ABOUT US

Tewatohnhi’saktha 
“Collectively finding ways to support ourselves by maintaining a continuity of life for our families.”

Tewatohnhi’saktha (Kahnawake Economic Development Commission or KEDC) was established in 1999 by legislation of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake. It has been established to create jobs, wealth, and self-sufficiency for the Mohawks of Kahnawake. 

The Tewatohnhi'saktha team work to help our community  reach its economic potential by concentrating on existing and new resources, both human and financial. 

Autonomous Entity

Tewatohnhi’saktha operates as an autonomous entity from the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake, operating as a cooperative legal structure with seven voting members acting as the Board of Directors. Kahnawake Economic Development Commission, however, remains accountable to the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake and the community for its actions and results.

Our Vision

Our vision is a self sufficient community that fosters  quality of life for Kanien'kehaka ne Kahnawa'kehro:non (Mohawks of Kahnawake) and creates collective prosperity for future generations consistent with our cultural values.

Our Mission

Tewatohnhi'saktha exists to stimulate and enhance Kahnawake's Economic Growth by investing in people and businesses, as well as other economic opportunities.

The following divisions of Tewatohnhi'saktha support our mission:

• Revenue Generation
• Tewatohnhi'saktha Consulting
• Small Business Services
• Employment and Training
• Organizational Services

Core Values

Values reflect who we are and what we continuously strive to become. At Tewatohnhi’saktha, we strive to be: 

1. Results Oriented

Being results oriented is a core element of the Tewatohnhi’saktha culture that supports our reason for being and provides credible, recognizable and significant evidence to all our stakeholders and ourselves.

Results Oriented means:

• Ensuring our daily, weekly and monthly actions are planned towards meeting pre-determined goals and objectives and which are flexible to changing demands and new priorities.
• Setting key measures of success for short, medium and long term goals and objectives while ensuring alignment with the vision and mission.
• Creating strategies that are well thought out, supportive and effective to achieving the desired ends.
• Investing and deploying the required resources to ensure success.
• Continuously striving to produce excellent results.
• Regularly evaluating progress, acknowledging our mistakes, and learning from them so we can do better next time.

2. Accountable

Accountability is taking responsibility for doing what we said we would do in order to progress towards our goals while holding ourselves responsible for our progress. Being accountable is vital to establish credibility, gain support, and build trust for future projects and initiatives.

Accountability means:

• Taking responsibility for achieving results – doing what we said we would do.
• Living up to our responsibilities, meeting our obligations, fulfilling our agreements.
• Tracking, measuring and reporting our results to our stakeholders.

3. Progressive and Innovative

We strive to meet the needs of our community in an ever increasing and complex business environment by being innovative and progressive in our thinking in designing and delivering services/products to our external and internal customers.

Progressive and innovative means:

• Developing products, services and processes that go beyond the accepted standards in our community and our organization.
• Encouraging a climate that is open and supportive of suggestions and trying out new approaches and ideas.
• Challenging ourselves to achieve higher levels of productivity by being innovative.
• Encouraging all Tewatohnhi’saktha team members to take an active role in being progressive and innovative.
• A team that is admired for being innovative and progressive.

We strive to adhere  to a high standard of professionalism by delivering products and services in a way that is courteous, respectful, competent and sensitive to our clients.

 Professionalism means:

• Doing our best every time.
• Taking pride in what we do.
• Treating others as we would want to be treated, and as they want to be treated.
• Being aware of the image that we project.
• Conducting ourselves with integrity and honor.
• Being competent and knowledgeable.

5. Customer Focused

Tewatohnhi’saktha exists to build a prosperous and self-sufficient community. On a daily basis we strive to develop the economic base of our community by providing excellent customer services/products. Customers are community members who rely on us for service delivery, while our Board members and fellow employees rely on us for services to achieve our mission and strategic priorities.

 Customer Service means:

• Providing every customer with high quality, efficient service that is delivered respectfully
• Creating positive customer experiences in all our interactions.
• Meeting and exceeding customer expectations.
• Seeking continual feedback by listening and learning from our customers in order to improve our services.
• Encouraging a culture of excellence in serving customers.
• Being role models in customer service excellence.

6. Employee Focused

We value our employees by ensuring they are satisfied in their work, well trained to do their job and properly equipped to work at their very best. Satisfied, positive employees encourage others of the same caliber to join our team.

 Employee Satisfaction means:

• Providing a work environment that encourages all employees to perform at their highest ability.
• Being responsive to the needs of and caring for employees.
• Sharing responsibility for creating a positive, productive work environment.
• Being supportive (of each other) and working together as a team.
• Having and utilizing opportunities for growth and development.
• Providing timely appreciation and fair compensation and benefits for employee contributions.

