Michael Kidder, who is now serving an interim term, now occupies the vacant position on the Osage Nation Gaming Commission.
Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear appointed Kidder (Hominy District) to the three-member Gaming Commission in October and he will now be subject to confirmation by the ON Congress for a full three-year term.
Kidder, who ran for the Fourth ON Congress earlier this year, works as a lubrication consultant for LE Lubrication Engineers in the Oklahoma City area, according to his LinkedIn profile. He also worked in sales for Quality Petroleum and has prior experience as a chemist and technical specialist where he worked in product research and development.
Kidder joined fellow Gaming Commissioners Marsha Harlan and Jeanine Logan for his first meeting on Nov. 14 – the same day he was sworn into office at the ON tribal courthouse in Pawhuska.
Standing Bear appointed Kidder after withdrawing a previous appointee from the position vacancy.
In October, Standing Bear appointed attorney and Kaw Nation citizen Ken Bellmard to the Gaming Commission, but Bellmard’s appointment was later withdrawn by Standing Bear. According to Osage law, all three Gaming Commissioners must be Osage Nation members.
Baconrind appointed to ON gaming board
On Dec. 4, Thomas Baconrind (Osage) took oath as an ON Gaming Enterprise Board member.
Standing Bear appointed Baconrind, of El Dorado, Kans., to the five-member gaming board after Henry Harjo resigned his seat. Harjo joined the gaming board in March after being appointed by then-Principal Chief Scott BigHorse.
Baconrind, a U.S. Air Force veteran, works as an independent professional insurance agent with 27 years experience, according to his resume. He also served as vice chairman on the former Osage gaming board when the Nation had three casinos. He served as ambassador for the Hays (Kans.) Chamber of Commerce for six years and as ambassador for Fort Hays State University during the opening of Haskell Nations Indian University when it transitioned from a two-year college to a four-year university.
Baconrind’s earlier professional experience includes sales and marketing of funeral supplies for funeral homes, including caskets. He served on the Standing Bear Educational Committee for 14 years and holds certifications in estate planning for seniors.
The ON Congress will also consider Baconrind’s appointment for a three-year term.
By
Benny Polacca
Original Publish Date: 2014-12-05 00:00:00