President's Report

 

Dear Haida Corporation Shareholders:

 

I would like to personally wish you, our shareholder’s and your families all the joys of the Christmas season- now-and throughout the New Year. Recently, the Board of Directors met in Seattle Washington to conduct quarterly business and hold a shareholder relation meeting.  The turnout was incredible with attendance of over fifty shareholders and their guests.  Recognition, prayers and Haida songs were provided by our directors to recognize and pay respect to the families suffering the loss of our Shareholders in 2007.  A special haawaa (thank-you) to our Jaadaa’s from Canada who provided songs in loving memory of Steven Nix, from Hydaburg.

 

An overview of the major business activities of Haida Corporation was provided by Todd Tew, our, CEO.   Dorinda “Emmy” Sanderson was introduced as our new Haida Corporation administrative assistant.   Deanna Morrison and Lisa Lang sang two Haida dedication songs. Jeanne Cogo Jimenez gave a prayer in Haida and read an email from Dorothy Nix about Steven Nix’s life.  The Massett dancers performed three songs followed by a prayer.

 

Later, our Chairman Vincent Jameson was congratulated and given personal gifts from family and loved ones for his recent graduation from Western Washington University.    The entire Board of Directors extend our thanks to all our shareholders and friends who turned out during this busy time of year to share a meal, get updated on our activities and visit.  The Board of Directors are focusing on improving our communication efforts with our shareholders and the survey we conducted at the meeting was helpful in gaining insight about the useful types of information you are seeking during the informational meetings.

 

To recap on your directors activities in 2007, I will outline the major projects and then highlight the tasks we will focus on accomplishing this next year:

 

REYNOLDS CREEK HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT

It has been one year since the Haida Corporation Board of Directors made a decision to re-visit and expedite efforts to successfully utilize our 2000 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved license and proceed towards completion of the construction and operation of the Reynolds Creek Hydro project.  The directors unanimously approved my travel to Washington, D.C., Seattle and Juneau to establish working relationships and to actively lobby at the state and federal level for this eleven million dollar project.  Haida Corporation has developed numerous positive working relationships and has received positive support from Senator Ted Stevens, Congressman Don Young, Alaska State Senator Albert Kookesh, Alaska Representative Bill Thomas, Robert Grimm, President &CEO, Alaska Power & Telephone, Richard Harris, Vice-President, Sealaska Regional Corporation, the Haida Nation (HCA or Tribe), the City of Hydaburg and state-wide support from the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) via Resolution 07-36, titled, “In Support of Affordable Energy Diversity Through the Development of the Hydroelectric Projects” (specifically naming the Reynolds Creek Project). The intent overall was to gain momentum for our vision and move this project towards reality.  The long-term benefits of renewable small hydroelectric power development, both financially and environmentally, are well established and can serve to attract further beneficial economic development for all local communities on Prince of Wales Island.  The Haida Corporation team of experts working on developing our hydro project in conjunction with our board members is:

 

Our short term goals for 2008 related to the Reynolds Creek Project are to:  

 

 

 

 

 

The Reynolds Creek Project is successful because of cooperative working relationships.  Your directors are committed toward continuing to support the efforts required to make this project a reality.

 

IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS WITH OUR SHAREHOLDERS

 The results of a recent informal shareholder survey demonstrated the desire and the request from our shareholders to keep them updated and informed about our activities.  The primary request was to increase shareholder relation meetings, explain the hydro project (or progress), explain the current status of our Homesite Project, develop and expand the scholarship program through the non-profit Xaadaas Kil_Kwiaays Foundation, increase dividends and above all update our website.  In response to those inquires your Board of Directors have:

 

Meetings: The Board discussed holding the quarterly meetings in a variety of locations: including Juneau, Ketchikan, Seattle, Hydaburg and Anchorage. The board will balance out the cost and benefit and make a final decision.  Our goal is to improve providing timely information to our shareholders through the regular mail, the email and in person if possible.

 

Homesite Project: The Board of Directors unanimously voted to approve the submission of the map of boundaries to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).  This means our Homesite Project will not be addressed until July 2008 which is the anticipated date for the completion of the BLM process.  The changes to the Board of Directors tentative time line for completion of the Homesite Project has been significantly impacted as no actions will be taken until after the BLM process is complete. Our goal is to re-visit the program and create new time lines for the completion of this program.

 

Distribution: The Sealaska (7)(i) distribution to Haida Corporation for 7.55 per share was mailed to our shareholders with an informational letter on December 12, 2007.  The Haida Corporation Shareholder Trust dividend for 7.25 per share will be mailed by December 17, 2007. Our financial investor, Steve Brattner, reported a successful year with our Settlement Trust Fund and the dividend supports his report.

 

Xaadaas Kil_Kwiaays Foundation (Our Precious Haida Words) is a newly created non-profit entity created to focus on developing the gaps in funding for cultural, language and educational programs. The foundation is new and based on the volunteer contributions of the following: Lisa Lang, Chairperson, Doreen Witwer, Secretary-Treasurer, Deanna Morrison, Robert Sanderson, Sr. and Adrian LeCornu.  The scholarship application is available on this website (see PFD Scholarship File) or through a request to our staff via telephone, email or fax.  The benefits of the scholarship focus on full-time, Higher Education students (attending an accredited institution) who are shareholders or descendants of shareholders.  Please share this information with prospective applicants because the application deadline is January 23, 2008.  The completed application must be received by the close of business in Hydaburg, Alaska.   The date for the final awards to be issued is February 1, 2008.  This is a supplemental grant offered once a year for $500 (five hundred dollars).  Our staff would like to encourage our successful scholarship applicants to send a high quality photo via email with your permission to share a brief website biography.  This foundation is new and we are developing fund-raising strategies to build and develop our educational, culture and language scholarships and programs.  Please contact me, Lisa Lang, personally if you would like to make a donation to the Xaadaas Kil_Kwiaays Foundation at (907) 229-1540. 

 

WEBSITE UPDATE

In addition to the current Haida Corporation website an additional and new Haida Corporation My Space account was activated.  The site was opened in response to the overwhelming majority of our website users who utilize My Space.  The account is to assist the Board of Directors and management to quickly update shareholders with brief informational pieces and direct our shareholders to the services available on the web (i.e. PFD scholarship application and directions for completing and returning the application).

 

Currently, direction was approved to provide training for our staff on inputting website data with the goal of keeping information current and to develop a creative and interesting site. 

 

TIMBER OPERATIONS

A road construction project was initiated and will be completed in January 2008 to prepare Haida Corporation roads for the 2008 logging season.  The Board of Directors was updated on the global and domestic markets and the plan is to proceed with a 2008 harvest.

 

SITKA ISLANDS FOR SALE

Baranof Realty in Sitka, Alaska is the broker for the private land-holdings of Haida Corporation.  You may visit that website to review the current islands for sale and their selling price. 

 

In closing, the Haida Corporation Board of Directors and Management extend to you and your families a warm and sincere wish for a prosperous and healthy New Year.

 

Sincerely,

 

Lisa Marie Lang

President

Haida Corporation