First Alaskans Institute: this Native leader is working to ensure equality in the workplace for Alaska Natives.

• Author: Mehta, Neil
• Position: Alaska Native Business News - Byron Mallot - Interview

If you ever have the opportunity to ask Byron Mallot what organizations he has been involved with over the course of his career, make sure you aren't in a rush. His answer might take a while. Byron Mallot has held leadership roles of more public- and private-sector ventures, companies and institutions than most would hope to accomplish. In the process, he has earned a reputation as a shrewd businessman, a principled public servant and one of the state's most outspoken advocates for Alaska Natives.

Mallot kicked off his career in 1965 when at the age of 22 he ran successfully for mayor of his Native village of Yakutat. In the four decades to come, Mallot would, among many other positions, become the director of Alaska's Permanent Fund, mayor of Juneau, president of the Alaska Federation of Natives, CEO of Native-owned company Sealaska Corp. and director of Alaska Air Group.

His most recent project has been leading the First Alaskans Institute, a nonprofit foundation whose mission, in the words of Mallot, is to "address the most important challenges facing Alaska Natives."

Mallot recently took time out of his schedule to reflect on the First Alaskans Institute, his career and his vision for a tolerant Alaska.

ABM: You are currently at the helm of the First Alaskans Institute. How did this project come into fruition?

Mallot: First Alaskans began as the Alaska Federation of Natives Foundation. The Alaska Federation of Natives began a discussion with the owners of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline about how oil companies can better reach out to the Native community. Under section 29 of the Federal Trans-Alaska Pipeline Act, it was stipulated that owners would make a conscience effort to increase the hire of Alaska Native people in the work of pipeline and create opportunities for them to contract work.

We worked with the owners of the oil companies for a while, in particular Bob Malone, who is a senior member of the management at BR After a lot of discussion and debate, the oil companies set up a $20 million endowment for Native causes.

It was decided a new organization would be created to manage that endowment and work to close the divide between Natives and non-Natives. That organization is the First Alaskans Institute.

ABM: What is the organization's mission?

Mallot: The slogan of First Alaskans is "progress for the next 10,000 years." Our mission is to address the most important challenges facing Alaska Natives. We want to do that by advancing...