Ned Norris Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ned Norris Jr.
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| Chairman of the Tohono O'odham | |
| In office August 3, 2007 – May 28, 2015 |
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| Vice President | Wavalene M. Romero (since 2011) Isidro Lopez (2007–2011) |
| Preceded by | Vivian Juan-Saunders |
| Succeeded by | Edward D. Manuel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1955 |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Spouse | Janice Norris |
| Children | Three |
| Residences | Fresnal Canyon, Baboquivari District, Arizona |
| Occupation | Politician |
Ned Norris Jr., born in 1955, is a leader of the Tohono O'odham Nation. This is a Native American community located in southern Arizona. He is currently their Chairman, which is like being the president of their nation. He held this important role for two terms from 2007 to 2015. He was then elected again in 2019 and continues to serve. Before becoming Chairman, Norris worked in marketing and public relations for the O'odham Gaming Authority.
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About Ned Norris Jr.
His Early Life and Education
Ned Norris Jr. was born in 1955 and grew up in Tucson, Arizona. He went to elementary and middle school in Flagstaff, Arizona. Later, he graduated from Sunnyside High School in Tucson. He studied social work at Pima Community College. He also took some classes at the University of Arizona, which later gave him an honorary doctorate degree.
His Career Journey
Norris started working for the Tohono O'odham Nation's government in 1978. He began as a tribal judge, even though he wasn't a lawyer. He served as a judge until 1993. He also helped his local community by serving on the school board for the Sunnyside Unified School District. This was from 1997 to 2000.
Ned Norris Jr. also worked for the Tohono O'odham Gaming Authority. He was the director of public relations and marketing there. He left this job in 2003 when he was elected as the Vice Chairman of the Tohono O'odham Nation. He also worked for the Desert Diamond Casino as an assistant director in public relations.
Serving as Vice Chairman (2003–2006)
In 1999, Vivian Juan-Saunders decided to run for Chairman of the Tohono O'odham Nation. She chose Ned Norris Jr. to be her running mate for Vice Chairman. However, they did not win that election.
In 2003, Vivian Juan-Saunders ran for Chairman again, and Ned Norris Jr. was her running mate once more. This time, they won the election with 59% of the votes. Norris became the Vice Chairman under Chairman Vivian Juan-Saunders. She was the first woman to lead the Tohono O'odham Nation. He served as Vice Chairman until June 2006.
Leading as Chairman (2007–2015, 2019–Present)
In 2007, Ned Norris Jr. decided to run for Chairman himself. He won the election on May 26, 2007. He received 1,766 votes out of 3,105 total votes. His running mate, Isidro Lopez, became the Vice Chairman. Norris and Lopez officially started their terms on August 3, 2007.
As Chairman, Norris said his main goals were to encourage young, college-educated Tohono O'odham people to return to their community. He also wanted to focus on improving health care and reducing unemployment.
In 2011, Norris ran for re-election as Chairman. Wavalene Marie Romero, a Tohono O'odham councilwoman, became his running mate for Vice Chairman. They won the election on May 28, 2011. Norris received 2,238 votes, winning a second term.
In May 2015, Norris and Romero ran for re-election again but were defeated by former Chairman Edward D. Manuel. However, in May 2019, Ned Norris Jr. won another election. He defeated Edward Manuel in a runoff vote and returned to the office of Chairman.
