Rick Warner, Vice-Chairman

Rick Warner, Vice-Chairman of Elk Valley Rancheria

Rick grew up in Eureka California and ever since he can remember he and his family traveled north to Crescent City to be with his relatives that lived on the Elk Valley Rancheria. By the time he graduated high school Rick had worked every summer on his step father’s commercial fishing boat.  Immediately following high school (1981) Rick went to work for Bechtel Construction Company as an iron worker and a printing clerk in both Southern California and South Texas.

Then in 1983 Rick was invited to go to Alaska commercial fishing, Rick would work the summers in Alaska and come back to California to work the Dungeness crab season. By the mid 90’s Rick had started running commercial boats fishing in Alaska until 1999.

In 2000 Rick moved back to Crescent City and ran for Tribal Council he was elected and appointed Vice Chairman, while serving as Vice Chairman he participated on the Cemetery Committee, Aviation Advisory Committee for the County of Del Norte, and served on the Caltrans Native American Advisory Committee for 4 years.

Rick also worked for various Tribal entities during his tenure some of which were Tsunami Bowling Alley and Del Norte Golf Course as food and beverage manager, Tsunami Sports Bar and Grill and the Bowling Alley as General Manager, Last Chance Liquor store clerk.

In 2008 after an unsuccessful run for reelection to the Council Rick applied for and was hired as Shipping and Receiving Supervisor for the Tribe. Rick was offered to run a commercial fishing boat in 2010 which he accepted and ran the boat for one year. After that he and his wife purchased and remodeled a concession trailer where they acquired a fixed location on the grounds of Pelican Bay State Prison serving lunch to staff and correctional officers.

Then in 2014 Rick was elected to the Tribal Council, and in 2017 Rick was reelected and appointed Vice-Chairman.

rwarner@elk-valley.com