Jerry is one of Canada’s most prominent Indigenous leaders.
He is committed to enhancing the quality of life for Indigenous people through the creation of new business opportunities and development of skills and capacity. Jerry was President and founding member of the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (1985), the largest native-owned and operated heavy construction company in Western Canada building it to a $60 million corporation with 8 divisions and 29 joint-venture partnerships in the mining industry. Today, the Tahltan Trust Fund holds $120 million for future generations from these opportunities. He is also a founding member of the National Indian Businessman’s Association (1981) (now the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business) as well as the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association (CAMA) (1991-November 2013) where he served as Vice President.
Jerry’s success includes negotiating the first Impact Benefit Agreement in British Columbia with the Golden Bear Mine, the first native–owned independent power producer contract with BC Hydro and a new health facility to serve the Dease Lake area.
Jerry has received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal March 5, 2013 for his contributions to the inclusion and training of Indigenous People in the mining industry and was inducted into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame in 2020.
As founder of the Global Indigenous Development Trust (2014), Jerry actively travels the world sharing his knowledge and experience with indigenous communities in Peru, Colombia, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Argentina, Panama, Sweden, Norway, Australia, Canada and the US.