Former Ak-Chin Chairman Louis Manuel dies
Louis Manuel Jr., former Ak-Chin Indian Community chairman and councilmember, passed away.
Louis J. Manuel Jr., former chairman of the Ak-Chin Indian Community, has died, according to family members.
Manuel, 57, was at the forefront of Ak-Chin’s economic development as council chairman and the face of many groundbreakings and ribbon-cuttings for major projects. Skilled in many areas and known widely, he had worked at a range of occupations from heavy equipment operator to hotel manager. As an elected official, he worked to improve the status and place of the Ak-Chin Community.
“We want to be able to grow and strengthen, and then grow others, too,” Manuel said in 2015, adding that community members were stewards of the land.
