[NFEC Update] Senator Tim Johnson Taps Elsie Meeks, President and CEO of First Nations Oweesta Corporation, as New Director of USDA Rural Development Office

[Staci Lacroix]

PRESS RELEASE

 

 

Senator Tim Johnson Taps Elsie Meeks, President and CEO of First Nations
Oweesta Corporation, as New Director of USDA Rural Development Office

                                

 

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Jody Sarkozy-Banoczy 

 
(605) 342-3770 or jody at oweesta.org

 

 


                 

Rapid City, SD, February 25, 2009 // On Friday, February 20, 2009
Senator Tim Johnson of South Dakota announced his pick to lead the South
Dakota's USDA Rural Development office.  Elsie Meeks, President and CEO
of First Nations Oweesta Corporation (Oweesta), a national Native
economic development organization based in Rapid City, was chosen by
Senator Johnson to be the state's next USDA Rural Development Director.


 

"Elsie's numerous accomplishments are remarkable.  She has honorably
served South Dakota and the Nation.  My recommendation of Elsie to
President Obama is a reflection of her extraordinary service,
commitment, and unwavering dedication to the Native American community.
I know she will use her vast breadth of experience to help our entire
state on economic development issues.  I look forward to this process
moving forward," said U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD).

 

For over 20 years, Elsie has been instrumental in leading a movement in
Native communities focused on creating opportunities for building assets
and wealth, leading to financially self-sufficient Native people and
families.  Beginning with her work in the 1980's at the Lakota Fund on
the Pine Ridge Reservation, she has been a strong advocate for Native
community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and financial
education.  Since 2000 when she took over the leadership of Oweesta, she
has built a strong organization with a dynamic staff that will continue
to carry this work forward.  According to Ms. Meeks, "I am very proud of
what Oweesta has accomplished in just 10 short years.  Our staff is the
best of the best and together we have propelled the issue of Native
community economic development and financial education forward at the
tribal, state and national levels.  I believe we have laid a strong
foundation and this work will have lasting impacts into the future."

 

About her nomination by Senator Johnson, Meeks said, "I am so very
honored to have been chosen by Senator Johnson, who has done so much for
the state of South Dakota and for Native communities, to lead our Rural
Development office.  My work at Oweesta and at home on the Pine Ridge
Reservation has prepared me for the challenges that lie ahead, and I
look forward to my new role.  After being on the road, crisscrossing the
country for the past eight plus years, it will be good to be back at
home, working for the people of South Dakota."

 

Ms. Meeks' appointment to the position by President Obama and Senate
confirmation is expected in the coming weeks. 

 

About Oweesta 

Oweesta (www.oweesta.org <http://www.oweesta.org> ) is a certified
Native CDFI intermediary, providing Native communities with loans,
investments, technical assistance, training and community development
information. Its mission is to provide opportunities for Native people
to develop assets and create wealth by assisting in the establishment of
strong, permanent institutions and programs, leading to economic
independence and strengthening sovereignty for all Native communities.

 

 

 

 

 

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