Smoke Signals 3
MAY 1, 2003
Community Fund Will Kick It Off With A Celebration For Reaching The $20 million Mark
Fund continued from front page .
people of Oregon," said Tribal Coun
cil member Ed Pearsall.
The Fund has given away more
than any other Tribal grant pro
gram in the state, and more even
than all the others combined.
"It means that more kids can read,
and more families have had life
and spirit-saving health care, have
roofs over their heads, have books
in their libraries, food in their stom
achs, more wives and children are
safe from abuse, more school chil
dren have had opportunities to see
life-building experiences like the
Anne Frank exhibit, the A.C. Gil
bert Discovery Village and the Port
land Children's Museum," said
Community Fund Director Angie
extensive and exciting Indian col
lection in the Northwest. If a per
son or an organization can be
judged by the good it leaves behind,
- - - - - - - -
Blackwell. "Farmworkers will soon
have an education center, Tribal
members have opportunities to
work in the nation's capital and the
Portland Art Museum has the most
it makes me so proud to be a part of
the Spirit Mountain Community
Fund."
The event will emphasize diver
sity, a guiding principle of the Com
munity Fund from the start and
guests will see that diversity in the
entertainment that will include the
Hispanic Milagro Theater and
Japanese Taiko Drums. It also will
be seen in the catering by Portland
restaurateur Salvadore Molly's.
Checks will be presented to the
Community Fund's latest recipients,
recipients whose awards will bring
the Fund to the $20 million mark.
"I think what an awesome point
we are at to come from the point of
extinction to (now) be able to help
when there's a need. Just monu
mental," said Tribal Council Chair
woman Cheryle Kennedy.
CASINO LANDS WGLL-V6RS6D AND SOFT-SPOKEN C60
CEO continued from front page
tion-finder rather than a finger- lot of good things about it."
pointer," said Tribal Council
member Ed Larsen. "It's easy to
find the faults, harder to come
up with solutions."
"Number one, I think he was
highly qualified, lots of experi
ence," said Tribal Council mem
ber Bob Haller. "I think he has
the right attitude that will fit in
with the casino and the people
here."
Pattison's recent position as
Chief Executive Officer of the
Silver Star Hotel and Casino
owned by the Mississippi Band
of Choctaw Indians, is only one
example in a 20-year career that
also has included ten years at the
famous Sands casinos, properties
owned by the Hollywood Casino
Corporation and the Pratt Hotel
Corporation. He was responsible
for transitioning the Silver Star
from a casino operated by a man
agement contract to self-management.
"I was familiar with the Silver
Star," said Larsen. "I've heard a
"How we treat our cus
tomers and employees is
very important," said
Pattison in an interview fol
lowing his selection by the
Tribal Council. "It's also
important to keep putting
money into the property, to
keep it clean and to main
tain the high quality of food
and customer services."
Asked about competition
and potential competition
from neighboring facilities,
he said, "I've worked in an
environment with heavy
competition Atlantic City
and the key is customer
loyalty, which you gain
through customer service
and how customers view
their experience here."
"I'm just looking forward
to a good working relation-
ship with him," said Tribal Council
member Jan D. Reibach. "I think
he's going to be an asset to us."
"It really is a great property to
5
T"T
I V ' V it 1 I a
nnc
mn
Getting TO Know Each Other The new CEO at Spirit Mountain Casino
Douglas Pattison finalized the deal during a recent meeting with the Tribal Council in Grand
Ronde. Pattison met with council members (from left to right) Val Grout, Ed Larsen, Chair
woman Cheryle Kennedy, Vice Chairman Reyn Leno, Council Secretary June Sell-Sherer, Ed
Pearsall, Pattison and Bob Haller (not pictured - council members Val Sheker-Robertson and
Jan D. Reibach).
begin with," said Pattison. "My
goal is to keep it the number one
tourist attraction in the state."
"I just overall think he was the
best bet. I don't think we could
have done better," said Haller.
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Tasty BurntOS - Joanne Beeks,
Navajo Tribal member out of Arizona sells
breakfast burritos around the Tribal Of
fices on Fridays. Here, she sells a burritto
to Amy Whisler of the Member Benefits
Department. Beeks averages 30 sales a
day. She also sells at pow-wows, ro
deos and other events thoughout the
community. She will be at Delta Park in
Portland on Father's Day weekend sell
ing there. Her business is called Dine'
Tacos.
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