Goldbelt elects Kahklen board chair, advances Aaní land initiative

Goldbelt, Inc. shareholders elected three directors and the board immediately reorganized its officer lineup at the corporation's 52nd annual meeting in Juneau, replacing the chair and other officers installed after last year's meeting.

Gail Dabaluz, Lori Grant, and Craig Kahklen won three-year board seats expiring in 2029, receiving 98,567, 92,989, and 84,467 votes respectively. Quorum was achieved June 17 with 65.3% of voting shares represented. Once sworn in, the board named Kahklen as chair, Richard Beasley as vice chair, Dabaluz as treasurer, and Lisa-Marie Ikonomov as secretary, replacing the 2025-2026 lineup of Chair Katherine Eldemar, Vice Chair Benjamin Coronell, Treasurer Lori Grant, and Secretary Lynette Page.

The board governs shareholder-owned assets and sets direction for trust initiatives that distribute corporate earnings directly to beneficiaries. The meeting drew 248 shareholders in person and more than 378 viewers watching the livestream on MyGoldbelt. Last year's 51st annual meeting created the Goldbelt Elders Trust; this April, the Goldbelt Ancestral Trust approved a distribution of approximately $1.34 million, or $5.25 per share, to eligible beneficiaries. President and CEO McHugh Pierre briefed attendees on corporate performance and progress on the Goldbelt Aaní land initiative at Floyd Dryden Middle School.