BETHEL -- The longtime elected leader of one of the most influential groups in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta suddenly stepped down Wednesday.
Myron Naneng, who has served as president of the Association of Village Council Presidents almost continuously since 1990, has relinquished his position, AVCP general counsel Liz Pederson confirmed.
His resignation was announced Wednesday morning in an all-staff meeting. Naneng wasn't present.
It takes effect immediately, AVCP said in a brief statement. AVCP did not offer any explanation as to why he left. Interim president Mike Hoffman and Board Chairman Henry Hunter did not return calls later on Wednesday. Pederson emailed Wednesday evening that AVCP couldn't comment on why an employee leaves.
Naneng, 64, said he doesn't owe anyone an explanation and he just felt the time was right.
"The resignation was my own choice," he said at his home in Bethel, preparing some steaks to grill for dinner. "You pick your day and I picked mine. I feel good about it."
Later in the evening, he and his wife Agnes and other family members planned to go smelting – netting tiny rainbow smelt -- on the Kuskokwim River.
Some tribes in the region have been pushing for AVCP leaders to answer questions about management, finances and employee layoffs. A tribal group held a meeting in April that failed to attract enough members for regional action. Some were disappointed when AVCP officials including Naneng didn't attend and said they might be targeted in the fall.
AVCP previously had scheduled a special convention for June 8. The agenda includes two proposals from the Napaskiak Tribal Council to change AVCP's bylaws. One measure would prevent the AVCP president from holding other offices. Naneng also is president and chairman of a village corporation, and he serves on the board of Calista Corp., the regional Alaska Native corporation. The other proposal would make it easier to remove an officer including the president. The convention is still happening, Pederson said.
AVCP laid off 30 employees in December, though most were rehired. This year, it closed down its Allanivik hotel and Mud Hut restaurant. A plan to open an airplane mechanic training program is on hold. A story public radio station KYUK reported last year relayed concerns that AVCP had improperly diverted tribal welfare dollars to its flight school in an attempt to keep it open. But the flight school ultimately closed.
AVCP may have taken on too much, Naneng said. "Your successes can be your failures."
The organization has been scaling back and reorganizing. Independent auditors hired by AVCP are examining the books.
"I think it's going to be a lot stronger with a lot of things we've been working on," Naneng said.
AVCP employs about 400 people – half in villages – and operates with an annual budget of $50 million. It provides services to 56 federally recognized tribes scattered across 48 isolated villages -- including the hub of Bethel -- in an area the size of the state of Georgia. Its programs include village Head Start, tribal welfare and public safety.
Hoffman was chosen by the AVCP executive board to serve as interim chief executive.
"We remain focused on serving the 56 tribes of Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta," AVCP said in its statement.
Tribes vote every other year on who should serve as AVCP president during the group's annual convention.
Naneng came out on top of a contested bid for the presidency in 2014, winning the seat by just one vote for another two-year term set to end in October.
"No job security," said Naneng, who served every two-year term, but one since 1990.
Agnes Naneng, his wife, said she only found out on Tuesday.
"I think I was just surprised as anyone when he told me, 'I'm done,'" she said Wednesday evening.
Gene Peltola Sr., executive director of Bethel's tribe, Orutsararmiut Native Council, has served both as head of AVCP and the tribally run Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corp. Peltola said he talked to Naneng Tuesday about this year's upcoming king salmon runs and Naneng didn't mention his decision to him either.
The Nanengs have 12 children and 15 grandchildren. Agnes said she's looking forward to Myron being home.
"I practically raised the kids all by myself," Agnes said. "Now I can unpack his suitcase and throw away the suitcase."
Naneng, who is from Hooper Bay, said he hopes to fish commercially for salmon on the Lower Yukon this summer and also to do subsistence fishing for the family. They ran out of dried fish this year, Agnes said.
Naneng continues to serve as chairman and president of Sea Lion Corp., Hooper Bay's village corporation. He said it's the region's most successful village corporation.
AVCP is not at risk of collapse, despite the concerns about the finances, he said.
"The next person who takes over is going to see the fruits of all the efforts over the years."