Mary-Anne Willsey is the General Manager of Economic Development at the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, where she oversees eight business units that provide $2.4 million in salaries and generate $1 million in self-sourced revenues. Her career began at Mariposa Market Stores in Orillia, founded by her husband, which instilled essential business and human resource management principles. Mary-Anne was a key member of the Casino Rama opening team, which became Canada’s largest single-site employer of First Nations people. She later helped open Parq Vancouver, a casino in downtown Vancouver, before returning to Ontario to enhance Casino Woodbine’s marketing and customer development, projected to exceed $2 billion in revenue by 2025. Since joining the Band Administration in 2020, Mary-Anne has focused on economic development and skills training for the community, motivated by her dedicated team and a deep commitment to her heritage.
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