This Digital Edition requires Flash 9.0.115 or above to activate some rich media components.

SEPTEMBER 2017 7.95 Cory Littlepage CHANGING INDIAN HEALTH CARE THE 21ST-CENTURY VOICE FOR BUSINESS INVESTMENT AND PROFITABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN INDIAN COUNTRY reconnecting people to the land Strengthening Native Nations and Expanding Tribal Sovereignty Through Land Acquisition Indian Land Capital Company is a Native-owned certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) providing financing to Native nations for economic development and land acquisition. www.ilcc.net 2 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com Protecting the Sustainability of YOUR Sovereign Nation CKP INSURANCE MANAGES RISKS... SO YOU CAN MANAGE EVERYTHING ELSE. SIGN UP BEFORE THE NOV. 15TH DEADLINE Protect Your PRF (Pasture Rangeland Forage) Our trusted risk advisors are trained to help you understand and analyze complicated insurance data so you can make the most informed decision for your tribe. Our goal is to ensure you never purchase unnecessary coverage and pay more than you need. Protect your land and livelihood against potential losses during times of drought. Why now Very affordable Government subsidized Premiums are not due until October 1 No adjusters needed No record-keeping Protects your cash flow Anyone can sell you a policy. But CKP invests the The USDA Risk time to understand Management Agency your individual helps protect your needs and develop Pasture Rangeland a strategy that will produce the best and Forage (PRF) from coverage results. the elements. Contact your CKP Trusted Risk Advisor today. 877-CKP-INS1 (877-257-4671) ckpinsurance.com3 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2017 VOL.2 NO.9 ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT 32 Inside the talent booking industry 34 Ethical jewelry company finds success 36 The message Building successful partnerships INDUSTRY REPORTS 22 Food and Agriculture The blossoming cherry market 24 Housing No place like home 40 Law Energy sovereignty 42 Financial Services Stronger together 16 Cory Littlepage s Tribal Diagnostics promotes better health Cover Story UPFRONT 4 Publisher s Letter 5 Editor s Letter ADVICE 44 Marketing Circle 12 Winning ways to boost your website 48 Business Ethics Illegal vs. improper 52 Organizational Development How to gain a competitive edge 54 Communications Have faith NEWS FEATURES 14 In the News 26 Tribe versus tribe 30 Medal of Freedom Elouise Cobell 38 Trade Association Partners CALENDAR 56 Upcoming events Bunchberry dogwood flowers from the Quinault Rain Forest 4 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SPECIAL REPORT HEALTH CARE 20 Helping our children LAST LOOK 58 Patriot Natives Focusing on Innovative Tribal Economic Development and Corporate Governance Creation of Long Lasting Corporate Structures and Entities Sound Business Acumen and Finance Expertise Proven Negotiation Skills that Emphasize and Respect Tribal Sovereignty Financial Services and Tribal Lending Creative Solutions to Complex Problems Successful Litigation Strategy Development www.rosettelaw.com 193 Blue Ravine Road Suite 255 Folsom CA 95630 (916) 353-1084 (916) 353-1085 nstgermain rosettelaw.com 565 W. Chandler Blvd. Suite 212 Chandler AZ 85225 (480) 889-8990 (480) 889-8997 rosette rosettelaw.com 25344 Red Arrow Highway Suite B Mattawan MI 49071 (269) 283-5005 (517) 913-6443 kwichtman rosettelaw.com 1100 H St. N.W. Suite 400 Washington D.C. 20005 (202) 652-0579 (202 525- 5261 sbazzazieh rosettelaw.com www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 5 PUBLISHER S LETTER T Publisher Sandy Lechner speaking at RES Greetings his issue is especially exciting as we feature Cory Littlepage CEO of Tribal Diagnostics. Littlepage is a young progressive entrepreneur and an enrolled citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. He exemplifies the pioneering spirit of change growth and sustainable business that mirrors the goals and objectives of TBJ. As we focus on health and wellness in this issue we focus on a topic that often times gets brushed under the rug and is too often overlooked. The health and wellness of Indian Country and educating young people on the importance of health and wellness is a vital missing piece in creating progressive and sustainable economic development in Indian Country. It is a well documented scientific fact that healthy and strong people are generally more productive more successful and happier. Health and wellness is about so much more than body weight and image. The subject spans from understanding how different foods impact your body and mind to understanding how to prevent disease that is likely in your genetic make-up heritage and family. Additionally it involves educating young and old on the importance of exercise as a way of life to improve and sustain mental and physical health and strength. The Notah Begay III Foundation s efforts to help Indian Country children which is covered in this issue is a prime example of this education effort. Our friend Gary Davis discusses the importance of a united voice and that Indian Country is eventually stronger together and very powerful as one voice. This is again very much in line with the mission and vision of TBJ to be the 21st Century Voice Healthy Changes In Indian Country of Progressive Economic Development and Business in Indian Country. Finally we are thrilled to introduce the next great project from TBJ The TBJ Tribal Professional Directory. This will be the BEST and definitive professional directory of those individuals providing products and services to Indian Country. You can read all about this exciting new project on pages 50 and 51. Beginning in the October issue we will be providing a print and digital version of the TBJ Tribal Professional Directory. For as little as 500 per month you can be represented in the only Professional Directory available to all companies doing business in or interested in doing business in Indian Country. Every issue will feature a Professional Directory focused on a specific business category and once a year we will publish the TBJ Tribal Professional Directory our 13th issue. This reference piece will be the best definitive and only worldclass professional directory featuring those individuals who are dedicated to working in and for Indian Country. We are grateful for the opportunity to be part of the growth and development of 21st Century Economic Development in Indian Country and look forward to your continued friendship and partnership. With Warm Regards. Sandy Lechner Publisher Sandy Lechner may be reached at slechner tribalbusinessjournal.com or 954.377.9691. 6 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com UIC FAMILY OF COMPANIES UIC Design Plan Build LLC UIC Government Services LLC UIC Marine Services LLC Umiaq LLC UIC Oil & Gas LLC Your partner in Indian country In our business experience is important but success is built on strong partnerships. That s why at Ukpeavik I upiat Corporation (UIC) we form strategic and mutually beneficial partnerships with Tribal entities across the country leveraging the unique strengths of each organization to provide the best quality and value to our customers. A certified SBA 8(a) corporation we believe in forging lasting business relationships that promote economic growth throughout Indian country. We also believe in building projects and implementing solutions that balance innovation value and function with a profound respect for the land and culture. UIC takes pride in working with other tribes and we will continue to pursue opportunities that enable UIC and its partners to grow while helping to build strong healthy communities wherever we do business. A member of the UIC family of companies 480.829.3563 uicdpb.com www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 7 EDITOR S LETTER Combating the Opioid Epidemic in Indian Country ublic health officials have called the current opioid epidemic the worst drug crisis in American history killing more than 33 000 in 2015 according to a recent New York Times article. In 2015 for the first time deaths from heroin alone surpassed gun homicides. Sadly the opioid epidemic that is sweeping the nation has hit Indian Country hard. Indian Health Service reports that the drugrelated death rate among American Indian and Alaska Native people is almost twice that of the general population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the rates of death from prescription opioid overdose among American Indian or Alaska Natives increased almost four-fold from 1.3 per 100 000 in 1999 to 5.1 per 100 000 in 2013. In an attempt to stop the opioid crisis the Cherokee Nation in April filed a lawsuit against McKesson Corporation Cardinal Health AmerisourceBergen CVS Health Walgreens Boots Alliance and Wal-Mart Stores. The lawsuit alleges the companies failed to prevent the flow of illegally prescribed opioids to men women and children in the Cherokee Nation. The lawsuit is the first time an American Indian tribe has taken such steps in Indian Country. The lawsuit seeks to hold distributors and retailers accountable for contributing to the opioid crisis in the 14 counties in northeastern Oklahoma where the Cherokee Nation is located. This epidemic has affected every aspect of our society our economy our hospitals our schools and our homes. Our children are especially threatened by the epidemic putting the future of the Cherokee Nation at risk says Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker. This epidemic has cost Cherokee Nation health services millions of dollars not to mention the thousands of lives lost and ruined. That s dollars the tribe could have used for schools college scholarships hospitals roads or housing according to Chief Baker. Illegal drug usage in and out of Indian Country costs the economy an estimated some 80 billion annually. Earlier this year Tribal Diagnostics began to work with tribes in Indian Country to perform clinical testing and education around the opioid epidemic. Tribal Diagnostics founder and CEO Cory Littlepage is featured in TBJ s September issue. I am saddened to see that opioid abuse is rampant in our tribal and rural communities. The work that Tribal Diagnostics preforms benefits providers by offering fast results and tribes can also benefit says Littlepage. Our partnerships with tribes and tribal governments in working to combat the opioid epidemic is integral is making Tribal Diagnostics a success in the industry. As tribes work hard to combat the opioid epidemic in Indian Country TBJ is committed to feature stories to arrest the problem so that Indian Country can truly flourish and prosper. Editor-in-Chief Levi Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) Levi Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) Editor-in-Chief Levi Rickert may be reached at 616.299.7542 or lrickert tribalbusinessjournal.com. 8 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 9 10 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 11 12 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com Creating Opportunities for Energy & Infrastructure for Indian Country Email john.lewis avantenergy.com Phone 480-510-9811 www.avantenergy.com www.nativeenergyecosystem.com For More Information on how we can assist your tribe contact John Lewis www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 13 IN THE NEWS CONTROVERSY IN MAINE The Penobscot Indian Nation suffered a legal setback in its efforts to help protect river water that is a source of food for tribal members. A federal appeals court in Maine upheld a district court ruling that stopped the tribe s jurisdiction over the Penobscot River. Tribal Chief Kirk Francis told Indian Country Today that the ruling is reminiscent of federal termination policy or worse. The tribe has sought to improve the water quality of the river after a federal agency in 2014 warned against eating too many fish from the river because of health concerns. This ancestral land has tremendous historical significance for the Tribe said Tribal Chairperson Leona Williams. Being able to reacquire the property means so much to our people. CORPORATION DONATES FUNDS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AT&T donated 600 000 to the American Indian College Fund to help high school students in the Muscogee Nation prepare for college. A GREEN MOVE The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians installed charging stations for Tesla electric vehicles near its casino in Arlington Washington. The Penobscot Indian Nation celebrates the 2013 removal of a dam from the river INDUSTRY RECOGNITION For the second consecutive year the San Jacinot Californiabased Soboba Casino won Romero Awards for excellence in casino marketing. This year the casino brought home five awards. LEGAL IMMUNITY WON LEGAL BATTLE ENDS In a Miami appeals court the Miccosukee Tribe won immunity from prosecution against a complaint filed by the tribe s former legal team. In 2016 two Miami lawyers Guy Lewis and Michael Tein who served the Miccosukee Tribe under Chairman Billy Cypress from 2005 to 2010 sued for damages alleging that the tribe engaged in unlawful attempts to destroy the plaintiffs law firm. The duo won the suit in state court and the tribe agreed to pay 4 million in attorney s fees. But in August 2017 a judge reversed the ruling because of the Miccosukee s sovereignty status. The tribe s lawyer Bernardo Roman is facing Florida Bar disciplinary procedures because of conduct associated with the lawsuits against the tribe s former lawyers according to the Miami Herald. FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN WINE DEBUTS In a joint partnership Santa Ana Pueblo and Gruet Winery will launch Gruet 2016 Tamaya Rose. It will be sold for 15 per bottle at Gruet s space at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort just outside of Albuquerque New Mexico. The rose is made from pinot noir grapes and the partners planned to harvest a variety of grapes in years ahead at their 30-acre vineyard. UPWARD BOUND Nearly 100 Native high school students from eight reservations spent six weeks in Boulder participating in the University of Colorado s CU Upward Bound program. It was formed to help prepare low- and very-low- income students prepare for pathways in academia. BUY-BACK PROGRAM REVISED The Department of Interior recently announced its revised strategy for the Land Buy-Back program for Tribal Nations. According to DOI press material the strategy will facilitate tribal governments with new opportunities and effectively allocate the remaining program funds (of 540 million) to reduce the maximum amount of fractional interests. NEW JOINT VENTURE Keres Consulting a Pueblo of Acoma-owned environmental services group entered in a venture with radiological and environmental services provider Eberline Services. Named Keres Eberline Joint Venture the two groups are based in Albuquerque New Mexico and intend to pursue federal procurement opportunities concerning environmental programs. NEW TOUR COMPANY Nativeways Travel and Tours a Bismarck Dakota-based nonprofit group was recently established