Opt-In for Electronic Delivery
Receive newsletters, annual meeting materials, and other important information and updates from Doyon, Limited in your inbox.
We want to hear your voice
Here at Doyon, we celebrate the uniquely outstanding individuals who make up our vibrant communities.
Ranging from dedicated leadership, to cultural mentors and veterans, our Shareholder of the Year awards recognize our family, friends, and neighbors who selflessly give all of themselves to their communities and culture.
Awards are presented at the Annual Meeting in three different categories. The categories rotate each year.
The nomination period for the 2025 Shareholder of the Year Awards is now closed.
2025 Shareholder of the Year Award CATEGORIES
Daaga’ Community Service Award
This award recognizes an individual or a community that shows significant commitment, competence, and sensitivity in helping others to make their community a healthier and safer place to live, and whose accomplishments have directly affected Alaska Native lives in countless ways.
“Get up, move, do something!” is the meaning and spirit behind Daaga’. The Daaga’ award reflects Doyon’s belief that communities are healthier when Native values are alive and traditional skills are prized.
Hannah Paul Solomon Elder of the Year
This award recognizes an Elder, age 55 or older, who has demonstrated significant devotion towards the betterment of Alaska Native lives.
This award is named in honor of the late Hannah Paul Solomon, who dedicated a majority of her life towards teaching younger generations the traditional Native ways of life and the importance of voting. Solomon helped to form the Fairbanks Native Association and was active in the Alaska Federation of Natives.
POLDINE CARLO CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
This award recognizes a person who has demonstrated leadership, strong commitment, competence, and sensitivity in the educational and cultural survival of Alaska Natives. Recipients may be chosen for contributions in the fields of health or education, maintenance of a traditional lifestyle, or for the example they set as parents.
This award is named in honor of the late Poldine Carlo, of Nulato, devoted her life to advocating and making a difference for Alaska Native people across the state. Carlo was a founding member of the Fairbanks Native Association (link), and well as a consultant for the Tanana Chiefs Conference. She generously shared her traditional knowledge and wisdom, and was a mentor to young leaders to ensure the Native culture remained strong for future generations.
Board Election
Doyon’s Board of Directors election serves to give new leaders a voice in the Boardroom. Through proxy voting, our shareholders determine who represents them each year.
The election was held at the 2024 Annual Meeting on Friday, March 15, in Fairbanks. Four individuals were elected to Doyon’s 13-member Board of Directors.
Elected with three-year terms ending in 2027 were Walter “Wally” Carlo, Dr. Charleen C. Fisher, Audrey George, and Christopher Simon
PROXY & ePROXY
Our shareholders live all over Alaska and the rest of the world. For many of you, traveling to the Annual Meeting is out of the question. Proxy voting ensures every shareholder voice is heard — even from thousands of miles away.
The eProxy system allows you to vote for board directors and ensures that we follow our bylaws, which require over 50 percent of our voting shares to be present for a valid annual meeting and for the election of our board.
When you give your proxy or eProxy to the Doyon proxy committee or to a voting Doyon shareholder who attends the annual meeting, your votes will be cast exactly as you wish. Voting typically starts 60 days before the annual meeting in mid-January, and closes in mid-March.
You can find FAQ’s at the bottom of this page.
Our shareholders live all over Alaska, and the rest of the world. For many of you, traveling to the Annual Meeting is out of the question. So Doyon uses an eProxy system to make sure every shareholder’s voice is heard—even from far away. Below are frequently asked questions about voting at the Annual Meeting.
Most shareholders cannot attend the annual meeting in person; therefore, Doyon uses a proxy system. Doyon’s bylaws require that more than 50 percent of voting shares be present to have a valid annual meeting to select a board of directors. Less than 3 percent of our 20,400+ shareholders show up in person at the annual meeting. To reach a quorum, most shareholders are represented by proxies. The use of proxies is not unique to Doyon. It is a business practice used throughout the corporate world where the business is owned by shareholders. If you vote by proxy and later decide to attend the meeting, you may still vote in person by registering. Registration is required to vote in person. Day-of-meeting registration will take place on Friday, March 17, 2023; Westmark Fairbanks Hotel; 8 to 10 a.m.
When the Proxy Committee receives undirected votes, as part of the election rules, the votes MUST be distributed evenly to all the candidates running for the open board seats.
No. Doyon no longer uses a board-recommended slate of candidates. Over 12 years ago, at its August 2010 meeting, the board of directors voted to discontinue its use.
You can choose to have someone else vote your shares at the Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof by identifying a shareholder on your proxy. You may also choose to have the Proxy Committee vote your shares. The committee will be responsible for voting your shares based on how you directed your votes.
If you choose to name an individual who is a member of the Proxy Committee, your shares will be voted by that individual and not by the Proxy Committee.
