Ross Swimmer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ross Swimmer
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| 4th Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs | |
| In office 1985–1989 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Kenneth Smith |
| Succeeded by | Eddie Frank Brown |
| Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation | |
| In office 1975–1985 |
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| Deputy | Wilma Mankiller |
| Preceded by | W. W. Keeler |
| Succeeded by | Wilma Mankiller |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 26, 1943 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Margaret Swimmer |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Oklahoma (BA, JD) |
Ross O. Swimmer was born on October 26, 1943. He is a member of the Cherokee Nation. From 2003 to 2009, he worked as the Special Trustee for American Indians at the U.S. Department of the Interior. Before that, he was the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. He is a member of the Republican Party. Ross Swimmer has some Cherokee family background.
Contents
Education and Early Life
Studying at the University of Oklahoma
Ross Swimmer went to the University of Oklahoma. There, he earned two degrees. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree and also a law degree. While he was a student, he was part of a group called Alpha Sigma Phi.
Career and Public Service
Leading the Cherokee Nation
Ross Swimmer is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. He served as their Principal Chief from 1975 to 1985. The Principal Chief is like the main leader or governor of the Cherokee Nation.
Working for the U.S. Government
In 1985, Ross Swimmer left his role as Principal Chief. He took a new job as the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs. This job was with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This bureau is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior. It works with Native American tribes.
When he left, Wilma Mankiller became the new Principal Chief. She had been his Deputy Chief.
Helping Native American Businesses
From 1995 to 2001, Swimmer was the president of the Cherokee Group, L.L.C. This company helped Native American clients. They worked on government issues at both state and federal levels. The company also supported new businesses on Native American lands.
He also worked as a lawyer for a firm called Hall Estill. His wife, Margaret, is a partner there.
Community Development Work
Ross Swimmer also helped create a program for rural communities. This program was about "self-help" for community development. He worked with the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York on this project.
Trust Fund Oversight
In 2001, the Bush administration appointed him to a new role. He became the Director of the Office of Indian Trust Transition. This office was part of the Interior Department. Its goal was to fix how money was managed for Native American trust funds. This was important because of a court case called Cobell v. Kempthorne.
