March 2013 | Volume 4, Issue 3
PAGE 2
TEX HALL HONORED WITH CHINO AWARD
PAGE 5
NATHAN SMALL RECEIVES TIM WAPATO AWARD
TEX HALL RECEIVES WENDELL A. CHINO HUMANITARIAN AWARD NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING ASSOCIATION RECOGNIZES CHAIRMAN OF THE MANDAN, HIDATSA AND ARIKARA NATION FOR HIS LEGACY OF WORK DEDICATED TO INDIAN COUNTRY Phoenix, AZ (March 26, 2013) – The longest serving Chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation will receive the Wendell A. Chino Humanitarian Award at the National Indian Gaming Association’s 2013 Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention. This year’s recipient of the Wendell A. Chino Award is Tex Hall “Red Tipped Arrow,” a well-known and respected leader in the Indian and non-Indian communities on the state and national levels. The award will be given at a banquet during the tradeshow in Phoenix, where the Association will honor Tex Hall for his lifelong efforts to promote Tribal sovereignty and Indian self-determination. Tex Hall currently serves as President of the Native American Basketball Invitational Foundation. He is a founding member and Spokesperson for the Coalition of Large Tribes (COLT) representing tribes with large land bases, walked up to the stage to receive his award. “This honor signifies leadership, humility, strength and honor,” Stevens said. “Tex Hall exemplifies all of those qualities. He continues to take charge when many do not, but while doing so, instills courage to others, many of which are in this banquet room. Indian country, and the MHA Nation are stronger because of the efforts of this man.” “The Wendell A. Chino Award Humanitarian Award is one of the highest awards in Indian country and Tex Hall has certainly earned it.”
The award will be presented to the Tex Hall by Mark Chino, Wendell Chino’s son. Wendell Chino, the award’s namesake, is an iconic figure in Indian country. He was a nationally recognized leader of the Mescalero Apache Nation, serving most of his life as his nation’s president. He modeled his philosophy by turning the Mescalero reservation into a small business empire that raised his nation to a level of economic growth never before experienced by any other Native American tribe. Chairman Hall has served as Co-Chair of the National Indian Education Task Force and chairman of the Great Plains Region Tribal Chairmen’s Association. Hall was the first tribal advisory committee ever established in the history of US Department of Health and Human Services to recommend and advise the Secretary of HHS. Chairman Hall initiated the Keepseagle Class Action Law Suit that brought a historic settlement of $760 million for Native American Farmers and Ranchers and has served two terms as President of the National Congress of American Indians.
2 | INDIAN GAMING UPDATE - AUGUST 2012
PHOTOS FROM RES 2013
3 | INDIAN GAMING UPDATE - AUGUST 2012
Ron Allen, Chairman of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, received the American Indian Leadership Award. Photo by National RES Las Vegas 2013.
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP SHINES BRIGHT AT NATIONAL RES LAS VEGAS 2013 The Reservation Economic Summit Las Vegas kicked off from March 11th - 14th 2013, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hosted by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED), RES 2013 drew thousands of Native entrepreneurs, businesses, and corporations to the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino for four days of business and economic growth and development. The event also recognized several leaders who have made spectacular contributions to Native business in Indian Country and beyond. Ron Allen, Chairman of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, received the American Indian Leadership Award in recognition for his vision in expanding economic opportunities and gaming operations for his people. Serving as Tribal Chairman since 1977, Ron addresses a wide range of issues that affect the Jamestown S’Klallam people as well as Indian country as a whole. Ron is recognized for leading the Tribe from a zero resource base in 1982 to a current annual budget level of approximately $6 million; and from a landless reservation base in 1982 to a land base of approximately 320 acres without federal assistance. Additionally, Ron has led the Tribe to establish business enterprises including a seafood operation, art gallery, real estate and tribal casino. In accepting the award, Allen told the crowd, “I am very proud of all of the work that has been previously accomplished in Indian Country before. There are many more out there, like me, who are locking arms. We work in hard
in unity and we need to protect our rights, our sovereignty, our people, and help them become self-reliant again, as 566 strong nations across America.” The late Senator Daniel Inouye received the Congressional Lifetime Achievement Award for his lifetime of service on the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Senator Inouye passed away in December 2012 and was remembered for his exemplary record as a friend, fighter, and advocate of Indian Country. The NCAIED also recognized Roxie Schescke of Indian Eyes, LLC., as the National Native Woman Business Owner of the Year. Indian Eyes, LLC., specializes in providing program/project management, staffing and resources support services, equipment rental and training facilities. Peter Homer (Mohave), President and CEO of the National Indian Business Association, received the Tim Wapato Public Advocate of the Year Award. Named after the late Tim Wapato, a leader who dedicated his career to serving the needs of Indian Country and defending tribal sovereignty, the award was presented to Homer for his unwavering commitment to advocating of Indian Country. The NCAIED also recognized Apple, Inc. as the Corporate Advocate of the Year Award, Michell Hicks, Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, as the Tribal Gaming Visionary and Small Business Empowerment Award and Marlene Helgermo, of HoChunk, was also honored with the Volunteer of the Year award.
