Oliver Leavitt is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Arctic Slope Regional Corporation and Vice-President of Government Affairs. Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC) is one of Alaska's most successful corporations. ASRC is one of 13 regional Native corporations established by Congress under terms of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971.

As Vice-President of Government Affairs, Mr. Leavitt is responsible for maintaining the communication and relationships with Alaska's state legislators and with the U.S. Congressional delegation.

For over 17 years Mr. Leavitt was the Vice-President of Lands for ASRC. In this position his responsibility was the management of ASRC's nearly five million acres of land on the Arctic Slope. Much of this land is believed to contain vast quantities of strategic minerals such as oil, gas and coal. During his tenure as Vice-President of Lands Mr. Leavitt worked closely with the ASRC land department to plan the exploration, economic development and marketing of these resources.

Under Mr. Leavitt's direction, exploration began on the Western Arctic Coal Field, an area believed to contain up to one-tenth of the world's coal supply. On behalf of ASRC, Mr. Leavitt has also sought to open the small coastal plain area of the 19 million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and gas exploration and development. ASRC owns the subsurface rights to 92,000 acres of land in the 1.5 million acre ANWR coastal plain, considered to be the most promising on-shore site for oil and gas discovery in the nation.

Oliver Leavitt is committed to meeting the land use needs of the Inupiaq Eskimos who live on the North Slope and the 8,500 shareholders of the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. As an Inupiaq subsistence hunter, Mr. Leavitt seeks to balance subsistence needs and environmental concerns with development opportunities.

ASRC Director and Treasurer

Oliver Leavitt began his career with Arctic Slope Regional Corporation when it was first created. He was elected to the board of directors and has served on the board since its inception.

Before Mr. Leavitt became Chairman of ASRC he served as ASRC Treasurer from 1972 to 1983. During this period, the Corporation made the transition from a start-up company to a well-established corporation. Mr. Leavitt helped determine the corporation's first investments, subsidiaries and joint ventures.

Boards and Commissions

Arctic Slope Native Association-Treasurer
Mr. Leavitt served as the treasurer of the Arctic Slope Native Association (ASNA) from 1970 to 1994. ASNA is a non-profit organization that serves the Inupiat Eskimos and their North Slope Villages.

Alaska Federation of Natives Board Member
The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) is a statewide organization dedicated to addressing common problems and concerns of Alaska Natives. Mr. Leavitt has served on the board from 1971 to 1999 and served as co-chairman from 1985 to 1986.

U.S. Arctic Research Commissioner
Oliver Leavitt served as a presidential appointee to the U.S. Arctic Research Commission; a body that helps determines America's Arctic research policy. He served on the commission from 1985 to 1992.

Alaska Native Foundation
The Alaska Native Foundation (ANF) offers a variety of services to regions and villages in the fields of financial and organization land management and other areas. Mr. Leavitt served on the ANF Board from 1984 to 1986, and has been a board member since 1999.

First Alaskan Foundation
Oliver Leavitt has served on the Board of Trustees for the First Alaskans Foundation from 2000 to present. The First Alaskans Foundation provides support to Alaska Native Peoples and their communities to meet the social, economic and educational challenges of the future.

Political Career

Oliver Leavitt has played a leadership role in his community for years. He was first elected to the North Slope Borough Assembly in 1972 and served until 1977 in the capacity as Assembly President for the first four years. He was re-elected to the assembly and served from 1985 until 1998. In 1990, Mr. Leavitt was re-elected as the President of the North Slope Borough Assembly.

Personal Background

Oliver Leavitt successfully combines the life of a corporate leader with traditional Inupiaq life. Despite his frequent travels to Anchorage, Juneau and Washington D.C., Mr. Leavitt makes time to spend with his family and participate in traditional activities such as their caribou and fish camp at Teshekpuk Lake.

Mr. Leavitt is a whaling captain, a position that is highly regarded in the community. Each spring and fall, Leavitt hunts bowhead whales in the frigid Beaufort Sea. Whenever the crew successfully captures a whale, the catch is shared with the entire community.

Oliver Leavitt is an Army Veteran and served in the Vietnam War. He is a life-long Barrow resident and volunteers his time to the Barrow Volunteer Search & Rescue. Oliver is married to Annie Leavitt; they have three children and two grandchildren.