Vol. 2, No. 4 • March 9, 2007

Looking back, looking ahead

Helvi Sandvik
NDC President

The NANA annual meeting is always the same—and always different. This year it is March 19th in Noorvik, a village on the Kobuk River that means “a place that is moved to” in Inupiaq. It is the one time of year we report to our shareholders on how the company and individual business units performed over the past 12 months. In 2006, our net profits were strong, though some businesses may be getting ready to face new challenges: another reminder of why diversification is such a key component to our business strategy.

Shareholders will be happy to hear that we have increased the number of shareholders hired and their wages, thanks to our managers finding creative ways to grow shareholders along with the bottom line. And there is time to celebrate. This year there will be science activities for the kids, “salt-water” (people from our coastal communities) foot races and “fresh water” (people from our more inland villages) football—or what we consider Inupiaq soccer. And at the end of the day, when the gavel signals the end of this year’s annual meeting, there will be a community feast with traditional foods, shared over laughter and stories that remind us of the true value of our hard work.

Several of our NANA business leaders will attend the meeting, giving them the chance to get to know the people of the NANA region and to hear first hand how the work we do impacts our shareholders. We are looking forward to sharing our culture with them, just as they have shared their expertise with us. I hope they come away from this meeting as I do each year—reinvigorated, with an extra bounce in my step, as I look forward to another year of challenge and opportunity for NANA.

Introducing Akima Team Hurlburt

Front row: Major Sergeant Greendorfer, 2nd Lieutenant Broyles, Tim Arcadi (Akima), Joe Fisher, Ken Devries, Ramon Acosta (Akima), Dewayne Morey (Akima). Second row: (Flight commander) Capt Bohner, Brad Pufpaff (Akima), Albert Money (Akima), Richard Proctor (Akima), Roy Fox (Akima), Jeff Morrison Third row: Richard Wilson (Akima), Jeff Tingley, Charles Stewart (Akima), Russell Savage (Akima), Capt McBride, Junior Anderson (Akima)

As part of the contract to provide services at Eglin Air Force Base—including realistic combat training and related equipment management--Akima Facilities Management (AFM) established “Akima Team Hurlburt” last fall. This is a small, dedicated group of “spring loaded to the GO position” individuals who simulate warfare circumstances, and provide realistic combat training for all Eglin Air Force Base/Hurlburt Field units and their customers from all four branches of the military and NATO. “If it were any more realistic, it would be actual combat,” a training participant said.

This new group of AFM employees specializes in training troops and war fighters dealing with air, water and land forces, to respond to any type of aggressor attack. They also provide training to help troops learn how to anticipate the aggressor’s mental strategy in planning an attack. In addition to the “what if” scenarios, Akima Team Hurlburt training covers a large inventory of equipment, including all terrain vehicles and explosives. The training in aggressor tactics against aircraft missions covers use of radio frequency and radar guided missile threat emitters to simulate four different types of threats toward aircraft. More than 90 percent of the team’s missions are conducted in black out evening conditions requiring the use of night vision goggles.

Jason Ahn, President, TKC Global

Jason Ahn, TKC Global President, in Toronto, Canada.

Jason Ahn, TKC Global President, was living according to NANA values before he could walk. As one of 10 children, sharing and respect for others are the first rules any child learns if a mother wants an occasional moment of peace.

“ They are fundamental values that I embrace and are the fabric of my own values,” Ahn says. “I like the fact that I am working for an organization that shares a value structure similar to my own.”

TKC Global, one of the eight companies in the Qivliq group, is a global marketing consulting company that helps companies expand their business by providing industry-specific expertise and an extensive network of global partnerships. Key focus areas are helping companies enter the U.S. federal and commercial markets, and international markets such as Canada, France, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Turkey.

As President, Ahn is responsible for making the company a viable, profitable business. Prior to this position, he was Vice President of Business Development, and has been with TKC Global for three years. He served as an officer in the U.S. Army for four years and has a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech and an MBA in International Business from George Washington University.

Besides his formal training, Ahn says there are also life experiences that have contributed to his success today. “The fact that I grew up as one of 10 children gives me different perspectives on being flexible, patient and the meaning of sharing,” he says from his Herndon, Virginia office. “As an immigrant (Korean-American), I also have a profound respect for what our country has to offer to everyone who has a desire to succeed.”

