**Results now certified.***
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 14, 2015
Calista Corporation Announces Certified 2015 Annual Meeting Results
Shareholders Pass Descendant Enrollment
(Anchorage, Alaska) –
Calista Corporation announces today the certified results of the 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, held July 11 in Kasigluk, Alaska.
Shareholders voted on the election of four board directors, four binding resolutions and one advisory resolution. A total of 737,671of the total issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock, or 57.9 percent voted. Shareholders passed what many consider as the most signifcant resolution in Calista’s history: to enroll descendants and missed enrollees as shareholders. A majority of voting shares cast totaling 411,786 are in favor of this resolution.
The next 18 to 24 months will be spent developing the necessary forms, and then implementing the enrollment process. Calista estimates all eligible applicants will be enrolled between January and June 2017.
“Calista has heard for many years from shareholders that they would like to consider enrolling descendants,” said Calista Corporation Board Chair Willie Kasayulie. “With this binding vote, Calista’s shareholder base will grow tremendously, and we directors and the administration will step up to meet the increased challenges.”
Additionally, four director seats were filled. Within each Administrative Unit, the candidate receiving the largest number of votes cast is the elected director. Directors serve three-year terms. The elected directors are as follows:
- Myron P. Naneng, Sr. was elected for Administrative Unit 1
- JoAnn Werning was reelected for Administrative Unit 2
- Robert L. Beans was reelected for Administrative Unit 3
- and Robert J. Hoffman was elected for the At-Large seat
There were also three binding resolutions to remove specific directors, which would require at least 635,731 votes to pass. All failed to receive the necessary voting support to pass, with the highest number of votes reaching 367,910. There was also one advisory resolution to require board term limits. Advisory resolutions are non-binding. The level of support for an advisory resolution is considered by the Board in evaluating the proposed action of the resolution. A majority of voting shares cast, or 479,834, are in favor of this advisory resolution.
“Calista stands today as the sum of all past actions and decisions of all Board Directors,” said Kasayulie. “Calista appreciates the service each Director has provided to Calista and to the shareholders. No matter the leadership, Calista exists to operate as both a successful business and as an advocate for the people of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Calista will continue to work to provide benefits for its shareholders and descendants, and remind the state and federal governments of their obligations to the YK Delta.”
2015 marked the second year electronic online proxy voting was an option for shareholders. Shareholders were able to vote online using their personal computers, tablets or smart phones. More than 12 percent voted online this year, compared to 2.5 percent in 2014.
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Descendant Enrollment Facts
- The next 18 to 24 months will be spent developing and implementing the enrollment process
- Calista estimates all eligible applicants will be enrolled between January and June 2017
- Once all the applicants are enrolled, descendants will be able to submit applications at any time
- Each eligible enrollment applicant will receive 100 shares
- New Class C shares will be issued to descendants of original shareholders, new Class D shares will be issued to Alaska Natives born on or before the original ANCSA cutoff date of December 18, 1971, who did not receive original shares
- Calista estimates the total number of shareholders will initially increase to 38,000 to 43,000
- The total number of shareholders will increase as valid applications are received and processed
History
After repeated shareholder requests, there was a 2011 advisory resolution on the concept of descendant enrollment. In 2013, shareholders passed an advisory resolution in favor of brining a binding resolution before shareholders. With this final binding vote that took place over the weekend, the Calista Board of Directors and Calista management are ready to make shareholders’ wishes of expanded enrollment a reality.
For complete overview of descendant enrollment visit www.calistacorp.com/descendantvote.
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The second largest of the original 13 Alaska Native Corporations, Calista Corporation was established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 and represents approximately 12,900 Shareholders. The Calista region encompasses more than 6.5 million acres and includes 56 villages, which are incorporated into 46 individual village corporations. Since 1994, Calista has provided more than $3.5 million in scholarships and since inception more than $34.9 million in dividends and Elders’ Benefit Program distributions to its Shareholders and Descendants.
Calista Corporation is the parent company of more than 35 subsidiaries in the following industries: military defense contracting, construction, communications, real estate, environmental and natural resource development, and information technology and media services. Calista can be found on Facebook and Twitter.