Ed Thomas, the longtime president of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, resigned on Thursday, effective immediately.
Thomas led the council for 23 years. His announcement, which came at the end of his annual state of the tribe address, surprised many.
Thomas said he wasn't resigning for health or political reasons. He wants to spend more time with his family, the council said.
Thomas is well known for his leadership roles on the National Congress of American Indians and the Bureau of Indian Affairs tribal budget advisory committee.
Get the Story:Tlingit and Haida leader resigns (Ketchikan Daily News 4/20)
pwlat $rl Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes - http://www.ccthita.org
