Published: May 18, 2009 12:02 pm      

Anoatubby to speak at Ada graduation

ADA — Chickasaw Nation Gov. Bill Anoatubby will serve as commencement speaker for the 103rd graduating class of Ada High Tuesday, May 19, 8 p.m. at the Ada Cougar Activity Center on the Ada High campus.

The Ada High graduation has taken place annually since 1907, the same year Oklahoma was inducted into statehood. The first class graduated April 22, 1907.

Class sizes have risen since that initial year from seven graduates to this year’s class of 160-plus seniors.

The festivities will be spread over two days starting with the awards ceremony for the seniors on Monday, May 18, 7 p.m. in the ACAC. On Tuesday afternoon there will be a rehearsal walk for the seniors at 1 p.m.

For graduation, the doors to the ACAC will open at 7 p.m. to allow friends and family to get seats. There will be no tickets this year, and the seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis within the gym portion of the ACAC. However, there will be a simultaneous video cast provided in the auditorium.

As six-term governor of the nation, Anoatubby has served as the governor since 1987. Prior to that, he served as the first lieutenant governor from 1979-1987. He has been active in tribal government since 1975, holding positions ranging from director of tribal health services and director of finance to special assistant to the governor and controller.

Gov. Anoatubby and his wife Janice have two sons, Brian and Chris. Chris and his wife Becky have three children, Brendan, Eryn and Sydney. Brian and his wife Melinda have two children, Chloe and Preslea.

Gov. Anoatubby became the 30th Governor of the Chickasaw Nation when he was elected to the position in 1987. He has since been re-elected to serve each ter. He is currently in his sixth term in office which expires in 2011.

Gov. Anoatubby was raised in Tishomingo, the tribe’s first capital. In 1964, he graduated from THS, where he played football and was active in student government. He attended Murray State College in Tishomingo, before transferring to East Central University in Ada, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business and accounting. He undertook additional studies in business and finance at ECU and Southeastern State in Durant.

During his college years, he served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard, attaining the rank of staff sergeant and command of a light truck platoon, before his honorable discharge in 1971. From 1972 to 1974, he was employed as an office manager for American Plating Company.



From 1974 to 1975, he was employed by the Little Giant Corporation, working in the areas of accounting, budgeting, financial analysis and electronic data processing.

As governor, he is responsible for administration of more than 50 government programs, 13 tribal businesses and a $350 million annual budget. As governor, he has devised a multi-pronged approach to improving conditions for the tribe in the areas of tribal finance, education, business and economic development, environmental protection and healthcare.