and is now taking reservations for guided cultural tours via its website (www. nativewaystravel.com). LAND DEAL The Pinoleville Pomo Nation purchased two parcels of its ancestral land in Ukiah California. The 2.7 million deal was financed through Indian Land Capital which enabled the tribe to acquire the two parcels. North Dakota Heritage Center 14 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com PROSPERIT Y RISES IN THE WEST Your tribe s culture and sovereignty are important. We re committed to helping you protect that while growing your government programs and enterprises with industrysmart accounting consulting and wealth management services. Discover how Moss Adams is helping tribes thrive. MOS SADAMS.COM TRIBES RISE WITH THE WEST. Assurance tax and consulting offered through Moss Adams LLP. Wealth management provided by Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC. Investment banking offered through Moss Adams Capital LLC. Holland & Knight provides trusted legal representation to a wide range of Native American and Alaska Native clients to help ensure prosperity now and in future generations. Our Native American Law Group provides comprehensive counsel on Corporate Services Corporate Governance Labor and Employment Law Real Estate Environmental Matters Mergers and Acquisitions Taxation Government Contracts Litigation and Regulatory Matters www.hklaw.com Walter T. Featherly Partner Anchorage AK 907.263.6300 Copyright 2017 Holland & Knight LLP All Rights Reserved www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 15 Collection pipettes THE ROAD TO TREATMENT BEGINS WITH A DIAGNOSIS BY LEVI RICKERT Starting Point fter spending nearly two decades as a professional in the health care field Cory Littlepage s entrepreneurial side took over. The enrolled citizen of the Chickasaw Nation knew about dismal Indian Country health statistics. He wanted to do more to improve the health of American Indians than he was doing while working for others. He also was aware that in health care the road to treatment begins with a proper diagnosis. So in October 2015 he founded Tribal Diagnostics a diagnostic laboratory that conducts high volume and specialized tests on patient specimens for health care providers. As an American Indian I took a look at health outcomes of Native people such as life expectancies which are the lowest among other ethnicities and said this is morally wrong says Littlepage. With over 20 percent of tribal members in fair or poor health the highest of any ethnicity there is a need to improve the health and wellness of Indian Country. Littlepage began his career in the health care industry with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and rose through the ranks of different departments within the company. He left Pfizer and stayed in the health care industry to work for other companies including some startups along the way. Having worked in health care my whole career I ve been blessed to have worked for some outstanding leaders and companies Littlepage says. Prior to starting Tribal Diagnostics I worked for a distressed company running their largest The state of the art lab health care account effectively coordinating the efforts of 2 400 colleagues across 10 international locations. In addition to his concern about the overall health of Native people Littlepage realized the opioid crisis that has plagued the entire nation regardless of race ethnicity or social status has caused tremendous suffering and heartache in Indian Country. Opioid painkillers like oxycodone hydrocodone and hydromorphone account for about 75 percent of prescription drug overdose deaths according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Native American deaths involving opioids nearly quadrupled from 1999-2010 and illicit drug use among Native Americans is 12 percent also the highest of any ethnicity 16 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com COVER STORY AD www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 17 COVER STORY group. Almost every person on our team has lost someone to substance abuse and are passionate about being a part of the solution says Littlepage. With three out of four medical decisions by physicians made as the result of a laboratory test Littlepage felt building a laboratory was the best place to start a business. In October 2015 Littlepage identified some private investors all Native Americans and added his own money to establish Tribal Diagnostics. Within one year Littlepage hired a highly-qualified staff built a facility purchased testing equipment and secured a license to operate. The company opened for business in November 2016. We have built our company without government subsidies Littlepage says. All of the money has come from private investors. Since its opening Tribal Diagnostics has grown and achieved its business plan s projected revenue. It grew from the initial five health care providers to more than 100. Four American Indian tribes in three different states are using Tribal Diagnostics laboratory for their testing and Littlepage and his staff are looking for more. We pride ourselves on doing a better job than anyone else. Doing a good job is our No. 1 priority. First and foremost we take our science very seriously says Littlepage referring to the highly regulated laboratory testing market. Last year Tribal Diagnostics was named Oklahoma s 2016 Minority Startup of the Year. Recently Tribal Diagnostics signed an agreement with UnitedHealthcare one of the largest medical insurance companies in the United States. Any member that is a part of its network will have 18 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com access to bring those resources to tribal members to utilize Tribal Diagnostics laboratory services. They also have extensive health care resources that can help Indian Country and we are looking at ways to bring those resources to tribal members says Littlepage. Littlepage is excited about Tribal Diagnostics early success and looks forward to making a greater impact to improve Native Americans health. Our emphasis right now is clinical drug testing and education around the opioid epidemic with the goal of expanding our test offerings to include blood molecular environmental here in the near future says Littlepage. He delved further into the company s success for the Tribal Business Journal What has been Tribal Diagnostics greatest accomplishment so far When I take a step back to reflect on our accomplishments I am really proud of our team and that has to be our greatest accomplishment. Over half our employees are Native have decades of health care experience have been on almost every one of the 567 federally recognized and state recognized Tribes and are passionate about our mission. We have employees from Chickasaw Nation Muscogee Creek Choctaw Penobscot and Navajo and look to have more tribes represented as we expand our team. What has been your largest challenge to date Regulatory hurdles. Because physicians and other health care providers make medical decisions based on the results of the lab test the industry (as it should be) is highly regulated and the process of obtain- ing a high complexity laboratory license is a rigorous one. The tribal compliance team comprised of former federal regulatory inspectors utilized their expertise to ensure close to 1 000 pages of federal regulations were met. This diligence to adhere to federal guidelines resulted in us being able to secure a federal license in a shorter duration than similar laboratories. Getting our name out there. Spending so much time building out the lab and going through regulatory approvals we are now just getting Tribal Diagnostic s name out there. Once tribes physicians clinics or other health care providers talk to us get to know our team and see our results we have been able to distinguish ourselves from the larger labs. Have any tribes become clients of Tribal Diagnostics Yes we partnered with our first tribe in February and now support four tribes in three different states. There is much need around opioid education and testing that we are gaining much traction in Indian country. Indian Health Service direct service tribes are another area of focus where we could add value and look to partner with them soon as well. How can other American Indian business owners overcome obstacles they may face Have confidence in your ability and know trials and tribulations face all business owners. Perseverance and product uniqueness is key and be willing to do the things others don t like to do. Lastly surround yourself with an outstanding team. What advice do you live by My faith is very important to me and it serves as the foundation of our culture. We work hard have fun pursue dreams and serve others. Littlepage accepts a Start up of the Year Award from REI Oklahoma TO LEARN MORE To find out more about Tribal Diagnostics visit the company s website http tribaldiagnostics.com services FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER FQHC SUPPORT SERVICE Embrace the Mission Ensure the Margin Now serving over 100 health centers in 30 states - 2017 Health centers are community-based and patient-directed organizations that deliver comprehensive culturally competent high-quality primary health care services. Behind the Scenes Consulting Training or Retraining On-Site Engagement FINANCE Medicaid Cost Report Medicare Cost Report Audit Support Budget Development Bookkeeping Services Month End Support BILLING Outsourced Billing Revenue Cycle Management Insurance Contract Review Cost Based Fee Schedule GRANTS & PROGRAM COMPLIANCE New Access Point (NAP) Grant Look-Alike Designation and Renewal Service Area Competition (SAC) Grant Expansion Grants Needs Assessment Population Survey Budget Period Renewal Change in Scope UDS Report HRSA Site Visit Preparation Policy Development MANAGEMENT Interim CEO Interim CFO Strategic Planning Board Education FTCA Application 340B Program Development Residency Development Business Analysis Financial Management Project Feasibility PRIMARY INTEGRATED HEALTH SUPPORT KNOWLEDGE RELIABLE PROFESSIONAL Full service consultants capable of working with health centers in virtually every component needed to ensure sustainable operations -Satisfied Client www.communitylinkconsulting.com 509-226-1393 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 19 Helping Our Children 20 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com J NOTAH BEGAY III FOUNDATION ATTACKS OBESITY DIABETES BY LORENZO GUDINO ust outside of Albuquerque on Pueblo of Santa Ana land the Notah Begay III Foundation crusades for Native youth. The NB3 Foundation champions the prevention and reduction of Native childhood obesity and type-2 diabetes. As the rates of these illnesses continue to rise among Native youth the significance of the foundation s work intensifies. Notah Begay III s success began as the first and only full-blooded Native American (Navajo San Felipe Isleta Pueblo) golfer to play on the PGA Tour. In the midst of his 15-year career he established the foundation in 2005. The Native-led non-profit 501(c)(3) organization grew out of a golf program Begay s father led in the greater Albuquerque area. By 2009 NB3 developed a comprehensive program to combat childhood obesity and type-2 diabetes among Native youth. According to Indian Health Services 45 percent of Native children between ages 2 and 5 are obese. The issue heightens as some Native communities have childhood obesity rates exceeding 50 percent. Obesity contributes to the development of type-2 diabetes which an estimated one out of two Native children will have in their lifetime. The foundation s mission to curb these diseases is evident through the immense work it has accomplished. Since 2005 Notah Begay III with race more than 24 000 winner Michael Tenorio Native children and families have participated in its programs in 14 states. NB3 s programs focus on health wellness and fitness through golf soccer cross country and nutrition education. Its national program NB3Fit Week engages children across Indian Country to participate in physical activity for at least 60 minutes each day of the week. SPECIAL REPORT HEALTH CARE Launched in August 2013 the Native Strong Healthy Kids Healthy Futures national program has pursued a fullfledged assault on obesity and diabetes. Through the grantmaking technical assistance communications and advocacy aspects of Native Strong NB3 works with Native communities and organizations to fulfill its mission. Surprisingly the foundation is able to do all this work without receiving any federal state or local government funding. Justin Kii Huenemann (Din ) NB3 Foundation president and CEO says even without an endowment or government funding it was able to provide 96 grants to 64 tribes and Native-led community organizations totaling 3.4 million over the last three years. Without having the restrictions of government funding the foundation can support the solutions the grantees know will work for their own community. With its funds coming from private foundations donors sponsors and espe- cially tribes the foundation is able to give Eighty-on cents on every dollar back to Native kids Native communities doing the work Huenemann says. As a Native-led organization NB3 exclusively serves Native American populations tribal nations and Native-led organizations. In doing so it promotes Native peoples solutions to their unique circumstances. Huenemann feels that Native peoples self-determination muscle has gone flabby over the years for a number of reasons and we are now continuing to exercise [it] in all sorts of areas. In the foundation s advocacy work it preaches what it practices by teaching others that a top-down method does not necessarily work in all Native communities. This work promotes tribal autonomy. The widespread reach of obesity and type 2 diabetes throughout Indian Country demands the attention of all Native People. NB3 continues to grow and look for more partners willing to fight alongside it. Huenemann stresses the intersectionality of this issue as economics are directly tied to the health of Native People. If we do not get a handle on the health side it is going to be challenging for tribes to grow economically because so many of their resources are going to be put right back into maintaining the sickness of their people said Huenemann. We have to get a clear understanding collectively about this and start to engage in this conversation. Racing teaches Now in its 12th year healthy habits new heights are on the horizon for the NB3 Foundation. NB3 has out grown out its building and has its sights on doing something big. It hopes to create a national center of excellence around Native youth health and fitness. The center could include research and learning components but NB3 remains undeniably excited for all possibilities. www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 21 22 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com FOOD AND AGRICULTURE raverse City Michigan is known as the cherry capital of the world. It gained that distinction after several decades of producing tons of cherries that were transported via railroad