Native American Business Alliance 4th Annual Business Conference

The 4^th Annual NABA Conference began on Sunday with participants enjoying a game of golf at the Twin Warriors Golf Club, eighteen holes and a high desert championship golf course surrounded by ancient cultural sites and spectacular views of the Sandia Mountains. On Monday, the conference opened with a prayer from Bucko Teeple and a warm welcome by the new National Executive Director, Jacqueline Gant, who shared the stage with Paul Bresette, Board President. As the session continued, Caleene Newman introduced participants of the Plenary Session who took the stage and described their involvement with NABA and the desire to do business while at the conference. Some companies featured with the plenary session were as follows: Jackie Taylor, DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Rosi Neidermayer, Canadian Delegation, Barbara DeHahn, Cobra Hose, and Sue Williams, Aamjiwnaang First Nations. As the day progressed, participants were involved in Talking Circles where they had the opportunity to share their company strengths and/or obstacles and where they participated in Workshops gaining information on either existing opportunities for Native Owned Companies and/or companies looking to expand within Indian Country. The luncheon guest speaker, Ronald Langston, National Director, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C., spoke to the audience on working together with their agency and to work with each other to build a stronger Native community. Langston relayed to the group the growth from the Native American Owned Businesses, aside from Casino revenue, which has spread out throughout Indian Country and beyond. Langston emphasized the need to come together no matter if you are an urban and/or reservation Indian in order to help grow the economy and for the future of Native People.

As the conference entered into its second day, it began with an outside breakfast of freshly baked bread served directly from the Hurana ovens and made by Pueblo Native Women. Participants gathered for their networking session where they had the opportunity to meet one-on-one with corporate representatives and to discover one another needs as a supplier. Just when participant’s thought the program couldn’t get any better, it was just gaining steam with Tuesday’s luncheon guest speaker Sam McCracken, Native American Business Manager, Nike, Inc. Sam shared his inspirational story with the audience and provided a spectacular address and program of how Nike, Inc. works with Native American communities. Sam inspired the audience to the point where corporate representatives stood among other corporate members and promised to bring more corporate representatives with them to the 2005 NABA conference in Orlando.

The 2004 Annual NABA Conference “Native America in a Global Economy” concluded with a Gala Dinner filled with Pueblo Native Dancers, a Dinner Flutists, Awards and Dave Anderson, Assistant Interior Secretary, Indian Affairs and franchise king of Famous Dave’s Barbeque, who motivated the audience by getting them on their feet to recite a leadership and inspirational motto. Dave captivated the audience by sharing his climb of success with the message to audience members to remember who are as Native People and strive to be the best that you can be while always presenting an upbeat positive outlook on life! Dave’s overall message was “if you work hard, people will notice and the opportunity may be given to you”. The conference had the honor of guests such as: Sam English, a well known artist from the Albuquerque area, Joseph Mudd, Senior Manager Minority & Women Business Development Target Corporation, a new NABA corporate member, and Tribal Chiefs representing their communities. Co-Awards were presented to DaimlerChrysler Corporation and General Motors Corporation, as “The Corporation of the Year”, Paul Schupmann, General Mills, Native Advocate of the Year, and Native American Chamber of Commerce, Native Spirit Award. As our special guests and conference participants left the Ballroom from a motivating and inspirational event, they were presented with corn necklaces by Native Pueblo Members. Lastly, a great big applause goes to Liz Hicks our event planner, to the Conference Committee Members, to the Corporate Sponsors, to Guest Speakers, Workshop Facilitators and all the companies who gave in other ways to help make the conference possible, we appreciate the hours you have given and we appreciate your continued support as NABA enters its next decade of growth!

As we begin to plan for the 2005 Conference, Liz Hicks of International Event Planning will be a returning member of the committee to help plan for a spectacular conference on behalf of the NABA Fund and in celebration of the 10^th Year Anniversary of the Native American Business Alliance. Special Sponsorships featuring private exclusive functions will be offered this year to commemorate the event. Watch the website (www.native-american-bus.org) for information and/or call the NABA National Office at (248) 988-9344 to reserve your Special Sponsorship today! It’s going to be a fabulous year.