Ahn believes that his passion and enthusiasm for what he does helps lead to tangible results in terms of new business development and operations. Looking to the future, he says, while TKC Global continues to grow in the government contracting arena, at the same time, he never loses sight of the fact that the existing ANC advantage may not be sustainable.

“ We need to focus on building a company that is not solely dependent on the advantage itself. TKC Global is building key relationships with various technology companies to potentially leverage the NANA organizations to take advantage of our relationships, including Office of Emergency Management (OEM) arrangements.”

Originally a consulting business, Ahn says the company is now transitioning to more of an “integrator” model, meaning that TKC Global will grow to be a sales and distribution channel for its partners. To do this, the company is focusing on identifying technologies that will have the greatest impact on commercial and government markets. The company currently has two client relationships that will help TKC Global make this transition: Optosecurity, a threat-detection system vendor, and Fiber Tower, a broadband wireless access vendor.

Need Closure?

A Windows Tip

Here are three quick ways to close or minimize all open windows.

To close windows: double click “my computer” to open it. Next, double click on the C-drive icon to open it, then open one of the folders in that drive by again double clicking. Now, hold down the “shift” key and click the last window's close box. All the open windows will close, including “my computer.” (Open windows not related to “my computer” will not close.)

To minimize windows: right-click on the task bar and select “minimize all windows.” Or, if your keyboard has a “windows” key, simultaneously press “windows” and “m” to minimize all open windows.

At Your Request

Hot apple pie with a side of Eskimo ice cream, please….

It wouldn’t be unlikely to have that order filled at Aunt Mabel’s kitchen table, but it’s hardly a craving you’d expect to be indulged from a hospital bedside—until last week, that is. Thanks to a new NANA Management Services (NMS) program called “At Your Request Room Service Dining,” patients at Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC) can now order from a restaurant-style menu. Upon admission, nurses determine if a patient is eligible for the program, and find out if they have any diet restrictions. After that, just about anything’s possible, even if it means ordering breakfast for dinner. According to Robin Wade, NMS Food and Facilities Area Manager, the patients love it, including the woman who actually did order the pie and Eskimo ice cream. “Within 45 minutes she had exactly what she wanted,” Robin says.

NMS serves downtown Anchorage Marlo Manor

NANA Management Services (NMS) is now managing the new Marlo Manor, a 60-appartment assisted living facility in the former McKay Building at 337 East 4th Avenue in Anchorage. A full menu is served in the dining room, and take out is available to the general public. Daily hours are 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and carry out choices include burgers, sandwiches, sushi, and homemade soups and desserts. To order, call (907) 279-0309.

Tanglewood Chalet Special Events

Traditions Catering, a division of NANA Management Services (NMS), is now the official catering and booking agency for Tanglewood Chalet at Tanglewood Lakes Golf Club in Anchorage. The 2,900 square-foot facility has a 16x90’ deck with unobstructed views of the Chugach Mountains and holds 120 to 215 people for year-round meetings and catered functions. The golf course is a nine-hole par three executive-style course that is open May-September. For planning and availability information call Traditions Catering at (907) 561-1600.

National Nutrition Month Recipes

Who says good food has to be bad for you? Here are two healthy versions of classic comfort food favorites.

Mouth-Watering Oven Fried Fish

Ingredients

2 lb. fish filets (any type)
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 c fat free milk or low-fat buttermilk
2 drops red hot pepper sauce
1 t. fresh minced garlic
1/4 t. ground white pepper
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. onion powder
1/2 c crumbled cornflakes, or bread crumbs
1 T vegetable oil (for greasing dish)
1 fresh lemon cut into wedges

Makes 6 servings.

Directions

Preheat over to 475 F.
Wipe filets with lemon juice, then pat dry.
Combine milk, hot pepper sauce and garlic.
Combine pepper, salt and onion powder with cornflake crumbs. Place mixture on plate.
Let filets soak in milk for 5 minutes. Remove and coat filets with seasoned crumbs. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until coating sticks to each side of fish.
Arrange on lightly oiled, shallow baking dish.
Bake 20 minutes on middle rack without turning.
Cut into six pieces. Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutritional Information (per serving): 183 calories, 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 80 mg cholesterol, 325 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 30 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 453 mg potassium.

Classic Macaroni and Cheese