JENIFER SAMUELSON NELSON

Anchorage, Alaska

 

“I am Jenifer Samuelson Nelson, daughter of the late Cynthia Samuelson and granddaughter of the late Mattie and Alex Samuelson of King Cove. I am honored to seek your support and your vote. As Senior Director of Rural Affairs for GCI, I lead large-scale initiatives that expand connectivity and strengthen infrastructure across rural Alaska, most recently completing the AU Aleutians Fiber Project—an investment in the future of our region. I bring extensive leadership and governance experience, having served in board roles for more than 15 years, including my current term as Chairperson. During this time, we have achieved our highest revenue years while operating under a clear, long-term strategic plan centered on growth, stability, and shareholder value. I am a strong and dedicated leader in the boardroom, committed to making thoughtful, balanced decisions on behalf of all shareholders and descendants. My experience across government contracting, construction, and service industries supports a practical, forward-looking approach. I maintain a shareholder-first mindset—prioritizing sustainable growth, meaningful benefits, and opportunities for future generations. Giving back is central to who I am, a value instilled by my grandmother. I proudly serve on the Camp Fire Alaska Board of Directors, the American Cancer Society Alaska Advisory Board, and the Alaska Native Heritage Center. I was also honored to be inducted into the Athena Society by the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce. I will continue to lead with integrity, accountability, and vision. Thank you for your support—I respectfully ask for your vote.”

 

“I am seeking continued service on The Aleut Corporation Board to ensure we stay firmly on our strong path towards achieving our 2033 goals. During my tenure, Aleut has had growth from $3M net profit to $34M net profit and reached a historic $380 million in revenue, clear evidence of disciplined governance, strategic focus, and a commitment to long-term valued creation. Together we strengthened operations, revitalized real estate, launched new business, expanded Alaska-regional based capabilities, advanced shareholder programs including the Aleut Settlement Trust. I bring a proactive, future-focused mindset grounded in integrity and long-range planning. I stand committed to growing benefits for shareholders and descendants for generations to come. Qaĝaasakung, thank you for trust and for the opportunity provided for me to continue serving our people.“

ANTHONY C. LEKANOF

Anchorage, Alaska

 

“As a Director of The Aleut Corporation, I am encouraged by the progress we have made together and optimistic about the opportunities ahead. Since joining the Board in 2020, I have worked alongside directors and staff committed to strengthening our corporation and protecting shareholder interests through thoughtful, strategic decision-making. During my tenure, I supported actions that improved accountability and long-term sustainability, including the divestment of underperforming businesses and stronger oversight of shareholder resources. One of several important decisions was supporting the transition to new permanent fund management after years of shameful returns. By taking decisive action, your Board helped better position Aleut for long-term growth and the protection of shareholder equity. I also believe our success depends on maintaining strong connections with shareholders wherever they live. Whether you reside in Alaska, Washington, California, or elsewhere, your voice matters. Aleut must continue balancing investments in our home region with opportunities across the nation that strengthen our future and create lasting value for generations to come. I remain committed to supporting programs and initiatives that directly benefit Shareholders and descendants, including meaningful dividend growth, the Ulakaia Center, culture camps, and organizations such as the Pacific Northwest Aleut Council. These investments preserve our heritage while creating opportunities for future generations. Aleut is entering a new era of opportunity. The decisions we make today will shape the corporation our children and grandchildren inherit tomorrow. I believe our strongest years are still ahead of us, and I would be honored to continue serving you with a focus on accountability, opportunity, and sustainable growth. I humbly ask for your vote. Together, we can continue building a stronger future for Aleut.”

DAVID G. FOSTER

Mesa, Arizona

 

“My vision for The Aleut Corporation is to build upon its strong foundation by pursuing sustainable growth that creates long-term value for shareholders while honoring its commitment to the Unangax̂ people and future generations. If elected, I would focus on three priorities. First, I would support efforts to identify new business opportunities and strategic investments that drive sustainable growth and long-term shareholder value. I believe there are opportunities to create additional value by leveraging complementary capabilities across the Corporation’s businesses and pursuing strategic initiatives that build upon existing strengths. Second, I would continue investing in educational and professional development opportunities to help prepare Aleut shareholders for career success. As a scholarship recipient myself, I understand the lasting impact those investments can have. Third, I would explore innovative ways to strengthen support for Aleut elders, recognizing their contributions to our communities and ensuring they share in the Corporation’s continued success. These priorities are deeply personal to me. My family’s roots trace back to Unga Island and maintaining a connection to my Unangax̂ heritage has been a lifelong goal. One way I pursued that connection was spending two summers commercial fishing in Sand Point alongside my uncle, strengthening my ties to family, community, and culture. The Aleut Corporation’s investment in my education helped create opportunities that shaped my life and career and I would be honored to bring my 18 years of legal experience advising businesses on growth, governance, strategic partnerships, and long-term value creation to help support the Corporation’s continued success.”

