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Many of Alaska's most successful Alaska Natives, including three CIRI shareholders, are being featured in a series of television spots designed to promote positive Native role models and instill pride among Native Americans.
The spots are part of the "Proud to Be Alaskan" series currently running on KTUU Channel 2 in Anchorage. The series is the brainchild of KTUU General Manager Al Bramstedt Jr., who sought to change Native stereotypes among the general population.
The series has featured a flower shop owner, a university professor, an airline pilot and the director of the Alaska State Troopers since the spots began airing in January. Future installments will focus on three CIRI shareholders Irene Bedard, Adam Flagan and Charlene Koutchak.
Bedard is a
successful actress, best known for providing the voice of
Pocahontas in Disney's animated version of the classic tale. She is
considered today's most recognized Native American female actor, having
appeared in such movies as "Smoke Signals" and TNT's "Two for Texas."
CIRI
Shareholder Irene Bedard, shown here from a scene in "Smoke Signals",
is among those to be featured
in a series of TVspots.
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Flagan is
an instructor at United Space Alliance, a contractor for NASA in Houston,
Texas. A previous recipient of a grant from The CIRI Foundation, Flagan
instructs astronauts on the particular systems of space shuttles in
preparation for launch.
Koutchak is the community
affairs producer for KNBA 90.3 FM, the first urban Native public radio
station in the nation. She hosts an adult alternative music program
each weekday, often highlighting contemporary Native American music.
Led by Jaclyn Sallee
of Koahnic Broadcast Corporation, a committee of Native leaders helped
select the subjects of the spots. The other members of the committee
are Diane Kaplan of Diane Kaplan & Company, Gloria O'Neill of
Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Frank Peratrovich Jr. of Cook Inlet Housing
Authority, Lydia Hays of The CIRI Foundation, Roy Huhndorf of the
Alaska Native Heritage Center, and Bramstedt.
The series was recently
featured in a story written by Sheila Toomey of the Anchorage
Daily News. According
to Kaplan, "Sheila's received more response to that article than any
she's written in her 20 years at the Daily
News. The series has
gotten such great reaction."
The spots are part
of a contribution KTUU is making to the Alaska Native Heritage Center
and will continue indefinitely. 
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Alaska Native History Calendar
DATE (Month, Day, Year):____________________________________
TYPE (Please check one): ____Anniversary ____Birthday ____Other
PERSON'S NAME:__________________________________________
CORPORATION:__________________________________________
VILLAGE:_________________________________________________
SOURCE OF INFORMATION:_______________________________
ETHNICITY:______________________________________________
SUBMITTED BY:___________________________________________
PHONE, FAX, EMAIL: ______________________________________
EVENT DESCRIPTION:
Please return to:
A.J. McClanahan, CIRI, Box 93330, Anchorage, Alaska 99509-3330. Fax: (907) 263-5183. Email: ajmcclanahan@ciri.com
Make your mark on history
CIRI is developing an Alaska Native History Calendar, a project that will list an event in history for each day. Beginning in the early 1700s to the present, the calendar features everything from birthdays to the day a village corporation became incorporated.
If you know someone whose date of birth should be listed in this calendar or if you are aware of an event that should be noted, please fill out the form below and return it to CIRI. The goal is to include as many noteworthy people and events as possible. Since the information is being entered into a database, it's important to have the exact month, day and year, and not all dates are guaranteed to be used.
SCHOLARSHIP AND GRANT DEADLINES SOON
The CIRI Foundation's upcoming deadlines for its scholarship and grant programs are listed as follows:
March 31 Annual Scholarships: Howard Rock Foundation Scholarships.
For general information, eligibility requirements, application guidelines and forms, contact The CIRI Foundation, 2600 Cordova Street, Suite 206, Anchorage, Alaska 99503 or call (907) 263-5582 or toll free 1-800-764-3382, email tcf@ciri.com.
ANCHORAGE
TV STATION PROFILES ALASKA NATIVES
GROWTH
FOR PEAK OILFIELD SERVICE COMPANY
continued from page 1
The
two new ice road contracts not only benefit Peak Oilfield Service Co. but
CIRI shareholders as well. Out of the 107 total employees currently working
on the ice road projects, 22 are Alaska Natives and 10 of them are either
CIRI shareholders or family members.
Peak Oilfield Service
Company, partly owned by
CIRI, was recently awarded two contracts to
construct ice roads on the North Slope.
Throughout the years, about 12 to
15 percent of Peak's employees have been Alaska Natives, and the company strives
to consistently place Alaska Natives in permanent positions.
"We're very optimistic for the future and the work Peak has been awarded this year. In addition to the ice road contracts, the possible increase in drilling rigs means new opportunities and potential work for Peak," said Mike O'Connor, president of Peak Oilfield Service.
O'Connor is proud
to boast that Peak has the largest and best-maintained equipment fleet within
Alaska. That fleet includes fuel, water, vacuum and service trucks, and other
support equipment as well as experienced professionals to operate them.
