by AFN Staff
Every year AFN honors those who have made outstanding contributions to their families and the Native community.
The Citizen of the Year award recognizes the contributions of a Native person who has demonstrated strong commitment, dedication, and service to the Alaska Native community and to Rural Alaska. The Award is bestowed upon an individual selected by the AFN Board of Directors for exemplary work that has improved the lives of Alaska Native people.
The 2019 Citizen of the Year is Senator Lyman Hoffman, the longest-serving member in the history of the Alaska State Legislature.
2019 CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
Senator Lyman Hoffman is a pillar of statesmanship, history, and service to the people of Alaska. Born in 1950 and raised in Bethel, Senator Hoffman has deep family ties to the region, and has been involved in business and community ventures since he graduated from Bethel High School in 1968.
He served as the City Manager of Bethel from 1977-1985 before being elected to his first stint in the State House of Representatives. Senator Hoffman holds the unique distinction of being the longest-serving member in the history of the Alaska State Legislature, serving a total of 32 years between his House (1986-1990, 1993-1994) and Senate (1991-1992, 1995-present) service.
He has held a variety of powerful positions, including Co-Chair of the House and Senate Finance Committees. Throughout his tenure in public service, Senator Hoffman has emerged as a key and crucial advocate for protecting the interests of rural Alaska and Alaska Native Peoples. He holds an MBA from the University of Alaska. He and his wife, Lillian, have two children and two grandchildren. They reside in Bethel.
The 2019 AFN Convention took place from Thursday, October 17th through Saturday, October 19th at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks, Alaska. More event details and a LIVE webcast of the event are available online by visiting nativefederation.org.
