Last month, staff from the Shawnee Tribe Gaming Commission (STGC) traveled from Guymon, OK to Alpine, CA for one of the first in-person Indian gaming conferences since the COVID-19 pandemic. Hosted by the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), the National Training Conference at Viejas Casino included sessions on compliance, report writing, background investigations, responding to cybersecurity incidents and more. STGC Deputy Director Lisa Gipson; LASO, Compliance Officer & Licensing Agent Marla Gonzales; and Licensing Agent Elvia Hernandez all attended.
“Gaming is a highly regulated industry, and it’s imperative that our commission staff has every tool they need to continue ensuring Golden Mesa Casino remains compliant and that the Tribe’s assets are protected,” said Chief Ben Barnes.
STGC staff met with the Viejas Resort’s Gaming Commission staff to tour their facilities, in addition to participating in the conference’s networking opportunities with other regulators, NIGC staff and training personnel from across the country.
“Training has a direct impact on our organization’s productivity and performance,” said Elvia Hernandez. “It gives us a better understanding of our responsibilities and provides us the knowledge and skills we need to do our jobs.”
The 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will be harvested from Monongahela National Forest, which is part of the Shawnee ancestral homeland. The tribe’s THPO is teaming up with National Forest staff to ensure the Capitol Tree includes representation of the Shawnee Tribe. On Friday, September 15 at our General Council dinner & stomp festivities in […]
Early voting by absentee ballot (vote-by-mail) is offered in 2023. All voted ballots must be received by the Election Committee by 5:00 PM (Central) on the Thursday before the election, September 14. Voters may return their ballots by mail or deliver the ballot in person to the Election Committee. Any citizen participating in early or […]
CHIEF BEN BARNES As the celebration of Independence Day fades into the background, this is the time of year that the Business Council begins to look toward the next fiscal year and plan programming for Shawnee families. We generally have two sorts of programs: those that come from federal funding sources and those that are […]
In February of 2023, the Shawnee Tribe Business Council approved a revision to Title 6, The Shawnee Tribe Elections Act. This amendment of…
MORRIS BLUEJACKET HOMETOWN: BLUEJACKET, OK CURRENT CITY: BLUEJACKET, OK OCCUPATION: RETIRED Born in Vinita raised in BlueJacket. Graduate of BlueJacket High School. I am married to Pattie (McLain) BlueJacket for 46 years. We have One son Tab & wife Tiffany, 5 Grandchildren. I have worked in state & county government for the past 34 years, […]
HEIDI BIGKNIFE RANKIN HOMETOWN: DENVER, CO CURRENT CITY: TULSA, OK OCCUPATION: ARTIST Hatito or hello friends and fellow citizens, I am Heidi BigKnife. My Shawnee roots stretch from Vinita, Oklahoma to our tribal lands in Kansas and Ohio. I am an artist and live and work in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Most of my art practice is […]
BEN BARNES (Incumbent) HOMETOWN: MIAMI, OK CURRENT CITY: MIAMI, OK OCCUPATION: CHIEF OF THE SHAWNEE TRIBE For over 25 years, I have served in leadership roles in Indian Country, professionally at director-level positions in Tribal Gaming. Since 2008, it has been a true honor and privilege to work for my own community, working to bring […]
Shawnee Tribe Behavioral and Mental Health invites you to join an upcoming trauma support group centered around the book The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk.