Rincon Tribal Member Honored with AZ American Indian Excellence in Leadership Award

Steve Stallings, member of the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians and tribal council member have been named by the Phoenix Indian Center to receive the Kent C. Ware Lifetime Achievement Award on the 2014 Arizona American Indian Excellence in Leadership and Spirit of the Heard Awards. Awardees may be honored on the dinner on Tuesday, November 4, 2014 on the Scottsdale Hilton Resort and Villas.

Stallings, along with serving as a Rincon tribal council member, is the director of the Wells Fargo Native American Banking Services Gaming Group. He's also vice president of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA). The Rincon Band owns Harrah’s Resort Southern California, located at the Rincon Reservation in Valley Center, Ca.

“Kent Ware was a courageous American patriot, hero, statesman, and cultural leader and this is a great honor to receive recognition in his name,” said Stallings.

“It is vital we take time to thank our community leaders for his or her dedication as stewards and advocates for our American Indian people.” says Anthony Kahn, President of the Phoenix Indian Center’s Board of Directors.

Awardees include:

• Steve Stallings (Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians), Director, Wells Fargo Native American Banking Services Gaming Group - Kent C. Ware Lifetime Achievement Award
• Karen A. Thorne (Gila River Indian Community), Chief Operating Officer, Phoenix Indian Center - Phyllis J. Bigpond Lifetime Achievement Award
• Ernest Siva (Morongo Band of Mission Indians), Serrano and Cahuilla Language Expert – Spirit of the Heard Award
• Bob Roessel (Navajo), Executive Principal, Intergovernmental Affairs, Salt River Project - Man of the Year Award
• Theresa Natoni Price (Hopi and Navajo), Director of Native American Education Program (NAEP), Mesa Public Schools - Woman of the Year Award
• Sunrise Park Resort (White Mountain Apache Enterprise) - Business of the Year Award
• Drumbeat Indian Arts, Bob Nuss, Owner - Friend of the Community Award
• Hannah Allen (Dine and Choctaw), Arizona State University – College Student of the Year
• Amanda Delphy (Pueblo of Acoma), Maryvale Highschool – Highschool Student of the Year
• Justin Susan (White Mountain Apache), Centennial Highschool – Highschool Student of the Year
• Kiarra Spottsville (Navajo), Barcelona Middle School – Junior High Student of the Year
• Ryan Stiffarm (San Carlos Apache, Gros Ventre, and Acoma Pueblo), Willis Jr. Highschool – Junior High Student of the Year 

Read More... [Source: Gaming Industry News]