Arthur Raymond Halbritter (1951 – Present) is the current Nation Representative and CEO of Oneida Nation Enterprises. A former ironworker

Ironworker

Ironworker is a class of machines that can shear, notch, and punch holes in steel plate. Ironworkers generate force using mechanical advantage or hydraulic systems. Modern systems use hydraulic rams powered by a heavy alternating current electric motor. High strength carbon steel blades and dies...

 and a member of the Oneida Indian Nation

Oneida Indian Nation

The Oneida Indian Nation is the Oneida tribe that resides in New York and currently owns a number of businesses and tribal land in Verona, NY, Oneida, NY, and Canastota, NY.- Businesses :...

's wolf clan.

Background

Ray Halbritter, Nation Representative of the Oneida Indian Nation since 1975 and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of its enterprises since 1990, has led the Oneida people to an economic and cultural renaissance over the past 30 years. His accomplishments include achieving federal government

Federal government

The federal government is the common government of a federation. The structure of federal governments varies from institution to institution. Based on a broad definition of a basic federal political system, there are two or more levels of government that exist within an established territory and...

 recognition of the Nation’s traditional form of government, creating numerous health and social programs for Nation Members, constructing new housing

House

A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...

, and establishing education

Education

Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...

 and culture

Culture

Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...

 programs.

Under Halbritter’s leadership, the Oneida Nation:

•
Endowed a professorship at Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...

 for teaching American Indian law

• Sponsored the “True Spirit of Thanksgiving,” the first-ever American Indian-sponsored float
Float (parade)
A float is a decorated platform, either built on a vehicle or towed behind one, which is a component of many festive parades, such as those of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Carnival of Viareggio, the Maltese Carnival, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Key West Fantasy Fest parade, the...

 in the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, often shortened to Macy's Day Parade, is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States along with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, and four years younger than...



• As one of the donors to the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...

’s National Museum of the American Indian
National Museum of the American Indian
The National Museum of the American Indian is a museum operated under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution that is dedicated to the life, languages, literature, history, and arts of the native Americans of the Western Hemisphere...

 had the fourth floor named after the Oneida Indian Nation of New York

• Earned the 2007 Condé Nast Johansens “Most Excellent Resort” award for all resorts in the U.S. and Canada

• Hosts the PGA TOUR Turning Stone Resort Championship
Turning Stone Resort Championship
The Turning Stone Resort Championship was a PGA Tour professional golf tournament. It was played for the first time from September 20 to 23, 2007. It is hosted by the Atunyote Golf Club at Turning Stone Resort & Casino, in Verona in Upstate New York...

, the first regularly scheduled green PGA TOUR event to be held on tribal lands, which was honored for Best Branding and Signage in 2009.

The Oneida Nation’s businesses include Turning Stone Resort Casino, the SavOn chain of convenience store

Convenience store

A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...

s, and a media operation that encompasses the largest native national weekly newspaper in the U.S. and a media production company. Mr. Halbritter is executive producer of:

• A Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...

-nominated record album

• “Raccoon & Crawfish,” a 3D animated exert short film the animation of which won a Silver Davey Award, given to the best work by small firms worldwide and was screened at Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...

 as well as winning numerous awards in the U.S. and abroad, including top animation honors at Moondance Film Festival and Big Bear International Film Festival

• Produced the “World of American Indian Dance,” which aired on NBC

• Interactive animated material on Oneida history in use at the Utica Children’s Museum

• Assisted Disney with native music background for the Walt Disney World July 4th Celebration

Through its enterprises, the Nation has earned national and international recognition and honors, including Four Diamond ratings from AAA for the resort’s luxury hotels and one of its restaurants; being named the Academy of Country Music

Academy of Country Music

The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...

’s Casino of the Year; and inclusion of all three of Turning Stone’s championship-caliber golf courses in Golfweek magazine’s list of Top 100 courses in the country, among multiple other golf awards. (A full list of golf awards is attached.) The Nation’s Atunyote Golf Course hosts both the Turning Stone Resort Championship and the annual Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge

Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge

The Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge, or NB3 Challenge, is a charitable golf event taking place at Atunyote Golf Club at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Oneida, New York on August 26, 2008. This year's tournament featured a skins game format, featuring PGA Tour players Notah Begay III,...

 charity event, which Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods

Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...

 won in 2009.

Halbritter earned his law degree from Harvard Law School and a bachelor’s of science degree in business administration from Syracuse University

Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...

. He is chairman of the Turning Stone Resort Championship and the Upstate New York Empowerment Fund, the charitable arm of the tournament, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for dozens of Central New York charities and civic groups. He serves on the boards of directors of the Environmental Media Association and the Harvard Native American Law Board. He is a member of the Recording Academy; the National Advisory Council for the American Indian Program at Cornell University

Cornell University

Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...

; the National Congress of American Indians

National Congress of American Indians

The National Congress of American Indians is a American Indian and Alaska Native indigenous rights organization. It was founded in 1944 in response to termination and assimilation policies that the U.S. government forced upon the tribal governments in contradiction of their treaty rights and...

; and United South and Eastern Tribes.

He was named one of Temple Adath Yeshurun’s Citizens of the Year in 2008. He also won the “Person of Achievement” Award from the Syracuse Post-Standard

Syracuse Post-Standard

The Post-Standard is the major daily newspaper servicing the greater Syracuse, New York, metro area. Affiliated with Syracuse.com, it is owned by Advance Publications. The Post-Standard features regular political commentary from Sean Kirst and local commentary by Dick Case. It is home-delivered in...

, the Paul Harris Fellow Award from the Rotary Foundation

Rotary Foundation

The Rotary Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation that supports the efforts of Rotary International to achieve world understanding and peace through international humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange programs...

, an award from the Rome Area Chamber of Commerce for “Outstanding Contribution to the Economic Vitality of the Community,” and the Central New York Sales & Marketing Executives Crystal Ball award, presented for business vision, commitment to improving the lives of his people, and the Nation’s economic contributions to Central New York. Syracuse University gave him its Distinguished Entrepreneur Award, and SU Basketball Coach Jim Boeheim

Jim Boeheim

James Arthur "Jim" Boeheim is the head coach of the men's basketball team at Syracuse University. Boeheim has guided the Orange to eight Big East regular season championships, five Big East Tournament championships, and 28 NCAA Tournament appearances, including three appearances in the national...

 presented Halbritter with the Coaches Vs. Cancer Basketball Award and honored him as Fan of the Year in 2009.

An avid golfer, Halbritter passed the Players Ability Test, making him a golf pro apprentice, the first stage to become a member of the Professional Golfers Association

Professional Golfers Association

Professional Golfers' Association, , is the usual term for a professional association in men's golf. It is often abbreviated to PGA...

.

Education

B.S. in business administration from Syracuse University; J.D. from Harvard Law School