10
S moke S ignals
APRIL 15, 2016
36 employees honored for years of Tribal service
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Thirty-six Tribal employees were
honored for their years of service
to the Grand Ronde Tribe during
a First Quarter Service Awards
ceremony held Wednesday, April
6, in the Tribal gym.
Between them, the 36 employees
accounted for a combined 466 years
of working for the Tribe.
Nutrition Program Manager
Kristy DeLoe and Lead Cook Kevin
Campbell prepared a breakfast of
scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon,
sausage, bagels, yogurt and orange
juice for employees. The breakfast
was served by DeLoe, Tribal Council
Chief of Staff Stacia Martin, Tribal
Council Administrative Assistant
Shannon Simi, Public Affairs Admin-
istrative Assistant Chelsea Clark
and Food Sustainability Adminis-
trative Assistant Patricia LeClaire.
After employees ate, Human Re-
source Department Manager Pat-
rick Dempsey welcomed employees
and Tribal Council Chairman Reyn
Leno praised their work.
“I think we have a great staff
here,” Leno said. “It’s been a long
road for us. Our whole govern-
ment used to sit out there, where
you turn in from the road, in that
little parking lot. That was our
whole government. … How far
we’ve grown, but you only do that
with good people and good staff. I
learned that from being here 20
years on Tribal Council: You sur-
round yourself with good people
and you’ll be successful in what you
do. You, as employees, are the ones
that make us successful.”
Leno added that the Grand
Ronde Tribe is “well-prepared” for
the eventual opening in 2017 of
a Cowlitz Tribal casino 15 miles
north of Portland off Interstate 5.
“Unless they shut that highway
off down there, we’re still on the
busiest highway to the coast in
Oregon,” Leno said.
Other Tribal Council members
who attended included Jon A.
George, who provided the meal
13 years: Adult Voca-
tional Training Coordinator
Joshua Clift and Lead Cook
Kevin Campbell.
12 years: Portland Area
Office Tribal Services Rep-
resentative Lisa Archuleta.
11 years: Staff Accoun-
tant Nancy Renfrow and
Clinical Applications Coor-
dinator Darin Riggs.
10 years: Optometry Re-
ceptionist Michelle Swee-
ney, Natural Resources
Secretary Toni Mercier,
K-5 Tutor/Adviser George
Neujahr, Education Depart-
ment Manager Leslie Riggs,
Full Charge Bookkeeper
Debra Nolen and Domestic
Violence Relief Advocate
Carmen Mercier.
9 years: Adult Foster
Care Caregiver Eleanor
Ashman.
8 years: Housekeeper Ros-
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
ie Saldivas, Groundskeeper
Tribal Education Department Manager Leslie Riggs, right, shakes hands with Tribal
Tim George, Natural Re-
Council member Chris Mercier as he is recognized for 10 years of service to the Tribe
sources Equipment Operator
during a First Quarter Service Awards ceremony held in the Tribal gym on Wednesday,
Bart Bryant, Natural Re-
sources Senior Administra-
April 6. In the background is Tribal Council member Jon A. George.
tive Assistant Michele Volz,
Jody Jerger and Lands Depart-
blessing, Chris Mercier, Ed Pears-
Human Resources Senior Admin-
ment Manager Jan Looking Wolf
all and Denise Harvey.
istrative Assistant Nick LaBonte,
Reibach.
Tribal General Manager David
Photojournalist Michelle Alaimo and
18 years: Health & Wellness
Fullerton and Martin read off the
Gaming Inspector Tyrell Soderberg.
Payment Processing Specialist
list of employees and handed out
7 years: Adult Foster Care/Com-
Sunni Ulestad.
certificates to those hired in the
munity Health Director Kari Culp
17 years: Social Services Ad-
first quarter of the year – January
and Hydrosystems Compliance
ministrative Assistant Tammy
through March.
Specialist Lawrence Schwabe.
Garrison.
Member Services Manager Penny
Employees received a certificate
16
years:
Tribal
Career
Devel-
DeLoe was among five Tribal em-
and bonus check, and those reach-
opment Program Manager David
ployees who have worked for the
ing the 10-year mark in service
DeHart and Compensation/HRIS
Tribe for more than two decades at
also received a Tribal Pendleton
Specialist Becky Mode.
23 years. Others included Audio Vi-
blanket.
15 years: Facilities Maintenance
sual Network Technician Wendell
After employees were honored,
Supervisor Tyson Mercier and High
Olson and Records Administrator
Tribal Council members drew
School Lead Christopher Bailey.
Kim Mueller, who reached 21 years
names for raffle prizes that in-
14 years: Tribal Artisan Travis
of service, and Gaming Commission
cluded a fire pit, gas grill, Fitbit,
Stewart and Legal Assistant Ker-
Licensing Program Coordinator
tablet, tent and sleeping bags, and
rina Mishler.
Julia Papen and Elders Activities
smoker.
Assistant Dan Ham, who reached
the 20-year mark in service.
Other employees honored in-
cluded:
19 years: Assistant Controller
Hunting & Fishing
Lifeways of the Grand Ronde People
Who: All Grand Ronde Tribal members.
What: We would like to record your family’s hunting and
fishing stories for inclusion in the Tribe’s cultural
and historical collections.
Where: Chachalu: Tribal Museum and Cultural Center
When: Starting September 1st, 2015
How: Contact Stacey Runningbird @ 503-879-2381
Ad created by George Valdez