FACT SHEET:
Contributions and Benefits to Shareholders
GEOGRAPHY
With 57,000 square miles of land, the
Calista Region is the second largest
Alaska Native Regional Corporation.
Surrounded by federally owned lands,
the Region is roughly the size of New
York State. It encompasses nearly 10
percent of Alaska’s land area and is
comprised of 56 federally recognized
tribes. There are no roads that connect
it with the rest of Alaska, and the cost
of food, fuel, transportation and energy
are extraordinarily high.
CALISTA REGION
Chuloonawick Kotlik
Emmonak
Bill Moore’s Slough
Hamilton
Alakanuk
Nunam Iqua
Mountain Village
Scammon Bay
Paimiut
Hooper Bay
Chevak
Pitkas Point
Saint Mary’s
Pilot Station
Marshall
Russian Mission
Georgetown
Upper Kalskag Chuathbaluk
Ohogamiut
Lower Kalskag Aniak
Newtok
Nunapitchuk
Kasigluk
Tuluksak
Toksook Bay
Akiachak
Akiak
Atmautluak Bethel
Kwethluk
Mekoryuk Umkumiute
Nightmute Napakiak
Oscarville
Napaskiak
Chefornak
Tuntutuliak
Kipnuk
Eek
Kongiganak
Napaimiut
Crooked Creek
Stony River
Red Devil Sleetmute
Tununak
Kwigillingok
Quinhagak
Lime Village
ALASKA
Goodnews Bay
Platinum
SHAREHOLDERS
When the Alaska Native Corporations were established in 1971, 13,300
original Shareholders enrolled with Calista. Shareholders’ Descendants
now number more than 20,000. Calista provides assistance to the region
through education, internships, job training, employment advocacy and
elder benefits. Original Shareholders 65 or older receive additional benefits
to help them with the high cost of heating fuel and living expenses.
DIVIDENDS
In 1994, the Calista Board of Directors established the Akilista Fund for the purpose
of making distributions as dividends for our Shareholders and Shareholder services in
perpetuity. The fund receives periodic funding from corporate revenues. It has provided
dividends to Shareholders since 2008, with total distributions of more than $12.2 million.
SCHOLARSHIPS, INTERNSHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS
Every year the Calista Heritage Foundation awards hundreds of
thousand of dollars in scholarships. Since the scholarship fund was
established in 1994, Calista has awarded more than $2.4 million in
scholarships. In 2010, Calista directed more than $78,000 toward
internships, which help place Calista Region students in companies
where they can learn skills useful in their future professions. In 2011,
the corporation sent four of its 12 interns to the Calista subsidiary
Yulista Aviation, Inc. in Alabama where the students gained valuable
aeronautical engineering experience that is difficult to come by in Alaska.
Calista has helped establish a first-of-its-kind certified core-driller
training program. Employment hours through apprenticeships go
toward journeymen certifications.
INFRASTRUCTURE
The cost of heating fuel in the Region is currently seven
times the national average. To help reduce energy costs,
Calista has been conducting assessments and planning
alternative energy projects that include hydroelectric
power and geothermal energy. Additionally, improvements
to the Region’s transportation infrastructure have been
made to help lower costs in the distribution of oil, natural
gas and diesel.
NATURAL RESOURCES
There has been a great deal of data collection, mapping and assessment
of Calista lands, fish and wildlife habitat, subsistence harvesting, timber,
hydrocarbon, minerals and natural resource potential. Calista continues to
conduct geochemical assessments of its land and resources and seeks mineral
industry generated projects. These resources benefit the state’s economy
through taxes, increased economic activity and employment.
JOBS
Calista utilizes Native preference prudently and successfully. Every
corporate board member is a Shareholder, four of the six executives
are Alaska Native, 42 percent of Calista employees are Shareholders,
and 70 percent of Calista managers are Alaska Native. Calista maintains
an active Shareholder and Descendant resume and talent bank database
for job recruiting. Calista and its companies all utilize Shareholder hire
preference policies for employment opportunities.
ADVOCACY AND LOBBYING
The Calista Region faces some of
the harshest challenges in the nation
including the highest cost of fuel
and living expenses, the lowest
wages, graduation rates well-below
the national average, little basic
infrastructure and no roads connecting
communities. Calista partners with
other regional organizations to represent
and advocate for needed state and
federal policy changes and funding to
support education, energy, economic
development and transportation
infrastructure in the Calista Region.
301 Calista Court, Suite A, Anchorage, AK 99518