FROM THE EDITOR.

• Author: Anderson, Tasha

I'm thrilled to officially share the news that I have taken on the role of Alaska Business' Managing Editor. What I'm looking forward to most is expanding my opportunities to learn about the many intricacies of business in Alaska--and share it with you. While I'm certainly not new to the magazine, this in many ways feels like a fresh start, and I'm optimistic for the future not because I know everything will go according to plan but because I know I will do the best I can.

The success of so many endeavors isn't predicated on everything going right, but on everyone contributing all they can to secure a successful outcome.

I can only assume that was the cautious optimism many in Alaska were feeling in 1971 as the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) was signed into law in December, closing out the year and bringing a resolution--though not an end--to the aboriginal claims of Alaska Natives across the state.

Half a century later, we have a little more insight into what Perry Eaton calls one of the largest social experiments of the 20th century, a milestone deviation from previous US policies in terms of Indigenous ownership. As Rex A. Rock Sr., President and CEO of Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, says in our cover feature 50 Years of ANSCA, "Along the timeline of Alaska Native history, fifty years is a short timeframe upon which to judge success. I believe we have yet to see the true potential of ANCSA realized because it is a living law that is constantly evolving."

Not only does the legislation itself change to accommodate current needs, all of the nearly 300 regional...