Juneau, AK (November 17, 2016) –
Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Central Council) is pleased to announce the hire of Ken Truitt as Deputy Chief Operating Officer. In this new role, Ken will work closely with Chief Operating Officer (COO) Corrine Garza to manage tribal assets, facilities, and operations to ensure an efficient and productive work environment for the Tribe through technologies, policy, and program support. He will also serve as the liaison to department managers and Compact tribes. Ken will assume the COO position upon Corrine’s retirement in 2017.
Ken graduated from Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law with emphasis in Federal Indian Law and is a member of the Alaska Bar Association. He served over seven years as General Counsel for the SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) and formerly served as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Alaska, Director of the Division of the Alaska Pioneers Homes, and in various legislative staff roles.
“I’m very pleased to have Mr. Truitt on board,” said President Richard Peterson. “He will be a great asset to the Tribe with his experience in Federal Indian Law, Federal/State government, and senior executive management.”
“After more than 18 years of working with the Tribe, I will be retiring next fall,” said COO Corrine Garza. “In an effort to ensure a seamless transition, my focus has been on finding a candidate that can fulfill the duties of the Chief Operating Officer and support the President in all tribal operations and business ventures. With Mr. Truitt’s background and qualifications, I am confident he will work hard to uphold our Tribe's mission and values.”
“I am excited to be joining Central Council,” said Ken. “I look forward to working with the Tribe’s departments, programs, and partners to continue to bring quality services and opportunities to our tribal citizens.”
Ken was born and raised in Sitka, Alaska. His parents are Dr. Gilbert Truitt (Wooshkeetaan clan) and Shirley Truitt. Ken is Raven, L’uknax.ádi (Coho Salmon) and is a shareholder of Sealaska and Shee Atika Inc. He is married to Charlotte Truitt and together they have four children – Madison, Marissa, Sydney, and Elena.
