It's with a mix of gratitude and well wishes that we say goodbye to Jim Manion, who has served as a vital member of the Willamette Falls Trust Board and our Tribal Leadership Committee representative from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon from 2024 to 2025.
Jim’s guidance and dedication have been instrumental in shaping our work. He always kept Indigenous leadership and community at the forefront, ensuring that our efforts truly honored the deep connections to this land.
As an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and a current member of the 29th Tribal Council, Jim brought a unique and invaluable perspective to the Trust. His role as his Tribe’s Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commissioner further underscored his expertise in natural resource management and inter-tribal relations.
Growing up on the Warm Springs Reservation, Jim's knowledge of traditional tribal culture, blended with his contemporary business management skills, gave him a truly unique vision for our Willamette Falls Inter-Tribal Public Access Project. He's a master at harmonizing economic development and natural resource utilization, always tying both to crucial cultural preservation.
Jim’s personal connection to Willamette Falls runs deep, rooted in his family's history and his own experiences fishing and gathering eels and sacred first foods at the Falls. He shared powerful stories of his great-grandfather, Jerry Brunoe, harvesting at the Falls and its tributaries. As Jim so eloquently put it, the Falls, "is a place we have gathered for harvesting and visiting with other tribes around the region, who also shared the resource to provide sustenance for all people, since time immemorial.” This profound connection has consistently informed his approach and enriched our discussions.
Retired after 41 years of service to his Tribe as the General Manager of the Tribe's Power & Water Enterprise, Jim managed the operation of the Tribe's interest in the Pelton Round Butte Hydroelectric Project and oversaw energy development on Tribal land. His extensive experience in these critical areas brought immense value to our board.
We are incredibly grateful for all that Jim has shared with us—his wisdom, his insights, and his unwavering commitment to Indigenous-led initiatives. While we'll miss his presence on the board, we know his impact will continue to resonate deeply within the Willamette Falls Trust and the communities we serve.
Thank you, Jim, for everything. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.
