By utilizing new technologies and engaging potential customers and dedicated employees, NANA companies can strengthen brands and supply NANA brand advocates with the information they need to help our companies grow.

In 2009, NANA’s new Communications Group will be employing Web 2.0 and 3.0 technologies to increase internal and external brand awareness that will assist in furthering NANA’s business goals.

This year, NANA Communications will be creating platforms of participation. You’ve already witnessed this on a small scale with the NDC E-News Bulletin. Readers to this company-wide online publication can do much more than just read stories; they can comment, vote and interact with other readers – increasing engagement and creating avenues of feedback. The NDC E-News is also search engine optimized, increasing the possibility of NANA company news to elevate to the top of search engine inquires.

In just a few short days, we will launch a brand new NANA Development Corporation Web site. The new site was designed to increase and capture force multiplication opportunities across our diverse NANA companies. It was also crafted to better articulate the NANA story to our companies and to let the world know why NANA isn’t your typical American corporation. March 2009 will witness the launch of a NANA-wide Intranet that will streamline communications and business operations between NANA’s corporate headquarters and the NANA family of companies, increasing the timeliness and accuracy of internal information.

And finally, capitalizing on the popularity of social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, NANA may soon have its very own social networking space for our 7,000 worldwide employees to connect, create and collaborate.

I must confess that I have not always embraced these new technologies. However, it has become evident through this recent election that their power to transform opinions and increase brand awareness both internally and externally is immense. I ask you all to give these innovations a chance and I am quite certain that we will see positive shifts in our corporate communications as a result of their implementation.

“Mr. Obama stayed for more than an hour and talked to every Marine who was having dinner here,” said Ricky Lui, Project Manager for NANA Services. “Our whole team was wearing Santa hats and we had the chance to take pictures and a talk with him. It was great!”

NANA Services, a division of Akmaaq, has a contract at the base to provide food preparation, food delivery, mess attendant services, cashiering, and housekeeping.

But the visit from the President-Elect wasn’t the only honor for NANA Services.  For the past two years, the team at K-Bay has been the recipient of the prestigious Marine Corps Hill Memorial Award and recognized Best Military/Contractor Garrison Mess Hall for their exceptional teamwork, combined commitment, and food service excellence in the services they provide to the Marine Corps Base at K-Bay.

Learn more at www.nanaservices.com and www.akmaaq.com.

NANA Development Corporation wants to let the world know what it’s like to work for a Alaska Native Corporation straight from our employees. Are you inspired by your teammates? Love the views on your commute? Thrilled by on-the-job challenges? Let us know and you just might be the new owner of a snazzy 16 GB iPod touch. So what are you waiting for? Grab that video camera, put your point-and-click camera in your briefcase and capture the moments that bring you everyday workday Zen!

Here’s what you need to do to win the NANA This is Where I Work contest:

1. Take your video or regular camera and capture some shots about what makes living  and working in your neck of the woods the best! (Entries must include at least two (2) high-resolution pictures or one (1) 60-second video.
2. Write up a 250-word (or greater essay) about yourself and why you love where you work. (Max 500 words)
3. Submit to NANA Communications by 11:59 p.m., Feb. 27, 2009 via email at  communications@nana.com or email CD, DVD, or thumb drive to:
   NANA Communications
   1001 E. Benson Blvd.
   Anchorage, AK 99508

First, second and third place winners will be announced on Friday, March 6, 2009.

First Place: Apple iPod touch plus a 50 dollar iTunes gift card.
Second Place: 50 dollar gift certificate to the new NANA online store.
Third Place: 25 dollar gift certificate to the new NANA online store.

NANA’s new online store will launch simulatneously with the new NANA Development Corporation Web site.

THIS IS WHERE I WORK OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES

No purchase or payment necessary to enter or win

Photo Eligibility

To enter, you must an employee of NANA or a NANA subsidiary or affiliates.  Photos or videos must have been taken within the last three years. The photo/video subject must be relevant to working for a NANA company.

Photo Formats

Entries may be digital images or digital video. Images should be submitted in JPG (at high quality) or TIFF format. File sizes can vary but must be mailed if larger than 1MB per image. Images will not be returned.

Photographer/Copyright

Entries must be submitted by the original photographer. Do not submit a photo taken by someone other than yourself. You must be the sole owner of any copyright of any image submitted. Your submission of the photo and entry form is your guarantee that you are the author and copyright holder of the photo.

Number of Entries

An individual may submit more than one entry.

Video/Photo Subject Restrictions

Videos/photos must be appropriate for posting on a public company website. Obscene, provocative or otherwise questionable content will not be considered. NANA retains sole discretion as to what constitutes inappropriate content. Video/photos containing recognizable people must be submitted by regular mail and accompanied by a signed model release form. (Contact communications@nana.com if you are in need of a form).

Return of Photos

Photos/video, regardless of the medium, will not be returned. Please do not send your only copy of a photo/video.

Ownership/Use Rights

Photographers retain the copyright to their photographs with their submission. By entering the contest, photographers agree to have their submitted photograph/videos displayed on the NANA.com or NANA affiliated websites, or online or print publications without any fee or other form of compensation, In addition, NANA may make and retain copies of the photograph for archival purposes or distribution. Videos/photos will be credited to the photographer named in the entry form. Entries (including non-winning entries) may be selected for display or use in other NANA web pages or online or print publication. In the event that ownership of any photograph submitted to NANA is contested in any manner, NANA retains the discretion to disqualify that photograph and discontinue use of the photograph.

