One of the things I love most about working at BBNC is the entrepreneurial, can-do character that defines this company. We see this enthusiasm in ways both large and small. Whether it’s imagining new business lines or revenue streams, such as the launch of Bristol Bay Seafood Investments a few years ago, working tirelessly for things we believe in, like our ongoing opposition to the Pebble mine, or creatively navigating our way through hardship, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, we at BBNC make a practice of taking innovative ideas and putting them to work.

At BBNC, we engage in partnerships with various organizations who deeply know their markets and their customers, to understand the expectations, and to manage through the challenges the world throws at us. I like to think we have an excellent track record of anticipating the unexpected, thinking and acting creatively, and trying and doing things that are groundbreaking and different. BBNC is wired this way. It helps us to identify the things that stand in our way, and to devise ways to move through or around those things—all for the benefit of BBNC shareholders and their families.

In this newsletter, you’ll read about the partnership BBNC has forged with the Alaska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to make it easier for residents of Bristol Bay to obtain a driver’s license or REAL ID. This initiative is yet another example of BBNC tapping into the spirit of innovation to navigate around a very real obstacle many of our in-region residents face. From banking to government services to education, many people living in our villages don’t have ease of access to essential services. They have to leave their communities, most often at a personal cost, to travel to Dillingham or even Anchorage to accomplish their necessary tasks.

A state-issued identification —such as a driver’s license or, soon enough, a REAL ID—is necessary for certain types of employment, air travel, and more. Yet, getting to the DMV to obtain the proper identification is a real challenge for many of our region’s residents. Martha Anelon, BBNC’s Shareholder Development Training Manager, who is responsible for helping shareholders advance in their career paths, faced the challenge and asked, “how can we bring creativity and collaboration to remove this barrier and meet our residents where they are?” The result was BBNC’s Mobile DMV Initiative, which you can read about on the next page. At the end of the day, it’s people like Martha who make these things possible. Martha is passionate, persistent, and entrepreneurial – embodying the spirit of who we are at BBNC.

Every day, we do our very best to earn the trust of our shareholders by delivering results. We’re constantly seeking opportunities like this because it’s important to the individuals and communities in our region. We see a need, identify a solution, and then we innovate and collaborate to bring the human and financial resources to the table and turn ideas into action.

We’re nearly at the end of another fiscal year. I can’t reveal specifics quite yet, but we know it’s going to be another exceptional year for BBNC. And we owe it to our strong, entrepreneurial staff. We owe it to a board that is engaged in forward-thinking and holds every shareholder in sharp focus. We owe it to a culture that is dedicated to living its mission and vision. And, of course, we owe it to you, our shareholders.

Thank you for your ongoing support,

Jason Metrokin
President & CEO