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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.
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in
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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.
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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?