Chenega’s Terry Nihart on the Unique Contracting Values of Alaska Native Corporations

• Terry Nihart, Chenega president of security strategic business, and his background as a military police officer fit well with the company’s unique values.
• Chenega is an Alaska Native Corporation, meaning that it centers its mission on using its business success to support its tribal members while offering unique contracting capabilities.
• He sat down ExecutiveBiz to discuss how ANCs bring value to federal contracting, the future of Native 8(a) programs and how Chenega supports its members while upholding cultural values and traditions.

Terry Nihart and his U.S. Army background fit well with the unique values of Chenega Corporation. The president of the company’s security strategic business unit spent 25 years as a military police officer in the Army, including commanding the service’s only airborne military police battalion, the 503rd Military Police Battalion (Airborne).

Nihart led this battalion during combat operations in Afghanistan, training and mentoring all police forces in Kandahar. He also commanded the 701st Military Police Group within the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, the only unit that provides felony-level criminal investigations in major procurement and contracting fraud and highly-classified and sensitive programs and units.

Chenega isn’t your typical GovCon firm. As an Alaska Native Corporation, Chenega centers its mission on using business success to directly support its tribal members and strengthen its culture. It also offers unique contracting capabilities under federal law that can reduce timelines and protest risk.

Chenega’s mission of achieving sustainable growth in its businesses to support shareholders in their journey to economic self-sufficiency resonates deeply with Nihart. He sat down for his latest Spotlight interview to discuss how ANCs bring value to federal contracting, how Chenega fulfills its corporate mission of sustaining growth and supporting shareholders while upholding cultural values and traditions, and the future of Native 8(a) programs.

Check out a past Spotlight with Nihart from April 2025 about the values and culture that drive Chenega.

POC events like the 2026 Navy Summit on Aug. 27 are fantastic ways for industry and government to dialogue and deliver advanced capabilities faster. Get the latest business opportunities from Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and investment priorities from Acting Chief Information Officer Barry Tanner during their keynotes. Secure your seat today for this eagerly anticipated GovCon conference!

Maintaining high performance matters. Delivering consistently for federal customers builds credibility, which in turn allows the organization to keep growing and fulfilling its mission.

ExecutiveBiz: How do Alaska Native Corporations bring value to federal contracting?

Terry Nihart: Alaska Native Corporations, or ANCs, offer federal agencies a unique combination of speed, flexibility and proven capability. Agencies can often move faster working with ANC and tribal 8(a) companies. This is because federal law allows for negotiated direct contract awards with streamlined acquisition pathways that can reduce procurement timelines and minimize protest risk.

What makes this model especially effective is that it combines procurement efficiency with real operational scale. Organizations like Chenega support federal customers through a broad portfolio of companies that provide everything from IT and cybersecurity to physical security, emergency response and mission support. This allows agencies to work with partners that are both agile and capable of handling large, complex requirements.

EBiz: How does Chenega fulfill its corporate mission of achieving sustainable growth in its businesses to support shareholders in their journey to economic self-sufficiency, actively manage its lands and uphold its cultural traditions and values?

Nihart: Chenega’s mission is centered on using business success to directly support its members and strengthen its culture. In practice, that commitment is reflected in how the company operates every day. Growth and profitability are not ends in themselves, but the means by which Chenega creates long-term value for its people, fulfilling its statutory mission of providing for their economic, social and cultural welfare.

Through its business performance, Chenega is able to fund dividends, scholarships, workforce training and other programs that help member owners build lasting economic self-sufficiency. Revenue generated through federal contracting is reinvested back into the community, supporting education, cultural initiatives, infrastructure and essential shareholder services.

This model allows Chenega to balance strong business outcomes with its broader responsibilities to its people and heritage. For federal agencies, it also means that mission delivery goes hand in hand with supporting economic development tied to long-standing federal trust responsibilities.

EBiz: What practical steps do you take as a leader to keep your culture healthy and aligned to your initial vision?

Nihart: At a practical level, it really comes down to consistency, making sure the values aren’t just something you talk about, but something people see in decisions every day. That means holding the line on integrity and making choices that reflect the long-term viability of our organization, not just short-term wins.

Finally, maintaining high performance matters. Delivering consistently for federal customers builds credibility, which in turn allows the organization to keep growing and fulfilling its mission.

Make your voice heard on essential emerging technologies and join the conversation at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Navy Summit on Aug. 26! Network with other ambitious GovCon executives and score that big contract. Engage face-to-face with Navy technology leaders in a supportive environment. Tailor your proposals for success in FY 2027 with POC. Buy your ticket now!

Growth and profitability are not ends in themselves, but the means by which Chenega creates long-term value for its people, fulfilling its statutory mission of providing for their economic, social and cultural welfare.

EBiz: How has the Native 8(a) landscape evolved over the last five years and what is the future of Native 8(a) programs?

Nihart: Over the last five years, the ANC 8(a) space has grown, but also become more complex. On one hand, it has been an incredibly important economic engine for the state of Alaska and Native communities throughout the state. The ANC contribution to the Alaska gross domestic product is second only to oil and gas.

Nine of the top 10 Alaska companies are ANCs. The Small Business Administration 8(a) program as a whole has come under increased pressure as the federal government turns away from programs set aside for particular groups.

The 8(a) program for individually-owned companies serves socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. ANC participation is exempt for any test of social or economic disadvantage because the ability to grow companies through the program is a part of the compensation Alaska Native people received for giving up their aboriginal land claims.

We continue to work to differentiate the ANC 8(a) program as the entire program is subjected to  audits, policy reviews and a broader political conversation about federal contract set-aside programs, which has created some uncertainty. In the past year, especially, we have seen contract awards decline and approvals slow down, making it harder for organizations to plan and invest. Companies like Chenega continue to operate in full compliance with federal requirements and remain focused on delivering high-quality and reliable services to its government customers.

The program itself is still widely viewed as essential. Federal leaders continue to recognize that it supports agency missions while also fulfilling long-standing commitments to Alaska Native communities.

Looking ahead, the environment will likely be more demanding. There will be higher expectations around transparency, performance and accountability. Growth may be slower, but the core value of the program is not going away. It remains a critical bridge between federal needs and Native economic self-determination and responsible participants will continue to play an important role in delivering results for the government.