EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: Meet Doreen Miera
Doreen is an enrolled Winnebago Tribal member and has been employed with Ho-Chunk, Inc. five and a half years. She has served a couple roles in that time, including Property Manager for Ho-Chunk Capital and, most recently, Compliance Coordinator.
Tell us more about yourself.
I am a member of the Wolf Clan. My mother is Joyce Pelkey, and my maternal grandparents were Alex Pelkey and Ruby (Buchanan) Pelkey.
What does your job as a Compliance Coordinate entail?
I conduct the commercial auditing for tobacco and the Pony Express Stores. I also assist with developing training material for our compliance policies, such as Anti-Corruption, Anti-Human Trafficking, Anti-Retaliation & Whistleblower, Code of Conduct, and Conflict of Interest.
Since this is a new department, we are given different tasks as they come up, so as of right now, our days are never the same.
Why do you feel working for a Native-owned company is important?
It is important that all Indigenous companies are successful. However, I have that extra desire to see Ho-Chunk, Inc. grow so our Tribe can continue to be self-sufficient and be here for our kids and future generations.
We as people have survived this long without many of the resources we have now, and now that we have those resources, we will only get stronger.
How has Ho-Chunk, Inc. helped you grow?
Having the ability to apply for different jobs within the company has allowed me to learn the skills to be a successful property manager and now learn the importance of compliance. Having a strong Executive Team that has long-term vision and the ability to be futuristic paves the path for the rest of us to work towards those same visions and goals. This has taught me the importance of planning for the future and has given me the confidence to apply for different jobs that I might have otherwise felt I did not deserve.
Now for the fun question! What do you like to do outside of work?
I enjoy spending time with my grandkids that range from 5 years to 18 years. I enjoy watching my grandson play basketball. #Warpath family! I am also a fan of reality TV. But my all-time favorite thing to do is watch my beloved Hawkeyes…especially when they beat the Huskers! GO HAWKS!
