Editor’s note: The following is a letter is from the Chairman’s office.

As you know, the Tribe’s assets have grown considerably in the last two decades. This growth has created additional complexity in the Permanent Fund’s Finance Department. The Tribal Council and Administration have been reviewing the current Finance Department structure and have decided that some changes are necessary to position the department for the future.

Mr. Zink’s contract with the Tribe expires at the end of 2015, and he will be carrying out his duties until that time. After that point, the duties of the Chief Financial Officer will be divided between two positions, Chief Financial Officer and a new position titled Director of Strategic Planning. Both of these positions will be advertised in the near future.

The redesigned Chief Financial Officer position will allow the CFO to focus on the Permanent Fund’s finances and on the increasingly demanding day-to-day administration of the Finance Department. The Director of Strategic Planning will work direcdy with the Tribal Council and will focus on financial planning, strategy, and special projects. We plan to fill these two positions with qualified candidates as soon as possible.

A transition plan and team is in place to ensure a smooth transition during this reorganization. For questions about the reorganization, please contact Mike Olguin, Treasurer, at 970-563- 0100, ext. 2402 or Michelle Taylor-Cruz, Executive Officer, at 970-563-0100, ext. 2300. For questions about the hiring process for the new Finance Department positions, please contact Cathy Otten at 970-563-5062. If you have finance-related questions, you will be able to contact the personnel in the Finance Department who you are accustomed to contacting.