Aang Unangax̂ Family,
It was wonderful to see so many of you at our first in-person Annual Meeting since 2019; we couldn’t have been more pleased with the turnout. Over 300 shareholders and descendants attended! A special “thank you” to The Aleut Corporation staff and board members, the Unangax̂ Dancers, and Mary Kelsay (MEKA) for all their hard work in making the 50th Annual Meeting a success.
Congratulations to returning board members Dr. Gary Ferguson II and Kyle Foster on being re-elected, and welcome back to Patty Lekanoff-Gregory as our newest board member. Sincere gratitude to all the candidates who put their names forward and for their willingness to serve our people.
As some of you are already aware, the Board of Directors made the difficult decision to withdraw from the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) after the AFN Annual Convention in October. AFN approved a resolution that could significantly impact Area M commercial fishing. The resolution was drafted in response to declining salmon runs in the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim (AYK) region and incorrectly asserts that Area M bycatch is a driver of these declines.
The resolution should have never made it to the floor at AFN due to its divisive nature. When the Aleut Caucus moved to counter the resolution, AFN did not follow established process and procedure. As a result, our Aleut Caucus was denied the opportunity to fully speak on the resolution, its impact on our communities, or work towards an acceptable compromise.
While we sympathize deeply with our AYK neighbors, our region relies on Area M fish to feed and support our families. We did not make this decision lightly, however the disrespect to our region and our people cannot be ignored. We believe that staying in AFN would send the wrong message and would not support the goals of our people, fisheries, or region.
Despite these challenges, we continue to build towards the future. Over the last several months, we’ve made some important changes at our subsidiaries:
- Chase Berenson is the new General Manager of Aleut Enterprise, LLC. Chase brings a background in technology and business development, and will help our AE businesses meet short- and long-term goals in support of our overall mission and vision.
- We established a Lands Department under TAC to focus on regional land use, mineral exploration, renewable energy, and environmental clean-up. Ben Leon-Guerrero has transferred over from Aleut Real Estate to TAC, leading the new department.
- Manny Rodriguez joined Aleut Real Estate as our Real Estate Manager, to focus on and grow our commercial portfolio.
Reconnecting with family and friends during our in-region visits was a highlight for me this year. And getting to visit with many of you at the Annual Meeting was a reminder of just how valuable our Unangax̂ community is. As we enter the holiday season, I hope you’re able to spend time making memories with family and loved ones. I wish you and yours Happy Holidays!
Qaĝaasakung,
Skoey Vergen
President & CEO