he Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act’s (ANCSA) passage fifty years ago and the creation of Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) ushered in an era of a different kind of corporation. Imagine the creation of a corporation charged to financially prosper on behalf of its shareholders, with an additional directive to provide a wide array of benefits to its Alaska Native shareholders and descendants. Look around at the ANCs created under ANCSA, and you see mission statements that reflect this very reality. Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI) was created with this same vision, and while its region closely approximates the traditional homeland of the Dena’ina Athabascan people, the makeup of CIRI shareholders and descendants represents the diversity of all Alaska Native people. While initially thought to be a vulnerability, it is this diversity that has carried through the years and provided broad economic benefits that continue to drive CIRI’s mission.

Economic opportunity and development have many meanings in Alaska, and the diversity of this vision of economic growth is a proven strength for ANCs. While these organizations demonstrate success in business growth and investment in Alaska, the Lower 48, and around the world, a key accomplishment of ANCs is that they bring these profits back home to invest in our communities, infrastructure, people, and culture. While CIRI, along with other ANCs, has continued to grow its net worth and provide direct economic benefit to its region, shareholders, descendants, and community members over the past fifty years, the economic reality goes well beyond simple accounting.

CIRI’s diverse investments in Alaska create jobs and are critical components of a healthy Alaska economy. As an example: the turbines of Fire Island Wind in Cook Inlet, visible along the western horizon from Anchorage, provide reliable and environmentally friendly renewable energy to the Anchorage area, keeping homes and businesses powered up into the future. With the potential for expansion of the Fire Island project, there is opportunity to grow CIRI’s positive economic and environmental impacts in the region. Fire Island Wind is just one example of the incredible impacts that ANCs have in Alaska, with the benefits from endeavors like these remaining here in Alaska to support our communities.

With fifty years of history behind us, our vision is focused on the future. Our thoughts are focused on our role in providing continued economic benefit, cultural identity, and important resources to Alaska Native and American Indian people in an ever-changing world. These responsibilities were taken on by our Elders, those who fought for our rights and ultimately ushered in the promise of ANCSA. By continuing in their footsteps, we honor those who came before us, we live and work guided by our values, and we demonstrate our thanks for the impacts we have had on our communities throughout Alaska.