The President and CEO of Bering Straits Native Corp. Gail Schubert, is out. Dan Graham, executive Vice President, has been named interim CEO.
Bering Straits Native Corporation is an Alaska Native regional corporation serving 17 villages in the Bering Strait region.
Schubert is a big player in Alaska politics and Native business. An Iñupiaq from Unalakleet, she serves on the boards of the Alaska Federation of Natives, Alaska Native Justice Center, ANCSA Regional Association, Commonwealth North, the Iditarod Trail Committee, State of Alaska Renewable Energy Fund Advisory Committee, the Native American Contractors Association and the University of Alaska Foundation. She has served on the BSNC Board of Directors since 1992, and was a co-chair of the Bill Walker campaign for governor in 2022.
Schubert, who practiced law in Anchorage and also worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and of two Wall Street law firms, is an ATHENA Society awardee, recipient of the Northwest Indian Bar Association’s Unsung Hero Award, and YWCA Alaska/BP Woman of Achievement Awardee
She graduated from Stanford University, earned a Master of Business Administration from Cornell University’s Johnson School of Management with an emphasis in accounting and finance, and was awarded her Juris Doctorate from the Cornell University School of Law.
Graham has served on the senior executive team at BSNC for nearly a decade. He has had more than 24 years in progressive leadership roles for Alaska Native corporations, providing executive oversight and management for a large portfolio of contracts in all 50 states and international programs, according to the BSNC website.
Graham holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Villanova University, is a registered Professional Civil Engineer in Alaska and is a certified Project Management Professional.
No explanation for the change has been announced, but the board sent a letter to shareholders:
“We write to you today to inform you of an important transition in leadership at Bering Straits Native Corporation (BSNC). The BSNC Board of Directors approved the separation of the President & CEO. Gail R. Schubert, who has been CEO since 2009 and President since 2010, will no longer serve in her current role. We would like to express our sincere appreciation for Gail’s remarkable contributions and dedicated service to BSNC throughout her tenure.
“While Gail has transitioned out of her role as President and CEO, we are pleased to inform you that she will continue to serve as a valuable member of the BSNC Board. Gail’s extensive 31 years of board service, insightful guidance and unwavering commitment to the corporation will continue to benefit our organization and its shareholders.
“During Gail’s tenure, BSNC has achieved tremendous success. Under her leadership and guidance, the corporation’s annual revenue has grown from $14 million in 2003 to $661 million in fiscal year 2023.
“Executive Vice President Dan Graham will serve as Interim President and CEO. Graham’s leadership will assure continuity and will build on the accomplishments that Gail has led over her decades of service to BSNC. Dan has served on the senior executive team at BSNC for 9 years and has worked in leadership roles at Alaska Native corporations for a more than 20 years. He has been an integral part of BSNC’s positive trajectory.
“I cannot say enough about what Gail has accomplished,” said Graham. “In my time in this new role, I will wake up every day thinking how best to serve BSNC shareholders and the region. I do not take the responsibility of this position and the people it serves lightly.”
” We send our sincere thanks to Gail,
“BSNC Board Chair Cindy Towarak Massie and Board of Directors”
Them natives must want a bigger piece of the pie. My speculation the new Board Chair Massie wanted to be the Big Dawg there. Married to the prior owner of the Outdoor channel, probably ousted Schubert, and a non-native temporary in charge.
Awww Shucks….Yet another ‘Walker Democrat’ bites the dust.
Semi retiring or medical issues.
Looks like she has less than on ounce of native blood. Kind of like Bryce.
That’s just mean, GF. You’re probably 100% right but it’s still just mean to say so.
It’s what she identifies as that counts, amirite?
No. Ask Burt Reynolds or Pocahontas Warren. Have you no shame?
I’m too busy being right to be toting around shame, Forkner, but I’ll guess you have much to spare.
Welcome to Lucifer’s, Forkner!
I call it like I see it. Good or bad, right or wrong.
I am 5/8ths Native. Great great grandchild of the last traditional Chief and Shaman of Unalakleet. My Mom is 96 and planning her garden, fishing etc.
You are a very striking lady, with wonderful credentials, according to the picture with this article. Sorry to see that people are unable to credit your Native background just because you look every inch the professional lawyer. Whatever you take on next, may it be another success story for you. And your 96 year old mother sounds just awesome!
Don’t let them take you down. It’s unfortunate all your years of dedication will be swept away in 7-10 years. It will become known as Dire Straits once again, when all the leachers get their claws and corruption in.
No you are not. Unless there was a Englishman in the woodshed.
How arrogant are you?
You know this woman’s family history, but she doesn’t?
