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KALAPUYA 1 15, 1999
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A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe
JANUARY 15, 1999
for
Ted Mala brings
his experience and
education to Grand
Ronde.
By Tracy Dugan
Editor
The Tribe's new Executive Of
ficer has appointments
scheduled throughout the
day. In the few weeks he's been
with the Tribe, Ted Mala has been
busy acclimating himself to life in
Oregon, and meeting staff and man
agers, learning how our programs
are operated. Considering how
much the Tribe has grown this past
year, it's going to take some time for
him to get to know everyone.
Brought on board by Tribal Coun
cil in December, Mala understands
tribes and Indian communities. He
has spent his career working with
Native people as well as peoples
around the world.
An Alaska Native who attended
Indian boarding schools, Mala says
he comes from a very poor Alaskan
village, and was the first in his fam
ily to receive a formal education. And
it is an education that is impressive
by anyone's standards. Mala holds
three degrees: a B.A. in Philosophy,
an M.D., and a Master's in Public
Health from Harvard University.
"I have done a lot of work with
tribes," said Mala. "I was a tribal
planner, and I was the Secretary of
Health for the governor of Alaska,
where I was responsible for one of
the state's largest divisions of gov
ernment." Mala's position for the governor of
Ted Mala, the Tribe's new Execu
tive Officer.
Alaska included managing more
than 2,000 employees within seven
state health areas: public health,
public assistance.Medicaid,; social. -services;'
juvenile corrections," men
tal health, "arid alcohol and drug
abuse were the programs he was re
sponsible for, as well as a billion-dollar
budget.,;'
He has also worked for tribes in the
Southwest and lived in the Dakotas.
Other jobs have included a profes
sor of Health Sciences at the Uni
versity of Alaska, and director of the
university's public, health institute.
Mala is a member of the Association
of American Indian Physicians.
Most recently, he spent a year in
California learning about computers
an educating himself on current
technology.
"I wanted to learn everything I
could," said Mala. "So I worked in
an economic research institute."
It was in California that Mala
learned of the Executive Officer po
sition here in Grand Ronde.
continued on page 2
Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
Community of Oregon
9615 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347
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erp... - nr- Received on 01-19-99
wEKILi' LcPi . 'Smoke signals
1239 .UNiyERSr
EUGENE OR 974(
.TrifoaO mem tars
meet Mala -
SBD gives its program report; new E0 is
introduced to the membership at January
General Council meeting.
By Tracy Dugan
Editor
"T"7 veryone is welcome at
r . Small Business Develop-
J , A mehf (SBD)I That was
the main theme that Division Man
ager Elaine Moore and her staff
conveyed to folks at the General
Council meeting on January 10.
The staff, who each spoke about
their different programs and re
sponsibilities, let the membership
know that business and financial
planning opportunities run in a
wide range, and that tribal mem
bers, staff, and community mem
bers can all take advantage,
a Most people assume that Small
Business Development is only
about helping tribal members who
own their own company or home
based business. It isn't. SBD is
available for assisting in career
services, completing income taxes,
taking computer classes, or simply
doing business research. A lot of
these services are done through
the Business Information Center
(BIC), which is located in the SBD
offices and is a business library
containing all sorts of information.
Perri McDaniel, who counsels
folks who are interested in start
ing a business, spoke about the dif
ferent classes, offered with ONA
BEN, that help get a business plan
ready to take to lending institu
tions. 'Tribal members can take our
classes, You and Your Business
Idea, and Starting A Successful
Business," ' said McDaniel. "We
also offer Chinook On-Line, for
Native artists to sell their arts and
crafts on the Internet. We can get
you started on that if you like."
McDaniel also spoke about a pro
gram called Venture Out, which
is geared toward women who are
interested in opening a home
based business.
Doug Hampton, who teaches
most of the computer classes in the
BIC, said that they have a large
variety of software, to cover just
about what everyone is interested
in. The computer class schedule
is posted in Smoke Signals fsee
page 12), but if you are interested
in a specific computer class or soft
ware program, tribal members can
call Hampton and ask about it.
Barbara Lake, SBD Administra
tive Assistant said that the BIC is
designed to help folks with? all
their business needs. j
"We have guidebooks and vid
eos on a wide range of subjects.
They can be checked out," she said.
"We also have magazines, news
papers, and lots of software at the
computer stations." Lake said that
even if you just want to have fun
r maybe make a card or invita
tion on the computer all are
welcome to do that. If you need
help with your taxes, assistance is
available. Or if all you want to do
is browse the Internet, that's great,
too.
The next agenda item was the
introduction of the new Executive
Officer. Tribal Council member
Mark Mercier introduced Ted
Mala to the membership at the
meeting.
Mala said a few words to the
members.
He said, "I wasn't born in Grand
Ronde, but I got here as soon as I
could."
Mala said he comes from air
continued on page 2