down to Chicago and beyond. Lake Michigan s eastern shores provide winds that create the perfect environment for cherry trees to grow plentiful fruit. Today Michigan has some 3.8 million tart cherry trees and about a half million sweet cherry trees. So when the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians sought to expand its business enterprises beyond gaming the Manistee Michigan-based tribe did not look too far. The tribe is about 60 miles from Traverse City and the rich farm land of cherry orchards extends into its ancestral tribal lands. Last year the Little River Band of Ottawa purchased Pleva International which included Pleva Products and Cerise Nutraceuticals. Both companies market unique products derived from red tart cherries. Pleva International was established by Ray Pleva a former butcher who developed over 90 different formulations of various kinds of meats that include cherries and other cherry-based products including marinades and snack items. With his meat blend Pleva created the Plevalean which adds red tart cherries to ground meats to reduce fat content and improve shelf life nutrition and juiciness. The most popular blend is in ham- burgers--a regular menu item for this company since 1988 in school food service and soon to be available to the mass market. Ground beef revenue could potentially exceed 15 million the tribe said in a statement. The 30-year legacy of Ray Pleva s work established a solid foundation of documented scientific research from which the tribe will launch the vast array of natural products into the marketplace tribal officials said at the time of the purchase. In recent years there has been recognition of positive health benefits from tart red cherries because they are rich in natural painkillers and powerful antioxidants. The benefits range from high blood pressure reduction to helping ease joint pain. Research is being done on how the combination of tart red cherry extract and essential fatty acids reduce cognitive impairment and inflammation. Hopes are the findings can provide relief for Alzheimer s Disease patients. Since the purchase of Pleva International the tribe has worked with its management to develop a strategic plan marketing campaign and establish new names to do business in the national marketplace Advanced Protein Solutions and InTerra Nutraceuticals. ADVANCED PROTEIN SOLUTIONS This company will continue the unique innovation of the red tart cherry blend that go into the burger and sau- sage formulations. This blend has been used in restaurants and has been USDA and Child Nutrition-certified. The company says it has these attributes All-natural ingredients Neutral taste Exceptional texture and juiciness Reduced fat No warmed-over flavor INTERRA NUTRACEUTICALS The global nutraceutical market is expected to reach 385 billion by 2020. The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians wants to be a part of that market. When the tribe purchased Pleva International Cerise Nutraceuticals came with the deal. Cerise Nutraceuticals produced capsules containing cherry compounds that Pleva claimed were 48 times more potent than raw cherries. Other products include sports drinks and protein powders. Rebranded as InTerra Nutraceuticals the company is focused on making all natural scientifically proven health and wellness products that deliver a variety of benefits for people who enjoy active lifestyles. The Little River Band of Ottawa want to capitalize on the projected hundreds of billions of dollars to be generated from nutraceutical products. Tribal leaders are happy tart red cherries are in their backyard--the Cherry Capital of the World--and see the possibilities as endless. www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 23 Four-bedroom home TOHONO O ODHAM KI KI ASSOCIATION SERVES AS A ROLE MODLE BY LEE ALLEN No Place Like Home he National American Indian Housing Council recently said it was disappointed about President Trump s budget request to Congress but there is some good news for one western tribe. 24 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com HOUSING Three-bedroom home The Tohono O odham Ki Ki Association (TOKA) will be adding over three dozen new homes after receiving low income housing tax Credits (LIHTC) to fund a 9.5 million development. This is TOKA s third award bringing the total to more than 24 million and will finance construction of two dozen three- and four-bedroom single-family homes and 14 one- and two-bedroom multifamily homes. That represents a total of 118 housing units (new construction and rehab) as well as two new community centers impacted through tax credits alone. And if you do some conservative math depending on the number of bedrooms in the units nearly 500 Tohono O odham Nation members have benefited via quality safe affordable housing because of the LIHTC tax credit program. For over half a century Ki Ki has provided housing services to the Tohono O odham Nation a proficient and responsible partner in the housing service industry says Executive Director Pete Delgado. That s success and it s tied to the fact that our leadership and our implementation teams work together for a common goal. We ve been able to eliminate a lot of the politics you see in other places that have stymied forward movement. Established in 1962 as the Papago Housing Authority the mission is to provide affordable housing for tribal members and to promote home ownership opportunities--and TOKA has done so to the tune of more than 1 000 homes during that time. The monetary contribution is the latest in a series of financial windfalls like last year s influx of several thousand dollars from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program to fund vouchers for native military personnel living in overcrowded conditions. Tohono O odham Chairman Edward D. Manuel says Our veterans made sacrifices to serve our country. They deserve to live in safe quality homes and this funding fulfills a previously unmet need in Indian Country. There is a crucial need for housing on the Nation s land says TOKA Chairwoman Kimberly Mull a message echoed by Legislative Council Housing Committee Chairman Billman Lopez. Our need is significant and these quality homes (along with a 2 000-square-foot community building meeting space included in the funding) will help bring our community together. One of the biggest challenges with any tribe is housing and funding and this latest LIHTC funding will allow us to build a contained subdivision in the San Xavier District [one of 11 districts in the huge nation] and every time we build a good quality home for our members it creates a domino effect. Depiction of a community building Depiction of townhouses Photo credit Lee Allen ARIZONA FREELANCE Billman Lopez legislative council housing chairman and Jerry Carlyle vice chairman of the San Xavier District. There s a lot of our members who want to come back to live on the reservation for cultural reasons but there s no place for them to go says San Xavier District Vice Chair Jerry Carlyle. They want to come back to their culture their roots and these homes that will house a lot of our people will help that cause. According to TOKA statistics there are about 3 600 units in the nation of 30 000 enrolled members. HUD estimates that two thirds of them are overcrowded. The new construction represents forward progress with hundreds of members on a waiting list some being patient for years because they live in districts where no new homes have been built since the late 1990s. Certainly it s exciting when you begin to see the nation s members asking for homes says Lopez. Just recently we gave house keys to families who had no home--a status that changed through a program that years ago would not have happened. There will always be a need but this is a beginning a light at the end of a long tunnel. We ve managed to bypass political interference and are working collaboratively to build more homes. The nation is not only build homes in larger numbers but taking into account new technology and increased quality than previous residential structures on the reservation which were built in the 1970s to 1980s and now need repairs. Both Lopez and Carlyle say they are looking for ways to make lives better such as using solar. We feel a solar energy application is legitimate and we re in the talking stage says Lopez. Energy efficiency is a focus like adding solar canopies to carport driveways. We have them at our district offices where we ve cut a thousand dollar a month energy bill down to 200 Carlyle says. It s all on-going says Delgado. In an era of shrinking federal funding we need to continue to increase revenue generation to perpetuate our programs. It never ends. www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 25 Counting 26 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com FEATURE Coup TRIBE VERSUS TRIBE IN THE 21ST CENTURY PART ONE OF A FOUR PART SERIES BY ROBIN A. LADUE n past ages counting coup was a measure of a warrior s strength and courage. Counting coup among Northwestern Native Americans was defined as risking injury or death to touch an enemy or stealing an enemy s weapons or horses while escaping unharmed. www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 27 Nikater Counting coup took place in inter-tribal conflicts prior to the coming of the settlers. However the imposition of the reservation system has led to conflicts and frustrations that are still in play today. This four-part series details the ongoing disputes between tribes that are still causing legal battles and bitter conflicts. The disputes include fights over federal tribal recognition which often ties into economic issues such as gaming and access to natural resources. The Pacific Northwest is one region where tribe versus tribe battles are highly prominent. Several examples are discussed below along with the cultural financial and economic implications of one tribe suing another. Quinault map QUINAULT TRIBE VS. COWLITZ TRIBE Ancestral Cowlitz land encompassed 2.4 million acres including the Washington state towns of Kelso Olequa and Toledo. There was an unbroken chain of governance from the historical chiefs of the 1800s to the tribal chairman of the 21st century. In 1906 Cowlitz Chief Atwin Stockum began more than a centu28 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com ry of legal and political disputes with the federal government seeking recognition of the tribe and the restoration of ancestral rights for hunting fishing and food gathering. For many years prior to federal recognition the Cowlitz Tribe was recognized by the state and was a part of the Small Tribes of Western Washington organization. The two treaties drawn up in 1855 between the Cowlitz Nation and Isaac Stevens the Washington territory s first governor were not acceptable to the Cowlitz tribe so they were never ratified. Many members of the Cowlitz Tribe were given allotments on the Quinault reservation on the coast of Washington where seven tribes have allotments. In 2000 the Cowlitz tribe was given provisional recognition which was opposed by the Quinault tribe. Quinault tribal council President Pearl Capoeman-Baller said the Cowlitz tribal members insistence that they had treaty rights on the Quinault reservation led to the Quinault tribe opposing the federal recognition of the Cowlitz tribe. The Cowlitz tribe received final recognition in 2002 and over several years they acquired 152 acres at La Center Washington which was moved into trust status in 2015. While the tribe again celebrated this milestone it was caught up in another battle with yet one more Northwest tribe the Grand Ronde located 90 miles south of Portland. GRAND RONDE TRIBE VERSUS THE COWLITZ TRIBE Once the Cowlitz tribe took its land into trust status and plans were made to build a casino on the reservation. In 2005 the Cowlitz Tribe was granted a gambling license by the National Indian Gaming Commission. The Grand Ronde tribe in conjunction with the Citizens Against Reservation Shopping (CARS) group local landowners the owners of local cardrooms the city of Vancouver and Clark County filed lawsuits alleging the land near La Center had never been a part of the Cowlitz ancestral lands. However Stephen Beckman Cowlitz tribal historian and history professor at Lewis and Clark College in Portland Oregon has documented that the Cowlitz people had hunted fished and lived along the banks of the Cowlitz River down to the Columbia River. FEATURE Administration but the Department of the Interior in the George W. Bush administration terminated the tribe again a year later. The Chinook and the Quinault were traditional enemies whose inter-tribal resentments carried into the 21st century. The Chinook tribe was given allotments on the Quinault reservation. Quinault Tribal President Pearl Capoeman-Baller said the Chinook were trying to exert tribal authority over land that didn t belong to it. The Quinault tribal casino placed on the Washington Coast opened in 2000. Since the Quinault tribe has filed lawsuits against the Chinook and the Cowlitz. A recently completed 25-million-dollar expansion added more jobs more rooms and more revenues for Grays Harbor County and the state of Washington. What it has not done is make life easier and more hopeful for the people of the Chinook nation. Tulalip Puyallup and Muckleshoot tribes vs. Duwamish tribe The Tulalip Muckleshoot and Puyallup tribes all have hugely profitable casinos. They have also taken strong stances against the federal recognition of the 600-member Duwamish tribe the tribe of Chief Seattle. In addition to gaming profits there has also been friction over the Northwest tribal fisheries and the distribution of fish shellfish and other water related resources. This topic was covered in TBJ in a previous series entitled Cool Cool Water. The Duwamish people were originally settled in what are now south Seattle Renton and Bellevue. Sadly on July 2 2015 the Department of the Interior declared the first people of the Seattle area to be extinct. The members of the Duwamish Tribe that have fought for decades for federal recognition. The tribe s viewpoint is that it is not seeking new federal recognition but the restoration of recognition that was assured from the Point Elliott Treaty that involved tribes in the Puget Sound area. Not only were the Duwamish the first signers on the Point Elliott Treaty but the Seattle is named for their leader Si ahl. Now Cecile Hansen the great-great-grandniece of Si Ahl fights for her people. The Duwamish tribe bought nearly an acre in 1999 and then raised 3.5 million to construct the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center. In keeping with the recognition requirements of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of the Interior the Duwamish have maintained a consistent line of governance and a cohesive population group. So the question remains why the Duwamish who were briefly federally recognized in 2001 lost their recognition. The Duwamish believe that it is the Tulalip Puyallup and Muckleshoot tribes unwillingness to have a casino built in the Seattle area that serves as the actual basis