KAHN, BUSINESS COMMITTEE RE-ELECTED TO CHUMASH LEADERSHIP TEAM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Veronica Sandoval
vsandoval@sychumashfoundation.org
SANTA YNEZ, CA — March 7, 2019 — Kenneth Kahn was re-elected to Tribal Chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians in a recent vote that was held to appoint the tribe’s governing body. Also re-elected were all four members of the tribe’s Business Committee: Raul Armenta, Maxine Littlejohn, Mike Lopez, and Gary Pace.
Kahn was elected to the tribe's Business Committee in 2003 and served for seven consecutive terms as Secretary/Treasurer and Vice Chairman. Kahn was appointed to Tribal Chairman in a special election in 2016, he is currently serving his second term as Chairman. Under his Chairmanship, the tribe completed its casino expansion project, and Camp 4 was placed into federal trust by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Armenta serves as Vice-Chairman, having been elected in a special election in 2016. Prior to his appointment to the Business Committee, he served almost two decades on the Santa Ynez Gaming Commission where he, along with four other members, were responsible for providing regulatory oversight of the Chumash Casino Resort.
Littlejohn was first elected to the Business Committee in 2000 and became Secretary-Treasurer in 2003 until she temporarily left the committee to serve on the Gaming Commission from 2005 to 2009. Littlejohn returned to the Business Committee in 2015 and has been re-elected as a member every year since. She currently serves as the Committee’s Secretary-Treasurer.
Pace was first elected in 2004 and has been re-elected to the tribe's Business Committee in eight consecutive elections. During his time on the Business Committee, Pace has worked diligently on the tribe's behalf through many important tribal milestones including the purchase of Camp 4, the acquisition of Hotel Corque, Hadsten House, and Root 246, and the launch of Kitá Wines.
After serving for almost a decade as the Gaming Commission Chairman, Lopez joined the Business Committee in 2015. The recent election serves as his third consecutive term on the tribe’s leadership team. In addition to his role as Committee Member, Lopez also serves as a representative for the tribe’s Education Committee and is currently a board member for the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County.
The tribe’s Chairman and Business Committee members each serve two-year terms and are responsible for establishing policies and overseeing the legal and business affairs of the tribe while providing for the economic well-being of its members.
In 1934, the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Reorganization Act and attached a model constitution and bylaws that are still followed by tribes today.
Self-government is essential for tribal communities to protect their unique cultures and identities. And, in turn, tribal cultures and traditions provide a foundation upon which tribal communities are governed.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians owns and operates the Chumash Casino Resort, which is located on the tribe’s reservation on Highway 246 in Santa Ynez, California. The tribe also owns Hotel Corque, Root 246 and Hadsten House in Solvang, two gas stations in Santa Ynez and its own wine label – Kitá Wines. As the largest employer in the Santa Ynez Valley, the tribe employs more than 2,000 residents of Santa Barbara County.