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November 1979 - Sealaska Shareholder - Page 3

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Sealaska Office Opens in Anchorage

Sealaska Corporation is proud to announce the opening of a new shareholder relations office in Anchorage. The office is located at 1675 C Street, in the Tyonek Building. The telephone number for the new office is (907) 276-3313.

The office officially opened on October 1, 1979. The new Anchorage office provides information and all stockholder services to Sealaska Shareholders in the Anchorage area.

Heading up the office is Roy Peratrovich, who recently retired from years of service to Alaska Native people in the Bureau of Indian Affairs. (See related article, ROY PERATROVICH, right.)

If you are one of the Anchorage Sealaska Shareholders, or if you are passing through Anchorage, drop by and see Sealaska's "new addition."

Sealaska's new office, and Mr. Peratrovich will be featured in the next issue of the SEALASKA SHAREHOLDER.

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Roy Peratrovich

A retirement party was held last night for Roy Peratrovich. It was a happy occasion as friends paid tribute to him for his 39 years in government service, but it was really no retirement party at all. It would be more accurate to call it a change-of-station party because Peratrovich has no intention of retiring.

Peratrovich is stepping down as superintendent of the Anchorage agency for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He will take charge of a new office to be opened in Anchorage, representing Sealaska, a native corporation which, although based in Southeastern Alaska, has something like 900 stockholders living in Anchorage.

The significance of this change of station is worthy of note.

Peratrovich is one of the last of the more courageous natives who braved the perils of treading the uncertain path that took Alaska from territorial status to full-fledged statehood--a route that was difficult and not always popular.

His qualities of leadership brought his appointment as special law and order officer for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1946. That was the start of his long career of government service that carried him to the top BIA position in Alaska.

As a federal employee, Peratrovich helped his native people understand the new civilization that was growing up around them. And he helped the leaders in Washington understand the need for special consideration to meet the needs of Alaska natives. His work was a service to natives and non-natives alike.

In his new post he can continue to serve. He now becomes a private enterpriser, representing a corporation that is operated for purposes of making a profit.

He now has the task of helping his native people understand the intricacies of corporate law and procedures, sound economics, cash flow pro-form reports and the other ramifications of operating a business.

This could be important to the whole world. The Alaska natives must be a success in their new position as enterprisers. Their success will redound to the benefit of all Alaskans and, indeed, all Americans. It could have worldwide implications if the great fathers in Washington were to learn that, instead of giving money as foreign aid to distant governments, they would do better to establish the equivalent of the Alaska native corporations to spearhead the development of backward nations.

It is because the natives have leaders like Roy Peratrovich and his family that their prospects for success are so bright.

Reprinted from The Anchorage Times
Thursday, October 11, 1979.