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Native business owners attend OBO conference

TULSA, Okla. – Tex Hall, an economic development proponent for Native America, encouraged Native entities and businesses to help each other and said he would like to see more inter-tribal trading.

Hall encouraged businessmen and women attending the Nation’s Osage Business Owners Conference and Job Fair on Aug. 12-13 to “buy Indian” because “too many Native businesses are trying to put their foot in the door.” Hall is chairman of the Inter-Tribal Economic Alliance.

As keynote speaker of the event, Hall advised the attendees to pay attention to economic development topics such as the Native 8 (a) program and economic stimulus funding releases. Hall, a former president of the National Congress of American Indians, comes from the Three Affiliated Tribes in North Dakota where he also served as chairman twice and is credited with bringing more than $230 million in funding for projects on the Fort Berthold reservation where he lives.

Osage Nation Principal Chief Jim Gray said legislation that makes economic development possible in Indian County is one way communities can start growing, giving the Nation’s Limited Liability Company as an example. The Nation’s Congress passed legislation creating the LLC in 2008 which oversees the Nation’s economic development activities which will be independent from politics.

“This is an incredibly important step,” Gray said of the LLC bill passage. “The definition of Osage success is to create laws that bring even more jobs.”

Under the LLC, its officials get to retain and reinvest its profits for its first five years but must provide quarterly and annual reports, Carol Leese, the LLC’s CEO said during a panel discussion. He said the LLC is still focusing on passive investments as well as setting up the organizations infrastructure which calls for hiring a chief financial officer and eventually a chief of operations next year.

Leese said the LLC has made passive investments with two companies this year with a goal set for three investments by year’s end. “We will be looking at companies that are profitable,” he said.

Several Native-owned businesses or operations were represented at the OBO including the Nation’s Gift Shop and Human Resources, Flinco, American Indian Distribution and artsmartclub.com. Osage business owners including graphic designer Ryan Red Corn, New Horizon Enterprises President Margo Gray-Proctor and Ben Jacobs who co-owns Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery in Denver.

 


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Original Publish Date: 2009-08-24 00:00:00

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  • Osage News Staff

    Stories that are not primarily written by an Osage News staff member will have a “Osage News” byline. These stories include press releases and other community content that was drafted by someone externally but reviewed and approved for publication by Osage News. As an independent news organization, we strive to report news and information with fairness and balance. While being the official news organization of the Osage Nation, we base our news judgements on our loyalties to our readers and Osage citizens, and we are not directly beholden to the Executive, Legislative, or Judicial branches of the Osage Nation.

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Osage News Staff
Osage News Staffhttps://osagenews.org
Stories that are not primarily written by an Osage News staff member will have a “Osage News” byline. These stories include press releases and other community content that was drafted by someone externally but reviewed and approved for publication by Osage News. As an independent news organization, we strive to report news and information with fairness and balance. While being the official news organization of the Osage Nation, we base our news judgements on our loyalties to our readers and Osage citizens, and we are not directly beholden to the Executive, Legislative, or Judicial branches of the Osage Nation.
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