SMGI Board of Directors has new leadership

By Danielle Harrison

Smoke Signals editor

The Spirit Mountain Gaming Inc. Board of Directors has undergone several changes in the past year-plus, both in leadership and board member makeup.

Former longtime Tribal Council chairman and SMGI board member Reyn Leno is now the board chair, while current Tribal Council member Toby McClary serves as board vice chair.

The previous chair was Tribal Elder Andy Jenness and the vice chair was Tribal Council member Kathleen George. Leno also served as chair before Jenness was selected in 2021. Jenness is no longer on the board but George still serves on it.

Other newer board members include Tribal member Harris Reibach and Tribal Council member Pete Wakeland.

Leno was appointed to the board in December 2024, while Reibach, McClary and Wakeland were appointed in September 2025.

Leno previously served on the board for 25 years and had a 21-year stint on Tribal Council. Currently, he serves as chair of the Tribe’s Fish & Wildlife Committee.  

“I got involved in the board right after (Spirit Mountain) casino opened (in 1995),” he said. 

Leno said he decided to serve as board chair due to his previous experience and a desire to stay busy and involved in the Tribe.

“I’m right here locally so it’s easy for me to be involved,” he said. “Right now, the casino is a little flat and I’m concerned with what I have seen…That’s the revenue that goes to serve our membership, our kids and grandkids. … Being a past Tribal Council member also helps with being a good go-between between the Tribal Council and the board.”

Other SMGI Board members include Tribal Council members Matthew Haller and Tonya Gleason-Shepek, as well as Tribal members Matthew Kirkland, Lisa Watson and Justin Martin, and non-Tribal member Drew Mahalic, who is former CEO of the nonprofit Oregon Sports Authority.

As per the website, the SMGI Board is “responsible for protecting Spirit Mountain Casino and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde shareholder interests, establishing policies for management, supporting executives and their teams, maintaining company resources, setting general company goals, making sure that (Spirit Mountain Casino) is equipped with the tools it needs to be managed well, and general oversight of the corporation and making decisions about important issues that the company faces.”

For more information, visit spiritmountain.com/corporate-governance/.