SPOKANE, WA --
Jul 06, 2011 -- The Kalispel Tribe of Indians announced today
that it has named Phillip E.
Haugen, a Kalispel Tribal member, General Manager for the Northern
Quest Resort
& Casino (NQRC). Haugen had been serving as Acting General Manager
since
December 2010 and has been employed at NQRC since 2000.
"Phil's leadership has been instrumental in the growth and evolution of
NQRC from a local market casino property to an award-winning, regional
destination resort," said Kent Caputo, COO, Kalispel Tribal Economic
Authority. "He has been an integral part of the team since Northern
Quest
opened and his appointment to this key leadership position represents
an
important milestone for the Tribe."
During Haugen's recent tenure as acting general manager, he led NQRC's
efforts
to construct an outdoor summer concert venue which holds over 5,000
guests and
kicks-off its eight-act Pepsi summer concert series on June 25. He also
led the
renovation and remodel of several areas around the property, including
the
casino gaming floor and the Turf Club Lounge.
"When the Kalispel Tribe opened Northern Quest in 2000, our vision was
to
develop a strong business enterprise that would create opportunities
and jobs
for tribal members, community members and for the region," said Glen
Nenema, Chairman and CEO, Kalispel Tribe of Indians. "Phil was one of
the
Tribe's first college graduates and has worked for Northern Quest for
more than
ten years. His rise to this level of leadership is a true success story
for our
Tribe and the realization of what our vision was all about."
As GM, Haugen will be responsible for leading the operations of the
250-room
hotel and spa, world-class casino gaming including over 2,000 slots,
live poker
room and table games, 14 restaurants and lounges, and more than 1700
employees.
"It's a great honor to lead the incredible team at Northern Quest,"
said Haugen. "We have worked very hard to develop a world-class resort
destination. I look forward to leading the next exciting phases of
growth as we
look to develop new property offerings and business opportunities."
About the
Kalispel Tribe of Indians
Once one of the poorest Native American tribes in the U.S., the
Kalispel Tribe
of Indians is now one of the top ten private employers in the Spokane
region.
The historically humble and hospitable tribe operates Northern Quest
Resort
& Casino, the region's premier destination resort and four (4)
franchise
operations. Tribal health and social service programs, supported by the
resort,
have increased the quality and life expectancy for tribal members and
surrounding communities near the tribe's reservation along the Pend
Oreille
River. The tribe maintains a number of business enterprises and
programs,
provides a total of 2,000 jobs, and has donated over $5 million to
regional
non-profit organizations. Find out more about the Kalispel Tribe's rich
cultural history and their progression at www.kalispeltribe.com.