Jeromy Sullivan was elected Chair of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe after longtime chairman Ron Charles chose not to run for re-election.

“It has been a honor to serve for these many years, and being a part of watching the Tribe and its people prosper,” Charles said. “The Tribe plays an important role in the lives of not only its more than 1,100 members, but also the other citizens of the county, so good tribal leadership is essential for success. On a personal note, I am not one to sit idle, and I don’t think my working life is over, but I am going to take a bit of time before deciding what to do next.”

Sullivan works as the Tribe’s Information Services Manager as well as having served on a number of boards — including those related to law enforcement and natural resources — that support the interests of the S’Klallam community.

This is the first time Sullivan has been elected to the position although he has been elected to serve other positions on the Council twice before, including being currently seated as a Councilperson. There will be a special election in the near future to fill the rest of Sullivan’s vacated position.

Betty DeCoteau, an incumbent councilperson, was re-elected. She has served for 10 years in her current position on council and is also the Finance and Accounting Director for the Tribe.

Newly elected to the Tribal Council is Chad Sullivan who has worked at the Tribe’s Early Childhood Education program for the past 16 years.

Also choosing to not seek re-election was Gerald “Jake” Jones, a master carver with many years on the council, including several as chair, also chose not to seek re-election. He was instrumental in the tribe participating in the Paddle to Seattle 20 years ago and also helped restart the modern annual Tribal Canoe Journeys.

Each of the six elected Tribal Council members serve two-year terms with three of the positions up for re-election each year.