The accomplishments of Patrick A. Hayes, Esq., former Area Director of the Albuquerque Area Office will be recognized at the graduation ceremony of the Water Resource and Engineering Surveying Technical Training Programs on August 15, 1996, Hilda Manuel, Deputy Commissioner for Indian Affairs announced today. The Water Resource Technical Training is being held at New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico in August 1996 through September 1996.
"Mr. Hayes, while Director, Office of Trust Responsibilities, was instrumental in promoting, developing and instructing the BIA's innovative Water Resource and Engineering Surveying Technical Training Programs," Ms. Manuel said. "Without Pat's commitment and dedication to this initiative, it could not have been the overwhelming success that it is today. In addition, to providing much needed training for Indian tribal governments regarding a very important tribal resource, 100% of the participants complete the program." The first Water Resource program was initiated in 1993. It began with sixteen students selected from a field of 115 applicants. The participants represented fifteen different tribes from a wide cross-section of the United States.
Since 1993 the popularity of this initiative has grown. There have now been 455 applications with a total of 122 students attending and completing the course. The objectives of this training initiative are to build tribal capabilities by providing American Indian individuals with practical skills to deal with physical, environmental, economic, legal, administrative, and cultural aspects of water resource development and management, and to enable the tribes to do their own surveying tasks. What is particularly unique about this training initiative is that it requires abstinence from drugs and alcohol throughout the I-year on-the job training. Graduates have gone on to complete further educational goals and have been promoted to more demanding, more highly paid job opportunities.
Mr. Hayes was born in Webster, South Dakota, on November 26, 1944 and was an enrolled member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe. He began work for the BIA after obtaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Government/Political Science in 1966. His BIA career was interrupted by military service (1967 - 1970) and to attend the University of New Mexico, Law School (1971 - 1974).
"Mr. Hayes held many significant, managerial positions for the Bureau and we are very grateful for his untiring work, dedication and contributions," Ms. Manuel said. Some of the positions Mr. Hayes held within the BIA were; Enrollment Coordinator for Alaska Native Enrollment Office, Anchorage, Alaska, Judicial Services Officer, Division Chief for Tribal Government Services, Superintendent, Colorado River Agency, Parker, e Arizona, he entered the Senior Executive Service in 1986, Realty Officer for the Phoenix Area, Phoenix, Arizona, Assistant Area Director for Indian Programs in the Phoenix Area, Deputy to the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs (Trust and Economic Development), Deputy Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Area Director, Billings, Area Director, Albuquerque.
Mr. Hayes, who dedicated his entire professional career to Indian Affairs, is being recognized for his ingenuity and support for the Water Resource and Engineering Surveying Technical Training Programs as well as his tenure and exemplary leadership as the Director, Office of Trust Responsibilities. "Mr. Hayes was truly a good Chief, Indian leader, mentor and friend to many individuals within the Bureau. Pat's loss has been deeply felt at the Bureau. I am sure that the American Indian people he served and his coworkers join me in this expression of our gratitude," Ada E. Deer, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs said.
PATRICK A. HAYES, Esq., 1944 - 1995
