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Saturday, September 23, 2006
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Mille Lacs Band chief executive Benjamin receives national honor
ONAMIA - Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin received the highest achievement award on Sept. 21 from the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development for her work improving economic development and bringing business opportunities to American Indians.
The Jay Silverheels Achievement Award is a lifetime achievement award presented each year to an American Indian who has achieved personal and professional success while making significant contributions to the community.
Benjamin was elected chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe in 2000 and is in the middle of her second four-year term. As the chief executive, she instituted new home ownership and business loan programs for band members and convened the first regional economic development summit for local businesses, foundations, governments and the Mille Lacs Band. She also led the band in partnering with the Shakopee Mdewakanton and the Prairie Island Dakota communities in creating the Minnesota Tribal Government Foundation, which will be endowed with $50 million to provide economic development grants to other tribes in Minnesota.
Benjamin serves on the board of directors for the Indian Law Resource Center and sits on the Affordable Housing Advisory Council of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines. She has also been in positions as the secretary of the National Indian Gaming Association and as a member of the board of directors for the Minnesota Indian Education Association. She has emerged as a state and national leader on issues of improving education and health care, Indian gaming, self-governance and empowering female tribal leaders.
The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing American Indian economic self-sufficiency through business ownership. The organization provides services to assist American Indian tribes, organizations and individuals in business management. Annually, the center presents the Indian Progress in Business Awards to acknowledge the achievements and contributions of American Indians and the people who support their business and economic development efforts.
The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe is a sovereign, federally recognized Indian tribe with about 3,800 enrolled members, for whom it provides a wide variety of programs and services. For more information, go online to www.millelacsojibwe.org.
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