Birch bark texture.

Ahtna Kanas Winter 2016

2016 Was a Very Good Year for Ahtna

Nicholas Jackson Chairman of the Board

Happy new year, everyone! It’s my pleasure to fill in for Michelle, who is out this holiday season.

It was a very good year for Ahtna, and it is our privilege to share that success with you, our shareholder-owners.

Shareholder-owner dividends:
• $5.75 per share, up $1.32 per share from last year

Elder dividends:
• $400, up $100 from last year

The Board’s priorities remain the same as last year: safety, shareholder-owner hire and finding growth opportunities in the Ahtna region. We must find ways to bring jobs and security to our villages to give our people the opportunity to thrive on the lands of their ancestors. We must keep our existing schools open. We must continue to invest in the training and education of our shareholder-owners so our people are ready to go to work.

We have much to celebrate as we bid adieu to another year. A huge accomplishment is the cooperative management agreement that was signed between the Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission (AITRC) and U.S. Department of the Interior on November 28. This sets the groundwork for a management plan for our moose and caribou. Our goal is to have this plan implemented by the 2017 hunting season. We aren’t sure how the new president’s administration will impact this agreement, but we are keeping our ears open – and hopes up. We want to ensure we are able to work with the new secretary of the interior to move this agreement forward.

Congratulations to my fellow Board member Karen Linnell for being appointed to the Alaska Board of Game! It will be great to have an Ahtna voice present when the State makes decisions that affect our people’s livelihood and traditions.

This year’s visit by Gov. Bill Walker moved forward our long desire to regain possession of some of Ahtna’s most sacred land and burial sites taken by the federal government so many decades ago. Thanks to everyone who kept attention focused on what has happened to our lands in Gulkana. We hope to have more updates soon.

Lastly, I hope you had a great holiday season and had a chance to take some time off to enjoy your family and friends. This is a great time to look forward and, with your help, we will make 2017 an even better year.

Godspeed,

Signature of Nicholad Jackson

Nicholas Jackson
Chairman of the Board