Class gives students a glimpse into Alaska Native corporation boardrooms

On April 7, a group of UAA students sat at a table with the board chairs of eight Alaska Native regional corporations to discuss current Alaska Native issues and changes they'd like to see for the future. The Chairman's Panel was a chance for students to apply what they'd learned in a one-credit class called Inside the Boardroom of an Alaska Native Organization.

The class focuses on boardroom best practices, and students learn everything from Robert's Rules of Order to how to read financial statements from the perspective of a board member. In addition to learning the nuts and bolts of boardroom conduct, students also gain a deeper understanding of the significance of Alaska Native corporations and what makes them unique.

The Chairman's Panel is the culminating event of the two-day class. In advance of the meeting, students prepare white papers on topics of relevance to Native corporations or communities. The students then present the topics as formal proposals to the actual sitting board chairs of Alaska's Native corporations. The board members, in turn, give the students feedback and answer their questions. This year, eight of Alaska's 12 Alaska Native regional corporation board chairs joined the class to hear five student teams present on topics ranging from shareholder open enrollment to education.

Tom Huhndorf, chair of the Cook Inlet Region Inc. (CIRI) board, participated in the event for the second time this year. "I think it's eye-opening for students and removes some of the mystery [of board governance] for them," he said. "It was as interesting for me as I imagine it was for [the students]. They had some great ideas."

Tamaira Tocktoo, an Alaska Native student from Nome, shared Chairman Huhndorf's sentiments. "I would highly recommend this class to other students," she said. "To be in the same room with these prominent members of the community was so amazing. And, to get advice from them in person - that's so valuable."

Now in its second year, the 400-level course is an elective for the 18-credit Alaska Native Business minor. It is gaining popularity among students earning business degrees, especially those who plan to stay and find work in Alaska.

Sharon Lind, an assistant professor and current board chair of the Aleut Corporation, not only teaches the class but spearheaded the minor to ensure Alaska's future business professionals are educated in the culture and management practices of Alaska Native organizations. Lind explained, "Every business, every company in Alaska is affected in some way by Native corporations, so teaching our students-Natives and non-Natives alike-more about these corporations is essential."

Native corporations are major contributors to Alaska's economy. According to Alaska Business Monthly, 15 of Alaska's 20 highest-grossing companies are Alaska Native corporations.  They are involved in everything from defense and mining to fishing and catering. They also provide significant employment and college scholarships for Alaska Native people, who comprise roughly 20 percent of Alaska's population.

Unlike other for-profit corporations whose bottom line is all about money, Alaska Native corporations must balance their profitable ventures with responsibilities to the culture and values of the Native people they represent. When the corporations were formed in 1971 under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), shareholders were originally all Alaska Native. Shares cannot be sold or traded (they can be passed down to younger generations), so they have no market value.

Inside the Boardroom of an Alaska Native Organization gives students the chance to directly ask today's Alaska Native regional corporation leaders about the challenges of operating a business while simultaneously providing benefits to shareholders.

"Who better to teach how Alaska Native corporations operate than us?" Chairman Huhndorf noted after commenting that he will continue to encourage his fellow board chairs to participate in the Chairman's Panel. "Each corporation is different, so rich discussions evolve from the comparisons between corporations, their missions, their shareholders, and how each addresses issues. For example, CIRI is more ethnically diverse and more urban and that inevitably affects our business choices."

At the end of the day, both students and board members agreed that every person in Alaska could benefit from this class. In fact, that was the substance of the proposal Tamaira's student group presented to the board chairs; her group recommended that the Native corporations promote statewide, uniform ANCSA education.

"It should be a requirement to teach Alaska's history in our public schools, and ANCSA is an important part of that history," Huhndorf agreed.

Indeed, Lind's long-term vision is eventually to offer these classes to people across the state, including in rural areas where she believes the information will have even greater impact. In the meantime, she is seeing her efforts pay off at UAA. As this class and the minor at UAA continue to gain popularity, more graduates will enter the workforce with valuable knowledge about Alaska Native corporations.

Written by Anne Gore, UAA Office of University Advancement