If the person you appoint to vote your proxy does not register at the Annual Meeting, and does not appoint a valid substitute, then the Proxy Committee will vote your proxy based on how you directed your votes.
No. By filling out and submitting the proxy card or eProxy, your vote is counted.
DIRECTED VOTING: If you cast your votes for one or more candidates on your proxy, this is directed voting.
UNDIRECTED VOTING: If you do not cast your votes for any of the candidates and leave the space blank next to all candidates on your proxy, this is undirected voting, and your votes will be voted as follows:
- If your proxyholder is the Proxy Committee, then your votes will be distributed equally among those candidates listed on the Doyon proxy card.
- If your proxyholder is an individual shareholder, then your shares will be voted as your designated proxyholder sees fit, with the power to cumulate votes.
We removed the “designate a proxyholder” option in the eProxy to address the issue of shareholders who thought they were signing their eProxy but were instead designating themselves as a proxyholder.
On previous eProxies, shareholders who directed all their votes saw the option to designate a proxyholder, even though they did not need one. This was confusing and resulted in hundreds of shareholders naming themselves proxyholders, meaning they would need to attend the Annual Meeting to vote in person.
If a shareholder names a proxyholder who does not attend the Annual Meeting, the Proxy Committee, under the rules of the election, votes the proxy as directed by the shareholder.
Shareholders who wish to direct all their votes and still designate a proxyholder may do so by completing and returning a paper proxy card. If you need a paper proxy, contact the Doyon Records Department to request one. Shareholders may then complete the paper proxy, directing their votes and designating a proxyholder.
Your vote is counted by filling out and submitting the proxy card or eProxy. Shareholders do not need to designate a proxyholder. It is important to understand that no one can change your directed votes; neither the Proxy Committee nor your designated proxyholder can change your DIRECTED votes.
Your vote is counted by filling out and submitting the proxy card or eProxy. Shareholders do not need to designate a proxyholder. It is important to understand that no one can change your directed votes; neither the Proxy Committee nor your designated proxyholder can change your DIRECTED votes.
Shareholders who wish to direct all their votes and still designate a proxyholder may do so by completing and returning a paper proxy card. If you need a paper proxy, contact the Doyon Records Department to request one. Shareholders may then complete the paper proxy, directing their votes and designating a proxyholder.
If you vote by eProxy, you may log back in at any time before the proxy deadline to change your vote. If you submit a paper proxy, you can change your vote by submitting a new paper proxy before the proxy deadline of 5:00 pm, Tuesday, March 15, 2023.
Shareholders who wish to direct all their votes and still designate themselves as proxyholder may do so by completing and returning a paper proxy card. If you need a paper proxy, contact the Doyon Records Department to request one. Shareholders may then complete the paper proxy, direct their votes and designate themselves as a proxyholder.
Those shareholders designating themselves as a proxyholder are advised to register at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to vote their proxy in person. Registration is required to vote in person. Day-of-meeting registration will take place on Friday, March 17, 2023; Westmark Fairbanks Hotel; 8 to 10 a.m.
Please note that Doyon, Limited does not have a second ballot. Therefore, there is no need to designate a proxyholder for a second ballot. Over 17 years ago, at its December 2005 meeting, the board of directors voted to discontinue its use.
Doyon’s Board of Directors felt that a candidate matrix would be an easier, at-a-glance way to see and compare each candidate’s background. In 2011, the candidate matrix was added to the annual meeting, and proxy information was sent to shareholders.
Doyon, Limited’s articles of incorporation require rural representation on the board of directors. Rural shareholders are defined in the articles of incorporation as those shareholders residing within the Tanana Chiefs Conference region but outside the Fairbanks North Star Borough. The minimum number of board seats that must be held by shareholders who reside in the rural area is determined by a formula contained in the articles of incorporation. Rural directors must hold 20 percent of the 13 board positions, a minimum of three seats. Based on the current number of rural shareholders and continuing rural directors, no rural directors are required to be elected during this year’s election. However, Doyon’s board can have a higher number of rural directors.
Doyon is required by Alaska law to make shareholder names and addresses available to candidates for the Doyon board of directors. However, the information may only be used with proper safeguards. Doyon only releases the information to approved third-party vendors who print and mail or email candidate messages. Third-party vendors sign a confidentiality agreement that only allows the use of shareholder names and addresses for proxy solicitation messages sent on behalf of a candidate. Shareholder names, addresses, and email addresses are not released directly to candidates or anyone else. Doyon takes the confidentiality of shareholder information very seriously and will continue its efforts to safeguard shareholder information.
For more information, contact the Communications Department at
907-459-2097, 1-888-478-4755. ext. 2097, or communications@doyon.com