You should be ashamed of yourself (& get a life)
Look at her fools. Just look. Next, Obama is going to claim he is Irish. She’s woke. I get it. But it don’t change genetics.
Such an ignorant, foolish comment, Greg. Gail’s probably forgotten more than you ever knew. Your millisecond of fleeting fame is gone.
Maybe, maybe not.
To me, being native is more than putting on some native garb and sticking a feather where the sun don’t shine. It’s more than claiming native for whatever reason. It sickens me to see those clambering over native backs to get to the front of the line.
Greg, we are all Native, especially those of us born in Alaska prior to Statehood.
No that just means you got there before statehood.
Ah, it is nice to know that there are still a few indignant, religious folk roaming around who are willing to spread the good news! Besides, what has brotherly love brought anybody but grief? To top it off, a good word will never be enough to even “buy” a single scoop of ice cream let alone get anybody a meal deal anywhere in town!
Your community will let you if you are a native. If you get run out of economic opportunity in Alaska you are a native. Poverty is a bit cliche but can be overcome with savings and timely investments.
The community at large will let you know if you are a native. Drink up.
Not to worry. There is still light at the end of a long chinese owned pipeline from the gas rich north slope to China that Billy can make his pipe dream come true so She and Billy can join the Bidens on the Chinese gravy train. All it takes is another RCV victory for the Demos to capitalize on for her to take Byrons spot on the token native slot in Juneau. When Biden wins the next selection in 2024 anything is possible with government run selections. Billy is waiting patiently for his turn again.
I don’t know what happened that led to Gail’s transition.
Maybe she wanted to pursue other options or retire or experiencing health issues. Who knows??
I am a shareholder — and I do not know.
Change does not always have to be sinister.
And just to be clear, politics are not reserved for the greater mainstream populations.
Just because a private corporation was created by ANCSA does not mean there are not differing points of view among the board of directors.
Maybe the board wants to go in another direction.
And whatever the case may be, Gail is still a member of the board of directors.
So as a board member- she wasn’t kicked to the curb as the headline of this story hooks the readership to believe.
Again, I do not know the inner dealings of the board.
The fact that her looks are what some commenters take offense to is a reflection of the sad state of affairs of the human condition at this point in our collective history.
Good grief.
You ever watch little big man? Lol
The fact that you are a shareholder and don’t know!? That’s a problem right there.
You might be on to something, “Jimbob!” I have often wondered how many of the rabid, religious fanatics have read the Bible–the Authorized Version or not. (Not that I’m implying that you aren’t a “good” Christian if you do in fact proclaim being Christian: Why throw stones–eh?)
As an aside, you might change your pen name: “Jimbob” lends so little credibility to your “social critiques” that you should consider a more “substantive” one.
Just trying to help you out a bit. Keep writing your thoughtful posts!
Just Only one reader- greg- he had to drag skin color into the comment thread then drag jim bob into it. He’s the only reader for c-r-t. Gail didn’t need to respond to greg’s bigotry. He anotherperson still in the crab pot pulling at another for having what they want.
The rest of mrak readers we don’t initiate nor talk about another’s race, skin color.
More likely gail stepping back cause she tiring like at my corporation many of her generation have stepped back, and we have all new board and corporate officers.
As a native, I feel it’s my right who I call kin.
All I said and I’ll paraphrase here for your intelligent reading, was it she didn’t look like she had very much native blood in her. That means quite a bit to me. I get tired of all these wannabes claiming to be this and claiming to be that. Sort of like you at times claiming to be a Christian and then you’re the first one to throw a stone at dog or whoever. You don’t exactly practice like you preach. But you’re entitled. You don’t have to answer to me. Just like I don’t have to answer to you.
BSNC ( same ANC as Bunker Mike’s wife belongs to) was the first Native Corporation in AK to gleefully put a mandate on the jab. They jumped faster than the BlackRock gang too!
They were trying to save their old people. You know, elders and their wealth of historical information?
Sure.
Under Gail Schubert’s leadership, BSNC has grown significantly. Massie hasn’t been on the board that long, wonder what her hidden agenda is? She lived out of state for years and now all of a sudden is interested in BSNC’s goodwill and the shareholders? Maybe the Board wants more money vs more dividends to the shareholders? Is that what the non-shareholder is willing to do? Why would the Board replace a shareholder with a non-shareholder? What secret meeting decided this? Why weren’t the shareholders made aware before this happened? Shouldn’t the shareholders have input? Who on the Board voted to replace Ms Schubert? Share the info lol. Something just doesn’t seem right to especially when the corporation had a drastic turnaround from approx 10 mil to 600 mil during Ms Schubert’s leadership.
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