Rachel Heckel Transitions from Interim to Official CEO of Sault Tribe Inc.

Sault Tribe Inc. (STI) in Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has taken the interim tag off of Rachel Heckel’s CEO office and made the position permanent. Heckel has served as interim CEO since April 1.

Since joining STI in the summer of 2022, Heckel has established the Federal government contracting presence and brand of STI Federal, built the infrastructure critical for success in this marketplace, implemented strategic initiatives that have supported expansion into multiple new Federal agencies and business lines, and increased government contracting revenue more than tenfold, according to officials.

During her tenure as interim CEO, Heckel spearheaded strategic initiatives to align STI’s resources and priorities with STI Federal’s government contracting efforts. Heckel collaborated with the board of directors of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians to identify corporate board members with significant expertise in tribal government contracting and financial oversight and compliance to enhance corporate governance.

She led the expansion of key departments and implementation of multiple new systems to enhance client services. She has also led the establishment of multiple new subsidiaries and capture of Federal government contracts, as well as the hiring and onboarding of several key leadership team members.

“I am truly honored by the confidence demonstrated by our Tribal leadership and by our board’s choice to entrust me with the role of official CEO at STI,” Heckel says. “I am excited to build on our momentum and work with our talented team to drive growth and create value for our customers and the tribe.”

Alan Barr, president of the STI Board of Directors, says, “The board is confident that Ms. Heckel is the right leader to guide STI into its next chapter. She has shown unwavering commitment and has the expertise to navigate the challenges ahead.”