Robert has been told his name means “A Good Man,” though he’s unsure about the spelling. Born in Minnesota, his family moved to Fairbanks, Alaska, when he was 6 years old. Family and community have shaped his life. He met his wife, Lizzie Ann Reich, ‘Akpayuk’ of Kotzebue, in Chugiak in 1993. The couple made […]
Shareholder
Kara Cronan – Shareholder Spotlight
Kara Cronan, known by her Iñupiaq name “Tati,” serves as the Assistant Corporate Controller at NMS. Originally from Eagle River, Alaska, Kara has strong roots in the NANA region. Her mother, Sandy Baker, works in IT at NANA North, and her grandfather, James “Jim” Hayes, played a pivotal role in Kotzebue’s telecommunications history—bringing the first […]
Cathleen Mala – Shareholder Spotlight
Cathleen ‘Utauyaq’ Mala is the Director of Operations for Camp Services. She is the daughter of Harvey and Vernita Vestal, from Kotzebue and Selawik, respectively. Cathleen was raised with the same Iñupiat values and subsistence lifestyle her parents grew up with, learning early on to work hard to provide for her family and help others. […]
Grace ‘Igluguq’ Graves – NANA Shareholder Spotlight
Raised between a small town in Iowa and Kotzebue, Grace ‘Igluguq’ Graves grew up with her grandparents, Richard and Grace (Wells) Graves. Her mother hailed from Noorvik. Igluguq, named after her Auntie Mildred Sampson, now resides in Waterloo, Iowa, with her husband of 19 years, Mike, and their beloved cats, Sassy and Sunny, affectionately called […]
Angel “Uuyon” Barr – NANA Shareholder Spotlight
Angel “Uuyon” Barr is a NANA shareholder and NMS General Manager at the Nullaġvik Hotel. Her journey with NMS began in September 2014, and over the years, she’s not just grown with the company but has become an integral part of our success. Angel grew up between Kotzebue and Fairbanks. Every summer, from the time […]
Lorena Nay – Shareholder Spotlight
Ikkaaŋŋuraq – that’s Lorena Nay’s Iñupiaq name, which translates to ‘follow across.’ Lorena is a NANA shareholder whose journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. Growing up in Kotzebue, Lorena was the youngest in a family of six. She started working at Nullaġvik Hotel by the time she was in 6th grade. She’d help with […]
