Questions and Answers

Huna Totem Corporation (HTC) has a Shareholder Burial Assistance Program

Policy

The HTC Burial Assistance policy may provide a one-time amount not to exceed $500 to the funeral home or mortuary of a deceased HTC Shareholder.

Procedure

Applicant must be an immediate family member (mother, father, brother, sister, son or daughter), spouse of the deceased Huna Totem Corporation shareholder or legal representative to be considered eligible to apply for Burial Assistance. If the deceased has no surviving immediate family members or spouse, a letter of confirmation must be provided, and will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

Applicant must complete and submit the following within 6 weeks after the date of death:

• Burial Assistance Application
• Death certificate or letter from a medical facility/funeral home with the name of the deceased and date of death

All applications must be complete in order to be processed. Incomplete applications will not be processed and rejected after the 6 week time period. The Burial Assistance Program is based on availability of funds.

If the Burial Assistance application is approved by HTC in its sole and absolute discretion, HTC will disperse funds as follows within a week of the approval date:

• Directly to the funeral home or mortuary

For Questions, please call Shareholder Relations at (907) 789-8500

Huna Totem Corporation set up an Elders Benefit Trust for original shareholders. 

Upon reaching the age of 65, original shareholders will receive a one-time payment of $1,500.00

Elders’ Benefit Trust checks are automatically mailed within two business days of the Shareholder’s 65th birthday to the address they have on corporate files. 

Huna Totem Corporation provides several benefits for shareholders, including:

• Dividend/SST Distributions
• Huna Heritage Foundation Educational Scholarships, Vocational Funding, and Cultural Funding
• Internships
• Jobs
• Elders’ Benefit Trust
• Management of ANCSA lands
• Burial Assistance

Section 7(j) is a clause under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act that was passed 1971.  The clause addressed resource revenue sharing for Alaska Native village corporations.  The 7(i) clause pertains to the 12 regional corporations.  According to the 7(i) clause, the 12 regional corporations must share 70 percent of their net revenue from natural resources from the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.  This net revenue stems from surface and subsurface resources such as timber, minerals, and oil.  Sealaska receives 7(i) money from the other 11 regions.  A portion of this money is for Sealaska at-large and urban shareholders, the other portion is for village corporations, such as Huna Totem Corporation.

Once received by Sealaska the funds become 7(j) funds and it is sent out to the village corporations, such as Huna Totem Corporation.  According to the 7(j) clause, village corporations may use the funds as they deem necessary.  Whether the village corporation solely re-invests the funds or distributes the revenue to shareholders solely depends on the corporation’s situation and needs.

What is Huna Totem Corporation’s Hiring Policy?

Huna Totem Corporation’s policy promotes the hiring of and preference for qualified HTC shareholders, shareholder spouses, descendants, other ANCSA corporation shareholders, and Alaska Natives.

When two candidates meet the qualifications for the position description being recruited, the shareholder will be given preference over the non-shareholder candidate with the same qualifications.

Huna Totem also advocates for and promotes the utilization of shareholder-owned and shareholder-descendant-owned companies and professionals, other Native owned businesses, and those whose business practice demonstrates the hiring of Huna Totem shareholders and their descendants.

If this is the policy, why are there so many non-shareholders working at Huna Totem Corporation or Icy Strait Point?

There have been historically low turnouts of shareholder applicants when a position is advertised. If no one applies, a qualified non-shareholder may be hired in order to keep operations running smoothly.

What can I do?

The best thing our shareholders can do is to continue their education and build on their work experience and apply for any open positions. If we have a larger pool of qualified shareholders, we will be able to be able to hire a full staff of shareholders at both Huna Totem Corporation and Icy Strait Point. From the bottom to the top, Huna Totem would love to have shareholders in each position. Apply, apply, apply! We can’t hire you if we do not know you are interested!

Huna Totem Corporation does not have a 7(j) policy. Instead, Huna Totem Corporation has adopted a dividend policy that is based on the Corporation’s net profits. The dividend policy states that 25% of the average previous 3 years’ net income be paid to shareholders. 

The reasoning behind this policy is dividends will be paid solely from the success of the corporation. Huna Totem Corporation has committed to a policy that will allow for the maximum amount distributed to shareholders while maintaining stability and sustainability.

In a continued effort to be transparent, Huna Totem Corporation has created multiple avenues for sharing shareholder information.  Here are some great ways to stay informed on HTC issues:

1. Keep your address current with Huna Totem Corporation.  If we don’t have your address we can’t send you announcements or newsletters!
2. Read the quarterly newsletter.  New developments and announcements are put in the newsletter and distributed quarterly!
3. Check the Huna Totem Corporation website.  Announcements, deadlines, distributions, and job openings are posted here! Our website is: www.hunatotem.com.
4. Become friends with Huna Totem on Facebook.  Announcements and deadlines are posted on Huna Totem’s Facebook page!  A great way to get information quickly!  You will find our page at: https://www.facebook.com/hunatotemcorporation/
5. Check the shareholder hotline.  Announcements, distributions, and changes in business hours are updated frequently here!
6. Shareholders can attend the Informational Meetings.  Important events and information are given out to shareholders there!
7. Shareholders can attend the Annual Meeting.  The year’s financials are reviewed in detail.
8. Read the Annual Report.  The year’s financials are reviewed in even higher detail there.

Still have questions regarding your Corporation? 

Feel free to contact Katelyn Savland, Shareholder Relations Manager.

Village: (Type A Stock)	Shareholders enrolled in a village corporation
Urban: (Type B Stock)	Shareholders enrolled in an urban corporation and shareholders living in Alaska at the time of enrollment who are NOT enrolled in a village corporation.
At-large: (Type C Stock)	Shareholders who were living outside of Alaska at the time of enrollment in 1971 or who did not enroll to a village or urban corporation.