Executive Director’s Report
Dear Alaska Miners, This issue of your magazine
is about one of my favorite topics: family. My family, your family, the Alaska mining family. We’ve all uttered the words, “Alaska is a really small state, there is barely one degree of sep- aration.” Working with family is nothing new for us; we’ve worked alongside several generations in this state and in Alaska’s indus- tries. But you might be surprised to realize the rest of the world doesn’t understand and experience that. Whether you call it coincidence, choice, or just what we do really well — our families are dedicated to making a better Alaska and a better job through mining. So we’re thrilled to feature in this magazine a cross-section of only a few of the hundreds, if not thousands of families, we work with. Some, like the Usibelli family, have been doing what they do for more than sev- en decades. Others, like Republic Services and Alaska Minerals, are bringing new families into Alaska’s mining industry, and it is so grat- ifying to see this trend continue across the state. As I began my career (longer ago than I care to admit), I imme- diately recognized the family na- ture of Alaska mining. The techni- cal side is one thing widely known: a deposit is discovered, studied, permitted, developed, operated, re- claimed, and there are a million lit- tle pieces in between each of those steps. But along the way, it is the people caring for each other, that makes Alaska stand out. It might be blood relation, which this issue focuses on. And it may be because Alaska miners establish workplace culture that makes their colleagues feel like family. Whatever it is, it’s
Deantha and her mother, Marilyn.
our amazing people — family — I can’t imagine working anywhere else. Helping people in our industry is what gets me out of bed and fires me up to do better. I think you’ll see exactly the same as you read these stories. Again, these are just a few stories to tell today, but there are so many more. I hope we’ll have the time to tell you all of them, and I really hope you will share yours with us. After all, this is your as- sociation, your magazine and your state to protect and grow. Bless you all, and let’s keep moving forward!
the life we live that so few outside our industry understand. As many of you know, I grew up in the resource development association business, too! My mom, Marilyn, led the Alaska Oil and Gas Association, where she began before she was 18 years old and retired as the Executive Director after 41 years. I grew up watching her advo- cate for a better Alaska through re- sponsible development, which gave me both the skills and the passion to represent AMA today. Representation means con- necting, informing and inspiring. It also means getting fighting mad and hollering loud (pretty good at that) when we’re under attack or battling opposition from ill-in- formed and manipulative entities. Like many young Alaskans, I looked at other places in the coun- try, and I had other career options. For many of my generation, there’s always a choice. But working with
Deantha Skibinski, AMA Executive Director
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