for their fight against their recognition. In Washington state tribal gaming brings in over 2.3 billion dollars a year as of 2015. It is a sad situation as noted by Hansen and by the deceased former Cowlitz chairman John Barnett that instead of pulling each other up tribes with wealth are choosing to count coup on their felChief Seattle bust by low Native people. James A. Wehn This time though it is not the acts of a brave warrior but the acts of greed that were never our tradition. A historic photo of a Cowlitz tribal member The true objections were economic based. The La Center cardrooms believed they would lose revenue the local landowners were concerned about property values CARS the city of Vancouver and Clark County were concerned about loss of tax revenues and the Grand Ronde tribe with their Spirit Mountain Casino believed it would lose 100 million in casino revenue. The first lawsuit against the Cowlitz Tribe was filed in the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. to appeal the Bureau of Indian Affairs approval of the Cowlitz Tribe application for the land trust. A district court ruled in favor of the Cowlitz tribe in 2014 and an appeals court upheld the ruling in July 2016. The Cowlitz Tribe now operates the Ilani Casino Resort which opened this year. The lawsuits which stretched over the course of six years cost the Grand Ronde tribe and the other plaintiffs millions of dollars. At the end of the legal battles the Cowlitz Tribe has a casino that was an immediate success the cardrooms closed and the battle scars of the fight between the Cowlitz and the Grand Ronde led to more bitterness. The terrible and bitter battles between the Grand Ronde the Quinault and the Cowlitz are similar to those brought by the Quinault against the Chinook in the Chinook tribe s bid for federal recognition. The Chinook were granted recognition during the waning days of the Clinton ROBIN A. LADUE PHD IS A RETIRED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND AN ENROLLED MEMBER OF THE COWLITZ TRIBE. SHE IS THE AWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE HEALING CIRCLE SERIES AND THE HISTORICAL FICTION NOVEL TOTEMS OF SEPTEMBER. THANKS IN DEVELOPING THIS ARTICLE GO TO ALAN J. WILLOUGHBY J.D. MPA AND PAMELA BLESSING. www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 29 Then President Obama shakes hands with Eloise Cobell after signing a historic settlement in 2010 Elouise Cobell led way to a 3.4 billion settlement BY ROBIN A. LADUE PART SIX OF A SIX-PART SERIES he previous five articles in this series have paid homage to the Native American Presidential Medal of Freedom winners. The very distinguished recipients of this award include the following giants in Indian Country Annie Dodge Wauneka (Navajo Nation) -1963 Wilma Mankiller (Cherokee Nation) 1998 Joe Medicine Crow (Crow Nation) 2009 Suzan Shown Harjo (Cheyenne and Hodulgee Muskogee Nations) 2014 Billy Frank Jr. (Nisqually Nation) 2015 The short line of Native American warriors and heroes that stretches back to Annie Wauneka Dodge now includes Elouise P. Cobell. She was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2016 five years after her death. In Indian Country the name Cobell is well known. She was also known in her Native community as Yellow Bird Woman and was a tribal elder of the Blackfoot Confederacy. She was also a life-long activist banker rancher and lead plaintiff in the ground breaking and life changing class action suit Cobell v. Salazar in 2009. 30 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com Due to Cobell s intelligence business acumen determination and wisdom the Bureau of Indian Affairs settled a record 3.4 billion lawsuit for the failure of the BIA to adequately manage and account for fees from resource leases. The settlement was divided into several portions compensation to individual account holders buy back of fractionated land interests restoration of land to reservations and a 60 million for scholarship fund for Native Americans and Alaskan Natives (the Cobell Education Scholarship Fund). As of late 2016 thanks to Cobell s efforts in suing the Department of the Interior 900 million has been used to buy back the equivalent of 1.7 million acres which has allowed for land base restoration. Cobell was born as Elouise Pepion in 1945 on the Blackfeet Reservation the same year as Shown Harjo. She was the great-granddaughter of Mountain Chief a revered and wellknown leader of the Blackfeet Nation. Her parents were ranchers. She was raised in a house without electricity and with no running water. While many people will find it hard to believe that Native people lived in such conditions in the 20th century there are many places in Indian Country where this is still the situation. MEDAL OF FREEDOM Cobell graduated from Great Falls Business College and then attended college at Montana State University. However due to her mother suffering from terminal cancer Cobell left college before graduation to care for her mother. After her mother passed Cobell moved to Seattle where she married Alvin Cobell. He too was a member of the Blackfeet Nation. The couple had one son Turk who would later accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom in honor of his mother. Cobell returned to her home reservation and established the Blackfeet National Bank the first national bank located on Indian land and operated by a Native American tribe. Twenty other tribes joined the bank to form the Native American Bank which is based in Denver Colorado. The Native American Bank s non-profit affiliate was the Native American Community Development Corporation. Cobell was appointed as the executive director. She was also a board member of First Interstate Bank a trustee of the National Museum of the American Indian and a recipient of a MacArthur Genius Award in 1997. Cobell was indeed a brilliant woman. In keeping with the other five Native American Presidential Medal of Freedom winners her commitment to the betterment of the lives of Native people both urban and rural began when she was young. During her lifetime she helped her husband raise crops cattle and run the family ranch. In part due to her determination to provide future generations of Native people with economic resources and a healthy environment she founded the first land trust in Indian Country. From the mid-1980s until the actual settlement of the Cobell v. Salazar lawsuit in 2009 during the Obama administration Cobell worked tirelessly to seek reformation of the way in which Indian land and resources were administered. While the settlement did provide funds for education and for land buy back Cobell was not completely satisfied stating Although we have reached a settlement totaling more than 3.4 billion there is little doubt this is significantly less than the full accounting to which individual Indians are entitled. Clearly the 3.4-billion-dollar settlement is only a tiny fraction of what was owed from generations of mismanagement of Native land and resources by the Department of the Interior and the BIA it still is a notable success that came about from the efforts of a very determined individual. This determination was similar to Harjo s lawsuit to deny the Washington NFL team its disparaging trademarks Frank s dozens of arrests and the Boldt decision which upheld Native American fishing rights. Cobell s astuteness led to resources for the Native community that would have been lost forever to Native people. Cobell died at 65 on October 16 2011. While she is no longer among her people her legacy will live on through her bank her scholarships and her traditions. While these incredible Native American winners of the Presidential Medal of Freedom may not be well known to the world at large they are giants in Indian Country. Their shoulders their strengths their skills and their determination in the face of unbelievable odds are needed more today than ever. While the immediate future may be frightening since the inauguration of the 45th president there are many bright talented stars who are stepping up to lead the way. These young people include Amanda Blackhorse a fighter against the ugliness and damage of Native mascotry. She was one of the plaintiffs in the follow-up lawsuit against the Washington NFL team. Dahkota Franklin Kicking Bear Brown is enrolled with the Wilton Band of Miwok. He is a 4.4 GPA graduate from Argonaut High School in Jackson California and will be attending Stanford University. He founded and trademarked the nonprofit organization Native Education Raising Dedicated Students (NERDS) in 2012. This organization now has 10 chapters with hundreds of students. He was appointed by President Obama to serve on the Nation Advisory Council on Indian Education. He is a very bright young man who will move Indian Country ahead. Gabriel Galanda is a Seattle-based Native attorney who has been very active in addressing the despicable practice of disenrolling tribal members. He has advocated on behalf of the Nooksack 306 more than three hundred tribal members who were according to Galanda illegally disenrolled. He has consistently worked for the betterment of tribes including cases that addressed the requirement of state police following codified tribal criminal procedures on reservation trust lands as well as a case that compelled the return of an ancestral burial ground and the reinternment of unearthed ancestral grounds. These young people have already committed their lives for the greater good for tribal people. Thousands of Native people have manned the camps at Standing Rock even during brutal attacks by non-Native authorities. We have leaders who have worked hard to develop economic resources through fishing and gaming who are testifying in front of a now hostile and anti-Indian congress. They are teachers doctors ranchers nurses social workers psychologists attorneys bankers pharmacists tribal health clinic staff tribal council members business people and athletes. If we stand on the shoulders of these giants we will have a better vision moving into an uncertain future. We will remember where we came from and set goals to move forward to where we want to be. If we stand on the shoulders of these giants we will continue to persevere. Given the efforts of these three young people just mentioned and the thousands like them Native people will continue to succeed. On a final and personal note this writer would like to thank some of the Native people in her life those who were the giants who held her on their shoulders The late William Willard PhD professor emeritus Washington State University Josephine Marcelley Nespelem Washington social worker Colville Confederated Tribes the late Helen Lucile LaDue J.D. juvenile defense attorney Puyallup tribal judge Mel Tonasket Colville tribal council past chairman and current vice chairman past president of the National Congress of American Indians Tom Holm PhD (Cherokee-Creek) professor (retired) University of Arizona ROBIN A. LADUE PHD IS A RETIRED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND AN ENROLLED MEMBER OF THE COWLITZ INDIAN TRIBE. SHE TAUGHT AND WORKED IN NATIVE AMERICAN FIRST NATIONS MAORI AND ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE WORLD. SHE IS THE PRIZE WINNING AUTHOR OF THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE HEALING CIRCLE SERIES AND THE HISTORICAL FICTION NOVEL TOTEMS OF SEPTEMBER. SPECIAL THANKS TO TONI BROWN GABE GALANDA AND MEL TONASKET. SPECIAL THANKS TO ALAN J. WILLOUGHBY J. D. EDITOR PAR EXCELLENCE. www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 31 ing course. Among other orey White alleges that aspects of the job White he s the only Native Amersays that once tribes begin ican booking agent. But he booking their own talent aims to change that. White they won t run into this (Ho-Chunk Nation) recently A NEW NATIVE-OWNED VENTURE AIMS TO GIVE possible scenario I just announced a new venture TRIBAL ENTERTAINMENT VENUES THE POWER TO BOOK sold you a band that cost providing a network of top 30 000 but the contract acts--or using his services THEIR OWN TALENT--AND SAVE BIG BOOKING FEES says 70 000--there s to book acts--for tribal vena big hole in the bucket ues. In addition he seeks to BY DEBRA UTACIA KROL there. educate event managers for Native American Talent Buyers Nettribal casinos amphitheaters and other clubs to private events weddings fairs work debuted during the National Indiand festivals and casinos. venues the tricks of the trade. White also learned how the booking an Gaming Association s conference in White has been in the music business for more than 20 years. I went to the Mc- business really works and how venues San Diego in April 2017 and is already Nally Smith College of Music for guitar like Indian casinos are frequently over- creating buzz in the casino industry. performance he says. After college charged for bands. I was thinking Just White says that several casinos have White spent 15 years on the road touring because they re casinos doesn t mean expressed interest in his services eight with various bands. I learned how to be they re Vegas casinos. You re charging casinos have joined the network and the band leader since somebody had to do 1 200 a night for a band that I booked three people have completed his course. it he says. I learned how to make con- for 400 a night in Minneapolis This Event managers have the option of using is crazy Disheartened White decided White as their booking agent or taking his tracts and manage the band. After nearly 3 000 shows White deter- to embark on the next step forming his course on how to buy talent at the best price possible. NATBN also represents mined that he needed to build a brighter own booking agency--with a twist. I was taught by my grandma to go several Native music acts and works with future for his children--not to mention his wife wanted to become a nurse and needed away to school or the military learn venues on booking acts like Levi Platero him to be the sole provider while she com- something valuable and then bring it James and Ernie or Brule. NATBN will pleted her studies. He was courted by his back home to the people says White. also book regional and national non-Naalma mater located in St. Paul Minneso- I m an artist. I know how to do every- tive acts and White has a list of more than ta to become an admissions recruiter. But thing from play the music and set up 700 acts ranging from Charlie Daniels to I d never been in the corporate world he the PA system to process the contracts. Alice Cooper who he s worked with and says. Jack McNally the founder of the So he formed CRW Productions which who he ll happily help tribes obtain. He s college asked me You ve never worked trains event managers in the art of book- also creating a database for major and Nain sales how are you going to apply your- ing acts and Native American Talent tive acts which is available by memberself in this job I stood up and said I ve Buying Network a membership-based ship. But eventually I d like to see it turn service that provides one-stop shopping into a nonprofit had to sell myself all these years. for both Native and non-Native acts with a board White got the job. Corey White But White wanted more than just to re- ranging from music to comedy and even White says. cruit new students and after his wife graduated from nursing school White moved onto his next gig I signed a contract and joined the largest booking business in the Upper Midwest he says. He spent two years observing as Greg Schmitt one of the best booking agents in the region sold everything from small jazz shows to music festivals. The hours White spent at Schmitt s side were like a graduate program in music management he says. In his two years with the agency White dealt with venues from small bars and night 32 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com magic acts. You only do 12 concerts a year and I can teach you to book all 12 concerts in a day you re paying 100 000 or 200 000 fees a year to people who are working for us for only eight to 10 days a year White says of many tribal casino event managers. Once you learn to do what I do you ll always have a job. He notes that large casinos are already booking acts directly and he hopes that more tribal casinos will book directly as well whether they take his book- There is a bit of self-interest on White s part though. As a singer and guitarist he hopes that tribal event managers will remember the name of his band Kalliah and Blackwater and book them. I m not interested in getting rich off my own people White says. I m interested in empowering my people so I can get back to playing. To learn more visit crwproductions. com and natbn.com. ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 33 t wasn t like I just woke up and said Let me do this. It was a gradual process in realizing the battle I wanted to fight says Sydney Alfonso founder of Etkie a Native jewerly company rooted in ethical business practices. Sydney grew up with her mom Kerry in rural New Mexico surrounded by inspiring determined and talented women --- a childhood that inspired her passion about social consumerism financial inclusion and gender equality in the workplace. While the mother daughter duo had many adventures collecting wearable treasures from around the world they understood that some of the most unique and culturally-important jewelry could be found right in their The ETKIE team of 10 own backyard.Following that surrounds CEO Sydney epiphany her entrepreneurial Forsthe. There is no I in journey began. Our company team she says. is committed to the financial and Back row Drucilla social empowerment of Native Calvert Naomi Valeen women in New Mexico. We Kerry Tanya work with indigenous female Frong row Chelsea artisans who lack accessibility Sydney Priscilla Destiny to public markets bridging the gap between artistry and the I Beads and dreams BY LEE ALLEN mainstream fashion industry according to Etkie s press materials. In an Elle magazine article it was said that with an estimated 30 percent of American Indians identifying as practicing artists--and one in four living below the poverty line--Etkie is the first jewelry brand to bring their specialized skills to the mass market. I believe in empowerment of Native American artisans and entrepreneurs says Alfonso. And through development of formal partnerships with artistic creators and women who exhibit traditional talent we can have the power to change mainstream concepts of what it means to be a contemporary indigenous woman today. Across the country there should be more companies focusing on undiscovered talent of those who deserve America s support. We are committed to a production process that humanizes the hands that craft each product. Aside from its recurring presence on the television series Breaking Bad the Tohajiilee Indian Reservation outside of Albuquerque gets little notice. It s a small scattered community of roughly 120-square-miles and 1 600 inhabitants (formerly known as the Canoncito Band of Navajos) that makes up less than half a percent of the entire Navajo Nation s total population. The unemployment rate frequently hovers around 70 percent. 34 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT But it s who--not how many--Tohajiilee residents who are now bringing honor to their town and their tribe. They are the artisans who make the Etkie company and its handmade oneof-a-kind products known and respected for their craftsmanship. Women like lead beader Priscilla Chapo who has been there since day one or Tanya Blake a mother of six and a third generation beader who works at home to raise her family. Our artisans are private contractors which means they are their own bosses says Alfonso. According to the Center for American Progress Women of color are a principal force behind one of the most important components of America s current marketplace--entrepreneurship. While women of color face significant obstacles in starting their own businesses increased access to capital has helped the number of women entrepreneurs grow substantially. For Alfonso The entrepreneurial track is set in stone for me. I m always brainstorming on our next growth steps. The way my brain is wired is I m constantly thinking about problems and various ways to solve them. The framework of being an entrepreneur is all about creating something from nothing and we ve been pretty successful at accomplishing that. Etkie s growth has been slow but steady since the doors opened with three artists posting 800 000 in sales in its third year with a goal of 1 million in sales next year. We re a team of 10 now and we ve signed a contract with a non-profit to explore transitioning into a worker-owned cooperative where artisans will no longer be contractors but employees and owners. I would stay on as CEO but would report to a Board of Directors in my capacity as owner worker. Latest on the list of accomplishments is the recent opening of a new retail space in downtown Albuquerque a 2 000-square-foot showroom that will double as the company s headquarters for inventory and shipping. While I m pleased at what we ve accomplished to date all entrepreneurs go through days asking themselves if they re crazy or not she Intricate work at ETKIE says. It s scary when you re about to jump into the deep end of the pool on a regular basis but I ve had a lot of support from those who believe in me. Her philosophy is a sound one --- there is no I in team. Nobody does something like this alone. When I started it was my intent to involve our artisans as much as possible. Now that we have a thriving business it s important there is ownership within Etkie and we should know sometime in October about becoming a worker-owned cooperative. I find it satisfying that our entire team works so well together. We ve built something of value for the community at large. www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 35 Building Partnerships for Success BY APRIL TINHORN ichael Candelaria (Isleta Pueblo) didn t always own a printing shop. He s one to speak up and this skill has served him well during his lifetime of working in the construction industry serving on various boards and owning businesses. His first foray into the business world was as a coffee shop owner on the Isleta Pueblo in New Mexico. Business was good until a large construction project popped up in front of his storefront. The construction did affect his business and he had to decide to either continue with the three-year-old coffee shop or to switch gears and focus on his printing shop side business. On April 1 2015 the full-service print shop Three Blind Mice (TBM) Enterprises opened and began printing T-shirts banners brochures and other promotional items. Two years later he made the jump from part-time entrepreneur to full-time business owner and has not looked back. He is passionate about offering affordable options to remote areas. Three Blind Mice has continued to grow because of five reasons. First they have no sales tax as a reser36 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com THREE BLIND MICE ENTERPRISE STRIVES TO STRENGTHEN INDIAN COUNTY BY PRINTING AND PROLIFERATING STRONG MESSAGES. ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT vation-based business which means they pass along the 8 percent savings to their customers. Second he owns the office building. Third their network runs deep and he s not afraid to talk to strangers. Fourth location has been an asset as they are easily accessible Customer Steve Torres to the Albuquerque with Michael Candelaria New Mexico area and a short 4-mile drive to the border towns Belen and Luna. Fifth and most importantly they offer much needed products. Like many small businesses there have been barriers to growth such as reliable internet connectivity as TBM works throughout the world. When the internet is down he cannot use Skype for business with vendors in China or email product art proofs to customers. Another barrier to growth is being taken seriously as a legit business by his own tribal community. One assumes getting business with your own tribe would be easy. It is not. It took having an exhibit booth at the RES 2017 conference for TBM to be seen as a legitimate company by its own tribal business decision makers. Once TBM was seen as a genuine business they are now doing business with its tribe s casino clinic recreation center and others. Three Blind Mice Enterprise strives to strengthen Indian County by printing and proliferating strong messages. When he works with other Natives they typically let their guard down and have better business relationships. Through his print shop TBM is helping build the Native economy. TBM serves Natives by understanding our unwritten processes of doing business in Indian Country and creating memorable experiences for clients. TBM employs Native people and shows budding young entrepreneurs how business works. Working within Indian Country is a way of life and unless you ve lived it you ll never be able to understand that unique bond. In five years he envisions Three Blind Mice Enterprises being the premier printing company for Indian Country. Every person needs what TBM does and every single business needs to market themselves. TBM wants to do your work forever as they are making Indian Country great again one t-shirt at a time. MARKETING TIP FOR NEW BUSINESSES Cheap and flimsy business cards with a Gmail or Yahoo email address are a faux pas as they raise questions about the legitimacy of your company. www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 37 Strengthening Indigenous Governance ndian Country has been no stranger to hardship and adversity. From the late 1800s through the mid-1900s federal policies on assimilation and relocation sought to suppress Native American language and culture. Acts of removing Native children from their families and placing them in boarding schools and displacing Native peoples from their homelands were common practices during these early times. Growing tired of these disparaging conditions Native nations across the country began to rise rebuilding our communities. After centuries of war genocide mistreatment and cultural oppression many struggles remain. Some tribal communities continue to face unemployment that exceeds 50 percent an increasing number of high school dropouts and alarming suicide rates. Tribal leadership from coast to coast has recognized the need to not only help protect and preserve our culture but also provide opportunities for our tribes and communities. Over the years we have seen an increase in imperative programs designed to assist our Native people providing economic opportunities and preserving tribal sovereignty. One of those programs the Native Nations Institute for Leadership Management and Policy (NNI) has found its home at the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy at the University of Arizona. With several programs and projects tools and resources and publications NNI has established itself as a pillar in Indian Country. NNI s Executive Director Joan Timeche spoke to the Tribal Business Journal about the organization and its vision for the future. WHAT IS THE NATIVE NATIONS INSTITUTE The Native Nations Institute (NNI) is the leading research education and outreach organization supporting Indigenous peoples worldwide as they seek to realize their own political economic and community development objectives. Founded by the University of Arizona and the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation in 2001 and located on the Tohono O odham Nation s traditional homelands NNI is a public service unit of the UA Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy (UC). It is an outgrowth of the research programs of the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development which for 30 years has conducted both large-sample and hands-on research on what works in Indian Country. NNI and Harvard Project research findings point to a process we call Native nation building--the way a Native nation enhances its own foundational capacity for effective self-governance and self-determined community and economic development. Native Nation building or rebuilding is the central focus of all NNI s work. HOW WAS THE NATIVE NATIONS INSTITUTE FORMED Indigenous peoples face the highest rates of poverty and disempowerment worldwide. In response NNI was formed to bring together a unique and powerful set of resources in policy law public health BY JANEE DOXTATOR-ANDREWS economics and other fields all oriented to serving the governance and development needs of Indian Country and other Indigenous peoples around the world. Working in creative ways with Native communities and organizations in the U.S. and beyond NNI marries world-class research to practical tools that Indigenous leaders and decision makers can use in rebuilding their nations for future generations. