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| Affiliation | Democratic |
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| Name | Derrick Watchman |
| Address |
Window Rock, Arizona , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
Unknown
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| Contributor | Barack O-blame-a |
| Last Modifed | RBH
Jan 25, 2015 12:24am |
| Tags |
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| Info | Derrick Watchman, a member of the Navajo Nation is presently the Chief of Staff to the Office of the President/Vice President for the Navajo Nation. He was born in Flagstaff, Arizona and raised on the Navajo Reservation. His primary duties include managing the divisions and executive offices of the Navajo Nation's Executive Branch, as well as advising the Navajo Nation President on issues impacting the Nation. Prior to this position, he was the Director of Indian Affairs for the U.S. Department of Energy under Energy Secretary Bill Richardson. His primary responsibility was to advise the Department and the Energy Secretary on issues impacting Indian Tribes near Department of Energy sites. Previously, Derrick worked for Wells Fargo Bank Corporation handling Native American banking and financing. Prior to that, he was Chief Operating Officer and General Manager of the Navajo Nation's Dine Power Authority where he advised on Navajo Nation energy projects. Derrick also held the Navajo Tax Commission Executive Director post with the Navajo Nation. He successfully worked to continue the implementation the Navajo Nation's authority to tax, particularly on the large resource companies. He also coordinated passage of federal tax incentives that stimulate reservation development. Derrick holds a MBA from the University of California at Berkeley and a Bachelors degree from the University of Arizona.
Professional Experience
Chief of Staff. Navajo Nation Executive Branch, Window Rock, AZ. Directs and supervises the Navajo Nation Executive Branch�s Directors and Supervisors, in concert with the Navajo Nation President. The Navajo Nation, with over 7000 employees and 16 agencies, operates on a $300 million annual operating budget. The Chief of Staff acts and advises on the coordination and implementation of policy and programs for Navajo Nation government services and the Navajo Nation President.
Director of Indian Affairs. U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. Direct policy and programs for the Department related to tribal governments and serve as the highest senior liaison between the Department and tribal governments. Successfully developed effective relationships with tribal government to improve delivery of Department services through the creation of a department-wide service network�a network expanding across the country. Expanded energy programs to tribes including Indian preference power allocations through the power marketing administrations; worked with tribal governments on electricity deregulation impacts; increased renewable energy grant programs for tribes and tribal colleges; increased budget appropriations requests for tribal programs; updated tribal government service policies; represented the agency in inter-agency American Indian policy decisions; streamlined the native business utilization policies; and coordinated with all Departmental offices effective protocols to work with tribal governments.
Chief of Staff. U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. Managed staffing and projects for the Department�s economic impact and diversity office. This office, with 75 headquarter staff, handles the department�s civil rights and EEO responsibilities, oversees the small business development and goaling offices, manages the community and business development programs at department sites across the county, manages accounting and control of the office�s $7 million annual appropriations, manages the $300 million minority banking program, and implements with other department offices minority community technical assistance programs. Also served as special assistant on Indian tribal programs.
Assistant Vice President. Wells Fargo Bank, San Francisco, California, and Phoenix, Arizona. Commercial loan officer and relationship manager with responsibilities of loan underwriting, loan documentation, credit scoring and approval, cash management advice, and capital budgeting management to middle market companies and Indian tribes. Loans ranged from $1 million to $25 million; mainly for capital expansion, working capital lines and tax-exempt issues. Completed in one year, five multi-million dollar loan packages for tribal business expansions. Worked closely with other Wells Fargo operations including lock box transactions, real estate valuations, security purchases, and vault storage. Successfully completed the company�s nationally recognized senior credit management training program.
Management Advisor. Derrick B. Watchman Consulting, Window Rock, Arizona. Financial and management consulting to tribes and private companies on tribal tax planning, strategic planning, marketing plans, business planning, business start-up, Indian affairs relationship building, accounting controls development, investment monitoring, banking strategies, tribal rights-of-way valuation, and economic development documentation management. Developed a tribal development marketing plan for an Arizona tribe; prepared a tax revenue strategy for a small tribe; assessed the impacts of a proposed gross receipts tax; prepared an auditing proposal; and developed a marketing plan to market and provide energy services to tribes in the Southwest.
