Smoke Signals August 1994 Page 5
Entrepreneur of
By Tracy Olson
Dave Jeffers, of Tucson, Arizona, owns
Whitecloud Moving and Storage, a company
specializing in the distribution of new product
household goods and electronics.
Dave has been in the moving and storage
business for more than a dozen years, but has
owned his own business for just eighteen
months.
He said he wanted to do it because he enjoys
the challenge of creating a success for himself.
"In this business," he said, "there's a fine
line between being successful and going down
the tubes."
Dave is currently trying to get a BIA loan in
Arizona, which would allow him to purchase
equipment and have a cash reserve for the
future. He's also entering into a partnership
with another moving and storage company.
Whitecloud Moving and Storage represents
Burnham Van Lines, one of the largest and
most respected van lines in the nation. Several
ofDave'seight employees arefonner Burnham
workers.
Dave said that he will need to expand soon,
because of the large company contracts he's
been receiving.
One of the largest, REMCO Corporations, used Whitecloud to store and move $4-5 million worth of electronic
household items such as camcorders, televisions, VCRs, and computers.
"I try to remain cost competitive," said Dave. "That's the way this industry works." Being cost competitive is
what draws clients to Whitecloud over a larger, more well-known conglomerate. He admits his work keeps him
busy for about fourteen hours every day, but Dave has a philosophy about hard work: "I believe a person should
set out to learn something new every day. If you dont, then that day has been wasted"
Department of Transportation
offers financing
Contractors who want to do
business with the U.S. Department of
Transportation have two new
options assisting them in meeting
that goal. The Department of
Transportation offers:
1 . A short-term lending program
2. A bonding assistance program.
The short-term lending program is
deigned to assist a certified minority,
women-owned, and disadvantaged
business enterprises in obtaining
short- term working capital to finance
Department of Transportation
contracts. The program offers a
revolving line of creditup to $500,000
to cover accounts receivable for
transportation related contracts.
Financing is to cover working capital
needs, not equipment purchases or
other long term uses, refinance of
existing debt, payment of non-current
taxes or distributions, or payments to
stockholders. Loan applicants need
to provide:
1. Business financial statements for
the past three years, prepared by an
independent accountant.
2. Business tax returns.
3. Cash flow projections.
the Month: Dave
Dave Jeffers
4. Current aging of accounts
receivable and accounts payable.
5. Company and contract
performance history.
Under the bonding assistance
program, the Department of
Transportation offers 80
guarantees through participating
bonding agents. The maximum
bond amount per project is
$ 1 ,000,000, and the bond approval
and insurance is handled through
the surety agents. Bonding
assistance program applicants
need to provide:
1 . Business financial statement from
previous year, prepared by an
independent accountant.
2. Company and contract
performance history.
3. Incompleted contracts schedule.
4. References from banks, suppliers
and agenciescontractors.
5. BidProposal solicitations.
Applications for both Department
of Transportation programs can be
obtainedbycallingOSDBU,(Office
of Small, and Disadvantaged
BusinessUtilization)at 1-800-532-1169or(202)366-2852.
Jeffers
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Business loans available to minorities
Cascadia Revolving Fund in
Seattle is a non-profit organization
lending money to small businesses
and non-profit agencies. The
maximum loan amount is $ 1 00,000,
and loans are short-term (one to five
years) with a variable interest rate.
Some of Cascadia's target groups
are minority and women-owned
businesses, as well as rural small
businesses. Loan processing takes
three or more months, due to the fact
that Cascadia gets involved with
the borrower and their business.
There is a pre-application process
which can be handled over the
phone.
You will need to explain the nature
Sealed Bid Notification
The Grand Ronde Tribe will be conducting sealed bidding for surplus tribal office property August 1 9. The
items will be a variety of used office products: desks, chairs, tables, assorted wall sized pictures, etc.
Viewing of the property will be August 1 9, from 8:30 a.m. until noon. A list and notification of where the items
can be viewed will be posted at the Tribal Administration office. Submit your sealed bid by August 20, 1994,
12 p.m. to the Tribal Purchasing Department. The opening of the sealed bids will be August 20 at 1 p.m. at a
designated area. Notification to highest bidders will be on site by 2 p.m. of the same day, and all property needs
to be picked up by 5 p.m. on August 20. Any questions regarding the items for bid, please contact Patti Grosser
ofthePurchasingDepartment, 1-800-422-0232.
Tribal member
business registry
Tribal member businesses
wantingto bid onprojects with
SpiritMountain Development
Corporation will need to be
registered with the Small
Business Development
Department ofmeTribe. Asa
registered GrandRonde tribal
business, participants will
receive alt tribal and Spirit
Mountain DevelopmentRFPs
(requestforproposais) and bid
requests. (Keep in mind that
SpiritMountain Development
Corporation willnotaccept bids
from triballyowned business
notregistered.) Small Business
Development will assist tribal
members in meeting the
bondincand insurancerequests
per bid specifications. Start
up businesses can receive
planning assistance to qualify
for future tribal business
projects. Any Grand Ronde
tribal member ownedbusiness
can register by contacting the
Small Business Development
staff members: MhchConley,
Shelley Hanson, ElaineMoore,
or Debby Chiiders at 1800
422-0232.
of your business, the amount of
your loan, the term you are
requesting, the use of the loan
proceeds, and possible sources of
collateral.
After completing the phone pre
application process, the loan officer
will determine if your request meets
Cascadia's criteria. If your request is
denied, you will be informed of the
basis for the decision, and if
approved you will be invited to
submit a Loan Application Package.
For more information about the
Cascadia Revolving Fund, contact
Small Business Development at 1-800-422-0232,
or Cascadia at (206)
447-9226.
Computer class
schedule
WORD FOR WINDOWS: Offered
August 22, 2-4 p.m.
WINDOWS: Offered August 11,2
4 p.m.
BASIC COMPUTERS: Offered
August 10, 6-8 p.m.
PRINT SHOP DELUXE: Offered
August 18, 10 a.m. -noon.
BEGINNING DOS: Offered August
15.2-4p.rn.
EXCEL: Offered August 18, 1-4 pan.
All classes held at the Business
Development Center. Monthly
seminars will be halted until
September.
Indian product
marketing opportunity
The Intertribal Agriculture Council
is offering a "Made by American
Indians" Trademark. Eligible Indian
products can be marked by the
sticker to notify purchasers that the
product is Native American made.
Initially, trademarks are being used
for agricultural products. But in the
future, stickers will be available for
Indian arts and crafts, and
manufactured items. For more
information regarding the "made by
American Indians" trademark
program, call or write: Intertribal
Agriculture Council, 100 North 27 th
Street, Suite 500, Billings, Montana
59191.Phone:(406) 259-3525.
Tribal member offers
assistance
David Lewis, is a Grand Ronde
tribal member interested in helping
Native people with credit problems
buy property in Oregon. If you are
interested in purchasing a house or
some property, Dave Lewis is well
versed in helping first-time buyers
and understands the difficulties
associated with attempting to
become financially stable. For any
questions, call (503) 585-1 767.