Meet Craig Hansen, "The TERO Guy"

But first, let's get a couple things straight, since the internet gremlins like to eat too much after midnight and spread chaos through the grapevine:

- TERO Time, and me, "The TERO Guy" are private entities here to help YOU, not pit people or tribes or government agencies, etc against each other

- the Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin pages affiliated with these entities exist to invite you into the real conversation, where we get into all of the specifics, nuances, interpretations, and lessons of TERO law, over at TEROtime.com, so my team and I will ALWAYS direct you to participate in the free private community, not keyboard warrior your way through your aunt's neighbor's former boss's comments in the feed

- I genuinely want people to understand TERO Law so they can be compliant (if a private company or government agency) AND individuals- especially tribal members- know their roles & responsibilities within the law, not exploit or take advantage of policies or some dude in HR's vague interpretation of old hearsay versions of it

Okay! Yay! That said, let me tell you a little bit about The TERO Guy so we can get acquainted:

- I'm Craig, a non-removable member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. I do have a proper Anishanabe name, but I don't want to botch the spelling since we're getting all unofficially official over here (can anyone else relate?)

- Much like Bruce Wayne, I have an awesome day job, though I'm not a trust fund billionaire, and I moonlight as the MLBO TERO Commission Chairman (more on that in a second...)

- As a private citizen, my DM inbox has overflowed for years with people's questions about TERO law, and other employment-related scenarios I've helped companies, trade unions, and tribes navigate since 2004... so having a well-organized system and place for folks to reach me on these issues has been a long time coming, to say the least

- "Readers' Digest Version" (as my S.O. says) of my TERO experience spans two decades, first, building a TERO department from scratch in Mille Lacs, to partnering with MNDoT, Trade Unions, and tribes to create career training opportunities... that wonderfully, still exists today.

- As TERO Commission Chair for the Great Lakes region and National Council for Tribal Employment Rights (CTER)- Shout out to OG TERO Guy, John Navarro, for making any of this possible- I learned that all tribes that recognize TERO law still have unique nuances and variances, so it isn't "one size fits all" (same-same, but different)

- Most people (even some working professionally in TERO fields) misunderstand TERO law, and that not only restricts compliance, but it can significantly impact tribal communities in negative ways. I strongly believe we can do better, by knowing the law as well as responsible enforcement of TERO law. BTW, "enforcement" doesn't have to be a bad thing, I see it more as empowerment to protect tribal sovereignty, and that matters!

- DISCLAIMER: I am not a TERO Wizard, and acknowledge I do not know it all. I look forward to connecting tribes, and sharing information and ideas. The law is not meant to hide away in a dust-collecting 3-ring binder that only comes out when someone wants to stir the proverbial legal pot, or be used in an election season to grandstand, pontificate, and so on...

- As the current MLBO TERO Commission Chairman, I do not cast a vote (unless in case of a tie), and generally, I am not allowed in my official capacity to make legal motions of board measures, just facilitate board proceedings and ensure compliance with protocol (think of me as a referee), so I feel morally and ethically compelled to share all I know about TERO law so everyone involved can make the best decisions, and conversations surrounding TERO compliance are PRODUCTIVE

(Subtext: I do not speak for anyone but myself)

- With the help of my behind-the-scenes team (S.O.'s company, family members, and network of caring industry pros), I've created a secure place off of social media to interact with tribal communities at large, offer free (& some paid- gotta cover the technical overhead) on-demand educational programs and operational resources, host the TERO Time Podcast, and SO-MUCH-MORE so that YOU (yeah, alllll of you) can feel confident understanding how TERO law impacts your individual role at work, in your position, and within the community.

(shout out to the Five Skies Training and Consulting folks who well know "Control what you can control)

- It's nice that you're here on our blog page, but frankly, it doesn't matter if you like and follow us. What DOES matter, and we sincerely hope you consider joining us, is how you grow to understand TERO Law and apply it responsibly to benefit all stakeholders in the community. The best way for you to join the conversation is to participate in the TERO FORUM, which you can join for free at https://www.terotime.com/community

1. Go to https://www.terotime.com/community

2. Join the waitlist

3. Confirm your email & stay tuned for the next steps (HINT: weekly Q & A sessions with The TERO Guy will be hosted on the TERO Forum, not FB, IG, Zoom, none of that, so you've gotta register to access all of it- recordings will be available for everyone on the waitlist and those who stick around in the free online community)

- Though I have some help behind-the-scenes, I'm just one guy. I take TERO law seriously, but not much else. I would love the opportunity to help you, your team, and/or your organization wrap your head around TERO without it feeling scary, burdensome, or inaccessible. Join us, the conversation, and let's have some fun as we explore TERO on your time, or TEROtime.com