The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
Alaska Chamber's Rita Sholton Large Business of the Year recognizes corporate citizenship during pandemic, and before North of 60 Mining News – July 30, 2021
Alaska Chamber presented the Rita Sholton Large Business of the Year award to Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company during a July 21 ceremony in Anchorage.
Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company is the recipient of Alaska Chamber's Rita Sholton Large Business of the Year award, which pays tribute to businesses that exemplify leadership, ethics, and organization.
Alaska Miners Association Executive Director Deantha Skibinski, who nominated the Southeast Alaska silver mine for the prestigious honor, wrote, "Hecla Greens Creek exemplifies special involvement in Alaska's communities through an excellent business reputation, long-term commitment to the community, emphasis on safety and environmental responsibility, and their effective efforts to protect their workers and the community during the pandemic."
Greens Creek, along with Hecla's other operations in the United States and Canada, began implementing COVID-19 protocols in February 2020, which was before the coronavirus spread had been raised to pandemic levels. Due to this quick and thorough response, Greens Creek was able to maintain full operations, keeping its workers employed and healthy throughout the pandemic.
"Over the last 30 years, Greens Creek has become the United States largest silver producer, producing almost a third of America's silver while being a major contributor to Juneau and Southeast Alaska," said Hecla Mining President and CEO Phillips Baker, Jr. "Despite the pandemic, Greens Creek has been able to maintain full production and employment while providing additional support to the communities through special charitable programs."
Already a strong supporter of charitable organizations in Juneau and the surrounding area, Hecla Greens Creek stepped up donations last year to groups such as the Southeast Alaska food bank in order to help meet the extraordinary needs that arose from the pandemic.
"As a 'corporate citizen' Hecla has consistently ensured that they participate in and contribute to local organizations through a very generous program of direct donations and through their foundation," said Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Craig Dahl. "This past year, many businesses and organizations were being crushed by the complete shutdown of the economy. However, Hecla continued to contribute to the organizations they had supported in years past to help them through their own challenging time. They could have said 'no' ... others did."
Education is a high priority for Hecla Greens Creek, and the Southeast Alaska mine has been a strong supporter of mine training programs in Alaska.
"Since 2011 Greens Creek has provided scholarship funding to over 350 Alaska residents to help gain the skills necessary to be successful in the mining industry," said University of Alaska Southeast Chancellor Karen Carey. "With over $500,000 going directly to student aid, Hecla Greens Creek is UAS' largest sponsor of students."
Above its charitable contributions, Greens Creek is an anchor to the Juneau economy, being the largest private-sector employer and taxpayer in Alaska's capital city.
The mine, however, offers other sometimes overlooked benefits to the area.
"Greens Creek's purchase of surplus hydropower has benefitted Juneau residents in the form of reduced rates to the tune of over $70 million since 2009," Alaska Electric Light & Power President and General Manager Constance Hulbert. "The purchase of renewable energy from AEL&P reduces the carbon emissions that the mine would otherwise produce while helping to pay for hydroelectric infrastructure that will benefit Juneau residents for generations to come."
As the single largest silver producer in the U.S. and a cornerstone of Hecla's success, the Idaho-based miner intends to continue operations at Greens Creek and be an outstanding corporate citizen of the Juneau area for many more years.
"It is a great honor to be recognized by the Alaska Chamber for our team's extraordinary efforts," said Baker. "We look forward to contributing to the region's economic and community stability for many years to come."
Over his more than 16 years of covering mining and mineral exploration, Shane has become renowned for his ability to report on the sector in a way that is technically sound enough to inform industry insiders while being easy to understand by a wider audience.
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