President/CEO
Hellyaachwehay Quisquis is a tribal member of the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians. He has served his community as the President/CEO of the San Pasqual Economic Development Corporation since 2016, where his main focus has been to build a future of economic prosperity for the people of the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians, while also developing checks and balance systems for the board of directors and staff to adhere to the highest standards of conduct and ethics. He not only focuses on economic growth for this Tribe, but also on the growth and success of individuals and corporations.
He attended the Harvard Business School on Executive Leadership and has successfully completed a course on Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities. He is able to put his unique skillset to use for economic prosperity and self-economics through consulting services. In addition to spearheading the San Pasqual Economic Development Corporation, he has become a leading and inspiring figure not only within his tribal nation but also within the surrounding communities, by serving on the Board of Directors of The Escondido Chamber of Commerce and the economic task force for North County San Diego.
Vice President
Matt Quis Quis joined the San Pasqual Economic Development Corporation in 2013 as Director. The following year, Matt was asked to serve as treasurer of the board, a position he held for five years. Matt has been in his current role as Vice President for the SPEDC since 2018. As Vice President, Matt assists on all projects when the President is unavailable, to ensure efficiency and continued successful outcomes in the SPEDC’s business endeavors.
Matt is the main point of contact for Native Oaks Golf Club. His responsibilities include working closely with the general managers and board, adhering to budgets, and assisting on all operations. Matt is an avid golfer with industry knowledge and general knowledge of the sport that assists him in his work at Native Oaks Golf Club.
In 2015, Matt was asked to be on the advisory board for Native Nation Events, or NNE. He served on the board for six years, until August of 2020. During his time on the Native Nation Event advisory board, Matt spoke on panels and attended conferences. He assisted with the production of events all over North America, traveling to Canada, Washington DC, Washington State, Las Vegas, Anaheim, and Southern California tribal casinos. This was significant for Matt creating and nurturing networking relationships, which proved invaluable for bringing business opportunities to the San Pasqual Economic Development Corporation over the years.
Secretary/Treasurer
Bill Kroplin graduated from Napa High School in 1965 and began his career as an Apprentice Shipfitter at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard. Bill completed his four-year program at Mare Island in 1970, graduating in the 86th percentile of his class, then went on to become a boilermaker fitter, responsible for the fit and assembly of fabricated components.
In 1977, Bill became an AWS Certified (QC-1) Quality Control Inspector responsible for major fabrication projects including magnetic particle, ultrasonic, film interpretation, and liquid penetrant testing. During his time as Quality Control Inspector, Bill gained extensive experience working on Department of Defense contracts.
He then went on to accept a role with the Kaiser Steel Corporation as Project Planner. In that position, Bill instructed both the Production and Inspection departments as to what was required and was responsible for all aspects of the job until the finished project was accepted by the customer. Some notable projects include: Peacekeeper Missile Tubes and Cone Sections, Electromagnetic Launch Drive System, and Railcar Restraint Systems.
In 1987, using the industry knowledge gained from two successful decades in the steel industry, Bill launched Trans Bay Steel Corporation with a partner. He serves as Vice President and Quality Assurance Manager to present day. The company principally manufactures piling and huge caissons for Bay Area bridges. Some of their notable projects have been the San Francisco Bay Bridge Piles and Expansion Joints, and retrofitting Richmond-San Rafael Bridge as well as the Golden Gate Bridge.
Bill started Albany Steel Corporation in 1991, serving as Vice President of Purchasing and Quality Assurance Manager. Albany Steel supplies steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and copper-nickel. Bill retired from Trans Bay Steel and Albany Steel in 2012.
Board Director
Kristene Hall started her career in the late 1960’s with the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). She overcame the barrier of becoming the first female Director of Hotel and Membership within the national organization and was privileged to temporarily work in India serving as their organizer/coordinator within the hotel and membership administration.
Following her time with the YMCA, Kristene’s next career move was to the airline industry. She served in various management positions for the next 25 years. Her various management roles included training for entry level and supervisory positions, recruiting and hiring to maintain staffing for 1,500 positions, and budgeting and operation of call distribution in coordination with other regional offices. Kristene accepted a position at the airline’s headquarters as project manager for a $28 million renovation in Los Angeles, as well as coordination manager for reservations involving merger and acquisitions as it related to reservation personnel and systems. She also worked to develop and implement employee productivity incentive programs.
Kristene’s final move was to the airline’s finance division, where she was responsible for accounting for worldwide ticket sales ($300 million), as well as Interface with the Treasury regarding taxes, fees, surcharges, etc. to government entities, and conducting random audits of ticketing accuracy. Among Kristene’s many roles within the airline industry, she served as airline representative on the Airline Reporting Corporation Board (ARC) and the International Air Transport Association Board (IATA).
Board Director
Joe Navarro is a retired law enforcement professional of over 25 years, starting his career at the age of 18, and has been in the gaming industry since 2003. During his tenure with the San Diego Police Department, Joe served in all capacities within the organization including enforcement, investigation and administration. Joe gained national recognition in the field of Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving serving as a nationwide training consultant and speaker for the Washington DC-based Police Executive Research Forum, in the field of alternative and comprehensive policing strategies aligning law enforcement agencies, businesses and communities.
Upon entering the gaming industry in October 2003, Joe led the effort to establish the San Pasqual Casino Development Group Inc. (SPCDGI), which was formed just one year later in November 2004. SPCDGI is a tribally-chartered corporation formed under the laws of the tribe. SPCDGI is a unique entity in Indian country. The SPCDGI board structure is comprised of both tribal members as well as casino and finance industry professionals. It was formed to manage all aspects of the tribe’s gaming operations, popularly known as Valley View Casino & Hotel, San Diego’s Favorite®. Joe has served as President of the SPCDGI board since its inception.