How to Enter

Submit to NANA Communications by 11:59 p.m. AST, Feb. 27, 2009 via email at communications@nana.com or email CD, DVD, or thumb drive to:

NANA Communications
1001 E. Benson Blvd.
Anchorage, AK 99508

Judging

Entries will be judged on the basis of creativity, quality, and effectiveness in conveying the beauty and/or unique character of working for a NANA company or affiliate. A NANA panel will judge the entries and all contest decisions are final. Entries that fail to comply with the Official Contest Rules will be disqualified. The NANA panel will include professionals in graphic design, website design, website development, marketing and public relations.

Winners

Judges will select a first, second and third place winners for the overall contest. Winners will be notified Friday, March 6, 2009. No financial compensation is provided to winners.

Additional Terms and Conditions

NANA is not responsible for computer system, hardware, software, or program malfunctions or other errors, failures, or delayed computer transactions or network connections that are human or technical in nature. Furthermore, NANA is not responsible for: (i) lost, misdirected, misplaced, illegible, unintelligible, incomplete, or late entries or (ii) any act, failure to act, or delay regarding the transmitting or processing of entries. NANA reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel or suspend all or any portion of this contest without notice if factors beyond NANA’s control, including technical difficulties, disrupt or corrupt the fair or secure administration or operation of the contest. Void where prohibited. NANA is entitled to interpret these rules as needed and its decisions are final. NANA reserves the right to disqualify any entrant whom NANA has reason to believe is not the original work of entrant, or does not otherwise meet the contest rules. If a winner is disqualified or determined to be ineligible, an alternate winner will be selected using the same judging process/criteria described above. Alternate winners are subject to all requirements set forth in these Official Rules.

By participating in the contest, you agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless NANA and its employees, officers, affiliates, agents, and advertising and promotional agencies from any and all damages, injuries, claims, causes of actions, or losses of any kind resulting from your participation in this contest, including infringement of intellectual property rights. NANA and its employees, officers, affiliates, agents, and advertising and promotional agencies assume no responsibility or liability for any damages, injuries, claims, causes of actions, or losses of any kind arising in whole or in part from this contest.

AIS will provide U.S. Army with a broad range of training products and services including:

• Courseware and interactive multimedia instruction (IMI) designed, developed, and evaluated utilizing accepted Instructional System Design (ISD) standards.
• Training devices designed, developed, tested, and verified, including upgrades to existing systems and associated software.
• Design, installation, and implementation of automated electronic classrooms (AEC).
• Analyses specific to human performance improvement interventions, such as job task analysis and cost benefit analysis.
• Infrastructure support for distributed training and PC-based simulations.

The first task order issued under this contract is for training development to be completed in two phases. Phase I includes front end analysis (FEA) and development of a courseware prototype. Phase II comprises development of recommended interactive multimedia instruction (IMI). Efforts are focused on the migration of Level 1 instructor-led training to web-based training materials for Joint Automatic Identification Technology (JAIT) training. Phase II courseware and IMI will be developed and evaluated utilizing accepted instructional system design (ISD) standards.

AIS is part of the Akima family of companies. Established in 1995 to provided support services to the federal government, Akima now employs more than 3,000 people at over 52 contract locations nationwide.

For more information about Akima, please visit www.akima.com.

Nick Huffman 1980 – 2008

We lost Nick on December 28th after a brief and tragic illness. Nick had been a surveyor in our Klamath Falls office for the better part of two years. He was also a full-time student at Oregon Institute of Technology, majoring in Geomatics and set to graduate in March. At the time of his death, he was just 28 years old.

All those who knew Nick recognized that he was someone special. He had a huge heart, an infectious smile, and a giving spirit. He excelled in both academics and athletics, and he loved spending time in the great outdoors. He cherished and was cherished by a close-knit family and his wife, Haley.

Nick brought a great attitude and work ethic to the office each and every day. Although relatively new to the profession, he had great instincts for surveying and AutoCAD design. He passed the California Land Surveyor in Training (LSIT) exam while in his junior year at OIT. He would have gone far in this career.

Nick’s passing is a great loss to the Klamath Falls office, our entire company, and the surveying profession. We will miss him tremendously.

Bill Taggart 1948 – 2008

Our Denver office and the entire company was shocked and saddened to learn of Bill’s death on December 16th. Bill was a monumental figure in the Colorado water resources industry, and a mentor to many in the civil engineering profession. He had returned to work with his colleagues at WHPacific after years of successfully running his own company. Throughout his professional career, he never lost his passion and enthusiasm for the power and beauty of water. In 40 years, he built an impressive resume of flood control, river reclamation, habitat protection, water treatment, drainage, and recreational projects throughout the Southwest.

Outside of the office, Bill was an avid kayaker, skier, and enthusiastic outdoorsman. He loved the mountains, and was a certified (Stage III) ski instructor for over 35 years. He often said this was one of his proudest achievements – more difficult to achieve than his professional engineering license. In the 1990s, he served as a guide in the ‘Over The Hill Gang’ at Copper Mountain, making many memories and long-lasting friendships.

Bill was the nucleus of a loving family, blessed in the relationships with his wife, Naomi, their three children and four grandchildren. He was an intensely compassionate man, not afraid to show you his heart and soul. He was fiercely protective of his loved ones. He gave generously of his time, his energy, and his laughter.

We learned more from Bill than he would ever take credit for teaching. The engineering community suffered a great loss at his passing. We miss him greatly and cherish our experiences with him.