Johnston named Tribal general manager

As of Wednesday, Jan. 9, Mark Johnston dropped the word "interim" from his title as Tribal general manager.
Tribal Chairman Reyn Leno announced in a staff-wide e-mail on Thursday, Jan. 10, that Johnston accepted the position of general manager, a post he has filled since a senior administration reorganization occurred in October.
"I am pleased to announce that Mark Johnston has been chosen to serve as the Tribe's general manager," Leno said. "Tribal Council believes that Mr. Johnston will do an exemplary job and will provide our departments and staff with the support and guidance needed to create a sustainable future for our Tribe."
"I am very honored and appreciative of the confidence that the Tribal Council has shown to offer this role to me," Johnston said. "I fully recognize that this confidence is due to the work of so many dedicated, loyal and skilled staff.
"I look forward to the opportunity to lead our governmental services. Our promise to the membership is to never lose sight of our mission of providing efficient and effective services to Grand Ronde members."
Johnston, 46, started working for the Tribe in June 2007 as the executive director of Health Services. Previously, he had worked six years with the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians and six with the Coquille Tribe.
Johnston and his staff are credited with restructuring the Tribe's health services and finding creative ways to curb rising health care costs that were consuming Tribal dollars.
An analysis commissioned by the Tribe in 2007 projected Tribal health care costs were going to hit $29 million by 2010. Under Johnston's supervision, the Tribe was able to keep those costs contained at $18.5 million and find new ways to fund health care without sacrificing coverage for Tribal members.
"Given Mark's management style with the clinic, I have a lot of faith in Mark's abilities and his leadership to get the best out of his people," said Tribal Council member Steve Bobb Sr. "That is exactly what we need in today's climate, everyone at their best. He has my support and I wish him all the best."
Johnston graduated from Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth with a bachelor's degree in business administration. In 1995, he accepted a position with the Indian Child Welfare Department of the Coquille Tribe. He then started writing grants for Coquille's health clinic and soon became the assistant administrator for the Tribe's health department.
In 2001, he accepted the health director position for the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians.
He was born and raised in Bandon, Ore., and graduated from Bandon High School. After earning his college degree in Texas, he returned to Bandon in 1989.
He has been married for 26 years and has two daughters and one granddaughter.