Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures (MLCV) is pleased to announce that Michele Palomaki has been hired as CEO for Wewinabi, Inc., a wholly owned corporation that includes its non-gaming businesses within the three Districts of the Mille Lacs Band Reservation.
As CEO, Michele will oversee non-gaming businesses including the Grand Market, Grand Makwa Cinema, a Subway and Taco John’s franchise, Eddy’s Resort, Big Sandy Lodge, Grindstone Laundry, the Hinckley Medical Office Building and four convenience stores.
Michele is a proven leader. Prior to this position, she served the Mille Lacs Band’s Executive Branch as the Assistant Commissioner of Administration. In that role, she demonstrated remarkable leadership as she oversaw Human Resources, IT, grant writing, the Department of Labor, Circle of Health, Tribal Child Support Enforcement, the Tribal Employment Rights Office and Government Affairs, in addition to managing three Mille Lacs Band Community Centers and the Urban office.
“Developing an executive team with experience that spans a range of our businesses has always been an important part of managing our company for long-term successes,” said Joe Nayquonabe, CEO of Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures and Commissioner of Corporate Affairs for the Mille Lacs Band. “We recognize that her experience and education is an ideal fit to lead our non-gaming businesses well into the future, but what interested us more was her examples of empowerment, passion and perseverance, all of which are cornerstones of the culture at Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures.”
Michele graduated from the College of St. Scholastica, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management. Michele began her new role July 5th.