Cowlitz Indian Tribe Chairman Bill Iyall is back in the leadership role.
Iyall was elected as new council chairman last weekend at the Tribe’s semi-annual General Council meeting.
Iyall took office immediately following Saturday’s vote, beginning his second stint as chairman, according to a news release from the Tribe.
The Tribe also reelected its General Council Secretary William Erickson and filled six open seats on Cowlitz Tribal Council.
Iyall first served the Cowlitz Tribe as chairman in 2008 and was subsequently reelected for four consecutive terms until his initial retirement in 2020.
Under Iyall’s leadership, the Tribe established its reservation in Ridgefield in 2015 and opened the ilani Casino Resort in 2017.
“As the newly elected Tribal Chairman, I am filled with gratitude and excitement for the future of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe,” Iyall stated in a news release. “It is an honor to serve the Cowlitz people again in this capacity. I eagerly look forward to working alongside the Tribal Council and continuing our course toward deepened prosperity, economic opportunity and self-determination. Together, we will work to uphold the values and traditions sacred to the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, preserve our ancestral homelands, protect our sovereignty and ensure a brighter future for our Tribe and our communities for generations to come.”
Erickson was also sworn in after the election. He was initially appointed to the position in 2023. Erickson was first elected to Tribal Council in 2021.
Six Tribal Council members were selected on Saturday and will be sworn in next month, including Steve Barnett, Dean Vernon Reynolds, Tim Van Mechelen, Stephen Henry Kutz, William McTurnal and Michelle Lawrence.
Learn more at https://cowlitz.org/.
