Chairman of the Board
(Jicarilla Apache/Jemez Pueblo)

Tom Vigil has had direct involvement and work in furthering, and in the formulation and conceptualization of Indian sovereignty in its infancy, during the Nixon and Ford administrations. In the past thirty years, Mr. Vigil has devoted effort to assisting tribes in instituting tribal governmental structures and systems, and applying these principles in private business acceptance on reservations. In addition, he has advocated and fought for the basic rights of Indian people through the national nonprofit advocacy and development organization First Nations Development Institute, which he helped create in 1978. Mr. Vigil also helped to develop and conceptualize First Nations’ wholly owned subsidiary, First Nation Oweesta Corporation.

Since 1983, Mr. Vigil has been in private business, which includes ownership of several corporations and LLCs that are involved in management, development, and consulting. He has also worked as the coordinator of planning for the City of Los Angeles, the White House (President’s Reorganization Project), and the Departments of Interior and Health and Human Services. Mr. Vigil has served on numerous boards including the New Mexico Economic and Tourism Commission and the New Mexico Association of Commerce and Industry.

Mr. Vigil received his bachelor’s degree in economics from New Mexico Highlands University, and received his master of administration degree in management from the University of Southern California.