Arvid Adolf Etholén

Arvid Adolf Etholén, or Adolf Karlovich Etolin was a naval officer, explorer, ethnographic collector and administrator in the Russian Empire who was employed by the Russian-American Company from July 1818. He was a Swedish-speaking Finn, born in Helsinki in Finland, which was part of Sweden at the time of his birth, but was ceded to Russia in 1809. Etholén first reached Novoarkhangelsk in Russian America in the service of the Russian-American Company in 1818, rising to become Chief Manager of the Company between 1840 and 1845.. As Chief Manager he played a significant role in establishing Finns in key positions in the development of the colony.