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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (June 15, 1995)
Clyde Stryker receives national attention Grand Ronde tribal member, Clyde Stryker, owner of Spirit Communications in Sherwood, Oregon has been appointed to the White House Conference on Small Business. As one of 8 representatives from Oregon, Clyde will meet with the small business owners to carry their concerns to President Clinton at the White House. Since his appointment, Clyde has made several trips around the state to meet with tribal leaders, and Native American busi ness owners to discuss issues hindering small business development in the State and in Indian country. The White House Conference on Small Business was created as a communication mecha nism between small business owners and the President and his chief advisors. Small busi nesses are currently the number one employer of Americans, so the success of entrepre neurial ventures is critical to the U.S. economy. The May 1 6, 1 995 issue of Inc. magazine highlights U.S. small business activity. In 1990 there were 8.8 million self-employed Ameri cans; a 54 increase from 1975. U.S. small businesses account for more than one-half of the sales of all goods and services in the U.S. and create 2 out of 3 new jobs. Given the current impact of small business on the U.S. economy, President Clinton is prudent to begin looking at business activity. Clyde recently attended a regional delegate meeting in San Francisco, and will go to Washington, DC in July. Conference delegates will meet with President Clinton and his staff at the White House. Clyde began Spirit Communications in 1994. The company specializes in data and tele communications networks. The company currently employs over 20 people, and is grow ing daily. In addition to growing his new company, Clyde is setting up the Oregon Ameri can Indian Chamber of Commerce. If you are interested in small business issues, contact Clyde at 503-628-0257. Home-based business specialist hired Small Business Development has a new smiling face. Sanda (please call her Sam) Henny, formerly with Spirit Mountain Development Corporation has taken the Home-Based Busi ness Specialist position within the department. Sam is a talented painter, and is enthusias tic about developing an arts and crafts market for Grand Ronde craftspeople. Sam has over 15 years of small business experience, and is an ON ABEN Greenhouse program graduate. She was with Henny and Sons Nursery for over 1 8 years. As the office manager, Sam was responsible for pro curement, accounting, and sales. Sam brings a great deal of problem solving skills, and enthusiasm to her new position. Within the next couple of months, Sam will be con ducting a survey to determine the areas of expertise, and the challenges facing Grand Ronde arts and crafts people. If you are active in arts and crafts, be sure to respond, so that your needs can be considered in the planning process. Sam will work with Tribal members to: (1) develop markets to sell arts and craft items, (2) develop wholesale supply sources, and (3) develop an arts and crafts retail outlet. Welcome to Small Business Development, Sam? Elaine Moore, SBD Division Manager Elaine Moore, formerly Small Business Develop ment Specialist, has been named the new Division Manager. Before coming to Grand Ronde, Elaine owned and operated a commercial fishing boat for over 20 years, and has worked for several of the Washing ton tribes, Elaine worked at the Lower Elwa Tribe as General Manager and the Squaxin Tribe as the Social Services Director. Elaine has been with Small Business Development for 3 years, and her area of expertise is accounting and taxes. She has assisted tribal member-owned businesses in setting up and maintaining computerized account ing systems, inventory management and cash manage ment systems, and with taxation issues. f - il v v Entrepreneur of the Month Joann Mercier By Tracy Dugan Joann Mercier is entrepreneur of the month. She owns White Buffalo Trading Post, a craft and beadwork home-based business. Joann, who is well-known for her beadwork in Grand Ronde, will take orders for earrings, jewelry, breast plates, chokers, dream catchers, talk ing feathers, medicine wheels, and craft supplies. White Buffalo has been in business for nearly eight years. "Christmas and pow-wow season are my busiest times of the year," she said. "People want regalia and gift items."' Currently, Joann is working as an Em ployment and Training Counselor for the Tribe, as well as going to school on nights and weekends. "My crafts are really an important part of my life," she said. "I wish I had more time to devote to it." Joann has been doing traditional Native crafts for twenty years. She learned how to bead right after her oldest son was born, and they were living in Eugene. "A woman named Wilma Crowe taught me," Joann said. "I always admired everything she did. Her work seemed perfect to me." When Joann began to sell her beadwork, she decided to save up for a tipi, and put all I TxP "1 1 j f . fa J of her profits into achieving that goal. When she bought one, she assembled it in her yard, and named it Wilma. It was a very popular place for her children and their friends to sleep and camp in. One day, a sleeping bag caught on fire, and Wilma burn ed down. Joann has since owned many tipis, but none that had the special sign ificance as the first one she saved so long for. Many of Joann's crafts have been dis played for sale at local businesses. Cur rently, she has some items at the Busy Hands craft store in Grand Ronde. She usually re ceives many calls from interested people, who see her work on display. In addition to White Buffalo Trading Post, Joann also owns Executive Limousine Ser vice. She owns one limo, has a hired driver, and rents out the car for weddings, proms, or just nights on the town. If you are interested in contacting Joann about crafts, beadwork, or the limousine ser vice, please call her at 879-555 1 . Education, continued from page 5 1994-95 Academic Year Graduates EDUCATION TRUST FUND SCHOLARSHIPS Pete Wakeland: Oregon State University, B.S. School of Forestry Chadwick Stryker: Oregon State University, B.S. School of Engineering HIGHER EDUCA TION PROGRAM Dana Leno: Oregon State University, B.S. Home Economics of Family Development Delight Satter: University of Washington, B.A. Anthropology Lisa Leno: Oregon State University, B.S. Home Economics of Family Development Eric Jordan: Dartmouth College, B.A. Liberal Arts ADULT VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM Rose Marie Dilling: Phagan's School of Beauty, Certificate of Hair DesignCosmetology HIGH SCHOOL Jason Mercier: Willamina High School Chris Bailey: Willamina High School Dustin Leno: Willamina High School Celeste Wolf: Willamina High School 8th GRADE Jenny Bailey: Willamina Middle School Amelia Haug: Willamina Middle School Brianna Leno: Willamina Middle School Joe Mercier: Willamina Middle School Brandon Robertson: Willamina Middle School Justin Phillips: Tillamook High School Rebecca Gilliam: La Creole High School Trecna Connelly: Willamina High School Amber Finney: Pateros High School Levi Leibclt: Willamina Middle School Billy Deloe: Neah-Kah-nie Jr. High Justin Leno: Tillamook Jr. High Nick Bailey: Willamina Middle School Dustin Billings: Willamina Middle School Jamie Clark: Chapman Middle School An Honors Recognition Reception will be held for all of the Graduates at the Tribal Community Center on June 16 at 5:30 p.m. Please plan to attend.
