Indian trust office to open

By Jomay Steen, Journal Staff Writer | Monday, July 18, 2005

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RAPID CITY - When opening an Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians, location is everything.

Rapid City is one of three cities that the Department of Interior chose to receive an office dedicated to providing services and information about Indian trusts. Other offices will be in Seattle and Oklahoma City, according to Jerry Chavez, management analyst from Albuquerque, N.M.

The decision to locate in Rapid City was based on a study that found high concentrations of tribes and individual beneficiaries living within the area, he said.

"This office is going to serve eight local tribes and thousands of individual Indians," Chavez said.

The Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians will host an opening ceremony for its new Rapid City office at 10 a.m. Friday, July 22, at 801 Mount Rushmore Road, Suite 200. Tom Young will serve as the fiduciary trust officer in Rapid City and be the primary contact for trust beneficiaries. He will provide information on all aspects of trust assets, Chavez said.

An open house and reception will follow.

Guests will include Ross Swimmer of Special Trustee for American Indians, local tribal leaders and members, dignitaries and Department of the Interior staff, he said.

In 1994, The American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act created the Office of the Special Trustee to improve the management and accountability of Indian trust funds. The Rapid City Office of the Special Trustee will provide a local and convenient resource to trust beneficiaries with information about their trust assets, Chavez said.

As part of its mission to provide proactive services and information to Indian trust beneficiaries, the Office of the Special Trustee has placed a fiduciary trust office at the Rapid City office and at other field and urban offices throughout Indian Country, Chavez said.

"The Department of Interior manages the tribes' natural resources and other financial assets worth about $3.5 billion. ... The office is a great resource for the beneficiaries with questions they have about their assets," he said.

For information about trust assets, call Tom Young at 341-4028.

Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com