A Message from the Executive Director
Dear AMA Members and Friends, This is such an amazing season for us, so filled with activities, gifts, and memories. First there are the holidays to celebrate and to be thankful for our many blessings. Then there’s the joy and satisfaction of another great Anchorage annual convention in the books. And there’s the reality that in a few short weeks we will start another year in the never-ending adventure of Alaska mining! First the thanks … I am incredibly thankful for the more than 1,250 miners and support companies who attended the convention, an all-time record! And thankful for the almost 150 companies who exhibited at our sold-out trade show. If you attended, you know it’s impossible to see and do and take in all of this biggest week in Alaska mining. There was so much to share from that incredible convention that there isn’t room in this month’s journal! So, watch for much more in the winter issue of The Alaska Miner magazine! Elsewhere in this Journal you’ll see some of the highlights, including our 2023 AMA Award Honorees. I’m thankful as well for our incredible convention committee, our team of volunteers, speakers, and presenters, and for our new board of directors who took office at the convention and for the next two years. Their dedication and guidance are critical to our success. I hope you met Carin Currier, our
of the projects this road will open up, but to the future of mining in Alaska. Your voice is critical to this process. There are three options for submitting comments: n Provide verbal comments at a
Public Meeting/Hearing n Online: www.blm.gov/ AmblerRoadEIS
n Mail or hand deliver to: BLM Fairbanks District Office, ATTN: Ambler Road Scoping Comments, 222 University Ave., Fairbanks, AK 99709 Please also add a couple of key dates to your personal 2024 calendar: n March 26-29 we will return to Fairbanks for our first spring convention since before the pandemic. It’ll be a great celebration of Alaska mining with special focus on the Interior. n Dec. 31 is our deadline for advertising in the 2024 Alaska Miners Handbook and Service Directory. Please contact our Publisher Lee Leschper for advertising in the Handbook (and our Journal and Alaska Miner Magazine) at Lee.Leschper@ FireweedStrategies.com. Contact Darlene Strickland (darlene@ alaskaminers.org) for updates to your listings as well as renewing your membership (remember only current members are included)! Please have a safe Merry Christmas and joyous New Year!
new projects and communications manager, at the convention! She technically hadn’t even started work for us but pitched right in to help things run smoothly. She’s just settling into her new and significant role, to help us connect and communicate better with you, our members. Please reach out to her by email or phone and help us welcome her. She is a born-and-raised Alaskan who looks to tackle this key responsibility with her natural energy and great skills. Read more about her in this Journal. If you haven’t done so already, please also respond to our convention survey, to let us know what we can do better for 2024. We know we can always improve. And now to the challenges ahead … As you read this, we are in the final days of the comment period on the EIS critical to construction of the Ambler Road. The final deadline is Dec. 22. There has been a vast amount of misinformation and negative comments regarding this project. Please take five minutes from your busy holiday schedule to go online and offer your support for this critical project, which is important to the future not just
Deantha Skibinski, Executive Director
Executive Board Lorali Simon, President Blake Bogart, First Vice President Houston Morris, Second Vice President Kim Aasand, Treasurer Follow us anytime: Online at AlaskaMiners.org Like us on Facebook at Alaska Miners Association Follow us on Twitter @alaskaminers
Branch Chairmen Ted Hawley, Anchorage Ethan Trickey, Denali Dave Larimer, Fairbanks
The Alaska Miner is the official journal of the Alaska Miners Association, published eight times a year exclusively to our members. It is published in partnership with the Alaska Miners Association by Fireweed Strategies LLC, 4849 Potter Crest Circle, Anchorage, AK 99516. We actively seek contributions from our members and the mining industry. Please email story ideas and photos to Lee Leschper. Advertising Rates and New Tips For advertising information, or to submit news, story ideas and photos, call or email Lee Leschper at 907-957-6025 or Lee.Leschper@FireweedStrategies.com
Liz Cornejo, Haines Jason Hart, Juneau Houston Morris, Kenai Ken Hughes, Nome Robert Fithian, Ketchikan/Prince of Wales
Committee Chairmen Kevin Adler, Convention
Alaska Miners Association Staff Deantha Skibinski, Executive Director
Howard Grey and JP Tangen, Federal Oversight Mike Satre and Blake Bogart, State Oversight
Jennifer Luiten, Membership and Fundraising Director Carin Currier, Projects & Communications Manager Darlene Strickland, Bookkeeper/Membership
www.alaskaminers.org I The Alaska Miner I December 2023
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