U.S. Department of the Interior

Secretary Norton Announces Proposed Appointment of
Associate Members to the National Indian Gaming Commission

WASHINGTON--Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton today announced the proposed appointment of Cloyce V. Choney and Nelson W. Westrin to serve as associate members of the National Indian Gaming Commission. The notice of proposed appointment was published in the Sept. 4, 2002, Federal Register. The appointments are pending background review and completion of the 30-day public comment period.

"Both of these candidates are superbly qualified to serve on the Commission," Secretary Norton said. "Their professional background and broad range of experience will be a tremendous asset in addressing Indian Gaming issues."

The Indian Regulatory Act provides for a three-member National Indian Gaming Commission. The Commission is composed of a chairman and two associate members. The chairman is appointed by the President, with the consent of the U.S. Senate, and the two associate members are appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. Associate members do not require confirmation by the Senate. Commission members serve for a term of three years.

Cloyce V. Choney currently serves as the chief executive officer for Indian Territory Investigations. He is a former special agent with the FBI. During his 26 years with the bureau, he received several awards and commendations for outstanding service, including the Director's Award for Excellence in 2001. He also served as chairman of the Native American/Alaska People Advisory Committee. Mr. Choney served as President of National Native American Law Enforcement Association (1996-1997). A member of the Comanche Nation of Oklahoma, Choney served in the U.S. Army (1969-1975), where he earned the rank of captain. He holds a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University.

Nelson W. Westrin currently serves as the first executive director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board, named in 1996 by Gov. John M. Engler. He works closely with tribal officials while carrying out the state's oversight of Native American casino gaming operations in Michigan. From 1993-1997, he served as the Racing Commissioner for the State of Michigan. Prior to that, he was Assistant Attorney General for the State of Michigan (1977-1993), and he was assigned (1984-1993) to the Lottery and Racing Division. Westrin holds a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University (1969), and a law degree from Detroit College of Law (1974).

Written comments on the proposed appointments should be sent to the Director, Office of Executive Secretariat, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, N.W., Mail Stop 6531, Washington, D.C. 20240.

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U.S. Department of the Interior