For generations, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians has called Greater Palm Springs its home. The tribe and its community of 480 members are deeply invested in the health of the local environment, community, and economy, playing a vital role in everything from preservation and infrastructure to education and tourism.
Tribal Chairman Jeff L. Grubbe, who five years ago succeeded the late Richard M. Milanovich, represents the tribe in the community. “I’m kind of the face of the tribe,” he says. Grubbe and the five-member Tribal Council decide on the tribe’s policy decisions.
The region’s second-largest employer, the tribe employs about 2,200 team members in its government, casinos, Indian Canyons and Tahquitz Canyon, golf courses, entertainment venues, and restaurants.
The tribe strives to stay on the cutting edge of gaming and hospitality, and Grubbe expects its demand for employees to grow over the next decade.
The tribe is known throughout the valleyfor it’s giving spirit, financially contributing to organizations that provide much-needed services to many.
“The decisions we make aren’t just for today,” he says. “We’re thinking 10 to 50 years from now. We consider how every decision will affect not only us and our future, but also the future of this valley.”
VIDEO: Jeff. L. Grubbe speaks about the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.