William Hensley Appointed to Andover's Board of Directors
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire) -- 08/18/11 -- Andover Ventures Inc. ('Andover' or the 'Company') (TSX VENTURE: AOX)(OTCBB: AOVTF)(FRANKFURT: R2X), is pleased to announce that William L. Iggiagruk Hensley, has been appointed to Andover's Board of Directors.
Mr. Hensley is a native Alaskan born in Kotzebue, Alaska. He attended the University of Alaska for two years before graduating with a BA from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He also has an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Alaska.
Mr. Hensley has devoted life long attention to Alaskan Native affairs. He spearheaded the formation of the Northwest Alaskan Native Association in 1966. He also served in various positions for 40 years with the Alaska Federation of Natives, the organization that represented the 100,000 Alaskan Natives in pursuit of their land claims. These positions included Director, Executive Director, President, President Emeritus and Chairman. This work resulted in the passage of the Alaska Native Land Claims Settlement Act of 1971 which provided a payment of approximately $ 1 Billion dollars and 44 million acres of land to corporations owned, controlled and operated by Alaskan Natives.
Mr. Hensley also helped create the NANA Regional Corporation, where over a 20 year period he has acted in various positions including as a Director, Executive and President. The NANA Regional Corporation oversees the 2.4 million acres of NANA land and the money received from the Alaskan Native Land Settlement Act.
Mr. Hensley has served as President of the Board of Directors of the Alaska Village Electric Corporation. This corporation, under his tenure, was responsible for bringing electric service to 50 native villages scattered over the length and breadth of Alaska's 586,400 square miles.
Mr. Hensley currently serves as Chairman of the First Alaskans Institute whose mandate is to provide leadership development and research aimed at improving Alaskan Native communities.
Mr. Hensley has served in the Alaskan House of Representatives from 1966 to 1970 and in the Alaska State Senate from 1970 to 1974 and 1985 to 1986.
Mr. Hensley was appointed in 1995 by the then Alaskan Governor Tony Knowles to his cabinet as Commissioner of Commerce for the State of Alaska. In this capacity he oversaw the Alaska Banking and Securities Regulation, Alaska International Trade, Tourism, Marketing and Community Development among other responsibilities.
Mr. Hensley has served on the Board of Directors for Alaska's Permanent Fund Corporation, Alaska Rail Road Corporation, Alaska's Bond Authority and Alaska Industrial Development Authority. He has also represented Alyeska Pipeline Service Company in Washington DC for 10 years.
Mr. Hensley has received many awards and accolades over the years, some of which are listed below:
-- Citizen of the Year, Alaska Federation of Natives
-- Governor's Award, Citizen of the Year, Alaska
-- Rockefeller Foundation, National Public Service Award
-- Shareholder of the Year, NANA Regional Corporation
-- Friend of Higher Education, University of Alaska Board of Regents
-- Commendation Award for Suicide Prevention
-- 40 Alaskans Who Changed Our Lives
-- Historian of the Year, Alaska Historical Society
-- Walter J. Hickel Award for Distinguished Public Policy Leadership,
Commonwealth North
-- Recipient, 40 Heroes of Constitutional Rights and Civil Liberties, ACLU
Mr. Hensley is married and has had a memoir of his life published in December 2008 titled 'Fifty Miles from Tomorrow'.
Gordon Blankstein, CEO and Chairman of Andover stated, 'We are very fortunate to have someone of William Hensley's stature in the State of Alaska join our Board of Directors. We look forward to working together over the years to bring the Sun Deposit and Ambler District into production, ensuring all native and non native Alaskan interests are protected. A true 'win-win' situation.'
Andover further reports the granting of 250,000 incentive stock options to a director of the Company, pursuant to the terms of the 2010 Stock Option Plan. Each option, which vests upon the grant date, entitles the holder to acquire one common share of the Company at an exercise price of .65 cents per share prior to the close of business August 18, 2016.
About Andover:
Andover Ventures is a precious and base metal exploration and development company, headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Andover Ventures' holdings are located in the historic East Tintic Mining District, Utah, USA, and the polymetallic-rich Ambler Mining District, Alaska, USA.
For further information we invite you to visit us at www.andoverventures.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Gordon Blankstein, CEO and Chairman
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Contacts:
Andover Ventures Inc.
Richard Martens
Investor Relations
1-604-682-2168 or Int'l Toll Free: 1-800-266-4484
www.andoverventures.com