Waséyabek Development Company Names CEO

Deidra Mitchell joins our organization as the CEO of Waséyabek Development Company, LLC.  She was born and raised in Ohio and is the middle child of Jack and Lynda Mitchell; a retired machinist and a retired bookkeeper.

Deidra attended Kent State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. It was early in her career as an environmental project manager that she began to study the relationship between people, processes and profits, which is the foundation for her business model today.  She started her first company in 1990 and grew it to 15 employees performing projects in Ohio, Missouri, California, Canada, Midway Island, Guam and other Pacific Islands.  Since then, she has started 8 additional companies.

“I find that if I retain quality employees, support them well, provide them with effective and flexible policies, communicate a clear goal, and steer the organization by responsibly allocating resources, a successful business will follow, no matter what the industry,” Deidra explained.

She has started and developed companies for herself, private Corporations and Native Corporations.  Examples include a national demolition and environmental division for a large corporation in Seattle; a private California Corporation that was offering a new technology in the environmental clean-up industry; a company that imported handicrafts from Bali; an Alaska Native IT & Communications company that performed government projects requiring a Top Secret clearance; and a construction division for a large engineering firm in Alaska.

Most recently, she has started up an e-commerce company offering technical documents, and a construction manufacturing company holding 3 newly patented products.

“I enjoy what I do for a living and also think having a balanced life is extremely important.  I enjoy fishing, nature, mosaic art, traveling, my pets, writing and reading.  Most of all, I enjoy the time I get to spend with family and friends.”

Deidra has been in her position for two weeks and says, “I am impressed with the solid business foundation that the WDC Board and Staff have built over the last year.  I am extremely grateful for the opportunity at Waséyabek, and for the Board’s and Tribal Council’s vote of confidence in my abilities to build an economic development arm for NHBP.  I’ll do my very best.”