4 | INDIAN GAMING UPDATE - AUGUST 2012
NATHAN SMALL RECEIVES TIM WAPATO SOVEREIGN WARRIOR AWARD GAY KINGMAN-WAPATO RECOGNIZES CHAIRMAN OF THE SHOSHONEBANNOCK TRIBE FOR HIS LEADERSHIP TO PRESERVE CULTURE AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY
The Fort Hall Business Council.
Phoenix, AZ (March 25, 2013) – During the second day of the NIGA Tradeshow, Monday will end with the Indian Gaming 2012 Cultural Night with Nathan Small, Chairman of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe being presented the prestigious Tim Wapato Sovereign Warrior Award. Tim’s wife, Gay Kingman-Wapato and his daughter and grandchildren will present the award to Chairman Small. NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr. said this of Chairman Small. “Chairman Small reminds us that being resilient and steadfast, you can achieve much for your community. His energy should serve as a reminder that there is no deadline for dedication, and he has proven that again and again for his community and for Indian country. He has shared a great history with Tim and Gay, along with our Chairman Emeritus Rick Hill. ” Chairman Small was a part of a hardworking group of tribal leaders who responded to an important need in Washington, D.C. to not only be visible on all issues impacting sovereignty, but an important need for our leadership to strengthen the advocacy and education of gaming tribes. There are many great names that come out of that early 90’s energy to establish a strong presence in D.C. related to gaming and tribal sovereignty. Tim Wapato and Chairman Small were just two of them. Chairman Nathan Small - Chairman Small has served
on the seven-member Fort Hall Business Council for a total of six years. In June of 2011, he was re-elected for a second term as chairman; prior to that, he served as vice-chairman. Small was instrumental in opening the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes’ first gaming operation and served as gaming manager from 1990 to 1998. He has been a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Bar Association since 1980, and has held positions as both a prosecutor and public defender in Tribal Court. He and his wife Kitty have four children and eight grandchildren, four of which are being raised by Chairman Small and his wife. The Tim Wapato Sovereign Warrior Award was established in memory of the late Tim Wapato, NIGA’s first Executive Director. As part of the official schedule of the National Indian Gaming Association’s Tradeshow, a culture night was hosted at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown Phoenix, on Monday March 25, 2013. Performances included were: the Gila River Desert Butterflies (Sacaton, Arizona), the Yaaw Tei Yi Dancers (Juneau, Alaska), Quinault Dancers (Taholah, Washington), the Samala Singers and Dancers (Santa Ynez, California), the Southern California Intertribal Bird Singers (San Jacinto, California), and the Oneida Smoke Dancers (Oneida, Wisconsin).
5 | INDIAN GAMING UPDATE - AUGUST 2012
“OUR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN DIRECTED BY THE HEARTS OF OUR TRIBAL LEADERS, INSPIRED BY THE RESILIENCE OF OUR PEOPLE, AND GUIDED BY THE STRENGTH OF OUR INDUSTRY. FOR THAT, I AM THANKFUL.”
- ERNEST L. STEVENS, JR. (Oneida tribe of wisconsin) Chairman of the National Indian gaming association