Carl E. Venne, whose Crow name is
Aashiise Dakatak Baacheitchish, is
interpreted as “One who crosses the
big river and becomes a leader.”
He
was elected by the Crow People as
Chairman in November 2002, to fill
the unexpired term of Chairman
Clifford BirdinGround who resigned
in September 2002. Carl was elected
to his first full term as Chairman
in 2004. He
considers it a profound honor to
serve the Apsáalooke (Crow) people
as Chairman, being first elected in
November 2002 and re-elected in 2004
running on the platform “Peace
Through Unity.”
He is recognized as a strong leader
who is dedicated to ensuring a
better quality of life for the
Apsáalooke, Chairman Venne places
priorities on tribal and individual
self-sufficiency, quality
healthcare, promoting educational
opportunities and developing the
Tribe’s natural resources and its
vast deposits of minerals. He and
his administration continue to focus
on eight essential initiatives:
creating more employment, preserving
the Apsáalooke language and way of
life, land restoration and
preservation, economic and
industrial development, strengthen
the Apsáalooke Nation’s sovereignty,
bringing additional homes, promoting
home purchase opportunities and
ensuring the rights of all
Apsáalooke are protected.
Under his leadership, Chairman Venne
set a new standard and has changed
the way tribal government operates
by demonstrating integrity, honesty
and pride and has implemented
accountability and reform and has
since turned the fortunes of the
tribe, being focused in assisting
the Apsáalooke in becoming a
prosperous nation.
Chairman Venne has more than three
decades of experience serving in
tribal government. He served as a
former police officer and law
enforcement official, has worked for
previous Tribal Administrations in
various capacities and as an
executive advisor to several Tribal
Chairmen, and has recently served as
a counselor at Little Big Horn
College prior to being elected
Chairman.
Among his many accomplishments as
Chairman, Venne was honored to
deliver the State of Indian Nations
Address at the 2003 and 2007
sessions of the Montana Legislature
and has received strong support from
the Legislature and Montana’s
Governor. Chairman Venne currently
serves as President of the Large
Land Base Tribes and chairs the
Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders
Council and Intertribal Monitoring
Association on Tribal Trust Funds.
He is honored to serve on various
prestigious boards, by invitation,
such as the National Congress of
American Indians and the Montana
Meth Project.
