JULY 15, 2001
Smoke Signals
Experience, Leadership Bring New Human
Resources Manager to Grand Ronde
Husband, father, grandfather, fisherman, pilot and professional -
Fred Grinnell is many things to many people.
By Justin Phillips
Coming in from the cold.
That is what newly selected Hu
man Resource Manager Fred
Grinnell did.
Grinnell came to Grand Ronde af
ter working six and a half years in
Anchorage, Alaska.
"The winters were long and cold up "
there," said Grinnell.
Grinnell was born on the Turtle
Mountain Indian Reservation where
his mother, Alice (Monette) Grinnell,
, Chippewa, was born.
Grinnell is an enrolled member of
the Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribe
in Mayetta, Kansas.
Mayetta is also the place where
Fred's father (the late) Ralph
Grinnell, was born and raised.
Fred was raised on the Fort Hall
Indian Reservation in Idaho where
his dad worked as a Bureau of In
dian Affairs agent until he retired.
Grinnell graduated from Washburn
University in Topeka, Kansas with a
Bachelors of Arts degree in Political
Science with an emphasis in pre-law.
He also holds the Senior Professional
in Human Resources (SPHR) certifi
cation with the Society of Human
Resource Management.
Before coming to Grand Ronde,
Grinnell worked in Anchorage where
he was a Senior Recruiter for a Na
tive Corporation for over four years.
He assisted the corporation with all
human resources and employment
issues.
"My primary job was to recruit
Alaskan Natives and Native Ameri
cans on all of our joint-venture
projects in construction, engineering
and security," said Grinnell.
Grinnell accomplished a hiring rate
of 50 percent on all the corporation's
joint venture projects and fostered
similar hiring agreements with sev
eral craft unions. Also, Grinnell
played a major role in increasing
Native hires on the TransAlaska
Pipeline, he initiated internships
with several engineering companies,
apprenticeship training with the craft
unions on all company projects and
drafted a partnership proposal for a
bush pilot training program with the
Alaska Job Corp.
Before leaving Alaska, Grinnell
recruited four high school seniors
from bush villages for the Native
Engineering Program at the Univer
sity of Alaska in Anchorage.
Previously, Grinnell also worked
for the Cook Inlet Tribal Council in
human resource development and
was a Human Resources Field Man
ager for a large energy company in
Anchorage.
Grinnell said he has seen a lot of
changes in employment laws and
practices over the years and that his
chosen profession has brought him
into contact with a wide variety of
people from diverse backgrounds.
Grinnell has been working with
the Tribe since September of 2000 in
the Human Resources department.
He accepted the position of direc
tor of the program on May 1.
As director, Grinnell will cover all
areas of Human Resources, includ
ing compensation and benefits, all of
the recruitment, employee relations
and writing policies that conform to
Tribal ordinances.
When he is not working, Grinnell
is fishing. Also, he has been a li
censed pilot since 1977.
, I
c
3
in
1
Fred Grinnell
"I want to get my glider pilot rat
ing this summer," said Grinnell.
He is married to his wife Paula,
who was a salmon fishing guide in
California when they met.
"She is quite an avid fisherman
and so am I," said Grinnell.
Together the couple has nine chil
dren and stepchildren (six boys and
three girls) and nine grandchildren.
Grinnell has some goals he has set
for his new position.
"I think my main goal is to make
sure our recruitment and hiring poli
cies and our mentorship policies are
incompliance with the spirit of the
Tribal ordinance," said Grinnell. "I
would like to see mentorship program
for Tribal members in every depart
ment including Human Resources.
My goal before I leave is to see Hu
man Resources staffed and managed
entirely by Tribal members. So, I'm
working at changing some of our
current hiring and training practices
to make that a reality."
Grinnell said he is glad he is here
in Grand Ronde.
"I'm really glad I have the oppor
tunity to work with the people in this
Tribe," said Grinnell. "I will use my
experience to promote the employ
ment of Tribal members and strongly
support mentorship programs while
I'm here. I feel that this is a very
healthy, growing Tribe, with a very
comfortable working environment. I
would like to extend an invitation to
all employees to call or stop in when
they have a problem or a concern.
We will do our best to serve you."
International Visitors
0s
iii-iiii '
Self-Governance by Native American Tribes was
the topic of discussion when Nandielath
Balakrishnan, Hiray Prashant and Gopalaswamy
Shekhar from Indian visited Grand Ronde on Mon
day, July 2. Balakrishnan, Prashant and Shekhar
were accompanied by escort William Dargan and
met with Tribal Council members Kathryn Har
rison and Ed Pearsall. The group discussed Tribal
life, politics and the pros and cons of Tribal self
governance. The visitors were taking part in the
World Affairs Council of Oregon's ongoing Inter
national visitors program.
, A
GRAND RONDE, OREGON -The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde has announced
that the application deadline for the Mark O. Hatfield Congressional Fellowship has been
extended to Jul 3 1 . Each year, a Hatfield Fellow will be selected from Native American
applicants to serve as an intern for a member of Oregon's Congressional delegation.
The Fellowship honors Mark Hatfield for his accomplishments as a United States Senator
and Governor of Oregon and for his mentorship of many individuals who became leaders in
their own communities.
"The Mark Hatfield Congressional Fellowship provides members of Pacific Northwest
American Indian Tribes the opportunity to help make a difference in their personal lives as
well as contribute to the quality of life within their communities," commented Kathryn Harri
son, Chair of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.
Applicants must be enrolled adult members of federally recognized Tribes in Oregon,
Idaho, Montana, and Washington, with preference given to federally recognized Oregon
Tribes.
Highlight to the Fellowship include:
D The Hatfield Fellow will be rotated each year among the Oregon delegation.
D The Hatfield Fellow will serve for nine months (Nov2002).
D The Hatfield Fellow will receive a monthly stipend, moving and travel expenses and
tuition for the American Political Science Association (ASAP) orientation.
Application packets may be obtained by contacting Angela Blackwell at Spirit Mountain
Casino at 1-80076O-7977, ext. 3957 or P. O. Box 39, Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347.