7. Team Oriented

Teamwork is the realization that success depends on the whole team working together, not just one person. Teamwork requires working both formally and informally with coworkers. This is done in a supportive and collaborative environment that contributes to and reinforces a positive work environment.

 Team focused means:

• Being aware of and supportive of co-workers' work activities.
• Working outside one’s individual work plan and objectives.
• Respecting the ideas and input of others.
• Supporting the decisions of other co-workers.
• Participating in cross-functional planning.
• Working in cross-functional teams to achieve results.
• Giving appreciation to team members for accomplishments and efforts.

 Other behaviors from initial brainstorm:

• Planning together how we can help each other achieve our mission and vision.
• Understanding roles and responsibilities of others.

8. Open and Honest

Being open and honest involves sharing key information with our community and stakeholders regarding our projects, initiatives, and activities. Being open and honest is the foundation for building trust in all our relationships.

Open and honest means:

• Communicating with our stakeholders in an accurate and timely manner.
• Confirming that receiver understands our message.
• Admitting when you don't know or don’t understand and taking the time to seek out information when necessary.

Strategic Plan

The 2011 strategic plan for Tewatohni'saktha ended on March 31, 2011 and we recorded favorable results for the organization.  Key areas of the three year plan included Revenue Generation; Job Creation & Employment, Client Services, Employee Satisfaction, Business Explansion and Creation and Stakeholder Satisfaction.  Our results as of March 31, 2011 can be found in the 11th annual report.  Click here to view.

The management team and staff are currently working on a Strategic Plan from 2012 to 2015. Bud Morris, CEO, states "As we mark our twelfth year of operations, I can state with conviction that we have come a long way and that our new plan will be an excellent blueprint for continued success in our mission."

OUR TEAM

Board of Directors

Lionel Jacobs
Native American Products
Chairperson*
Term ends: Summer 2015

Peter Lafleur
Lafleurs Golf Club
Member
Term ends: Summer 2015

Charles Barnett
Precision Audio Lab
Member
Term ends: Summer 2013

Wayne Rice
Mohawk Paving
Member
Term ends: Summer 2015

Greg Horn
Greg Horn Photography
Member
Term ends: Summer 2015

Jack Leclaire
JW Leclaire Reg'd
Member
Term ends: Summer 2013

* Note:  These officers are appointed every election; thus the chairperson shall be up for re-appointment in 2013.  General elections are not necessarily held in a definitive month, but are definitely held every second summer.  Board members hold their position until the first meeting of the new Board after the election, normally in September.                               

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

John Bud Morris

Management Team

John Bud Morris
CEO

Nancy Stacey
Director Human Resources

Barbara McComber
Director Small Business Services

Steven O. Horne
Director Employment & Taining

Kyle Delisle
Director of Revenue Generation

Marcy Delisle
Director of Finance & Administration 

Cathy Diabo
Accounting Manager


Lisa Lahache 
PR/Communications Officer

Marissa Leblanc 
Executive Assistant

Organizational Services Team

Nancy Stacey
Director of Human Resources

Marcy Delisle
Director of Finance & Administration

Sose Canadian
Information Systems Manager

Kristy Kennedy
Interim Executive Assistant

Penny Kane
Secretary / Receptionist

Cathy Diabo
Accounting Manager

Wahsontaha:wi Stacey
Financial Clerk

Tammy Delaronde
Facilities Manager

Small Business Services Team

Barbara McComber
Director

Tammy Delaronde
Business Services Officer

Daryl Leclaire
Business Services Officer

Angela Deer
Loans Officer

Employment and Training Team

Steven Horne
Director

Gene Montour
Employment & Training Counselor

Helen Watso
Employment & Training Counselor

Angie Marquis
Employment & Training Counselor/Youth Program Coordinator

Herb Rice
Employment & Training Officer

Kara Paul
Instructor/Coordinator for the CBS/SOAR Program

Sandra Jacco
Administrative Clerk

Revenue Generation/Tewatohnhi'saktha Consulting Team

John Bud Morris
CEO

Kyle Delisle
Director of Revenue Generation

Amy Rice
Business Development Officer


Marissa Leblanc
Executive Assistant

Security Team

David Wayne Rice
Security Guard

Travis Rice
Interim Security Guard

Peter Diabo
Security Guard

Wilbert Standup
Security Guard

Facilities Team

Marvin McComber
Facilities Operations & Security Manager

Erica McComber
Building Maintenance Superintendent KOC

Carrie-Layne Diabo Marquis
Office Cleaner