The ANCSA Regional Association

ANCSA SPECIAL SECTION

The ANCSA
Regional
Association

By Richard Perry

Katie Basile

A

laska Native corporations (ANCs) are as diverse as the Alaska Native shareholders and communities they represent, all with varying interests. An organization works behind the scenes to support ANCs in areas where those interests intersect; it started to come together after the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) was half as old as it is now.

In 1997, a group of Alaska Native regional corporation leaders came together to discuss the unique advantages of creating a forum where they could collaborate on issues they had in common. They agreed that, given the differences in purpose, structure, and mandates among ANCs and other organizations representing Alaska Native people, they must discuss and respond to the common challenges faced by Alaska Native regional corporations.

This group included Carl Marrs, Cook Inlet Region, Incorporated; Michael Brown, Bristol Bay Native Corporation; Oliver Leavitt, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation; Dennis Metrokin, Koniag; and Morris Thompson, Doyon, Limited. These Alaska Native leaders understood that while the twelve regional corporations operated different businesses, they also had similarities and there were many common issues that affected ANCs and Alaska as a whole.

Coho Cup is a café-style coffee shop operated by nonprofit Cook Inlet Tribal Council to provide basic job skills training, helping employees evolve into better paying jobs and develop values such as hard work and self-sufficiency.

CIRI

“They recognized that while different regional corporations operated different businesses, there were also many areas of overlap that affected ANCs and Alaska as a whole,” says Kim Reitmeier, Executive Director of the ANCSA Regional Asociation (ARA). “Meeting regularly to share our experiences just made sense, similar to how traditional knowledge has been passed down through generations of our ancestors.”

The original five worked to bring in the other Alaska Native regional corporation presidents and CEOs. In 1998, the Association of ANCSA Regional Corporation Presidents and CEOs held its first official meeting. In 2011, the organization rebranded as ARA to better reflect the organization’s purpose and membership.

Organization of Organizations

ARA promotes and fosters the continued growth and economic strength of the Alaska Native regional corporations to benefit their Alaska Native shareholders and communities. A significant part of ARA is its efforts to educate the public and business communities in Alaska and the rest of the country about what Alaska Native regional corporations are, why they were created, who they represent, and the unique purposes they serve. Depending on the audience, from Alaska legislators and lawyers to ANCSA shareholders and descendants, there are several viewpoints and intentions to consider when crafting a particular message.

Coho Cup is a café-style coffee shop operated by nonprofit Cook Inlet Tribal Council to provide basic job skills training, helping employees evolve into better paying jobs and develop values such as hard work and self-sufficiency.

CIRI

“They recognized that while different regional corporations operated different businesses, there were also many areas of overlap that affected ANCs and Alaska as a whole,” says Kim Reitmeier, Executive Director of the ANCSA Regional Asociation (ARA). “Meeting regularly to share our experiences just made sense, similar to how traditional knowledge has been passed down through generations of our ancestors.”

The original five worked to bring in the other Alaska Native regional corporation presidents and CEOs. In 1998, the Association of ANCSA Regional Corporation Presidents and CEOs held its first official meeting. In 2011, the organization rebranded as ARA to better reflect the organization’s purpose and membership.

Organization of Organizations

ARA promotes and fosters the continued growth and economic strength of the Alaska Native regional corporations to benefit their Alaska Native shareholders and communities. A significant part of ARA is its efforts to educate the public and business communities in Alaska and the rest of the country about what Alaska Native regional corporations are, why they were created, who they represent, and the unique purposes they serve. Depending on the audience, from Alaska legislators and lawyers to ANCSA shareholders and descendants, there are several viewpoints and intentions to consider when crafting a particular message.

ARA also educates the public and business communities about ANCSA corporate minutiae. “In fifty years, ANCSA has shown that it is a lasting piece of legislation that can be adapted to Alaska Native peoples’ needs, and ANCs have pioneered a new model of Indigenous self-determination,” says Reitmeier. “ARA is proud to have been a galvanizing force in our members’ journey from our humble beginnings to a major force in Alaska’s economy.”

Reitmeier has led ARA since 2011. Reitmeier is Sugpiaq; a shareholder of Koniag and Ouzinkie Native Corporation; and a member of the Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak. She also served as a co-chair of the PFD Voter Registration ballot initiative effort.

“[W]hile different regional corporations operated different businesses, there were also many areas of overlap that affected ANCs and Alaska as a whole… Meeting regularly to share our experiences just made sense, similar to how traditional knowledge has been passed down through generations of our ancestors.”

Kim Reitmeier, Executive Director, ANCSA Regional Association

“Since our inception, ARA has advocated on behalf of Alaska Native corporations on various legislative and regulatory issues,” Reitmeier says. “ARA helped found the non-partisan Get Out the Native Vote organization in Alaska.”

Get Out the Native Vote encourages Alaska Native people to exercise their right to vote and connects them with resources to register and stay informed on issues. ARA also seeks to educate the public and business communities in Alaska and the rest of the country about Alaska Native regional corporations and the unique purposes they serve.

ARA continues to be the primary forum for the Alaska Native regional corporations to unite on key issues, bringing together CEOs and management teams to discuss the problems of crucial significance. With the resources and expertise of twelve diversified corporations to draw from, ARA helps lead the way in finding solutions to complex problems.

More Recent Efforts

“In 2019, ARA unveiled its new logo,” Reitmeier explains. “The ARA logo is a contemporary design representing a traditional basket—made of twelve parts, representing the twelve regions collaborating to address issues affecting our corporations and their shareholders. While each region uses different materials and designs in their baskets, the baskets from all regions use a similar structure with support pillars and a form of stitching along the top rim. Consequently, the ARA logo has twelve support pillars and twelve stitches to represent the twelve regions.”

More recently, a considerable misinterpretation of law led lower courts to deny ANCs from receiving COVID-related aid, which would have resulted in many Alaska Native people and communities not receiving crucial assistance this year.

“ARA helped build a multifaceted coalition of advocates, including the Alaska Native Village Corporation Association, to fight for recognition of Alaska Native people in the distribution of CARES Act pandemic relief funding,” Reitmeier says.

All twelve Alaska Native regional corporations have found ways to support education and job training, whether that’s through developing programs internally, funding local nonprofits, or developing partnerships with educational or philanthropic organizations.

CIRI

All twelve Alaska Native regional corporations have found ways to support education and job training, whether that’s through developing programs internally, funding local nonprofits, or developing partnerships with educational or philanthropic organizations.

CIRI

“We sued, and this summer, the Supreme Court ruled in our favor, releasing millions of dollars in aid back to communities where it was sorely needed,” Reitmeier says. “This is a clear example of the good that ANCs can do when we band together and look out for one another, and ARA was honored to serve as a forum for this coalition.”

Fifty years ago, ANCSA corporations formed in the absence of a forum for cooperation. But moving forward, they will have ARA behind the scenes, continuing efforts to benefit Alaska Native communities, shareholders, and descendants.

“Over the next fifty years, ANCs will face many new challenges, and the ANCSA Regional Association provides a powerful, flexible framework that we can use to advocate on behalf of our shareholders, descendants, and communities,” Reitmeier says. “We are excited to see what new opportunities lie ahead and look forward to learning from one another and collaborating to advance the wellbeing of Alaska Native people everywhere.”

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