Here is a round up of business news from around Indian Country.
Policy & Law
• The Biden administration appointed two Native Americans to positions within the U.S. Department of the Interior. Natalie Landreth (Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma) was named Deputy Solicitor for Land. She joined the agency after a 17-year career at the Native American Rights Fund, where she represented Tribes and Native Americans in treaty rights, public lands and a variety of other cases. Landreth earned an undergraduate degree from Harvard College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. As well, Danna Jackson (Kootenai descendant) was named Counselor to the Director of the Bureau of Land Management within the Department of the Interior. Jackson’s legal career has focused on natural resources and American Indian law. Most recently, Jackson served as chief legal counsel to the state of Montana’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Jackson also previously worked as a federal prosecutor and staffer on Capitol Hill.
Entrepreneurship
• Eight finalists have been selected for this year’s Wind River Startup Challenge, a regional pitch competition created to distribute thousands of dollars to Native-owned startups on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. The competition, which is housed at the University of Wyoming and supported by a range of organizations, plans to hold its Final Pitch Day in May.
The finalists are:
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- Dancing Rain Consulting, founded by Harmony Spoonhunter, which would digitize records, create websites and provide data management on the Wind River Indian Reservation.
- Goose’s Kitchen, a food truck created by chef Leslie Spoonhunter that will highlight Indigenous dishes.
- Cammi’s Tire & Service, a mechanic and tire shop on the reservation founded by Cameron Enos.
- Bull Lake Construction, an affordable contractor for clients on the Wind River Indian Reservation that is owned and managed by Tiffany Day and James St. Clair.
- Timber Beast, a company owned and operated by Eugene Coulston that produces local timber products.
- Native FX Art and Design, a company started by Eustace Day to make custom art designs such as T-shirts, logos, signs and murals.
- SEMAJ, a grower of high-value crops launched by Bobbi Shongutsie and Austin Hill.
- The Monahooboo Hut, a food trailer by Hannah Nicol that specializes in chicken fried steak.
Wyoming EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research), IMPACT 307, the Wyoming Small Business Development Center, Central Wyoming College and UW’s High Plains American Indian Research Institute support the Wind River Startup Challenge.
The partners help the entrepreneurs with coaching and mentoring through the Final Pitch Day. Winners will receive seed funding and ongoing support to help develop their business ideas into startups.
Gaming
• The Tulalip Tribes opened the doors to the new $125 million, 126,700-square-foot Quil Ceda Creek Casino earlier this month in northwestern Washington, according to a report in The Daily Herald. The new casino features 1,500 slot machines, dining hall, restaurant, bars, and an entertainment venue. Andersen Construction of Seattle served as the general contractor on the project, which was designed by St. Louis-based TBE Architects. The facility replaces a smaller casino that opened in 2003 on the site of the tribes’ original bingo hall.
Food & Agriculture
• The Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe is leveraging a $50,000 grant from Native American Agriculture Fund to host educational workshops for Natives interested in sustainable agriculture and traditional food, according to a statement. The sessions will begin in the spring and summer of this year and will focus on the tribe’s Daluviwi’ Community Garden, which will offer hands-on experience for learners. The tribe also is working with Humboldt State University’s Food Sovereignty Lab for internships and instruction on traditional food systems. As well, the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe partnered with the Humboldt County 4-H Program for experiential learning opportunities to Native youths.
