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@oweesta.org                                                             

Rapid City, SD, February 25, 2009 // On Friday, February 20, 2009 Senator Tim Johnson of South Dakota announced his pick to lead 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 (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.