JOHN W. MELOVIDOV

St. Paul, Alaska

 

“I am extremely proud of The Aleut Corporation leadership and direction. I would strive to support the current vision and contribute to the board by bringing advocacy, knowledge, and past and current experience from in-region living, raising of a family, and representation. I currently advocate and work for a better quality of life for our Saint Paul Unangan People through the Aleut Community of Saint Paul Tribal Government and our Unangax̂ region through the APIA. It’s in this work that I’ve learned that we all, as Unangan and Unangax̂ Communities, face a lot of the same hardships and we need more than ever to work together to soften some hardships in our communities and at the same time conduct supporting business in-region to grow our dividends. We must strive to do better at supporting our communities’ economies in collaboration with our tribes and village corporations. We are at our strongest when we are together.”

ALEXANDRA M. PHILEMONOFF

Palmer, Alaska

 

“I bring over 15 years of experience in accounting, with a strong focus on accurately recording financial transactions, including equity, expenses, assets, liabilities, and revenue. I possess a comprehensive understanding of financial statements and have been directly involved in their preparation and analysis. My background includes accounting for both for-profit entities and non-profit tribal organizations, which has given me a broad and diverse perspective in the field. In leadership roles, I have managed teams responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and general ledger functions, ensuring compliance, accuracy, and efficiency in financial operations. I hold a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Alaska Pacific University (2009) and an MBA in the same field, earned in 2020. This combination of education and practical experience enables me to foster a culture of collaboration and accountability in support of organizational goals. As a board member, I am committed to promoting responsible financial stewardship and advancing the organization’s mission and vision. I aim to represent the interests of all current and future shareholders with integrity and a strategic, long-term perspective.“

SHAUN A. STARK

Anchorage, Alaska

 

“As a former Aleut employee, I had an inside look into the company, its operations, and future planning. As an IT professional, specializing in information security, I have a unique understanding of where Aleut is currently vs. where the IT world is moving. The current technology landscape requires a unique understanding of the opportunities present in today’s world. I would like to shed light on these areas and help Aleut launch into the digital era properly, safely, and in a fiscally responsible way. As a whole, Aleut lacks a fundamental grasp of the digital futures and rails that are being offered, and will be the future of how business is conducted. This will impact not only our financial services and methods, but our shareholders and descendants directly”

SARAH J. STEPETIN

Anchorage, Alaska

 

“Aang, Kachigax̂ Sarah Stepetin asax̂takuqing, Qigiigum Unangaa akuq. Achan-ingiigam tanadgusii ilagaan angix̂takuq. Dena’ina Ełnena tanangin kugan anĝaĝizaq. Anang Periscovia Bereskin asax̂takuq, ama Adang Richard Stepetin asax̂takuq. My name is Kachigax̂ Sarah Stepetin, I am the youngest daughter of Periscovia and Richard of Akutan. My upbringing between Akutan and Anchorage shapes my values and my commitment to lifestyle medicine. As a daughter, sister, niece, cousin, friend, auntie, partner, and mother— my relationships have given me a deep sense of belonging and being a lifelong learner. Through formal education, peer-to-peer training, elder-led mentoring, gatherings with kin and the continuous returning to Unangam Tanangin, my vision for Ataquan Akun is through Indigenous governance principles.”

JULIE R. TOOMEY

Anchorage, Alaska

 

“Aang Aang,

My name is Julie Toomey. I am married to Andrew Toomey, and together we are raising four beautiful daughters. My parents are Jim and Joanne Jenckes, and my maternal grandparents are Richard and Annie Mack of King Cove. My family moved from Washington State to Anchorage when I answered the call to serve our people as Executive Director of The Aleut Foundation. Later I served as Vice President of Regional Affairs for The Aleut Corporation. My experience in both positions allowed me to work directly with shareholders, tribal leaders, regional corporations, and our subsidiaries. I gained firsthand insight into the challenges and opportunities facing our people, expanded culture camp funding and regional economic development. As a shareholder, I am proud of Aleut’s mission to “maximize dividends and opportunities for shareholders.” A key measure of Aleut’s success should be ensuring shareholder benefits grow at least as fast as our revenue and, when possible, outpace it. Shareholders should share in the fruits of today’s success while we continue building a corporation that will endure for generations to come.

My vision for Aleut includes:

• Share the wealth today through increased shareholder benefits while continuing to grow Aleut’s businesses for future generations.
• Grow shareholder opportunities through jobs, leadership development, career pathways, and business growth in shareholder communities.
• Invest in our people through innovative Ulakaia programming: expanded scholarships, vo-tech assistance, cultural preservation, and support for shareholder entrepreneurs.

Together, we can build a stronger future for our shareholders and our region.”