Zachariah
Pahmahmie has resigned after nearly four years as chairman of the Prairie Band
of the Potawatomi Nation.
The
Potawatomi Tribal Council put out a news release Wednesday announcing the
resignation, which was effective immediately. The council said it would carry
out the functions of Pahmahmie's office while tribal operations would continue
as normal.
The news
release referred questions to a tribal council member, who didn't return a
telephone message left Thursday. Pahmahmie, 32, couldn't be reached for
comment.
The Topeka
Capital-Journal named Pahmahmie a Distinguished Kansan for 2002. He told the
newspaper that year that his job required him to serve as sort of a
"goodwill ambassador" for the prairie band, meeting with tribal
groups, as well as state and local government committees.
Pahmahmie
became the youngest chairman in the prairie band's history when he was elected
in July 2002 over four opponents, including incumbent Badger Wahwassuck.
Pahmahmie
graduated from Horton High School in 1992, Stanford University in 1996 and The
University of Kansas School of Law in 2001. Pahmahmie spent five months
specializing in the representation of Indian tribes while working as an intern
at a law firm in Washington, D.C., before he returned home. He worked briefly
for another tribe, then ran for Potawatomi Prairie Band chairman.
