Smoke Signals
4 JUNE 1, 2001
Triba! Member-Clyde Stryker Honor
with ChampioDi of Small Business Award
Continued from front page
thing that I have been working to
wards for almost 30 years. It was im
portant to my wife and I that we raise
our children in an environment that
is better than the valley had to offer."
In 1993, Stryker started his own
business called Spirit Communica
tions, Inc. (SCI).
"My business was located in
Tualatin, about 20 miles south of Port
land," said Stryker. "We started as a
home-based business and quickly
grew to operations of more than 35
employees. We became a major player
in the communications community."
In 1995, SCI was the first company
in Oregon to achieve "SHARP" certi
fication (Safety Health and Recogni
tion Program). The certification is
from the Oregon Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA). The certifi
cation program recognizes companies
whose efforts exceed the current
OSHA standards.
"At that time, I was asked to become
a member of the 'Partners Forum,'
which consists of leaders and business
owners from different industry seg
ments through out Oregon," said
Stryker. "They meet monthly with
Peter DeLuca, Executive Director of
Oregon OSHA"
In 1998, Stryker founded the
"SHARP Alliance," which is a state
wide organization for companies who
are "SHARP" certified to network and
work together with Oregon OSHA to
improve Oregon's Safety and Health
Programs.
In 1996, SCI received the "Top Ten
Growth Award" from the Portland
Chamber of Commerce. Then
Stryker's company ran off a string of
impressive awards including the "Top
25 Growing Companies in Oregon"
award by the Business Journal in
1997, the "Successful Business of the
Year" award for 1997 and 1999 by
the Small Business Administration
(SBA). In addition, Stryker received
US)
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the "National Native American
Achievement Award" in 1999 and the
Governor's "Business of Excellence
Award" from the Oregon Economic
and Community Development De
partment of Oregon in 1998.
"During this same time, I became a
board member for a new organization
called the Oregon Native American
Business Entrepreneurial Network
(ONABEN)," said Stryker. "Since
that time, ONABEN has grown into
an organization that has a micro-loan
program and provides business train
ing services throughout the Pacific
Northwest. In addition to this, I
founded the Oregon Native American
Chamber of Commerce, which is a
statewide organization that is grow
ing and doing very well today. And I
was an advisor and participated in the
Title 9 Education Program and Jun
ior Achievement programs."
In 1995, Stryker was asked to be
come a delegate to the White House
Conference on Small Business in
Washington, D.C. His job was to rep
resent Oregon in helping to develop
a report that would be presented to
Congress and the President, which
would address the issues and laws that
have a negative impact on small busi
nesses everyday in the U.S.
"I met the President, Vice President
and Congressional members and had
an opportunity to be involved in
something that has changed current
laws, including federal regulations for
the better, and this was the reason
for the formation of the "Governors
Small Business Council" at the State
level and the "Fairness Regulatory
Board" at the Federal level," said
Stryker.
These organizations have brought
together community leaders and small
business owners from all over the
State of Oregon to generate a report
for the governor that will identify the
changes needed to improve the cli
mate for doing business in Oregon.
This has resulted in many changes,
both at federal and state levels that
have improved the climate for small
businesses in Oregon today.
In 1997, President Clinton ap
pointed Stryker to the "Fairness
Regulatory Board," where he served
as chairman for Region 10 until 1999.
In 1999, Governor Kitzhaber ap
pointed him to the "Governors Small
Business Council" where he served
until recently.
"In 1999, 1 received from the Mayor
of Portland (Vera Katz), the "Mayor's
Spirit of Portland Award" for activi
ties that improves the way Portland
does business with small businesses,"
said Stryker. In 1999, the governor
of Oregon recommended me for the
"Vision 2000 Award" that is a na
tional award given to individuals,
small businesses and organizations by
the SBA.
Stryker received the "Vision 2000
Award" for the category of leadership
under the individual category.
In 1998 and 1999, Stryker was on
the Board of Directors for the Tualatin
Chamber of Commerce, including be
ing a graduate of the 2000 Leader
ship Tualatin program, which is a
personal development program de
signed to educate business and com
munity leaders. Stryker now is the
Executive Director for the Sisters Area
Chamber of Commerce and said he
wants to lead the chamber into a role
as a facilitator among the business '
community, government and private
citizen's groups to coordinate efforts
to ensure prosperity and quality of life
in Sisters.
