Alaska Native Corporations’ Success Is Noteworthy for Jobs & Revenue

October 16, 2019

As “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” came and went in Alaska on Monday, it was a good day to be reminded of the impact on jobs and Alaska’s economy that the various regional and village corporations have.  These corporations – created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act – make up a tremendous percentage of Alaska-based business success stories.

According to the ANCSA Regional Association’s 2017 Economic Impact Report:

In the most recent Alaska Business Monthly (ABM) ranking of the top Alaskan companies, the “Top 49ers,” all twelve ANCSA Regional Corporations were on the list as they have been every year covered in this report. Regional Corporations earned $8.4 billion (as reported to the ABM) representing 57% of the $14.8 billion brought in by 49 companies on the list.

While gross revenue is a sometimes-criticized measure, it has now been reported to ABM consistently for decades and is a good measure of economic activity. Nine ANCSA Village Corporations also made the Top 49ers, reporting $2.6 billion in revenue. When combined with Regional Corporation revenue, ANCs made up 74.5%, three-quarters of all the revenue earned by all the companies on the list. Considering all Top 49er-ANCs account for only 42.9% of the companies on the list, they have a significant impact on job generation in Alaska.

To put these revenue figures in perspective, the Alaska Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2016 was $50.7 billion. Based on the $8.4 billion in revenue reported to the ABM Top 49ers report, ANCSA Regional Corporations accounted for 16.7% of the Alaska GDP. When the nine ANCSA Village Corporations on the Top 49er list are included, the ANCs on the ABM list account for over one-fifth (21.8%) of the Alaska GDP.

From a jobs perspective, Alaska Native Corporations on the list also accounted for 68.8% of Alaska-based jobs and 86% of all the jobs created by the 49 companies on the list.

Power The Future looks forward to engaging with the energy workers in the ANCSA corporations in the future, as we work together to move Alaska forward; protecting our jobs, economy and way of life in the Great Land.