Calista Corporation mourns the passing of Board Director Robert L. Beans

Former Board Chair, Military Veteran Served the Y-K Region for Decades.

With great sadness, Calista Corporation announces the passing of Board Secretary and former Chair Robert L. Beans on Saturday, Oct. 7.

Calista Shareholders elected Beans, a community and statewide leader born and raised in Mountain Village, to serve on the Board of Directors for four consecutive terms. He served four years as board chair and his current role on the board was secretary.

“Robert was not only our Board member for the past nine years, and our past Chair, but he was our friend, and will be dearly missed,” said Calista Corp. President and CEO Andrew Guy.

“Throughout his life, Robert served our Region. He was deeply committed to advancing the socio-economic interests of Calista Shareholders and the financial health of our corporation. He also championed public health and public safety improvements and reducing the cost of energy in our communities,” said Calista Board Chair Willie Kasayulie.

A military veteran, Beans served in the Alaska Army National Guard from 1971 to 1988 and was honorably discharged at the rank of Captain. His career of public service included former service as an Alaska State Trooper, a Village Public Safety Officer, and Aniak Police and Volunteer Fire Department Chief. He formed the Kuigpagmiut Community Development Corp. in Mountain Village, and held positions at the Coastal Villages Region Fund, the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation, and the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development.

In addition to serving on Calista’s board, Beans was a current board member of Nuvista Light & Electric Cooperative, Inc. His lifelong devotion to his community included 36 years on the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative, Inc. board of directors, 25 of which he was the board chair; and service on other boards and commissions including Azachorok Incorporated and local school boards in the 1980s; the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Power Cost Equalization and the National EPA/Tribal Operations Council in the 1990s; and the Alaska Tobacco Control Alliance in the early 2000s.

The Calista Board of Directors and management express our deepest condolences to Beans’ wife Agnes and their six children and eleven grandchildren.