General Manager. Dine Power Authority, a Navajo Nation subsidiary, Window Rock, Arizona. Managed and directed the utility and energy development enterprise of the Navajo Nation. With a $10 million annual capital and $8 million operating budget, and a 55 member professional staff, managed operations and developed transmission and generating station proposals for tribal council consideration. Managed construction contracts, accounting controls, payroll, cost-benefit modeling, environmental clearances and consultant work scope. Coordinated preparation of environmental impact statements and environmental assessments for all of the Nation�s energy projects. Secured during a three-year period $20 million in federal appropriations. Analyzed and valued reservation right of way agreements. Implemented and updated the internal auditing and accounting controls for the Authority.
Executive Director, Navajo Tax Commission. Navajo Nation, Window Rock, Arizona. Directed and managed the tax division for the Navajo Nation. Collected annually $40 million in tax revenues. Implemented tax-monitoring systems to improve cash flow and enforcement. Negotiated major tax settlements netting the Navajo Nation over $100 million in back taxes. Acted as tribal treasurer for the investment of the $45 million tax suspense fund. Developed policy and strategic direction for the Nation�s $350-million annual operating budget. Served on the Nation�s Investment Committee with responsibilities of writing investment policies, updating the asset allocation policy, instructing fund managers, managing the trust agents, and developing & monitoring the performance of the Nation�s $800 million portfolio. Advised on major fiscal and accounting issues including loan refinancings, appropriation policies, claims funds management, congressional testimony preparation, multi-year financial/capital budgeting modeling, and other major fiscal matters. In conjunction with tax duties, performed Chief of Staff assignment for the Navajo Executive Branch. This assignment required coordination of government�s 300 programs and departments.
Investment Manager. Prudential Capital Corporation, Newark, New Jersey. Developed, analyzed and structured investments ranging between $5 and $50 million. Developed loan credit reports for insurance company ratings, managed the leveraged buyout portfolio that included assessing quarterly performance and monthly servicing, analyzed & assessed financial statement performance, and developed & implemented middle market marketing strategies. Managed central office support staff of 25. Represented company in division-wide (investment divisions of the Prudential Insurance Company) portfolio rating and asset-liability management reviews. Managed southwest office�s credit management reporting, and coordinated board approval of certain investments.
Budget and Evaluation Analyst. Navajo Nation, Window Rock, Arizona. Developed, organized and prepared annual operating budgets for tribal programs. Presented annual budgets to the Navajo Council, an 88-member body. The annual operating budget totaled $125 million. Incorporated zero based budgeting techniques, program performance measurements, and results based management techniques in the planning and execution of the program operations. Conducted bi-annual program evaluations/audits to assess program accomplishments relative to tribal charter. Developed management by objective models for tribal programs to institute. Conducted tribal budget training for new program staffing.
Boards and Commissions
Board of Director, Native American Bancorporation, Denver, Colorado. Represents the Navajo Nation as a Board of Director to this mutli-Native American owned commercial bank. The bank, which began operations in September 2001, is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with a retail operation in Browning, Montana.
Chairman of the Board, Navajo Forest Products Industries, a Navajo Nation subsidiary Navajo, New Mexico. Appointed as Chairman of the Board to liquidate the defunct lumber operation. This former 20 million annual board feet/$10 million annual business lost its timber harvesting permit and could not operate. Worked to transfer and assist remaining workforce, liquidate assets, implement loan restructuring plans, secure plant for moth-balling, and transfer remaining records, assets, and activities to the Navajo government. This operation was closed down in 1996.
Vice Chairman, Navajo Tax Commission, Window Rock, Arizona. Served as Vice Chairman of the Navajo Nation�s Tax Commission, the tribe�s taxation and policy board, for two separate periods---1988 to 1992 and 1994 to 1996. The primary function of this seat was to review, assess and establish tax policy for the Navajo tribal government. During the two terms, reduced high tax appeal rate, reduced the tax suspense funds, and expanded the tax program to a broader tax base on the Navajo reservation.
Education
Masters in Business Administration, 1988. University of California. Berkeley, California. Finance and accounting concentration.
Bachelors of Science in Business Administration, 1984. University of Arizona. Tucson, Arizona. Finance and accounting concentration.
Training
SBA Small Business Lending Intermediary
Wells Fargo Credit Management Training Program
American Public Power Association Energy Financing Workshops
Talk Power, a Natalie Rogers public speaking program
Duke University, Intermediate Accounting Review Course
Chartered Financial Analyst Candidate Review Courses
Management by Objective (MBO), University of New Mexico
Prudential Capital Corporation, Credit and Financing Training Program
Microsoft Office software (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access)
Department of Energy � Federal budgeting process courses
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