Sidney L. Mills, director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' office of trust responsibilities, has been appointed director of the BIA's area office at Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ross Swimmer, Interior assistant secretary for Indian affairs announced today.
Mills, a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, served as the Albuquerque area director from 1978 to 1982, before coming to Washington for the position in trust responsibilities. Both positions are at the senior executive service level.
The Albuquerque area director is responsible for BIA operations and activities in New Mexico and Colorado, serving 19 Pueblo tribal groups, the Jicarilla and Mescalero Apache Tribes, the Southern Utes and Ute Mountain Utes, and the Ramah Navajo reservation. Mills is expected to begin his new duties early in 1986.
A Navy veteran, Mills entered federal service in 1973. His experience includes a six month stint in 1980 as the acting deputy assistant secretary for Indian affairs and a similar detail in 1979 as the acting deputy commissioner for the BIA. He has been executive assistant to the commissioner, acting deputy area director and contracting officer for the Bureau's area office in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Prior to 1973, he served in the private sector as a purchasing manager for the Great Western Sugar Company; merchandise control manager, Creative Merchandising, Inc., and purchasing manager for the Sundstrand Aviation Company, all in Denver, Colorado.
The Albuquerque position has been vacant since August 30, 1985 when former area director Vincent Little retired.