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CURRENT INITIATIVES THE NATIVE NATIONS INSTITUTE IS WORKING ON NNI s current initiatives advance policy solutions of use to Native nations and raise broader public awareness of Indigenous issues. These initiatives include Research and policy analysis. In addition to core and ongoing efforts to explore the relationship between governance and community development outcomes in Indian Country NNI is expanding its tribal child welfare research to include sample tribal code language linking tribal public health and environmental health issues through collaboration with the University of Arizona Center for Indigenous Environmental Health documenting how Native nations are infusing their views into multi-jurisdictional water management to enable access to water sources for cultural and traditional uses and exploring methods for community building that support effective and culturally legitimate tribal government. Advocacy for data sovereignty and data governance. Native nations in the U.S. are increasingly exercising Indigenous data sovereignty or the right to govern the collection ownership and application of their own data. Indigenous data governance--the ownership collection control analysis and use of data--provides the mechanisms for achieving the goal of data sovereignty. NNI is incubating the U.S. Indigenous Data Sovereignty Initiative and as a further contribution is Location The Facts 803 E. First St. Tucson AZ 85719 Joan Timeche 2001 To support Indigenous selfdetermination strengthen Indigenous governance capacities and achieve Indigenous community and economic development objectives. It does this through research in-person and online education free online databases and tribal consultation and services. Executive Director Established Mission 38 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com TRADE ASSOCIATION PARTNERS producing a series of opinion theory and research outputs that help tribes prioritize the ownership production oversight storage analysis and strategic use of data. Education for current and prospective tribal professionals. Since its inception NNI has been the premier provide of executive education in Native nation building for both established and up-and-coming tribal professionals. Its direct tribal services range in scope from educating tribal citizens about constitutions to helping nations set strategic nation-rebuilding priorities. NNI continues to train Rebuilders from the 23 tribes in Minnesota North Dakota and South Dakota a program which NNI co-designed with the Bush Foundation and Native Governance Center. It offers a multi-module online learning series introducing Native nation building and constituent topics ranging from justice systems to tribal enterprise development. And in 2018 NNI will offer its sixth January in Tucson (JIT) experience which will offer at least 12 intensive college-credit eligible courses addressing Native governance and Indigenous rights. In 2017 JIT welcomed record-setting 90 students-- who in total received over 300 university and continuing education credits--for classes ranging from Indigenous Peoples Rights under International Law to Intergovernmental Relations Comparative Indigenous Governance Creating Indigenous Entrepreneurs and Making Change Happen. HOW WILL THESE EFFORTS ENHANCE INDIAN COUNTRY Native nations are not going to disappear. They will continue to face self-government challenges and will continue to need research policy analysis and specialized education on self-determination governance and development. NNI firmly believes that through self-deter- Joan Timeche mination Indigenous peoples can turn back poverty strengthen their cultures and stand as respected equals among nations. In this striving for self-sufficiency Indigenous communities deserve the quality and levels of informational and institutional support afforded to the developed and developing nations of the world. WHAT IS THE NATIVE NATIONS INSTITUTE S VISION FOR THE FUTURE Those who came before us said it best. The time for shouting into the microphone has passed. Now we need to build things. We need to rebuild our nations. Chief Oren Lyons Faithkeeper Onondaga Nation commenting on the adoption of the United JANEE DOXTATORNations Declaration ANDREWS IS AN on the Rights of In- ENROLLED MEMBER OF digenous Peoples THE ONEIDA NATION For more informa- OF WISCONSIN. SHE tion on NNI please IS THE OWNER OF visit http www. DOXTATOR MARKETING n n i . a r i z o n a . & COMMUNICATIONS edu. HELPING YOU TELL YOUR STORY YOUR WAY. SHE CAN BE REACHED AT JANEE DOXTATORMARKETING. COM. www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 39 Promoting Energy Independence BY TARA S KAUSHIK AND KAYLA N. GEBECK HOW TO ACCESS IMPORTANT FINANCING TOOLS ribal governments can manage their energy resources independently and save money on increased utility bills by forming a tribal public utility or developing energy resources on tribal lands. In doing so they can operate more efficiently than their electric service providers generate long-term revenues and serve their communities. As the Trump Administration focuses on promoting American energy independence tribal governments can utilize available financing mechanisms to form tribal utilities and deploy tribal energy projects on tribal lands. The following are some available options which include federal grant opportunities and tax-exempt financing. DOE OFFICE OF INDIAN ENERGY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a notice seeking applications from Indian tribes Alaska Native villages Alaska Native regional and village corporations and tribal energy resource development organizations for technical assistance to advance tribal energy projects in tribal communities. Funding can be used for energy planning housing and building energy efficiency project development policy and regulation resilience and providing village power. Energy projects eligible for funding include solar wind biomass geothermal utility lighting energy efficiency and various renewable energy projects. DOI GRANT PROGRAM TO ASSESS EVALUATE AND PROMOTE TRIBAL ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT The U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) issued a notice seeking grant proposals from Indian tribes and tribal energy resource development organizations. Proposals may include initial resource exploration defining potential targets for development performing market analysis to establish production demand performing economic evaluations and analysis of the resources and other pre-construction studies needed to develop known energy and mineral sources. Energy resources eligible for funding include minerals biomass (woody and waste) hydropower solar wind geothermal oil natural gas and coal. 40 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com LAW APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 25 2017. DOI GRANT PROGRAM TO BUILD TRIBAL ENERGY DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY The DOI provides notice that it is soliciting grant proposals from Indian tribes Alaska Native villages regional or village corporations tribal organizations and tribal energy resource development organizations. This funding opportunity provides financial assistance for tribes to build tribal capacity for energy resource development and management by supporting the formation of business entity structures related to resource development (e.g. tribally chartered corporations Section 17 Corporations and tribal utility authorities) and develop or enhance key regulatory activities (e.g. secured transaction codes and HEARTH Act leasing regulations). Applications must be received on or before October 9 2017. TAX EXEMPT FINANCING Tribal governments can also use tax exempt financing as another tool to finance economic development including electric gas and water utility infrastructure and facilities on tribal lands. Tax exempt-financing by tribal governments has historically been limited due to restrictive rules and regulations set forth under Section 7871(c) of the Internal Revenue Code which limits tribal governments in their use of tax-exempt governmental bonds for the financing of an essential governmental function unlike their state and local counterparts. To overcome this barrier Congress established Tribal Economic Development Bonds (TED Bonds) in 2009 as a temporary fix. Section 7871(f) allows tribes to finance any project or activity for which state and local governments can issue tax-exempt bonds. However as the limited volume cap for TED Bonds continues to diminish tribal governments must consider new ways to access tax-exempt financing like their state and local counterparts. One solution being considered has been put forth by Representatives Ron Kind (R-WI) Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) Suzan DelBene (D-WA) Dave Reichert (R-WA) Tom Cole (R-OK) Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) and Norma Torres (D-CA) with the introduction of H.R. 3138 the Tribal Tax and Investment Reform Act. This act would eliminate the essential governmental function test and subject tribes issuing tax-exempt bonds to the same federal tax standards and requirements as states. It also establishes special private activity bond volume cap rules to enable tribal governments like states to issue private activity bonds. Tribal advocates seek to include this bill in federal tax reforms this year. TARA S. KAUSHIK IS A PARTNER AND KAYLA N. GEBECK IS PUBLIC AFFAIRS ADVISOR AT THE LAW FIRM OF HOLLAND & KNIGHT. CONTACT THEM AT TARA. KAUSHIK HKLAW.COM AND KAYLA. GEBECK HKLAW.COM A leading developer of forest carbon projects for the California carbon market. TribalGovernmentandEnterprisePrograms StacyA.Sullivan CIC ACSR TribalSpecialist AccountExecutive Email Stacy JohnSullivanInsurance.com Forest Carbon Partners finances and develops carbon offset projects that deliver real financial value and support the forest management goals of our clients. CONTACT US 1 415-321-3300 carbon newforests-us.com forestcarbonpartners.com www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 41 42 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com FINANCIAL SERVICES Always Stronger Together BY GARY DAVIS NATIVE HISTORY IS FILLED WITH EXAMPLES OF THE POWER TRIBES POSSESS WHEN THEY WORK TOGETHER. iawatha the great Onondaga orator was instrumental in uniting the Oneida Cayuga Mohawk Onondaga and Seneca peoples together into the Iroquois Confederacy. The Confederacy held strong through multiple conflicts between the British French and American colonists. Without the unifying efforts of Hiawatha and the Great Peacemaker the five original tribes of the Confederacy may well have suffered a gruesome fate trapped in the middle of European colonial wars raging in North America. Tecumseh chief of the Shawnees and his own confederacy of tribal nations once said that a single twig breaks but the bundle of twigs is strong. Solidarity has consistently served tribes well in the face of territorial and other threats. Despite representing hundreds of cultures languages and experiences Native Americans have historically banded together to achieve common goals and promote shared interests. While early confederacies focused on external threats from Western colonizers treaties with the United States and a status of domestic dependence mostly ended an era of military alliances. Now tribes unite for the mutual purposes of education community welfare and economic development. Whether it is the United South & Eastern Tribes advocating for public safety the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association discussing the positive economic impacts of tribal casinos and resorts or the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association promoting native influences on Historic Route 66 inter-tribal associations demonstrate the power of collective action every day. In July NAFSA held its first ever Capitol Hill Day in which members visited with lawmakers in Washington D.C. about pressing issues related to tribal e-commerce and online financial services. NAFSA was able to meet directly with members of Congress on key committees like the House Financial Services and Senate Banking committees as well as with legislators representing some of our members districts in Wisconsin Montana and Oklahoma. Beyond visits to the Hill our members also participated in a Tribal Finance Summit at the White House and welcomed more members of Congress to a rooftop reception at NAFSA s headquarters a few blocks away from the nation s Capitol. There are few business opportunities in Indian Country today that create billions of dollars in economic impact. Gaming tops 30 billion annually now with natural resource development and federal contracting also providing some tribes with steady revenues. For tribes that are geographically and economically isolated online lending and financial services represent a path to self-determination and prosperity. Tribal online lenders issue more than 2 billion in loans each year for Americans that are underserved and ignored by traditional banks. Because these tribes have utilized technology and innovation to overcome their geographic limitations no longer are their hopes of prosperity tied to the sparse economic possibilities in the rural areas in which they are located. Subsequently these tribal online lending businesses have created jobs and career opportunities on reservations where unemployment defies the national standard. Tribal financial services revenues now support the construction of medical centers the funding of sovereign government functions and college scholarships. Our industry is not without its challenges. Federal regulators are threatening tribal sovereignty in the courts in ways almost identical to the fledgling years of tribal gaming. In response to early attacks on gaming the National Indian Gaming Association formed in 1985. NIGA now boasts nearly 200 member tribes and conducts training and regular legislative summits with many of the same members of Congress that NAFSA members interacted with on our first Capitol Hill Day. A strong and unified voice is the most powerful GARY DAVIS tool Indian Country possesses to advocate for sov- (CHEROKEE) ereign rights and economic opportunity. No single IS EXECUTIVE tribe can or should put itself before the collective. DIRECTOR OF THE Shared goals allow tribes to pool resources and im- NATIVE AMERICAN prove outcomes for all of Indian Country. As NAF- FINANCIAL SERVICES SA demonstrated in July Tecumseh s wisdom still ASSOCIATION AND A resonates and we will continue to strengthen our MEMBER OF THE TBJ ADVISORY BOARD. bundle one stick at a time. www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 43 12 Winning Ways HOW TO MAKE YOUR WEBSITE WORK FOR YOU BY SCOTT PRITCHETT IT S A FACT. YOU VE GOT TO HAVE A WEBSITE. A BUSINESS THAT DOESN T HAVE ONE MAY NOT EVEN SEEM LEGITIMATE. 