Calista Corporation opens 2017 Shareholder Awards

by Thom Leonard

Calista Corporation opens nominations for the 2017 Shareholder Awards. The Calista Awards are focused on the Calista Region, Calista Shareholders and Descendants. Nominations are open to Shareholders and Descendants living in and out of the Calista Region. Each award recipient will receive a plaque and $1,500.

There are five different categories. The award categories are as follows: Calista Culture Bearer, Axel C. Johnson Distinguished Shareholder, Calista Elder of the Year, Calista Youth/Educator of the Year, and Raymond C. Christiansen Business of the Year.

Nominations forms are posted on Calista’s website, www.calistacorp.com. Nomination forms can also be requested via fax (907-275-2920) or by email ([email protected]). Forms must be received by Calista no later than 5pm on April 14. Winners will be announced before the annual meeting, scheduled this year to held on July 7 in Sleetmute, Alaska.

Calista recently announced the largest dividend in its corporate history. Calista has distributed two dividends each calendar year since 2014. The spring dividend is based on Shareholders’ Equity for the prior three years. The fall dividend is from the Akilista investment portfolio, which made its first distribution in 2014. This is an investment account created to provide a perpetual source of dividends not reliant on business operations. The Elders’ Benefit Program made its first distribution in 2008.

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 13,000 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 $4 million in scholarships to its Shareholders and Descendants. Since inception, Calista has declared more than $47.1 million in dividends and $5 million in Elders’ Benefit Program distributions to Shareholders.

Calista Corporation is the parent company of more than 30 subsidiaries in the following industries: military defense contracting, construction, real estate, environmental and natural resource development, marine transportation, oil field services and heavy equipment sales, service and rentals.