“I believe that leadership is about identifying and overcoming the challenges faced by our Tribe. It’s about creating unity instead of division, and equally serving the interests of all tribal members. I am deeply committed to protecting tribal assets. As a loyal member of this community, I want to see it prosper.”
PATRICK S’s roots run deep in the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, with his lineage stretching back more than four generations. His great-grandparents, his grandparents, and his own parents are familiar names in the Escambia area. Strickland and his wife are proud to represent the next generation, with their beautiful daughter symbolizing the future of the family.
Patrick has devoted his career to protecting the financial security of the Tribe. In his current role of Special Agent with the Gaming Commission, Patrick has earned the CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner) credential, an internationally recognized designation of excellence. He continues to enhance his skillset, most recently through Harvard Business School by completing the Leading with Finance certification. With both undergrad and MBA degrees in Business Administration from Falkner University, Patrick brings rock-solid proficiency to ensuring the Tribe’s financial stability.
His passion for serving the Tribe doesn’t end with his employment. Patrick sits on the board of directors for CIEDA (Creek Indian Enterprise Development), which oversees the expansion of tribal enterprises, such as hotels and OWA. As current chair of the Investment Committee, he works with a variety of investment managers, chief financial officers, and committee members to ensure that tribal investments are positioned favorably, with minimum volatility, while maximizing return on investment. For the past eight years he has volunteered with a variety of tribal committees, including the Utilities Authority.
“Preserving our Creek heritage is vitally important for future generations. My wife and I prefer to teach by example, so I am showing my daughter what it means to lead with integrity and accountability. I was blessed to have been raised in a hardworking family of faith, and I want my child to have that same experience. I am confident that the Poarch Band of Creek Indians will competently meet the challenges of the modern era while still preserving our sacred traditions. We can be guided by our past as we move into the future. I am firmly committed to serving my community.”