44 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com MARKETING CIRCLE HAVE A CLEAR GOAL BE CONCISE It can sound like oversimplification but it isn t. Decide what you really want your website to do. Then design it to do that. Do you want your website to Make people call you Make people visit your location Make people contact you via email Sell product online Get orders online for in-store pickup Primarily provide information showcase work and establish you as an authority in the business All of these are legitimate reasons to have a website. But you have to build with that goal in mind. And it s a lot easier if you focus on the one action you really want. Don t believe it Think about online retailing giant Amazon.com. Their website isn t really built for you to call them or to drop by. It s focused on allowing you to quickly order products that will be shipped to you. Phone numbers are definitely not a priority for them. There s a quote attributed to French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter. What that means is it takes time to lay out everything you feel you need to say and then decide what is really most important--and the filter should be what your customers will find important. Keep thinking little words big fonts. EXPLAIN THE BENEFITS What s in it for me Assume every potential customer is asking that question every few seconds or so while on your site. Google analytics show most visitors won t stay long so communicate the most tangible benefit to the customer quickly in every section. DON T FEEL YOU MUST HAVE MANY PAGES LOOK AT OTHER SITES FOR IDEAS No we re not saying copy other sites. But looking at several other websites-- especially those in your same line of business--can help you decide what is most important for your site and some ways you can communicate that. Sure many sites have several pages. But a simple format may get the job done. A growing trend is having a content-rich home page through which visitors can scroll without tabbing over to different pages. And of course--the most important information should be above the fold meaning to be part of the screen the viewer sees first--without having to scroll at all. ou may not know how to create a website. Don t worry too much it can seem intimidating but as with so much else in life it s best to think before you act. Take it slow learn a little and focus on what you really want to get out of your website. Here are some tips to help you do just that. WRITE DOWN YOUR MOST IMPORTANT CONTENT POINTS MAKE THE CALL TO ACTION EASILY EXECUTABLE Once the design process starts it will be easy to get distracted in all the other elements. Think about the three to five most important things you want your site to say and make sure these things remain in place throughout the process. If you want them to call make sure the phone number is easily accessed from anywhere in the site. Want them to sign up for a newsletter or contact you Then put a form in place to do so that is easy to find anytime. www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 45 MARKETING CIRCLE DON T FORGET ABOUT MOBILE VIEWS One very important consideration as you embark on building a website Mobile. In 2016 mobile and tablet views surpassed those of desktop views. Properly designed sites today are called responsive meaning the content is optimized for both desktop and mobile views. Your site should look great no matter what you use to look at it. REALIZE YOUR HARD WORK MAY NOT EQUAL GREAT RESULTS PICTURES MORE PICTURES AND... VIDEO Strong visuals can tell your story easily and nearly instantly. The trend today is much larger images than what was typical in older websites. Sure you can use stock images... but it s a lot more inspiring if you use actual photos from your business. People like people pictures--a team photo is interesting and also provides morale inside. Short videos incorporated into your site can really drive interest and length of time on your page--so use them if you have them and if not--get them. When someone visits your website all they ll really care about is if it tells them what they want looks professional and is easy to navigate. They won t care about the amount of work you put into it. None of this would matter if the site isn t good. Someone who really knows the website building business can likely take your knowledge and your vision--you know the part of the business that is really important--and translate those into the website. At Redline Media Group we ve built award-winning websites. Our team knows how important it is to build not only a website that works but one that becomes your brand ambassador--a hard-working extra employee. And like all great employees your website if built right from the get-go can continue to grow alongside you. Don t be afraid to get someone to help that shares your vision--and put them to work to make the best website possible for you. Happy marketing The Marketing Circle is a monthly resource that provides a greater understanding and insight into the complex world of marketing and advertising. Advertising professionals from Redline Media Group an award-winning full service Native American woman-owned creative marketing and advertising agency weigh in to share best practices guidance and expertise relative to a variety of topics in the world of branding marketing and advertising. The marketing experts at Redline Media Group would welcome the chance to talk with you about your business and how SCOTT PRITCHETT IS a great website can BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT increase your growth MANAGER AT REDLINE and profitability. MEDIA GROUP A Reach out to them at FULL-SERVICE NATIVE 855-9-GO2RMG (1-855AMERICAN WOMAN946-2764). OWNED ADVERTISING AGENCY IN SOUTH FLORIDA. DON T BE AFRAID TO ENLIST A PROFESSIONAL GOT TESTIMONIALS USE THEM Genuine testimonials can be a strong element of your website. Don t be afraid to ask if a customer has had a great experience with you. Your contact form (see No. 8 above) can easily include a space for How did we do or similar inquiry designed to elicit comments. Get permission to share of course. There is a lot involved with creating a website. You ll want to make sure you choose and own the right domain name. Email addresses that match this domain help reinforce your brand name and establish legitimacy. The hosting company for your site has many important considerations as is your website platform--while it s true that WordPress is fairly easy customizable and can grow with your business it s not a perfect fit for everyone. We haven t even talked about search engine optimization (SEO) considerations which help increase your site s rankings in major search engines like Google. This could fill an entire book And all of these are important considerations before the first words or pictures even come into play on your website. 46 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com Native American owned and operated with professionally trained accountants who understand the nuances unique to Native governments ensuring you... ...Peace of Mind provides economic opportunities and improves the quality of life for lower-income individuals and communities through innovative and affordable financing that is unavailable in the conventional market. APACHE RAILWAY LOAN AMOUNT 2.5 Million LOCATION Snowflake AZ IMPACT To restore a critical piece of infrastructure in Navajo County. Clearinghouse CDFI We make loans in Indian Country PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED COMMITTED HIGH TECH CERTIFIED (505) 798-2550 info mccabecpa.com PINOLEVILLE POMO NATION LOAN AMOUNT 90% participation in a 2 240 000 loan LOCATION Ukiah CA IMPACT Acquisition of 8.8 Acres of Tribal Land to further tribal enterprises. Clearinghouse Community Development Financial Institution is a Full-Service Direct Lender Specializing in loans for Economic Community Development Housing Infrastructure Health Care & Educational Facilities & More With Financing for On Off Reservation Projects Visit us at www.clearinghousecdfi.com or call (800) 445-2142 2017 All Rights Reserved. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Dept. of Corp. Finance Lender License 6035497 CA. Foreign Corp. License C20111025-1584 NV. Business License NV20111673156 NV Commercial. Mortgage Banker License CBKBR 0121262 AZ. www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 47 BUSINESS ETHICS ne of the oldest tricks in the book to deflect heat from an unethical situation is to redefine the narrative. Instead of asking Was this unethical the person or entity shifts the discussion to Was it illegal Once we re hooked into that line of thinking if the answer is no then the matter is closed. What we really want to be asking is whether the behavior or action was improper. To better understand this thought process it is necessary to define both terms. The first is pretty cut and dry. If you did something that breaks a law it s illegal. If you slam someone to the ground like Montana congressman Gregory Richard Gianforte who attacked a reporter you have assaulted that person. That is against the law. Defining improper is a bit more difficult. ILLEGAL VS. IMPROPER BY RANDALL SLIKKERS When we move from an objective action to a subjective one it leaves the term open to interpretation. It may be considered improper to swear at somebody by some people and totally fine with others. For some tribal members seeing someone in tribal government hiring a relative may invoke anger and mistrust but for the person doing the hiring it is just fine. Improper Maybe. But what if that person is the most qualified In my home state of Michigan several years ago the Republican speaker of the House Jase Bolger got together with a representative from the opposite party Roy Schmidt close to election time. Bolger promised Schmidt support and committee leadership if he would switch parties. They hatched a plan to have him switch the evening of the deadline for candidates to file for the seat. Then they had the representative s distant relative file at the last minute so there would be no real opposition. The scheme was quickly detected and the press had a field day. Then the representative resigned the Democratic Party fielded 48 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com a new candidate and won the seat. The speaker was called on to resign for this type of behavior. He immediately went to the we did nothing illegal defense. The state s Republican Governor Rick Snyder took a hands-off approach and said It s a legislative matter. No one took leadership no one was held accountable. After an investigation it was determined no law was broken. The matter was closed. I wish that was the end of the story. However this culture came back to haunt the state when the Flint water crises arose. Same culture. Same governor with a hands-off leadership approach. Snyder says he was never told about the issue although news media reports have questioned that. People in power felt embolden to make decisions that eventually affected thousands of lives and damaged children and families forever. All because the illegal vs. improper culture prevailed. We must do everything we can to ensure that we don t allow this type of culture in tribal government enterprises. There are two critical measures you can take to ensure your tribal organization does not fall into this same false narrative. First never allow anyone to use the Well it wasn t illegal narrative. Always make the first (and only) question Was it improper Second I strongly suggest developing a set of values that guide your definition of what is improper. Most corporations in America have a set of values and or value statements. Tribal governments and tribal enterprises should do the same. If these values are RANDALL SLIKKERS truly the values of the tribe then they MBA IS PRESIDENT are always the backdrop of how you AND CEO OF THE define improper. NATIONAL CENTER FOR Illegal or not if an action is improp- AMERICAN INDIANS WITH er it s most likely unethical. And that DISABILITIES AND THE my friends is what we are trying to PRESIDENT AND CEO OF make sure never happens within our NONPROFITSTRONGER. organizations. COM. Education today is your bow your arrows and your shield so keep learning. It is a pillar that makes a strong community. -Danielle Ta Sheena Finn Standing Rock Sioux 2016 Miss Indian World JD Candidate 17 Indian Legal Program Sandra Day O Connor College of Law Arizona State University Earn a JD JD MBA or a Masters of Legal Studies Certificate in Indian Law Indian Legal Clinic Rosette Tribal Economic Development Program National Conferences World Class Faculty Extensive Selection of Indian Law Classes Learn more at law.asu.edu ILP or ILP asu.edu The leading developer of Native American forest carbon projects for the California carbon market. Forest Carbon Partners has successfully registered the most forest carbon offset projects to date on tribal trust and fee land for the California carbon market. CONTACT US 1 415-321-3300 carbon newforests-us.com forestcarbonpartners.com The only national organization dedicated to advancing Indian Country tourism across the United States. JOIN US AND LEARN MORE AT WWW.AIANTA.ORG www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 49 TBJ PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY PRINTED VERSION TribalGovernmentandEnterprisePrograms StacyA.Sullivan CIC ACSR TribalSpecialist AccountExecutive Email Stacy JohnSullivanInsurance.com RJAY BRUNKOW GARY DAVIS (Cherokee) CEO of NAFSA Native American Financial Services Association Gary Litefoot Davis of the Cherokee Nation is the Exec Director of the Native American Financial Services Association -NAFSA. He is also an award winning actor musician entrepreneur author and public speaker. Past Pres and CEO of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development -NCAIED and Board of Directors. JOHN B. LEWIS Gila River Indian Community Utility Authority KARRIE WICHTMAN (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians) Managing Partner Rosette LLP Kerrie possesses over a decade of experience building and maintaining relationships with tribal communities. She manages a national majority Indian-owned and operated law firm with offices in MI AZ CA and DC. She supervises reviews coordinates and directs legal work product of more than 17 attorneys and 10 support staff. STACY (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians) CEO Indian Land Capital Company Rjay Brunkow has a wealth of experience in Indian Country. A graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School he is CEO of Indian Land Capital Company a unique lending organization providing flexible financing to Native Nations to acquire develop and secure tribal land for economic development and cultural preservation. A. SULLIVAN Tribal Specialist Account Executive Sullivan Insurance Agency John serves as the Executive Director of Tribal Client Development with Avant Energy in addition to serving his community on two boards Gila River Indian Community Utility Authority (GRICUA) and Gila River Telecom (GRTI). John works closely with Tribes throughout Indian Country on energy utility issues and infrastructure development. Since 1984 Stacy has worked hard to maintain a close working relationship with each of her tribal clients using her experience and knowledge to benefit each. She provides a personal touch and views each situation from their side of the desk while navigating their needs. Knowing the importance of todays environment in Indian Country. BUSINESS ADVICE Consider the realistic return on investment before you spend a single penny. BUSINESS ADVICE No one will be more on fire than you regarding your vision always be passionate. Be clear in communicating goals and apply timelines. BUSINESS ADVICE Events new technology and risk will always exist. Prepare accordingly seek out the opportunities then build upon that success. BUSINESS ADVICE A process to vet business opportunities corporate governance and a legal framework are essential elements of success. BUSINESS ADVICE Be involved and transparent make yourself available and treat everyone the way you want to be treated in life and in business. QUOTE Indian Country has so much economic potential and it s an honor to help our people make the most of it. QUOTE Make yourself malleable. Shapeable. Be adaptable & improvise in order to overcome the obstacles placed in your path. QUOTE Don t try and be the first. Try and be the best QUOTE When opportunity doesn t knock Indian Country has the ability to build a door. QUOTE There is only one boss the customer. He controls from the top down simply by spending his money somewhere else. -Sam Walton 50 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com Become Part of the Best Native and Non- Native Definitive Resource for Indian Country Professional Services Introducing TBJ Tribal Professional Directory PRINT & DIGITAL VERSIONS Log online to www.TribalProfessionalDirectory.com reserve your space today BY RESERVING YOUR SPOT TODAY WITHIN THE ONLY DIRECTORY OF ITS KIND YOU WILL RECEIVE Includes placement into 5 categories and subcategories Add up to 10 images to gallery and a video or additional PDF files Add special offers and real time deal offers and badges for associations Drive traffic to events promote articles and blog post RSS feed for Facebook and capture user reviews and ratings SEO-friendly for content optimization including Meta tag descriptions and keyword management Generate high quality leads from a fully customizable lead form Email notifications for leads generated through directory Users have an easy click to call and send to phone functionality Traffic Reports (summary and detail views website clicks phone and fax clicks contacts etc.) DON T MISS OUT ID info Your name title company listing along contact info Company writeup A brief company or personal write-up of accomplishments and future plans. ADDED BENEFITS Business Advice brief business advice and quote. Direct Mail National Indian Country Conferences and Prominent Indian Country Resort In-Room Distribution. Distribution approx. 