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Volume 2019, July
Summer Edition
Published by NANA Regional Corporation, Inc.
Message from the President & CEO
NANA Education
Program Lead Annette
Zella with the 2019
interns in Anchorage:
Keirin Johnson, Tanya
Hall, Brandon Mills,
Melinda Barr, Teigan
Drake, John Reed, and
NANA President and
CEO Wayne Westlake.
For more on NANA
interns working in
Anchorage and the
Lower 48, see page 8.
Dear shareholder,
During a recent visit with NANA’s
Anchorage interns, I was asked to name the
skill that has served me most throughout
my career. My response – “listening and
observing” – was spurred by childhood
memories on the Kobuk River.
On every summertime boat ride when I was
young, my family would pile in to hunt, berry
pick or adventure. When we’d come to shore
along the river, my brothers and I would get
so excited, that we’d jump out of the boat and
start running, hollering and playing together.
Apparently, our antics didn’t always promote
a successful hunt. I vividly remember my
parents stopping us and patiently saying,
“Shhhh, quiet.” It might have taken me
a few more years, but I learned to listen,
look around, smell the air and observe. opportunities that prepare them to lead their
families, corporation and communities.
Our traditional subsistence skills serve
us well wherever we may be – from the
water and our lands to the classroom and
boardroom. There are times when it is
best to listen and understand as much as
possible to avoid jumping to conclusions
or making rash, ill-informed decisions.
When we live by our Iñupiat Iļitqusiat
and cooperate and share, we make
better choices, help solve challenges and
benefit from the wisdom of others. This summer, NANA placed 24 shareholder
interns throughout our family of companies
in Alaska and the U.S. You’ll get to meet
them in this issue of The Hunter, along
with many of our shareholder graduates
who can celebrate a job well done.
At NANA, we recognize that today’s youth
are tomorrow’s leaders, and through our
investment in scholarships, internships
and educational programs, they earn
In the meantime, I look forward to
listening and learning more from you
– our shareholders – as we continue
to enjoy these summer months and
the natural bounty they provide.
Sincerely,
Qaniqsiruaq Wayne Westlake
President and CEO
Board Report
Actions from the April 2018 board
meeting in Anchorage, Alaska
• Elected board officers for NANA
Regional Corporation: Chair Linda
Lee, 1st Vice Chair Lance Kramer, 2nd
Vice Chair Marvin Barr, Treasurer
Brianna Kirk and Secretary Bonita Barr.
• Passed a resolution adopting
amendments to the NANA dividend
policy that will provide a mechanism
for calculating dividends based
on audited financial results, and
a system that ties dividends to
NANA’s financial performance.
To our young people, interns, current
students and graduates, I encourage you to
look to our ancestors as strong examples
of hunter success. They relied on lifelong
learning for survival, adapting to changes
in the weather, wildlife and land. And while
there are times when education can seem like
a sacrifice, especially when the discipline it
requires may mean missing out on something
else, know that your hard work and gained
knowledge is a blessing, and whatever
you do, do it to the best of your ability.
• Passed a motion authorizing the
creation of a shareholder dividend
fund intended to put funds aside
for or supplement dividends in
the future. Work is in progress to
determine the appropriate structure
for the dividends and to develop a
policy for the use of the fund.
• Passed a motion adopting the capital
investment/acquisition process as
presented. The capital investment/
acquisition process outlines the
steps needed to make significant
investments or acquisitions for
NANA and includes appropriate
procedures for each key contributor
(Federal Group, Commercial
Group and Natural Resources).
• Passed a resolution authorizing the
land transfer of the Kivalina landfill
site to the City of Kivalina; the transfer
is authorized pursuant to ANCSA
Section 14(c)(3) and will allow more
local control and better access to
funding sources to manage the site.
• Passed a resolution excluding the
eligibility of board members and senior
leadership for annual meeting and other
proxy prizes. NANA has practiced
this, but now it is official policy.
• Passed a resolution approving
amendments to the Compensation
Committee charter. The amendments
will clarify the committee’s timeline for
executing the performance management
process of the NANA president/CEO.
The meeting was called to order at
9 a.m. and adjourned at 5:35 p.m. on
April 26, 2019. The next meeting date is
scheduled for July 11, 2019, in Kotzebue,
and the board meeting open session is
scheduled for July 12, 2019, in Deering.
Deering, Alaska