Stanley Crooks

Stanley R. Crooks (November 27, 1941 – August 25, 2012) served as the Chairman of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community of Minnesota from 1992 until his death in August 2012.[1][2][3] Crooks became a national Native American leader during his twenty-year tenure. He served in the National Congress of American Indians, the longtime chairman of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association, and the representative of the Shakopee Mdewakanton to the National Indian Gaming Association.[2]

Stanley Crooks
Chairman of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
In office
1992 – August 25, 2012
Vice PresidentCharlie Vig (2012)
Glynn Crooks (1996-2018)
Preceded byLeonard Prescott
Succeeded byCharlie Vig
Personal details
Born(1941-11-27)November 27, 1941
Pipestone, Minnesota
DiedAugust 25, 2012(2012-08-25) (aged 70)
Shakopee, Minnesota
SpouseCheryl Crooks
ChildrenTwo Daughters

Biography

Early life

Crooks' father, Norman Crooks, served as the first Chairman of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.[2] Stanley Crooks served in the United States Navy during the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Chairman of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community

Crooks was elected Chairman of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community in 1992, the same year that the tribe's Mystic Lake Casino opened on the reservation.[3] Crooks defeated his cousin, the incumbent Chairman Leonard Prescott, who had overseen the construction of the casino, in the 1992 tribal election.[4] He would serve six-terms as chairman, spanning twenty years from 1992 to 2012.[5]

Crooks oversaw the economic boom resulting from the launch of the casino.[2] The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux employs more than 4,100 people for its casino and non-casino related businesses, with a total payroll of more than $154 million, as of 2012.[3] Under Crooks, the Shakopee Mdewakanton donated more than $243 million to Native American organizations and other charities between 1996 and 2012.[3] It has also issued more than $500 million in loans for economic development since the 1990s.[6]

Stanley Crooks died of a heart attack at St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Shakopee, Minnesota, on August 25, 2012, at the age of 70.[3] He was survived by his wife Cheryl, and two daughters, Cherie and Alisa.[2]

Vice Chairman of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Charlie Vig, succeeded Crooks as Chairman following his death, as required by the Shakopee Mdewakanton constitution.[2][5] The tribal secretary and treasurer Keith B. Anderson became the new Vice Chairman.[2] Vig called Crooks "a leader in every sense of the word" adding that, "He was a true mentor and a true leader. We join with his family, friends and all those who were privileged to know Chairman Crooks in mourning his passing."[3]

References
  1. Brown, Curt (2012-08-29). "Throngs remember Stanley Crooks". Minneapolis Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 2013-01-04. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  2. "Stanley Crooks, Chairman of Minnesota Tribe, Dies". KAAL. 2012-08-26. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  3. "Minn. tribal leader Crooks dies at 70". United Press International. 2012-08-26. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  4. Biewen, John (1997-08-24). "Wealth Leads to Membership Disputes Among Tribal Members". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  5. Brown, Curt (2012-08-02). "TPowerful tribe has new face, Little known outside of Shakopee Mdewakanton, Charlie Vig steps into the limelight to succeed Stanley Crooks". Minneapolis Star Tribune. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  6. Farber, Zach (June 5, 2013). "Shakopee Mdewakanton Gives $10 Million to 18 Tribes". Patch. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.