Marshall Pierite is the proud Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, whose reservation is located in Marksville, Louisiana. With more than thirty years of dedicated service in Tribal governance, he has held multiple elected positions on the Tribal Council, including Secretary-Treasurer, Vice-Chairman, and now Chairman.
A proud Native Louisianan, Chairman Pierite began his professional journey serving honorably in the United States Marine Corps with a specialty in administration and was awarded the Good Conduct Award. Following his military service, he began working for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe as a medical clerk and was later promoted to Director of the Social Services Department, where he oversaw programs that strengthened youth, family, and elder wellness.
As Chairman, he leads a federally recognized Tribal Nation of more than 1,700 citizens and oversees all areas of government operations, policy, and economic development. Under his leadership, the Tribe has experienced significant progress through the establishment of the Elder’s Council and Youth Council, expansion of federal programs by one hundred percent, and negotiation of major debt restructuring that saved millions and positioned the Tribe for financial independence. He successfully secured federal relief through the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan to protect Tribal citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chairman Pierite also expanded healthcare by opening a direct outpatient clinic on the reservation and a rural health clinic off-reservation while launching new satellite offices in Chicago and Houston to increase citizen engagement.
In addition to his Tribal leadership, Chairman Pierite is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Pierite Group, LLC, a Native American and Veteran-owned consulting firm specializing in financial services, government contracting, grant management, and business development. The company is a certified Veteran-Owned Small Business, Louisiana Veteran’s First Certified, and a certified Veteran’s Business Enterprise.
Chairman Pierite also served as Chief Executive Officer and later Chairman of the Board of Directors of MobiLoans, a financial services company owned by the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe. Under his leadership, MobiLoans grew from a start-up to a multimillion-dollar national company that created employment and professional development opportunities throughout Louisiana.
His leadership extends far beyond Louisiana through his service on numerous national boards, task forces, and advisory councils. He currently serves as Chairman of the Inter-Tribal Council of Louisiana and the Tunica-Biloxi Economic Development Authority and as Vice Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission Intergovernmental Advisory Council. He is also a member of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee, the Louisiana Governor’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Task Force, the Southern Partners Fund, and the U.S. Treasury Tribal Advisory Subcommittee on General Welfare Exclusion. He also serves on the boards of the Family Justice Center of Central Louisiana, United Way of Central Louisiana, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Foundation, the American 250 Louisiana State Commission, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Native American Enterprise Initiative, and the National Online Lending Alliance. He is also a Founding Member of the Gulf States American Indian Chamber of Commerce and a mentor to the Tunica-Biloxi Youth Council.
Chairman Pierite has twice been a candidate for President of the National Congress of American Indians in 2019 and 2023, where he championed the advancement of Tribal women and youth, the protection of Tribal lands and waterways, and the preservation of treaty rights. His continued advocacy focuses on strengthening Tribal sovereignty, expanding economic opportunity, and building sustainable partnerships between Tribal nations and the federal government.
He has received national recognition for his leadership, including the 2024 George Nolan Award from the National American Indian Housing Council and the 2022 Tribal Leader of the Year Award from the Native American Finance Officers Association. Chairman Pierite was also appointed to the inaugural Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and serves as Vice Chairman of the Intergovernmental Advisory Council for the Federal Communications Commission.
In recent years, Chairman Pierite has continued to expand his leadership to the national and international stage. He authored a white paper highlighting the role of Indian Country as a solution to many of America’s greatest challenges, including economic revitalization and workforce development. His advocacy includes collaboration with the Trump Administration on initiatives to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States and the organization of multiple government-to-government roundtables that connect Tribal leaders with state and federal officials. He is currently leading efforts to create a coalition uniting Tribal nations and policymakers around shared priorities in sovereignty, infrastructure, and economic development.
Over the course of his time on the Tribal Council, Chairman Pierite worked on government operations, budgeting, infrastructure development, economic development, community development, and tax policy development. Chairman Pierite became well-versed in government operations throughout Indian Country, federal regulations, government-to-government negotiations, and relationship building between governmental organizations and private entities. Chairman Pierite is currently serving in his second full term as Chairman of Tunica-Biloxi and through this position he has been able to establish unity and purpose throughout the Tribe, create wealth and jobs, and provide accessibility and accountability.
Concurrent to Chairman Pierite’s service in Tribal Government, he also excelled in several positions in corporate governance. He served as the Chief Executive Officer of MobiLoans, a financial services corporation. Under his leadership, MobiLoans grew from a small start-up company to a multi-million-dollar national financial service institution. As CEO, he oversaw the multi-million-dollar portfolio all while creating workforce development opportunities for the citizens of Louisiana. Due to his outstanding service, he was named Chairman of the Board of Directors of MobiLoans, a position he currently holds. Chairman Pierite is also the founder and owner of The Pierite Group, LLC, a Louisiana-based company that provides business advisory services. He is also the co-founder and co-owner of Tribal Solutions Medical, a company dedicated to providing medical resources to underserved communities. He is also a founding member of Tribal Communications, a company created to connect the digital divide through technology and innovation in Indian Country and rural America.
Chairman Pierite has also served in key positions on several boards and committees with private, tribal, and non-profit organizations. He has served as Chairman and co-chairman of the Board of Carcieri Task Force; Board Member of the United States Chamber of Commerce/NAEI; Board Member of the United South and Eastern Tribes (USET); Board Member of the National Online Lending Alliance Board; Liaison Officer to the Tunica-Biloxi Economic Development Corporation; Mentor to the Tunica-Biloxi Youth Council; and Committee Member of the United South and Eastern Tribes (USET) Social Services Program. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Inter-Tribal Council of Louisiana; Committee Member of Southern Partners Fund; Founding Member of the Gulf States American Indian Chamber of Commerce; Board Member of the Tunica-Biloxi Economic Development Authority; Board Member of the Family Justice Center of Central Louisiana; Board Member of United Way of Central Louisiana; Board Member of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette Foundation Board; Board Member of the American 250 Louisiana State Commission; and Committee Member of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Governor’s Task Force.
Recently, Chairman Pierite was selected as the 2022 Tribal Leader of the Year by the Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA). He was also selected to serve on the first-ever Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee through the Housing Urban and Development (HUD) agency which was created to strengthen nation-to-nation relationship building between HUD and Tribal Nations. Chairman Pierite’s tenure as the leader of Tunica-Biloxi is marked by his exceptional ability to secure substantial grants. His advocacy for the interests of Indian Country led to an invitation to witness the historic signing of the Inflation Reduction Act in Washington D.C.
Chairman Pierite is currently running for the President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the organization that serves as a voice for over 570 Tribal nations across the country. His campaign focuses on prioritizing the needs and voices of all Tribal nations, with a focus on supporting Tribal women and youth, protecting Tribal lands and waterways, and upholding treaty rights.