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Osage Nation Principal Chief candidate Joe Tillman outlined his priorities for economic development, youth engagement and cultural preservation during an appearance on KWON Radio’s Community Connection program on Monday.

Tillman is a Fairfax native and said his experience includes serving in the Red Eagle administration before later being elected to the Osage Nation Congress, where he has served for two and a half terms. He previously ran for principal chief against current Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear, falling short by 86 votes.

Among his top priorities, Tillman said the Osage Nation must diversify its economy beyond gaming revenue.

“We rely completely on gaming right now for about 99% of our revenue,” Tillman said. “We have got to be good stewards and go out there and get some economic development for the tribe.”

Tillman highlighted potential opportunities involving the Skyway 36 property near the Osage Casino in north Tulsa, including drone testing and manufacturing industries. He also discussed possible partnerships with other tribes and private industry, including Williams Companies.

Education and youth involvement would also be a focus of a Tillman administration. He said he hopes to establish a youth council to encourage younger Osage citizens to become involved in tribal government and leadership.

“I would love to develop a curriculum to start our children to understand how our three-branch government works and what are all the programs and resources that we offer Osage citizens,” Tillman said.

Tillman also emphasized the importance of preserving Osage culture and language, crediting the tribe’s cultural leadership for expanding language use throughout the nation.

“It is one thing that we cannot ever afford to lose — our language and our culture and our land base,” Tillman said.

Tillman's personal interests, including fishing, golf and spending time with family. He encouraged voters to follow his campaign through the Facebook page “Joe Tillman for Principal Chief of the Osage Nation,” where campaign events and updates are posted.