Here is a round up of business news from around Indian Country.
Economic Development
• Sealaska Corp.-owned New England Seafood International has acquired a property adjacent to its facility in Grimsby, England and leased it back to the former owner, Haith’s, a fourth-generation bird food and bait producer, according to a report in Business Live. New England Seafood employs 200 people in Grimsby and is eyeing the property for future expansion, with executives calling it “a long term vote” for the company’s presence in the city, which is located on the Humber Estuary near the North Sea. Sealaska acquired New England Seafood in November 2020, as Tribal Business News previously reported. Haith’s will continue to be a tenant at the location “for some time,” according to Business Live.
Professional services
• Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Seven Generations A+E, a portfolio company of Bodwé Professional Services Group, received an Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects Southwest Michigan for the firm’s design work on Steelhead Engineering Co.’s headquarters. 7GAE was the architect on the project and also handled interior design. Kalamazoo-based Steelhead Engineering Company offers mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering services and is also a portfolio company of Bodwé. Meanwhile, Bodwé is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mno-Bmadsen, the Dowagiac, Mich.based Mno-Bmadsen economic development arm of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi.
Federal 8(a) contracting
• Cherokee Federal, a division of Cherokee Nation Businesses (CNB), acquired Alexandria, Va.-based Preting Consulting, a government contractor in the intelligence sector. For Cherokee Federal, the acquisition fits with the firm’s ongoing diversification and growth strategy. Preting Consulting works with the armed forces, law enforcement and intelligence agencies such as the Department of State and Department of Defense, including the Army and Air Force. The firm is a provider of tailored support services designed detect, identify and disrupt terrorist operations, insider threats, and others targeting vital U.S. interests, according to a statement. The company employs 150 people, 90 percent of whom are veterans. “We remain dedicated to identifying long-term capabilities and solutions that help us differentiate our position in the federal marketplace,” Cherokee Federal President Steven Bilby said in a statement. “With the addition of Preting, we are gaining a talented team of professionals that will help us strengthen our offerings within the intelligence community and carry on our rich tradition of serving America’s mission with sophisticated solutions and relentless passion.”
Government
• Michael Connor, an enrolled member of the Taos Pueblo, was confirmed Nov. 4 in a 92-5 vote of the U.S. Senate to become the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, the top civilian post for the Army Corps of Engineers. Previously, Connor served as the Deputy Secretary of the Interior from 2014-2017. Most recently, Connor has been an attorney with Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, working out of the law firm’s Washington, D.C. and Denver, Colo. offices.
• Chris James, CEO and President of Mesa, Ariz.-based National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, was appointed by Administrator Isabella Guzman to the newly reformed Council on Underserved Communities under the U.S. Small Business Administration. The Council’s role is to make programmatic and policy recommendations to increase the SBA’s programs and initiatives to serve diverse entrepreneurs, furthering the equity priorities of the Biden administration. “I am honored to have the opportunity to represent The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development and the communities we serve on the Small Business Administration’s Council on Underserved Communities,” James said in a statement. “Administrator Guzman should be commended for reconvening this vital council that will help ensure equity in programs crucial to the success of America’s underserved communities, including American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian small business owners. By focusing on equitable access to SBA programs and services, the Council will help ensure that all small business owners are provided the tools they need to succeed.”
• The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska hired Ralphenia Dybdahl as the new Office of the President Manager. Dybdahl joined Tlingit & Haida in 2006 as administrative clerk for the finance department and later worked as an accounting technician and administrative assistant in public safety. In the new role, Dybdahl will provide direct and indirect administrative support for the president, as well as serve as a liaison to the tribe’s delegates and executive council, according to a statement. Dybdahl, who is Wooshkeetaan from Hoonah, has a background in finance and most recently served as executive assistant at Sealaska Heritage Institute. “Dybdahl's years of administrative work and knowledge of the Tribe will make her a great addition to the Office of the President," Tlingit & Haida President Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson said in a statement. “With her background and experience she is well suited for this position and I look forward to working with her to better serve our tribal citizens."
Gaming
• The National Indian Gaming Association entered into a strategic partnership with Shelton, Conn.-based Clarion Events to further expand the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention. As part of the deal, Clarion will use its multi-platform production reach to introduce Indian gaming via its international casino expos. NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr. said Clarion makes for a strong partner because “they honor the mission and vision of the National Indian Gaming Association, support its membership, and are experts in producing large scale tradeshows and conventions.” The new expanded partnership builds on a seven-year working relationship between the two organizations. “We greatly respect the work that the Association does for its members and the tribal gaming community,” Greg Topalian, CEO of Clarion Events North America, said in a statement. “As part of Clarion Events’ ongoing strategy, we are actively looking to expand upon our current partnerships and work together with new associations to scale events and support their missions. Greater ties between the National Indian Gaming Association and our ICE brands will build on their standard of excellence and grow the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention to new heights.”
• Mary Cheeks, president and general manager of Jamul Casino, the gaming enterprise of the Jamul Indian Village of California, was named “Business Women of the Year” by the San Diego Business Journal. Cheeks was one of four awardees to be chose from a pool of 110 finalists, according to a statement. The award recognizes the success Cheeks had in in developing industry-wide COVID safety best practices and in developing Jamul Casino as a regional entertainment destination. “We are excited and proud to congratulate Mary on this well-deserved award,” Erica Pinto, chairwoman of the Jamul Indian Village, said in a statement. “She is admired and well respected by the Tribe and all 1,000 team members. Mary truly celebrates, values, and listens to each individual. Her work ethic and leadership are quite extraordinary.”
• The Seminole Tribe of Florida-owned Hard Rock International has inked a multi-faceted partnership with Philadelphia, Pa.-based Audacy to partner on live events at a new performance space in New York City, plus music festivals and Hard Rock Cafe events nationwide. As part of the partnership, Hard Rock was named the exclusive partner for Audacy Beach Festival in Fort Lauderdale. As well, Audacy plans to host events in spring 2022 at Hard Rock Live at the flagship Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. In collaboration with Audacity, Hard Rock expects to debut a new flagship property on Music Row in New York City in Spring 2022 featuring a high-tech performance studio and entertainment hub. “Hard Rock and Audacy are brands synonymous with world class entertainment and music,” Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International and CEO of Seminole Gaming, said in a statement. “This collaboration will translate into a powerful entertainment offering for music fans by two brands who know how to do it best.”
