Bill Anoatubby, governor of the Chickasaw Nation, will be honored as East Central University's 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year and will deliver the Leonard Limes Endowed Lecture at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday [APRIL 28] in the Estep Multimedia Center located in the Bill S. Cole University Center. The winners of the student business plan competition will be announced at the lecture, which is open to the public.
"Gov. Anoatubby was selected for this honor for his innovative leadership of the Chickasaw Nation. He is committed to meeting the needs of Chickasaw people through exemplary programs and services," said Dr. Karla Peterson, director of the Center of Entrepreneurship and chair of the Business Administration Department.
Anoatubby began work for the Chickasaw Nation in 1975 as director of tribal health services. In that position, he planned, organized and managed all tribal health programs, personnel and government contract funds. In October 1978, he was promoted to special assistant to the governor and controller.
He was elected the tribe's first lieutenant governor in 1979. In his first term, Anoatubby established goals of economic development and self-sufficiency for the Chickasaw Nation and its people. He was re-elected to another four-year term, taking office in October 1983.
Anoatubby became the 30th governor of the Chickasaw Nation when he was elected in 1987. He has been re-elected each term since and began his sixth term in 2007.
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