Haley Stevens: “As Senator Murkowski knows, while Mr. Hensley entered the Alaska Legislature in 1967, he also was a founder of the NANA…”

“As Senator Murkowski knows, while Mr. Hensley entered the Alaska Legislature in 1967, he also was a founder of the NANA Regional Corporation, one of the 13 Alaska Native regional corporations formed by the 1971 Native Claims Act. He served as a director of the corporation for the first 20 years during its formative period, and ended his career at NANA as president. While at NANA, he directed its involvement in the oilfield service industry, most notably in environmental services and drilling ventures. He also was a guiding force in NANA's development of the Red Dog lead and zinc mine--the world's largest lead and zinc mine. While at NANA he also was a founder of the nonprofit Manillaq Corp., the regional nonprofit corporation that represented the tribes in northwest Alaska and that has been the leader in improving health care and social services for 11 villages in an area nearly the size of the State of West Virginia. While at NANA, Mr. Hensley also served in the formation of the Alaska Federation of Natives, the umbrella organization that represents the hopes and aspirations of all Native Alaskans, and served as the AFN's executive director, president and cochairman. In 1979, partially for his pioneering work in Native rights, he was named as one of the young leaders of America by Time Magazine in a cover story '50 Faces for America's Future,' He was honored along with then Arkansas Governor and later President Bill Clinton, the Rev.…”