Ha-wey Dah-heh Wah-zha-zhi Ni-Kah-zhi.
Hello, Osage Nation! Let me introduce myself. My name is Fidelis Cole Davis, AH-kah-hu. My mother was Martha Ruth Oberly Davis, maternal grandparents were Alfred Oberly and Beulah Cole Oberly Jackson. I am the great grandson of John Oberly, principle chief in the early 50’s.
Presently I am the Director of your Food Distribution Program serving low income Native American households a nutritious food package.
In 1971 I graduated high school as a Hominy Buck. I received an Associate of Applied Science degree at Haskell Indian Junior College; it has opened doors in many different vocations. In 1975 my tribal career began as a staff accounting clerk and counselor for the CETA Program. That led to assistant Director for Mary Jo Webb on the Administration for Native Americans program that in 1977 produced a 25 year Economic Development Plan for the Osage Tribal Council and the Principal Chief, Sylvester Tinker.
After several years with McDonnell Douglas Tulsa and in the oilfield my career was taken on the road to many states in the Nuclear Energy field. For seven years throughout the Eastern United States I contracted at various Nuclear Power plants as a Health Physics technician during outages for refueling the reactors. As a Senior Health Physics technician at facilities regulated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, many volumes of regulations guided and directed workers to perform safely and effectively according to health physics work permits. My experience led me to writing the radiation work permits with the priority for worker exposure to radiation and contamination as low as reasonably achievable.
The road led home in 1994, back to tribal government as a grant writer. I completed, submitted and negotiated various grants in the areas of housing, language, employment and community development with various federal agencies. As a grant writer some negotiation is necessary at times
Twenty-two years’ experience as a director in addition to the five years in the 70’s has created great pride for myself and the part I have had in the evolution of this tribe. Many opportunities to tap into the skills and abilities that come with experience have been presented throughout my career.
Currently, tribally I serve on the Employment Protection Council. I have served on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Food Distribution Programs & the Oklahoma New Mexico Food Action for Tribes (ONFACT). I have been elected two terms on the Hominy Public Schools Board of Education, and am on my second term of the Board of Directors of the Golden Eagle Federal Credit Union.
Culturally, I have served on the Zon-Zo-Lin committee as the West Side Wah-nah-zi, Whipman . I have held several head staff positions for pow-wows in the area.
We have so much going for us in the Osage Nation so many blessings and advantages. But we need solutions to meet today’s challenges so we can build an economy that works in your favor and is good for the entire Osage Nation. I hereby ask for your vote in this election for the fifth Osage Nation Congress. Weh-wi-nah
[The Osage News does not edit candidate announcements.]
By
Osage News
Original Publish Date: 2016-04-20 00:00:00
