In addition to the two days of shows, panels and speakers, the organization presented its national awards during RES Oklahoma, including college scholarships, the Jay Silverheels award, the First American Entrepreneurship awards, the First American Corporate Leadership award and recognition of the center’s 2012 “40 Under 40” list.
CATOOSA, Okla. – The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development hosted its first regional Reservation Economic Summit Nov. 14-15, choosing Oklahoma for its inaugural event.
Since 1980, the organization has hosted an annual national RES event in Las Vegas, featuring speakers, panels, a trade fair and networking opportunities for Native American entrepreneurs, tribal economic and business development decision-makers, tribal leaders, government and corporate executives and buyers seeking Native American suppliers and contractors.
“At our last RES event, more than $1 billion in contracts were signed in one day,” said Margo Gray-Proctor, chairwoman of NCAIED’s board of directors. “That kind of impact is power. It also means opportunity and a chance to combat our social ills.”
A piece of that action came to the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel, with two days of panels and networking opportunities for attendees from across the country.
“We’ve had a turnout that has exceeded our expectations,” NCAIED Chief Executive Officer and President Gary Davis said. “It has been phenomenal to see folks come together to our first regional summit. It has been humbling.
“Altogether, the total number of attendees somewhere around 400. We would have been completely happy with 250 and set our projections at that number. To have it exceed it by that much, we just wanted to make sure we had the content and we had the type of event where people literally had an incredible takeaway.”
Among the speakers during the two-day event were Lance Morgan, the president and CEO of Ho-Chunk, Inc., former Osage Nation chief Jim Gray and David Hinson, the national director of the United States Minority Business Development Agency. The event also featured a trade show with more than 60 Native-owned businesses and an art market.
In addition to the two days of shows, panels and speakers, the organization presented its national awards during RES Oklahoma, including college scholarships, the Jay Silverheels award, the First American Entrepreneurship awards, the First American Corporate Leadership award and recognition of the center’s 2012 “40 Under 40” list. More than one-fourth of the 2012 “40 Under 40” recipients either live in Oklahoma or are originally from the state.
A second regional RES event is in the planning stages for summer 2013. Although a return trip to Oklahoma is not on the calendar just yet, Davis would not rule out a second RES Oklahoma, in part because of the number of tribally-owned and tribally-operated facilities that could host the event, compared to the number in the Las Vegas area. Due to RES Vegas’ growth, only two properties in Las Vegas are now big enough to accommodate attendees and all of the event’s sessions at one location. If NCAIED were to move it to a tribally-owned property in the area, the trade show, breakout sessions and other professional events would have to be at a separate convention center, which could create some lodging inconveniences for attendees.
“You can not argue the fact that the state of Oklahoma has an incredible population of Native people and we’ve had a tremendous support,” he said. “Having said that, we have an equal amount of support nationally in attendance from a registrant…and exhibitor point of view.
“We would love to come back in Oklahoma. The facilities at Hard Rock have been very accommodating, but I know there are other tribal facilities in the state of Oklahoma. It would be something we would need to move around and be at other properties.”
LISA SNELL | NATIVE AMERICAN TIMES PHOTO
Gary Davis, President and Ceo; Margo Gray-Proctor, Chairwoman; Urban Giff, Director; Raymond Brown, Treasurer and John Echohawk, Director, joke with the crowd as they ceremonially cut the ribbon Thursday morning, Nov. 15 and officially open the RES OK Procurement & Business Expo at the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel in Catoosa.