Governor Bill Anoatubby has been a member of the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes since 1978. The council is one of the most prestigious and influential Indian organizations in the United States, representing more than 300,000 Indian people. As a member of the council, Governor Anoatubby has served as its president, vice president and, at various times, as chairman of the housing and legislative committees. In January of 1996, he was again elected vice president of the organization.
In 1988, Governor Anoatubby was appointed to the President's Council of the Ada (Oklahoma) Area Chamber of Commerce. In the same year, he was elected to the board of directors of the chamber by its members.
In that year, he was appointed to the Oklahoma Indian Affairs Commission by Oklahoma Governor Henry Bellmon. In 1991, he was reappointed to the commission by Governor David Walters. Governor Anoatubby also served on the Advisory Committee on Indian Economic Development for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.
In 1990, Governor Anoatubby was appointed to the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail Advisory Committee, in the U.S. Department of the Interior, to work on the preservation and development of the series of national historic trails throughout the United States. He served on that committee until 1992.
He served as a member of the board of trustees of Oklahoma City University from 1991 until 1998.
Governor Anoatubby also served two years on the board of directors of 5 Who Care, an organization sponsored by the American Broadcasting Corporation's affiliate, KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City. This organization selects and honors outstanding Oklahomans in annual ceremonies held at the state Capitol.
He is a member of the board of directors of the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce and Industry, having been appointed in 1991. In 1992, he also served on the Governor's Health Care Commission to study health care in rural Oklahoma.
In 1992, he was a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Special Study Group, which was formed to study the development and application of EPA rules and regulations in Indian Country in Region VI.
Governor Anoatubby is a member of the National Congress of American Indians, having participated in that organization since 1979.
The mayor of the City of Ada appointed Governor Anoatubby to serve on the Mayor's Advisory Committee, in 1993, to plan for the future of the city and surrounding community.
The president of the United States appointed Governor Anoatubby to serve on the board of trustees of the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation. The foundation was developed to foster greater recognition and understanding of the role of the environment, public lands and natural resources in the development of the United States. The foundation is charged with establishing a program for environmental policy research and environmental conflict resolution. It develops resources to train professionals in the environmental fields as well as Native American and Alaska Native professionals in health care and public policy. His presidential appointment to this position was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 1995.
From 1995 to 1998, he served on the board of directors of the Oklahoma State Board for Easter Seals and Crippled Children. In 1995, he accepted service with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region VI advisory committee to advise the director of the agency in Washington, D.C.
In 1997, he accepted a seat on the board of directors of Leadership Oklahoma and is a member of Leadership Oklahoma Class III. He also serves on the board of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence and on the board for the Oklahoma Academy of State Goals.
In 2004, Governor Anoatubby was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. Likewise, in 2005, he was appointed by Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority Board of Directors.
In addition, Governor Anoatubby was awarded the “Most Honored One” and “Friend of the Court” by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 2005.
Civic and Community Activities
Board Positions
- Arkansas Riverbed Authority, member
- Dean A McGee, member
- Greater Oklahoma City Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, member
- Harold Hamm Diabetes Center Board of Advisors, member
- Integris Health, Inc., member
- Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes, member
- National Museum of the American Indian, member
- Native American Cultural and Educational Authority, chairman
- Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation, member
- Oklahoma Heritage Association Board of Directors, member
- Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, member
- Oklahoma State Fair, Inc. Board of Directors, member
Affiliations
- National Congress of American Indians, member
- Oklahoma Academy of State Goals, member
- Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, member
Past Leadership Roles
- Ada Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, member
- Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges, ECU Presidential Search Committee, member
- Chickasaw Tribal Utility Authority Board, chair
- East Central University Foundation, member
- Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum Board of Trustees, member
- Advisory Council to the Special Trustee for American Indians, U.S. Department of the Interior, chairman
- Oklahoma Centennial Commission, board member
- First Nation Enterprise Advisory Council, member
- Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Business School Advisory Board, member
- Five Civilized Tribes Museum, board member
- Governor Henry’s Task Force on Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence
- Leadership Oklahoma Board of Directors, member
- Leadership Oklahoma, Class III graduate
- Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation Board of Trustee
- Oklahoma Academy of State Goals Board, member
- Oklahoma City University Board of Trustees, member
- Oklahoma Health Care Commission, board member
- Oklahoma Indian Affairs Commission, board member
- Oklahoma State Board of Easter Seals and Crippled Children, member
- Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce and Industry Board of Directors
- Trail of Tears National Historic Trail Advisory Committee, member
- Tri-County Indian Nations Development Corporation, board member
- United Indian Nations in Oklahoma, chairman
- United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Negotiated Rulemaking Committee, board member and past co-chairman
- 5 Who Care, board member
- Oklahoma Health Care Authority Board of Directors, member
Awards and Honors
- 2012 Citizen Energy Advocate of the Year of Award
- 2011 Chisholm Trail Heritage Center Trail Boss Award
- 2011 Oklahoma Health Center Foundation Treasures for Tomorrow, Outstanding Tribal Leader
- 2010 International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Leadership Award for Public Service
- 2010 National Indian Gaming Association Wendell Chino Humanitarian Award
- 2010 Oklahoma City University’s Meinders School of Business Chairman’s Award
- 2009 Festival of Hope Honoree, Heartline Organization
- 2009 Leadership Oklahoma's Distinguished Graduate
- 2009 Board of the American Indian Exposition Indian of the Year
- 2008 Native American Finance Officers Association Tribal Leader of the Year Award
- 2008 Oklahoma Conference on Aging Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2008 National Governors Association Private Citizen Award
- 2007 Red Earth Ambassador
- 2007 Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy Outstanding Service to Oklahoma’s Children Award
- 2007 Minority Advocate of the Year, U.S. Small Business Administration
- 2007 Oklahoma Heritage Association Centennial Leadership Award for Preservation of State & Local History
- 2006 Oklahoma Mental Health Consumer Council Humanitarian of the Year Award
- 2005 Awarded the Most Honored One and Friend of the Court by the Oklahoma Supreme Court
- 2004 Oklahoma Hall of Fame Inductee
- 2004 Jacobson Foundation Honoree Award
- 2000 Distinguished Service Award from the Murray State College Foundation
- 1999 Tri-County Indian Nations Community Development Corporation Leadership Award
- 1998 Honoree, Community Literacy Center
- 1997 Ada Chamber of Commerce Leadership Award
- 1997 City of Ada A+ Award
- 1997 Oklahoma Governor’s Arts Award
- 1997 Distinguished Alumnus, East Central University
- 1997 Distinguished Alumnus, National Community College Association
- 1995 Minority Advocate of the Year, U.S. Small Business Administration
- Who’s Who in America
- Who’s Who in the South and Southwest
