Bill Anoatubby:  

Life Bill Anoatubby was born November 8, 1945. His hometown, Tishomingo, Oklahoma, is the historic capital of the Chickasaw Nation and the site of the Chickasaw Nation Capitol Building. As a leader in his tribe, Bill Anoatubby has worked to gather and preserve the history and culture of the Chickasaw Nation and its people. As the chief elected official of the tribe, which numbers more than 35,000 citizens (it is the 13th largest tribe in the United States), Bill Anoatubby has fostered a cultural and language renaissance among his people. Many are now studying and learning the ancient Chickasaw language. Still others are working to gather and document the history of the tribe, which has been largely lost to the ravages of time and geographic separation. With his leadership and commitment, the Chickasaw people are learning more about their ancestors and becoming experts on their personal histories. Governor Bill Anoatubby has committed himself to working hard for those who elected him. When he first began service with the tribal government, the tribe was in danger of bankruptcy. Tribal assets were at their lowest since the days of removal in the late 1830s. His commitment to rebuilding the infrastructure of the tribal government, while simultaneously providing for this people, is evidenced in the current financial status of the Chickasaw Nation and the vastly improved overall conditions of the people. When he was elected Governor in 1987, the Chickasaw Nation had 250 employees and operated under a $11 million budget. In 2000, the tribe had just under 1,800 employees and had an annual budget of $200 million. Assets of the Chickasaw Nation grew from $11 million in 1987 to the 1999 figure of $99 million. As the chief executive of the tribe, Governor Anoatubby has devised a multi-pronged method for improving the conditions of t...Expand for more