DES MOINES - Gov. Chet Culver appointed 11 people to serve on the Iowa Commission on Native American Affairs, a new entity he proposed earlier this year.

"Native Americans were the first Iowans and the first to know this beautiful land which would become our state. This commission will show all Iowans that we as a state respect this heritage," Culver said in a prepared statement.

The commission will be in the Iowa Department of Human Rights.

The appointees are Theresa Essmann-Mahoney of Waterloo, Larry Lasley of Tama, Vicky Apala-Cuevas of Davenport, Joe Coulter of Iowa City, John Jewett of Ames, George Leduc of Reinbeck, Karen Mackey of Sioux City, Greer Sisson of Ankeny, Franklin Phillips of Sioux City, Judy Allen of Council Bluffs and Judy Yellowbank of Sioux City.