Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current, April 01, 1998, Business, Image 4

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Smoke signals., April 01, 1998, Business, Page 4, Image 4

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Newspaper Page Text4 Business Smoke Signals Casino work helps Native business take off Debbie and Cameron Milroy own Northern Na tive Iron Specialists, a business which will soon be featured in the Oregon Native American Business and Entrepreneurial Network (ONABEN) newslet ter. Debbie, who is a member of the White Earth Mississippi Band of the Ojibiway tribe, lives with her family in Sheridan. , She and her husband won a bid opportunity for the Spirit Mountain Casino expansion project. Debbie is the president of the company, and her husband Cam works on the project and organizes the labor Debbie also works at the Casino in Legends restaurant. "Our business specializes in light gauge steel weldings," said Debbie. "For the Casino, we welded on the satellite dishes, and we manufac tured the metal clips that hold the siding on." Cam has been a welder and a carpenter for more than 25 years. After they finished the Casino project, Cam has been steadily working in the Port land area on different jobs. Not bad for a business that began just one short year ago. '. "Cam and I took the 'Starting a Successful Business' class at the Tribe, which is offered through ONABEN, and taught by Shelley Hanson," said Debbie. "I learned a lot from her, and other people in the class." Cam and Debbie plan to apply for an ONABEN business loan to pur chase a computer to help organize their books and payroll. 4 4 . in J J" Native Businesses enjoy substantial growth Native American-owned small businesses con tribute more then $300 million to federal and state tax revenues annually, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Office of Native Affairs (ONAA). ONAA also reported that sales and receipts for Native American-owned firms grew from $495 million in 1982 to more than $8 billion in 1992. The Native American business community also shows substantial growth in the number of individually-owned businesses during that same pe riod. In 1992, Native Americans owned 102,234 business, up from 13,573 businesses in 1982. Analyzed by industry, the findings for the pe riod between 1982 and 1992 also show consider able growth in sales revenues and the number of firms owned by Native Americans. The construc tion, retail, and service industries reveal marked increases in both areas. Last year the SBA guaranteed $81.9 million in business loans to the Native American business community and awarded over $475 million in 8(a) contracts. The agency also established 21 reservation-based Tribal Business Information Centers (BIC) which provide on-site access to business de velopment resources; financial and technical as sistance; small management training and counsel ing; and various economic development programs offered by many other federal and state agencies. For more information on SBA programs and ser vices, visit the agency's Home Page on the Internet at www.sbagov or call the SBA Answer Desk at 1-800-ASK-SBA. Income tax help Small Business Development provides software and instruction to prepare your own 1997 income tax returns. The SBD staff will provide full ser vice preparation for tribal Elders. Call Barbara Lake at 879-2476 . MONDAY from 1 to 3:30 p.m April 6 or 20: Windows 3.1 April 1 3 or 27: Windows '95 WEDNESDAY from 9 to 11:30 a.m. April 1: GroupWise April 8: Microsoft Word April 15: Word Perfect April 22: Excel April 29: Power Point FRIDAY from 9 to 11:30 a.m. April 3 or 17: Introduction to the Internet April 1 0: Excel for Business Use April 24: GroupWise and Network FREE to tribal members and staff. $10 for non-tribal members. You must pre-register. Call Doug Hampton at 879-2484 or Barbara Laka at 879-2476. The computer lab is located at 28840 Salmon River Highway. The lab is open for use, please call first for availability. 0 The Oregon Native American Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that they are going to have a gathering of all Native Americans. This gathering is to have Native Americans join as one. single unit. The Chamber would like representation of all Tribes in Oregon as well as Tribes located across the United States. The Oregon Native American Chamber of Commerce was established December 14, 1995. The Chamber's primary goal was to achieve improvement of business conditions and economic growth and stability for Native American communities in Oregon through: promotion and support of quality oriented Native American owned businesses and professionals education and training of Native Americans to compete effectively in the global economy provision of high-quality benefits to members of the Chamber We can accomplish more as one single unit than we can as separate entities operating on our own. As a united group we have more purchasing power, more political power and more visibility in the community. We hope that everyone will support this endeavor. It will be a benefit to all. How many of you know: 1) the types of employment opportunities open to Native Americans? 2) the number and types of scholarships available to your children? 3) about ONABEN? 4) about UISHE? 5) about AISES?