Letter from Chairwoman

Bozho! On behalf of the Pokagon Brand Tribal Council, it is my privilege to share with you our 2021 Accomplishment Report. 2021 was a year to be remembered for many reasons and I hope this report will help you reflect with pride on the great accomplishments of our nation. No one could have predicted the ongoing challenges caused by COVID-19 as we navigated the second year of the pandemic. Many of us experienced hardships including the loss of loved ones, illness, furloughs, job loss, economic strain, fear, anxiety and isolation. There were many challenges with days, weeks and months filled with uncertainty, but we persevered. We relied on each other for strength and support, and also gained perspective on the things each of us hold most dear. With all of these challenges in mind, Tribal Council understood citizens were going through many of their own unique situations relating to the pandemic. We wanted to assist in some way and came up with creative solutions. Key initiatives included continuing the Walmart Grocery Card Program, the COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Program, and the COVID-19 Vaccine Incentive Program. In March of 2021 we also established the Student Laptop Program, the Other Citizen Laptop Program, the Laptop Reimbursement Program, and the COVID-19 Video Doorbell Program. In addition, Tribal Council approved a Stimulus Benefit of $4,000 to each adult citizen in November 2021 to help Pokagon households. We made great strides to maintain our operations and delivered numerous programs and services to our citizens to help ease the burden cased by the pandemic. We truly did the best we could given the circumstances and I am proud of our citizens for their resolve and our Tribal Council and government team members for all of their hard work. Despite all of the challenges, we were also able to celebrate some important milestones naganzéthêk that will help ensure the future success of our next seven generations. Notably, I would like to recognize the previous administration for their efforts to secure our Class III Gaming Compact with the State of Indiana. The Compact is a first in Indiana’s history

TRIBAL COUNCIL

From left to right - Rebecca Richards, Chairwoman Andrew Bennett, Vice Chair

From left to right - John Morseau, Treasurer Sam Morseau, Secretary Alex Wesaw, Member-At-Large

From left to right - Brandon Rapp, Member-At-Large Mark Topash, Member-At-Large Anita Morales, Member-At-Large

From left to right - Mark Parrish, Member-At-Large Steve Winchester, Member-At-Large Barbara Ann Warren, Elders Representative

Apron, Cousin Topash and also a first for Native Americans as the Pokagon Band is the only federally-recognized Tribe in the State of Indiana. It is also the first piece of Pokagon Band legislation passed in Indiana. Our motivation for having a Class III Gaming Compact with the State of Indiana was not only for Four Wind South Bend to remain competitive with the commercial casinos in Indiana, but also to generate additional revenue to support essential programs and services for our nearly 6,000 Tribal Citizens, as well as other Native Americans and Indiana residents. As one of the largest employers in region, we have thousands of people that rely on us for jobs and vendors, ancillary businesses and community partners that rely on us for revenue. Without Four Winds South Bend, their wouldn’t be funding for critical infrastructure, programs and services that support the community. The Class III Gaming Compact will help Four Winds South Bend reach new heights and that success will lead to a better quality of life for all in the region. In addition, and as part of the Class III Gaming Compact, we were also able to establish the Pokagon Indiana Education Fund. This fund enables any Pokagon Citizen to attend state funded institutions of higher education, including two and four year colleges, plus trade/vocational schools, with all expenses covered. It is not required that our citizens be residents of Indiana to participate in this life changing program.

Another important milestone achieved was the establishment of Full Faith and Credit of the Pokagon Tribal Court. Indiana Governor Holcomb signed legislation which created reciprocity between state and Tribal courts so that both tribunals are required to recognize orders from the other. Authored by Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, the concept was introduced during the 2020 session of the Indiana General Assembly and its adoption reinforces the strong government to government relationship established between the Pokagon Band and the State of Indiana. Kudos to everyone involved that helped make this legislation possible. Other key developments in 2021 included approval by the Michigan Gaming Control Board for our online gaming and sports wagering license. This was a significant decision which enabled us to launch the Sportsbook at our Four Winds Casinos locations in Michigan. We were also able to launch the Sportsbook at Four Winds South Bend later in the year. We are also very pleased that Steven W. Rider joined the Tribal Government as Government Manager! Steve is a Pokagon Citizen who most recently served as Vice President of Security for our Four Winds Casinos. Prior to joining Four Winds, Steve had an extensive law enforcement career spanning more than 26 years including serving as a Detective Lieutenant for the Pokagon Band Tribal Police Department. Steve currently resides in Bangor, Michigan with his wife Terri. Steve and Terri have four adult children and two grandchildren residing in Washington, Pennsylvania and Kentucky Please make Steve feel welcome as you see and hear him at Tribal Council meetings and events! As 2021 drew to close, we found ourselves with a renewed sense of optimism about the future. Our casinos were performing well and delivering much needed revenue to our government and citizens. We recalled all of our remaining government team members from furlough and continued to make improvements in our government operations. We continued to look at introducing new programs to enhance the lives of our citizens. As we look to 2022 and beyond, the future is bright. We have much to be thankful for and the best is yet to come! Migwetth,

Rebecca Richards Tribal Chairwoman