Roger is recognized nationally as one of the major proponents of Indian energy development and is one of the foremost experts on Native American energy in the country. Roger Fragua has dedicated his professional career to the advancement and development of American Indian communities. The basis for Roger’s commitment to Indian Country is steeped in his long-tenured background as the Tribal Administrator for his own Tribe. Prior to forming Cota, Roger served as the Deputy Director of The Council of Energy Resource Tribes (CERT), a Denver-based national organization where he administered the day-to-day business operations of a 57 member Inter-Tribal non-profit entity that helped to change the national landscape and legislation guaranteeing Tribes a role in the U.S. energy economy.

Besides working to establish a multi-Tribal energy networking alliance with several regional Inter-Tribal organizations to move the cause of Tribal energy forward, he built strong alliances with various state and federal agencies, external partners and private sector companies. Roger also worked with theWestern Governors’ Association and the National Tribal Environmental Council on State and Tribal relations as it relates to environmental issues. In addition, Roger worked for several years as an executive at Enron, in charge of the implementation of Indian energy projects throughout the country. He established Tribal contacts with the leadership from 90% of Indian Country for potential project development, to include: gas pipelines, power plant generation, renewable energy developments, telecommunications, and manufacturing and other economic development projects.

Roger specializes in creating innovative business concepts and promoting partnerships between Tribes and industry. He has created, developed and implemented cutting edge commercial business structures and a corporate program promoting partnerships between Indian Tribes and Corporate America with a focus on capitalizing on Tribal regulatory and tax advantages. Throughout his career, Roger has maintained strict loyalty to Tribes, and any negotiation or deal structuring that Roger has been engaged in is always with the ultimate purpose of securing the maximum advantage for Tribal interests. Roger is married to Clarice from San Felipe Pueblo and has three sons and one daughter.