Charles E. Fagerstrom of Nome has been named as the next CEO of Sitnasuak Native Corporation. The same Fagerstrom that was a former member of SNC’s Board of Directors and named in a previous lawsuit with the Corporation over an anonymous mailer.
Following almost a year of litigation, the lawsuit between SNC and three of its directors, including Fagerstrom, ended in 2018. That settlement resulted in Fagerstrom resigning from the Board of Directors. Now he has been named to head up the Native Corporation, filling the position left vacant by former CEO Bobbi Quintavell in July. When Quintavell announced her departure publicly last year, she did not give a reason why.
In a statement SNC released Wednesday, Board Chair Dr. Barb Amarok said of Fagerstrom, “We are very excited that Charles has joined the management team and we are confident that our shareholders and corporation will benefit from his extensive professional experience, integrity and dedication to our shareholders and corporation.”
During the litigation between SNC, Fagerstrom, and some of its directors, Amarok was also named as a defendant for her alleged role in sending the anonymous mailer. She was elected as the Board Chair of SNC during their 45thannual shareholder meeting in June of 2019.
Since Fagerstrom stepped down from SNC’s Board of Directors in 2018, he has been employed by the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association (APIA) as their health director. Last year he was instrumental in the process to streamline health care services in the Aleutian region and develop a newer partnership with a local health clinic (Iliuliuk Family and Health Services).
Of his new position with Sitnasuak, Fagerstrom says, “I believe we’re more powerful together than any one of us is alone. None of us has the best answer on our own. I intend to leverage the power of Sitnasuak’s great team to diversify our business, grow profitability and increase shareholder benefits.”
His term as CEO of SNC began officially on Wednesday (Feb 5th).
Image at top: Charles E. Fagerstrom appointed as new CEO of Sitnasuak Native Corporation. Photo from SNC (2020).
