By Tony Choate, Media Relations Specialist
Chickasaw Nation Media Relations Office
Governor Bill Anoatubby
Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby was honored as “Indian of the Year” by the board of the American Indian Exposition.
Since he was first elected to the position in 1987, Gov. Anoatubby has overseen tremendous growth in the Chickasaw Nation, which has more than 38,000 citizens.
In 1987, the Chickasaw Nation had approximately 250 employees and annual operating outlays totaled less than $11 million. Today, the Chickasaw Nation has more than 10,000 employees and capital outlays in excess of $350 million. Governor Anoatubby has focused his administration on providing health care, education, quality housing and economic development.
Governor Anoatubby first came to work for the Chickasaw Nation in 1975 as director of tribal health services and since that time he has shown absolute dedication to providing the best health care services possible.
In 1994 the Chickasaw Nation was the first tribe in the U.S. to successfully negotiate a compact to manage its own health care system.
The Chickasaw Nation Health System now serves more than 350,000 patient visits annually and offers a wide variety of services at Carl Albert Indian Health Facility in Ada and five additional health clinics located throughout the Chickasaw Nation.
Under Governor Anoatubby’s leadership the Chickasaw Nation has also made a commitment to preventive health care services designed to stop diabetes and other health care problems before they start.
In 2001, Gov. Anoatubby was named chairman of the board of the Native American Cultural and Educational Authority, a state agency created in 1994 to construct and operate a Cultural Center and Museum for the purpose of generating awareness and understanding of the history of tribes and their relationship to Oklahoma today.
In 2004, Governor Anoatubby was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. He was also appointed to Fannie Mae's National Advisory Council in that year.
In 2005, Gov. Anoatubby was appointed to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority board of directors by Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry.
Gov. Anoatubby was recognized in 2005 by the Oklahoma Supreme Court during the annual Sovereignty Symposium as the “Most Honored One” and “Friend of the Court”.
In 2006 he received the Oklahoma Mental Health Consumer Council “Humanitarian of the Year” award and the Minority Business Advocate of the Year award.
He is a member of the Oklahoma Heritage Association board and in 2007 he received the Centennial Leadership Award for Preservation of State and Local History from that association. The award was specially created in recognition of the extensive work Gov. Anoatubby has done to preserve state and local history.
He is also a member of Gov. Henry's Task Force on Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence; board member Oklahoma Creativity Project, Inc.; chairman of the Advisory Board to the Special Trustee for American Indians; board member of East Central University Foundation, Oklahoma Academy of State Goals; member and past co-chairman of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Negotiated Rulemaking Committee; and past trustee for Oklahoma City University, among many others.
Governor Anoatubby lives in Ada, Okla. with his wife, Janice. They have two sons, Brian and Chris. Chris and his wife Becky have three children, Brendan, Eryn and Sydney. Brian and his wife Melinda have two children, Chloe and Preslea.
Now in its 78th year, the American Indian Exposition is conducted by more than a dozen tribes in the Anadarko, Okla. area to promote and preserve American Indian culture and heritage.
More than 50 tribes participate in the exposition, which features traditional American Indian arts, handicrafts and dance.
