability.
Our third role is to hire effective, capable and honest
management to run the day-to-day operations of the
organization, which is not the board’s job whatsoever.
Q. What are the Boards goals? What are your goals?
A. For the past several years the board has held planning
sessions annually where short and long-term goals
for the board and management are agreed upon.
We agreed that a land-use plan was needed to
focus on multi-family housing, CEO succession,
improve shareholder relations and set directives for
management. Some of these goals were met during
3 OC’S FEBRUARY 2019 NEWSLETTER
2018, and we will meet in March in Anchorage to
discuss new goals and get an update on those not
accomplished. My goals? I would like to see OC
continue to grow and prosper. I would like to see
OC become the envy of ANCs due to its efficient
smooth and effective operations. I would also like to
see future boards be those who were able to graduate
from good colleges because of assistance from the
Edna P. McCurdy Scholarship Foundation. Don’t get me
wrong, a college degree doesn’t guarantee that you are
smart or have common sense. My mother was only able
to go to school through the fourth grade, but she was
one of the smartest people I’ve known. I just mean that
a college degree gives one more tools to use in this
digital, global world we find ourselves in.
Q. Describe a board success.
A. Most critical would be the establishment of the
Ounalashka Settlement Trust. Thanks to the
shareholders who voted for it, management and
professionals who worked hard to make it happen,
and the board who worked cohesively on this very
important issue. This was a win-win for all involved!
Secondly, we have been able to declare dividends
quarterly for at least the past 20 years, probably
longer. Thirdly, we have avoided making huge
mistakes in investments due to great due diligence
performed by our management and professional
consultants, such as our attorney and our auditors.
Q. What would you like to see for OC in the next five
years? 10 years?
A. This is a hard question. As a fiscal conservative,
I would like to see OC continue to grow and be able
to transfer more into the Settlement Trust. I would like
to see management complete most of our short-term
goals, such as the multi-family housing project.
I would like to see young shareholders more involved.
In 10 years, I would like to see OC be respected not
only in Unalaska but statewide, and even nationally
for its growth and stability as well as OC being
considered a good, outstanding corporate citizen.