This summer, CIRI was listed among several Alaska businesses as the most admired business in Alaska. In June, 255 Anchorage residents at least 18 years of age were asked, “Just off the top of your head, which company doing business in Alaska do you personally admire most?” as part of a random survey by Dittman Research Corp. CIRI, ranking 12th, represents the first Alaska Native regional corporation to make the list. Dittman concludes there are a variety of reasons for making the list, such as community involvement, a long history of doing business in Alaska, advertising, and businesses with which people have had the most personal experience. Topping the list were several retail stores and a couple of oil companies.

Reminder: CIRI Dividends Now Taxable
Remember, taxes are NOT withheld from CIRI distributions; therefore, depending on your individual tax situation, you may want to set some money aside now to help pay any federal or state income taxes that you may owe as a result of your CIRI dividends. If you have any questions, please consult with your tax advisor. Tax advisors can also provide information on how to set up pre-payment plans or set aside money prior to tax filing.

Summer Hires Assist CIRI and Gain Valuable Experience

CIRI’s seasonal hire program employs several people each summer to help in various departments from accounting to public relations. The goal of the program is to provide CIRI shareholders and descendants an opportunity to earn extra money during summer breaks while providing a training experience and learning about CIRI. Most of the seasonal positions begin in early June and continue through mid-September. The following people participated in this summer’s seasonal hire program.

Victoria Anderson
CIRI shareholder Victoria Anderson started as the summer groundskeeper in May. Anderson is assisting with the grounds maintenance of the CIRI building and other properties. Anderson enjoys working outside and is learning a lot about landscaping. “I make sure everything looks really nice and taken care of. I am learning about the chemical make-up of the soil and the different plant families,” said Anderson.

Anderson was born in Madrid, Spain, and raised in Anchorage. She is the daughter of CIRI shareholder Kristian Anderson of Afognak and Rosa Anderson, and granddaughter of the late CIRI shareholder Nickolas Anderson. Anderson, the youngest of three siblings, is of Russian Aleut and Spanish descent.

She plans to study photojournalism this fall at the University of Alaska, Anchorage (UAA). She discovered a passion for photography while traveling the world. Her favorite destination is England because of the culture, people, art and music. Another interest of Anderson’s is music. Currently she plays the didjeridoo, an aboriginal instrument from Australia, and is learning how to play the drums and the accordion. One of Anderson’s goals is to incorporate her love for music and photography and start a magazine for the underground music scene.

Victoria Anderson

Hallie Bissett
CIRI shareholder Hallie Bissett has interned at CIRI for the past five years. She began work as a groundskeeper and for four years she has worked on historical research. This year, Bissett worked for CIRI Alaska Tourism as the cultural projects assistant. She researched Alaska Native history and culture to create cultural displays, materials and presentations at various CIRI tourism properties in Alaska.
Bissett, who is of Dena’ina Athabascan heritage, was born and raised in Wasilla and is the daughter of CIRI shareholder Debra Bissett and Ronald Bissett, and is the granddaughter of CIRI shareholder Virginia Cullers. Bissett is the proud mother of one-year-old Hannah.
Bissett is a senior at UAA and is majoring in business administration with an emphasis in marketing. She graduates next year and plans to pursue a master’s degree. Her long-term career goal is to work in the Native community. “I’ve learned through my work at CIRI the importance of Native corporations and organizations and how they impact the Alaskan economy,” said Bissett. She plans to work in Alaska to stay close to family and her heritage. Bissett has made her mark on the CIRI community with her work on several books with CIRI Historian AJ McClanahan. In addition to co-authoring “Na’eda,” an original directory which lists Native corporations, tribal organizations, and statewide and cultural maps, she also worked on “Growing Up Native in Alaska” and “A Reference in Time,” published by The CIRI Foundation.

Hallie Bissett

Carol Crandall
CIRI descendant and Doyon shareholder Carol Crandall started in May as the human resource clerk. Crandall is assisting with records management, filing, database management and processing tourism summer hire applications. “I enjoy the opportunity to work at CIRI and use my organizational and human resource skills with the tourism subsidiary,” said Crandall.
Crandall, Inupiaq, is the daughter of CIRI shareholder Martha Anselm from Nome and Willie Johnson from Hooper Bay. Crandall’s large family includes eight siblings and many other relatives from Nome.
Crandall’s parents were missionaries and provided her the opportunity to live in rural Alaska, including Emmonak and Selawik. “I remember living in Selawik and visiting elders who lived in sod houses and used the traditional seal skin kayaks,” said Crandall.
Crandall gained her human resource experience when she ran her own business and as a human resource assistant for Doyon Universal Services. She celebrated 13 years of marriage, with her husband Bob Crandall, this year and has two children, Julie and Robert, and three grandchildren. Crandall loves landscaping, wood work, traveling to Hawaii and visiting with her grandchildren and relatives.

Carol Crandall

Kiana Davis
CIRI descendant Kiana Davis started as the accounting intern in September 2002. She has been working on various tasks including filing, processing bank deposits, bank reconciliations, and other duties. “I enjoy the hands-on learning at CIRI and I am always busy,” said Davis.
Davis developed an interest in accounting while attending Anchorage’s East High School. “Accounting was my favorite class in high school because my teacher encouraged me to work at my own pace and independently. Because I worked ahead, I was asked to teach other students,” said Davis.
Davis, who is of Tlingit, Aleut, and Chinese heritage, is the daughter of CIRI shareholders Denise and her husband Douglas Ault. Her maternal grandmother, Shirley Davis, is originally from Ketchikan and resides in Anchorage.
Davis completed her first year of college at UAA as an accounting major. She plans to obtain her bachelor’s degree and continue on for a master’s in public accounting. “My first year at UAA was a learning experience. To succeed, you need to put in the homework hours,” said Davis. She not only enjoys the curriculum but also the student community. “I like the diversity of students and everyone is friendly,” said Davis.
In her spare time, Davis stays busy working out at the gym, hiking and enjoys dancing. Additionally, she studies cosmetology, where she feels she can express her creativity.

Kiana Davis

Tiffany Tutiakoff
CIRI shareholder Tiffany Tutiakoff joined CIRI as the community relations intern for the summer. Tutiakoff, of Athabascan and Yup’ik heritage, is attending UAA and plans to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Tutiakoff is exploring many areas of interest before she decides on her major but knows that she’ll minor in Alaska Native Studies.
Tutiakoff is the daughter of CIRI shareholder Gloria Thiele and Dennis Wilson, and granddaughter of Reinhold Thiele from Alexander Creek. Tutiakoff met her husband of two years, Michael “Someone” Tutiakoff from Unalaska, when she was working in Adak on the former naval base as an airfield dispatcher and island control center correspondent.
She assists with the annual CIRI Golf Classic, a fundraiser for Alaskan educational programs, corporate giving program, public relations and special events. “I enjoyed learning about CIRI and helping with projects that benefit the shareholders and community,” said Tutiakoff.
Working with youth is her real passion in life. Last year, she worked with youth as the assistant convention coordinator for the Alaska Federation of Natives and for the Youth and Elders Conference. “It is important to hold fast to our traditions and celebrate our culture. It is one of my goals to help empower youth by connecting them to their cultural values,” said Tutiakoff. In her free time, she enjoys seal skin sewing, traveling with her husband and reading.

Tiffany Tutiakoff