WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs David W. Anderson today announced that he has named Brian J. Pogue as Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Pogue, who is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, had been serving as acting director of the agency since February 26, 2004. “I am pleased that Brian has accepted this new appointment,” said Anderson. “His extensive experience in Indian affairs and as a federal manager will make him a valuable member of my management team.” The appointment was effective starting May 27.
“I want to thank Assistant Secretary Anderson for this new opportunity,” said Pogue. “I am committed to developing the BIA into a responsive, efficient service provider that truly meets the needs of Indian people. I am confident that we will succeed in our mission.”
Prior to becoming acting BIA director, Pogue had served as the BIA’s Deputy Bureau Director for Field Operations where he was responsible for overseeing the Bureau’s regional, agency and field offices throughout the country. He came to the nation’s capital from the Bureau’s Eastern Regional Office in Nashville, Tenn., where he had served as Deputy Regional Director.
Born and raised in Billings, Mont., Pogue has a Federal service record spanning over 30 years beginning in 1968 with service in the United States Marine Corps. Following his military career, Pogue went to work for the BIA at its Billings Area Office (now Rocky Mountain Regional Office) in Montana. While with the Bureau, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and economics – a double major – from Eastern Montana College.
During his career at the BIA, Pogue has held various positions such as deputy regional director, acting regional director, acting agency superintendent, acting regional realty officer and chief appraiser. In addition to the postings at the Eastern and Rocky Mountain Regional Offices, he has worked for the Northwest Regional Office in Portland, Ore., and Southern Plains Regional Office in Anadarko, Okla.
Furthermore, Pogue has served the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians as Special Assistant to the Principal Deputy Special Trustee and as a Deputy Director for the Office of Trust Litigation Support.
The Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs directly oversees the day-to-day activities of the 180-year old agency that provides services to individual American Indians and Alaska Natives from the federally recognized tribes. The Director administers all laws governing non-education portions of Indian Affairs, provides leadership and direction for BIA employees, and oversees and monitors the work of the BIA regional offices, agencies and field offices. The Director also shares authority and responsibility for the management of tribal and individual Indian trust funds with the Special Trustee for American Indians, and oversees the Bureau’s Land Consolidation Center, the agency’s nationwide program to consolidate fractionated interests in Indian lands.
The Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs has responsibility for helping to fulfill the Interior Department’s trust responsibilities to individual and tribal trust beneficiaries, as well as promoting tribal self-determination, self-governance and economic development for the nation’s 562 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and their members. The Assistant Secretary also oversees the BIA; the Office of Federal Acknowledgment, which administers the Federal Acknowledgment Process; and the BIA school system, which serves approximately 48,000 American Indian children in 184 elementary and secondary schools located on or near 63 reservations in 23 states.
Pogue and his wife have two daughters and three grandchildren.
