Tony Skrelunas, MBA
Tony is very passionate about giving back to our people by sharing teachings about how to celebrate life in everything from traditional foods, exercise, business, our ancient ways of farming, and even supporting our sheepherding traditions. His company Tribe Awaken is doing business in several areas to build up our tribal economies. As a part of honoring the tribal teachings he values so much, Tony has dedicated a large portion of the revenues to creating articles covering these subjects to uplift tribal communities all over the world.
Tony has spent much of his career innovating ways to do this and now has organized this online publication as an important foundation for future endeavors into live film, healthy foods, music, focused community/business development, and success coaching. He has gained wisdom from overcoming many challenges to gain an MBA, finish first in his undergraduate business college graduating class, serving as president and director of several important initiatives including running the Navajo Nation’s Division of commerce, leading the delegation of governance authority to the Navajo local community governments and gaining delegation of business leasing authority from the Federal government to the Navajo Nation. He has helped privatize tribal ventures and led investments into the Navajo Shopping Centers, Navajo Times, and Native American National Bank. He was the senior negotiator for the Antelope Point Marina Project and advised many developments at various stages including the Monument Valley Resort and Shonto Marketplace. He is also a motivator and loves to share his story and of how the values of our tribes can show one strong direction towards achieving whatever goal one sets. In the last few years, he has led work on transitioning tribal communities of coal and power plant dependence. He also has founded the Navajo Power PBC which helps tribal economies transition to a range of solar economic benefits.
Some of the career highlights he is most proud of include:
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Flunking out of college and then re focusing and finishing 1st as standard bearer for his College of Business graduating class.
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Serving as President of the dynamic NAU college Native American Business Association and helping found that national association.
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Gaining an MBA while working full time and starting a family.
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Running a successful business consulting firm entitled Bright Edges Associates Inc with my college research professor.
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Creating the comprehensive Navajo Local Governance Act and gaining buy-in at all levels of Navajo society and government. This was a 4 year focused effort.
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Managing commerce for the Navajo Nation. Key achievements: Gain authority over business site leasing from the BIA, create local sales tax setup, develop Chihootso mkt, Karigan Economic Development Complex, Karigan Estates, Antelope Point Marina, creation of the Navajo Shopping Centers and Navajo Times enterprises, getting the Navajo Nation to invest and helping found the Native American National Bank.
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Starting the Native America Program at Grand Canyon Trust while in grad school and restarting it 7 years later upon transitioning back to Flagstaff.
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Creating and directing a high achieving program for 14 years at Grand Canyon Trust.
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Researching and writing extensively about, helping communities transition off power plants and coal mines.
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Founding Navajo Power and Navajo Power Home.
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Founding TribeAwaken.Com and Tribal Prestige Magazine.