IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 6, 2011
Calista Corporation Holds Annual Meeting in Akiachak, Alaska
(Anchorage, Alaska) – Calista Corporation's 2011 Annual Meeting of Shareholders was held on June 4 in Akiachak, Alaska. Nearly 200 people attended the annual meeting and 768,188.851 or 61.99% of eligible votes were cast either in person at the meeting or by proxy.
Four Board of Director seats were up for election, and in each case the incumbents won reelection for a three-year term. The reelected Directors are as follows:
- Willie Kasayulie, who ran unopposed, for Unit 8 (Tuluksak, Akiak, Akiachak, Atmautluak, Nunapitchuk and Kasigluk)
- Robert J. Hoffman for Unit 9 (Bethel)
- Art Heckman for Unit 10 (Andreafski, Pilot Station, Marshall, Ohagamiut and Russian Mission)
Two non-binding, advisory resolutions were put to vote, as well as one binding resolution. A nonbinding resolution serves as an advisory to the Board and does not require implementation. A binding resolution on the other hand can result in a change to the Calista Corporation Bylaws, resulting in implementation of the resolution. The voting results are as follows:
- Enrollment of New Post-ANCSA Shareholders Program Non-Binding Advisory Resolution: Passed with 337,658.3766 yes, and 75,162.5295 against. Calista Corporation will examine, formulate and recommend for Shareholders a program for the approval of the issuance of a new class of stock to Descendants of Shareholders born after Dec. 18, 1971 - the date Congress passed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
- Bethel Annual Meeting Location, a non-binding advisory resolution: Passed with 354,768.2181 votes in favor, and 64,090.5488 against. As a result of this advisory ballot passing, the Board of Directors will consider whether to hold the 2012 Annual Meeting of Shareholders in Bethel when it deliberates on the 2012 annual meeting location.
- At-Large Shareholder Representation Resolution: This resolution failed to pass with 349,665.3432 against, and 143,296.9163 in favor. This vote was to determine whether At- Large Shareholders should be represented by an at-large member who is not connected to a village corporation.
Calista Corporation has one of the highest populations of Shareholders among all of the regional Alaska Native Corporations. There are over 1,239,214 eligible votes among Calista Shareholders. The certified public accounting firm of Srameck Hightower was the ballot tabulator and reported the voting results.
Information about Calista Corporation’s 2010 activities was provided by Art Heckman, Chairman of the Board of Directors; Felix Hess, Secretary of the Board of Directors; Andrew Guy, President/CEO; Dixie Retherford, EVP/CFO; special guest Darrell Harrison, President of Yulista Aviation, Inc.; and special guest Debra Call, President/CEO of Calista Heritage Foundation.