On May 16 of this year, although
unable to attend due to illness,
Stryker was honored as the co-recipient
of this year's Eldon G. Shafer
Champion of Small Business Award
as an entrepreneur at the Hilton in
Portland.
Stryker's ability to see the global
picture, his focus on humanitarian
needs and his ability to consider dif
fering points of view are some of the
qualities that made him a champion
for small business.
Stryker's parents had their own
business while growing up B & H
Electric.
"I saw what my parents went
through," said Stryker. "The no time
to yourself, all the hours they put in
and at some point I wanted to start
Spirit (Communications) and one of
the main reasons to start that was that.
I could provide training to Native
American people, so they could get out
of the reservation and get them on a
career path.
When Stryker isn't busy working,
he likes to spend time fishing.
Stryker's goal is to stabilize and bump
up the professionalism in Sisters.
"I just want to settle in and become
a member of the community," said
Stryker. "I want to start enjoying life
a little hit"
New Administrative Officer at
Clinic
By Justin Phillips
The clinic now has a new administra
tive officer. His name is Michael
Watkins.
He works under Tom Austin, Execu
tive Director of the Tribe's Health and
Wellness Center.
Watkins grew up in the Albany area
where he graduated from South Albany
High School.
His parents still reside in the Albany
area, but the rest of the family lives
around here.
Watkins attended Linn-Benton Com
munity College and graduated from
Oregon State University (OSU) with a
Bachelor's degree in Health. He is work
ing on his Master's degree.
Watkins married Cindy Martin-Butler
who has two children, Leland and Halona.
They now reside in Grand Meadows.
A goal of Watkins is to finish his last
year of his Masters in the near future.
Watkins worked for the Bureau of
Indian Affairs (BIA) and Chemawa In
dian School for 12 years before coming
to Grand Ronde to work.
"Just recently before I came here, I
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Michael Watkins
was the instructor for Native American
Rehabilitation Association (NARA) in
Portland " said Watkins.
NARA is a non-profit Indian owned
business that offers patient rehabilita
tion in their alcohol rehabilitation cen
ter. They also have an urban Indian
clinic in Portland.
Watkins said he likes to work out in
his spare time.
"I also plan on getting a motorcycle in
the next month," said Watkins. "I like
theHarleys."
Watkins job duties consist of basic
day-to-day operations of the clinic.
"This gives Tom more time to do plan
ning and policing things," said Watkins.
"I get to do more day-to-day overseeing."
Austin said Watkins is a great help
to him.
"A person with his skills and back
ground helps to keep the administrative
part of the clinic running smoothly and
much more efficiently," said Austin. "I
was happy to find a person who is al
ready living here and part of the Grand
Ronde community."
Watkins said he has a goal here.
"I want to make the clinic more effi
cient and I'd like to see the Tribe be rec
ognized as having one of the best clinics
in the country," said Watkins. "We have
a really good start now, there are a lot
of people in Indian Country talking
about our clinic. I just want to help
further it along."
Watkins said he is really glad he got
the opportunity to at the clinic.
"I have lived out here in the commu
nity for a little bit now," said Watkins.
"It's good to live here and be able to give
back to the community. I get to spend
- more time with my family." ; : . yq ,
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Prostate Cancer Discussion
Wednesday, June 20 4 to 6 p.m.
Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center
Guest Speaker is Ruth Jensen. Please come
and join us for a barbecue and discussion on
men's wellness. If you have any questions
please contact Robert Schmid at 503-879-2104
or Vernon Kennedy at 503-879-2027
Are you a graduate, past or current,
of ONAEEN's Starting a Successful
Business classes?
Need a micro-loan for up to $5,000?
Come to a free workshop, sit with counselors
to update your business plan, or fill out a micro-loan
application if your business plan is com
plete. Work with Small Business Counselors
and bank representatives on Tuesday, June 5
from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Molalla Room at
the Health Clinic.
For more information call:
Sheila Herber at 503-879-2492
Grand Ronde Small Business Department
Kristf Kelso at 503-968-1500
. ONABEN
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