Robert Misulich – The Aleut Corporation

In July 2022, Robert J. Misulich took on a daunting yet invigorating challenge as general counsel for The Aleut Corporation (Aleut). Founded in 1972 under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, Aleut is one of 12 Alaska Native regional corporations. Representing over 4,000 shareholders and registered descendants of Unangax̂ descent, Aleut’s mission is to maximize dividends and other opportunities for its community.

Robert Misulich | The Aleut Corporation | Executive Vice President, General Counsel

Much of Aleut’s business revolves around government contracting, which forms the bulk of Aleut’s approximately $400 million in annual revenue. With over a million acres of subsurface estate and substantial surface estate ownership in southwestern Alaska, Aleut’s presence is deeply rooted in the region.

Aleut has emerged as one of the leading Alaska Native regional corporations in terms of growth, despite challenges faced during the turn of the decade.

These challenges necessitated a new approach. In late 2021, a new President and CEO, Skoey Vergen, began gathering a new executive team to lead this effort. When Misulich joined the following year, the legal department did not exist at the parent company level. His mandate was to build a legal and compliance function from the ground up—a challenge that would become a transformative endeavor.

Building a legal foundation

Misulich accepted the challenge of creating a new legal department at Aleut, where none had existed at the parent company level in many years.

“We started from scratch, but it wasn’t just me—it was our team organization-wide,” he says.

Misulich says his first step was hiring a trusted paralegal, whom he had worked with previously in private practice. Together, they laid the groundwork for a department that now consists of two attorneys, a Director of Compliance, two paralegals, and a compliance specialist.

The decision to centralize legal services throughout the enterprise aimed to increase efficiency and cohesion.

“We needed to stabilize the organization and pursue disciplined, balanced growth,” Misulich explains. The modernization efforts involved streamlining legal processes and addressing long-standing structural challenges, such as outdated legal frameworks that hindered growth.

One of the most significant modernization projects involved amending the corporation’s Articles of Incorporation. Originally written in the 1970s, the articles included a $50 million debt ceiling—a substantial sum at the time but insufficient for the contemporary needs of a growing enterprise.

“The debt ceiling served as an unnecessary and outdated inhibitor to future growth,” Misulich says.

Misulich led an effort to amend the Alaska Corporations Code in 2023. The old law required a two-thirds shareholder vote to amend the articles of an Alaska Native Corporation, which was considered an unachievable benchmark given that approximately 60-65 percent of outstanding shares are typically represented at annual meetings.

By collaborating with the legislature and counterpart Alaska Native Corporations, Aleut secured a change to the law, reducing the threshold to 50 percent of outstanding shares – an achievable threshold. In August 2024, the amendment to the Articles of Incorporation was approved, marking a monumental success for Aleut and other Alaska Native Corporations.

Change the law, change the future

The corporation’s recent success has paved the way for another significant milestone: establishing the Alaska Native Settlement Trust.

“This trust is crucial for sustaining Aleut’s community,” Misulich notes. “It ensures that dividends and other benefits are protected, and that these benefits are delivered in a tax-efficient manner.”

The Aleut Settlement Trust (Trust), established in 2024, provides a tax-advantaged method for distributing benefits, a crucial consideration given the economic realities faced by many Alaska Native shareholders. Setting up the trust required substantial legal and strategic planning and community outreach to ensure shareholder buy-in.

Creating the Trust marked the culmination of two years of diligent effort—an effort that required legal acumen, community engagement, and strategic communication. Misulich and his team knew that to make it successful, they had to secure support from shareholders who needed to understand the long-term impact of these changes. The outreach included online meetings, in-person gatherings, and transparent communication about the potential benefits.

For Misulich, the mission of Aleut transcends legal and financial challenges. It is a commitment to securing economic opportunities for the Unangax̂ people and preserving the corporation’s long-term viability.

Misulich’s journey to Alaska began as a law student when he led a team of volunteers assisting Native communities with personal income tax returns. That experience shaped his understanding of the vital role that dividends from Alaska Native corporations play in local economies and in supporting families.

“It was an eye-opening experience,” he reflects. “Seeing how much these dividends mean to people—how they sustain families and communities—motivated me to ensure that Aleut could grow and thrive.”

Through his leadership, Misulich has transformed the corporation’s legal and compliance infrastructure, positioning Aleut for sustainable, balanced growth. His vision is grounded in modernizing the corporation while maintaining transparency, accountability, and respect for the cultural heritage of the shareholders he serves.

Thriving on innovation & resilience

Looking ahead, Misulich remains focused on driving innovation within Aleut. The modernization efforts are just the beginning, as the company seeks to leverage its newfound legal flexibility to pursue strategic partnerships and expand its business operations. A key area of focus will be securing financing for large-scale projects, including natural resource development on Aleut-owned lands.

One ambitious project involves a mineral discovery agreement to harness the potential of large copper deposits on Aleut land. This kind of development could bring transformative economic benefits to shareholders while fostering responsible resource management. Misulich is committed to guiding these projects through legal and regulatory hurdles to ensure long-term success.

Another crucial aspect of Aleut’s growth strategy involves leveraging its government contracting expertise to secure new contracts and partnerships. By modernizing compliance practices and strengthening relationships within federal circles, Misulich and his team aim to position the corporation as a leader in providing specialized services for government projects.

With stability restored and modernization well underway, Aleut Corporation is poised for a future marked by innovation and prosperity. As Misulich reflects on his journey so far, he remains committed to fostering a culture of transparency, accountability, and rigor, knowing that the work he and his team are doing will have lasting impacts on generations of Aleut shareholder