AFN Board Elects Eben Hopson
Tundra Times, April 1, 1970, Page One
Executive Director in Reshuffle
Then new executive director of the Alaska Federation of Natives said Saturday that he is quite excited about his new job with its “enormous” responsibilities.On April 15, Eben Hopson will officially become the principal administrative officer of the statewide native association as the result of a three-day board meeting in Anchorage last week.
At the meeting the overall structure of the organization was revamped.
Hopson was elected following the resignation of the present director, Willie Hensley. As a representative from Kotzebue, much of Hensley’s time was required in Juneau on legislative matters.
Also, the office of the president, now filled by Emil Notti, took on a new look. The administrative responsibilities previously held by Notti were turned over to the executive director. In addition, the president will no longer receive the $18,000 a year previously allocated to him.
The present deputy director, Al Ketzler, who was appointed by Hensley, will be taken off the payroll May 1.
Hopson said that he will select a new deputy director when funds are available.
All of these changes came in the wake of the termination of the organization’s public relations office by Ketzler the middle of March. At that time, Jim Thomas was relieved of his duties as public relations director.
Hopson, who currently lives in Barrow, will move to Anchorage by April 15.
In Barrow, he will give up the position of executive director of the Arctic Slope Native Association.
The small-built, middle-aged man said that he is not aware of any drastic changes to be made in the administration of the AFN.
“I will have to take a close look at the entire organization,” he added, “and plan to make changes necessary to improve it.”
When asked about the public relations office, he said that he intends to reactivate it if the funds are available.
Thomas, he added, has accepted another job and, thus, will not be available. Thomas was hired as the public relations director of the National Congress of American Indians.
Concerning a weekly newsletter, called the AFN Press, which Ketzler began in March, Hopson said that he did not know whether it would be continued.
He explained that before making a decision, he would evaluate the cost of publishing it.