Dear fellow shareholders,
I am happy to announce that shareholders are invited to join us in person for the 49th Annual Meeting of Ahtna Shareholders. The meeting will be held on Saturday, June 4, 2022 at the Glennallen High School gymnasium. We are very excited to be able to connect with you face to face after two years of conducting the meeting virtually due to COVID restrictions. Shareholders can also watch the meeting live stream at www.ahtnavote.com. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and check the Ahtna website for the latest meeting updates.
Shareholders are invited to submit comments, questions and concerns in advance of the meeting. To provide feedback and questions, complete and mail back the comment card included with your proxy packet or submit online at www.ahtna.com/shareholder-comments-and-questions by the May 13 deadline. Due to time constraints, we may not be able to answer all questions during the Annual Meeting.
One of the most important responsibilities of being an Ahtna shareholder is to vote in Ahtna elections and select well-qualified shareholders to serve on the Board of Directors. The Board is responsible for making balanced and informed decisions that are in alignment with the mission and vision of the corporation and the best interests of current and future Ahtna shareholders. Proxy voting will open on April 29. Your proxy materials include information on how to vote your proxy, with the easiest voting method being online using the eProxy website (www.ahtnavote.com). For the best chance at winning a proxy prize, vote online and by the May 13 early bird deadline. You can also attend the meeting and vote in person.
Ahtna Hwt’aene (Copper River People): Our Past, Our Future has been selected as this year’s theme to honor Ahtna’s early leaders and the groundwork they laid for the benefit and protection of our land and resources for future generations. A humble and strong people, early Ahtna leaders had no idea what we would become or how their teachings and words would ring in our ears; even for the future generations they would never know, yet they loved us. They wanted us to take care of one another. They wanted us to survive, and to thrive. I hope you will take the time to closely review all the materials in your proxy packet.
The Board of Directors has approved the addition of Katie John Day as a paid Ahtna holiday. In 2013, the Board unanimously passed a resolution declaring May 31st as Katie John Day and in 2019 the State of Alaska designated it as a day of honor. One of Ahtna’s dearest and most beloved matriarchs, the late Katie John’s work embodied the spirit of the Ahtna culture and people. In an effort to preserve her traditional way of life, she spearheaded the most significant litigation over subsistence rights in Alaska history. It is because of efforts like hers that many Alaska Native people’s customary and traditional practices are recognized and protected today. Katie was known publicly for her determination, but to those who knew her she was also famous for her contagious smile and giving heart. She took in so many and made them feel like family. Her legacy lives on with her over 250 grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Wherever you may be on May 31st, please take a moment to remember Katie John and her many contributions to our Native people.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) Board of Game held a nine-day statewide meeting in Fairbanks in March, where they addressed more than 100 proposals for changes to statewide hunting and trapping regulations. This included hearing public testimony on a proposal that would eliminate Community Subsistence Hunts (CSH). According to the proposal, CSH hunts have “gone away from their original intent of subsistence living.” The proposal states that it has become a “free-for-all for any groups of 25 people.” The CSH has its flaws, but rather than doing away with it, we would like to see the ADF&G review the participating groups to ensure they meet the regulatory definition of “community.” We would like to see the ADF&G enforce the requirement that a “community” must be a group that has historically hunted in a customary and traditional way, not just any group of 25 people.
March 17, 2022 marked two years since our Anchorage office went virtual. The Glennallen office worked remotely from time to time, as did our other office locations outside of Alaska. We are gradually bringing staff back to our Anchorage and Glennallen Headquarters offices, and recently reopened the Anchorage office to the public. Shareholders who need assistance can make an appointment with staff by calling the Glennallen office at (907) 822-3476 or the Anchorage office at (907) 868-8250. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we endeavor to deliver vital shareholder support and services during this pandemic.
Tsin’aen,
Michelle Anderson, President
Ahtna, Incorporated