Chairwoman Maxine Natchees, who championed Jurrius, was defeated, along with two other incumbent JurÂrius supporters, Richard Jenks and Smiley Arrowchis, according to unofficial tallies of Tuesday's vote.

Jurrius, who was hired by the Northern Utes in 2001 after significantly bolstering energy and investment profits for the Ignacio, Colo.-based Southern Ute Tribe, had been labeled "secretive" and "heavy handed" by Uinta Basin criÂtics.

Since his arrival in Utah, Jurrius has made tens of millions of dollars for the Utes. His contract gives him 10 percent of the profits and $62,500 per month for himself and four staffers.

Curtis Cesspooch, who triumphed over Natchees in balloting from the tribe's Uintah Band, ran on a campaign that sought an independent audit of all Ute funds managed by Jurrius. He also wants to trim the financial adviser's political muscle.

Jurrius "has had too much influence in shaping tribal government," Cesspooch said Thursday. "I think we can work with him. But his contract is for development of oil and gas, and not to become involved in everything else in tribal government."

Cesspooch pointed to the 2003 ouster of one-time Business Committee members Luke Duncan and Ron Wopsock as among the reasons he defeated Natchees. The chairwoman led a move to vote the pair off the committee after they challenged Jurrius to account for tribal investments.

"That's an infraction against the [tribal] constitution," Cesspooch said.

Duncan and Wopsock sued the Business Committee. Their lawsuit remains pending in the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Natchees could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Following the election, Jurrius said he would like to continue to fulfill his contract - it extends through 2009 - to expand profits for the tribe.

"I look forward to working with the new council, as long as we can work constructively, building value for the tribe," he said Thursday.

The financial adviser said he credits Natchees, Jenks and Arrowchis with increasing, by $100 million, the tribe's savings since they adopted his economic plan. Jurrius also credited the trio with the creation of Ute Energy Corp., which he said is also valued at close to $100 million.

"There is always anxiety with change," Jurrius said. "While everyone wants to be informed on every detail, there are some confidentialities in our business agreements" with third parties.

Jurrius noted that there is a misperception that he involves himself in decisions outside the economic realm because budgets for tribal social/welfare programs are funded through the financial plan he guides.

Nonetheless, change is coming, according to Business Committee member Irene Cuch, who was not up for re-election but had supported the challengers.

"The people have spoken," she said. "The people wanted change in leadership, and that's what happened."

Cuch said the financial plan put forward by Jurrius is working well, but she favors more openness in its execution and other tribal decisions.

She hesitated when asked whether Jurrius should remain.

"I don't know," she said. "It's up to him. If he wants to stay, he'll have to work with the new leadership."

csmart@sltrib.com