20 000 C Suite Excecs in Indian Country per month 500 000 unique digital visitors per month on TBJ Digital Footprint Editorial focus on Thought Leadership in all areas of 21st Century Progressive Economic Development and Sustainable Business Opportunities and Growth throughout Indian Country. Marketing Partnerships include opportunities to promote your product and service through Advertising Space in Print Editorial Opportunities Digital Marketing Opportunities and Event Marketing. Make connections do deals create jobs create opportunities. Indian Country s definitive resource for the Who s Who among Economic Development and Business Professionals involved with January 2018 Predictions (Economic Outlook) February Tribal Tech & Telecom March TBJ 50 (Outstanding Leaders) Building the Res (Commercial Construction) April The Brain Train (Education) Leading Lawyers and Firms May Energizing the Res (Energy) June The Big Buildup (Transportation Infrastructure) July The House Rules (Gaming) August Real Res (Residential Real Estate) September Healthy Futures (Health Care & Life Sciences) October TBJ s Big Book (Annual Professional Directory) Dollars and Sense (Financial Services & Insurance) November Destination Res (Tourism & Hospitality) Retail and the Res (Retailing) December Good Deeds (Nonprofits) PUBLISHING DATES Quote brief business quote. TBJ PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY DIGITAL VERSION Home Page QR code will take the viewer to your digital home page John B. Lewis Highlight Page Click on image and your highlight page pops up QR Codes Quick scan with QR App or iPhone users ask Siri or simple point camera to scan. CLICK TO CALL www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 51 ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Is Your Enterprise Frozen BY DONALD ZILLIOUX PH.D. f your organization is struggling to gain a competitive advantage solidify its business strategy straighten up its marketplace priorities or simply make a predictable top-line profit you are in danger of losing ground while your competition builds momentum and true value. In our consultingexperience with companies from start-ups to Fortune 500 we have often run across companies we refer to as frozen--organizations that are locked in a state of indecision false starts and frequent changes of direction in their quest for growth and profitability. Executive teams are often unable to reach consensus about where the company is headed. They may have trouble deciding how to best leverage their products or services. They often have an unclear view of their market and the best path to sustainable profitability. The result is confusion frustration and inevitable mistakes in positioning and execution. The unfortunate outcome tends to be one of the following scenarios Efforts that worked in the past are repeated but do not yield desired results. Owners are frustrated that they have little to show for all the hard work and see no way out. Profit is unsustainable and certainly not predictable--value is not measurable. If you are finding that your company is frozen (or you are afraid that it may be) there are steps you can take to move the company forward 1. Recognize the problem and acknowledge its negative impact. Frozen companies and their executives often have a hard time stepping back to see how indecision false starts and frequent frustrating changes in direction (or failure to do anything differently) are hurting their business success. For clarity to emerge company executives should focus the organization on a few high impact objectives formulate a core strategy to drive company success and concentrate on a highly focused target audience. 2. Conduct an annual physical for your organization which is something I help with as a consultant. Just as you want to keep track of your health in order to head off predictable illness business owners need to do the same for their businesses. If the business isn t healthy you won t create the value you had in mind when you started the enterprise in the first place. First diagnose the health of the business and then treat it--it will live a long time and you will prosper. Fact-based decision-making is powerful because you will know you are on the right track. If not you can fix it. Research gives you the confidence to make informed choices and empowers you to be bold in your approach to the marketplace. 3. Pull together the executive team to discuss the results of the annual physical and to brainstorm about the direction of the company. An outside objective development consultant can prove helpful in a company strategy session to help generate ideas and discuss them in an organized way to start building consensus. 4. Ultimately there must be a guide out of the old and into the new--renewed strategy plans for execution measurement systems that measure the right stuff value goals and coherent time bounded exit strategies. After these critical decisions are made the company must stay on course with consistent execution and measurement in order to build trust brand equity and profitability. Frozen companies go in so many different directions they end up going no place at all. By acknowledging the problem making fact-based decisions working to build and execute a renewal profit driven plan and staying on track once the course is set companies can regain their momentum and accelerate their growth results exponentially. PROFESSOR DON ZILLIOUX PH.D. IS FOUNDER AND CHIEF SCIENTIST AT STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT WORLDWIDE. THIS ARTICLE IS EXCERPTED FROM THE UPCOMING BOOK THE FIELD-GUIDE FOR MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS. CONTACT ZILLIOUX AT DONZ SDWNET.COM. 52 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com Our Investment 300 Million to Improve Quality of Life for Native Americans Collaborating with 1 000 partners on 60 remote reservations we provide immediate relief and support long-term solutions for year-round impact. Your Investment Work with us to provide education and leadership development and champion hope for a brighter future in tribal communities. Serving Native Americans with the highest need in the U.S. Contact Mark Ford (214) 217-2600 x118 NativePartnership.org www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 53 COMMUNICATIONS You Gotta Have Faith BY GLENN C. ZARING ost tribal meetings or gatherings begin with prayer. Some in the non-tribal side of life have similar prayers and beliefs in a higher power but there is something very different within the tribal community. It is a quality of culture. Tribal gatherings may also have a song a lesson and even the ceremonial lighting of a Pawgun known as a medicine pipe to non-natives. Participants are encouraged to pray with the sincere hope and request for the deity to intervene in the gathering and to guide those assembled in their deliberations. Sage might be burned and passed around to attendees to cleanse themselves. They cometogether for the good of their people their nation and their land. As I write this past meetings in the non-tribal world come to mind. Such as the corporate gathering where everyone invited goes into a conference room takes their assigned seats (after first determining where the boss will sit) goes through the agenda and then sits back to determine what they can say that will make them look good and help achieve their personal agenda. 54 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com I think there is more interest in control than in effective communication. As long as everyone nods at the right times in support of the power figure all is well. There is rarely a desire for listening respectfully to all in attendance with a desire for coming together. That is the difference between many tribal and non-tribal meetings. Given all of this how can we in Indian Country become more effective participants in meetings with those outside of our tribal community I m reminded of one non-tribal federal official who wanted to do right for the tribes in his region. He hosted a meeting and at the end he presented everyone with a commercial plastic bag of wild rice (manoomin) made and distributed by one of the regional tribes. Somewhat reluctantly folks went by him and took the bag of rice and thanked him. The less generous among our people were offended that what was in essence a sacred action through the giving of a gift was done in such a commercial fashion. Most of us though recognized that he was trying to honor the culture and do the right thing through his gesture. We politely took the bag and thanked him. The advice is to do a better job of explaining to outsiders what we are doing. Have a well-versed person in the tribes culture sit with the outsiders so that they can provide a running commentary on what is going on when we are praying passing the pipe or singing our songs. Don t expect them to know what is occurring. By showing respect of the culture and ceremony yourself you are indicating one of the most important differences that we have. Lead by example Do not expect the non-tribal folks to know what is going on and why it GLENN C. ZARING is happening. Demonstrate (CHEROKEE) IS THE instead the love and respect FORMER PUBLIC AFFAIRS of our culture. DIRECTOR OF THE LITTLE This by itself will awaken RIVER BAND OF OTTAWA in them an understanding that INDIANS BASED IN this usiness meeting is differ- MANISTEE MICHIGAN AND ent than what they are used to. OWNER OF TRIBAL PUBLIC Your attitude will show them AFFAIRS ADVISOR (TPA2). that it is a better way and it HE MAY BE REACHED AT will hopefully lead them to a PUBLICAFFAIRSADVISOR more prayerful life GMAIL.COM. Business exchange Join thousands who have resolved to be happy and debt-free. Are you paying too much for your client benefits program Debt.com offers the easiest debt resolution ever... one simple phone call to 800-810-0089. If you re ready to bring more revenue in to your business contact us Alternative Revenue Solutions Tel 954-377-9480 E-mail info ars101.com YOUR AD YOUR AD YOUR AD HERE HERE HERE FOR ONLY FOR ONLY FOR ONLY 1399 1399 1399 call 954-666-5316 or visit TribalBusinessjournal.com www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 55 2017 CALENDAR September NORTHWEST ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE Tulalip Casino Resort Tulalip Washington ncaied.org September 5-7 TRIBAL UNITY IMPACT DAYS Washington DC www.ncai.org events September 12-14 RED LAKE FOOD SUMMIT Red Lake Minnesota www.4directionsdevelopment.com September 13-16 NATIVE AMERICAN NUTRITION Mystic Lake Casino Hotel Prior Lake Minnesota Seedsofnativehealth.org conference September 18-20 October FOOD SOVEREIGNTY SUMMIT Radisson Hotel Green Bay Wisconsin www.firstnations.org summit October 2-5 74TH ANNUAL CONVENTION & MARKETPLACE Wisconsin Center Milwaukee Wisconsin www.ncai.org events October 15-20 November TRIBAL INTERIOR BUDGET COUNCIL Washington Plaza Hotel Washington DC www.ncai.org events Navaho Southwestern Mexican Blanket Tribal Business Journal compiles a monthly calendar of economic development events in Indian Country. If you have an event you would like to have published please send information eight weeks in advance of the event to Andrea Richard associate editor at arichard SFBWmag.com. November 7-9 56 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 57 LAST LOOK Eagle-feather war bonnets adorn U.S. military unifrom jackets at a Ton-Kon-Gah (Black Leggings Society) ceremonial held annually to honor Kiowa tribal veterans. Anadarko Oklahoma 2006. (National Museum of the American Indian) A Patriot Natives BY ANDREA RICHARD n exhibition Patriot Nations Native Americans in Our Nation s Armed Forces as the name suggests follows the history of Native Americans serving in the U.S. military. As early as the Revolutionary War Natives have fought for the country. Produced by the Smithsonian s National Museum of the America Indian Patriot Nations opened in January 21 and is on view through January 2018 at various venues. The exhibition through photographs and relics tells the personal narratives of Native American veterans who have served. Like so many others I was compelled to serve to honor the warrior tradition that is inherent to most Native American societies--the pillars of strength honor pride devotion and wisdom said Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Northern Cheyenne) a Korean War veteran. In addition the museum is planning to build a permanent and prominent memorial on its grounds in Washington D.C. which will bring recognition of Native veterans honorable contributions on a national scale. It will serve as a symbol of respect and a place of reflection. The museum hosted a design competition for the memorial and a jury of Native and non-Native artists designers academics and veterans will select the finalists. Construction is slated to begin in 2019. We invite you to participate in this historic moment--for our country for veterans and for the Native American communities whose loyalty and passion have helped make America what it is today said Kevin Gover the museum s director. Patriot Nations is a traveling exhibition. For more information visit nmai.si.edu. 58 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com www.tribalbusinessjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2017 59 Th e NB 3F ou nd ati on de is a dic na ate tio d t nal or a ed wa uc rding wi Na nnin tiv e A g Na me tive ric an Ame ch ric ild an ho no od np ob rofi es ity t org an an d t iza yp tio e-2 n dia be tes . io Vis n c All hi en ldr h e av th p eo p it tun or o yt l ive alt He hy p Ha a py n lfi Fu d lle iv dl es . AC AM H PIO N FO R IV AT N E HI C LD N RE HE S H LT A 505.867.0775 info nb3f.org nb3foundation.org notahbegayfoundation 60 SEPTEMBER 2017 www.tribalbusinessjournal.com NB3Foundation NB3Foundation NB3FIT healthykidshealthyfutures NB3F