Cherokee Nation Awards Outstanding Indian-Owned Businesses
TAHLEQUAH, OK — In recognition of outstanding achievement among Native American owned businesses, the Cherokee Nation recently held a Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO) Awards Ceremony at the Cherokee Casino in Catoosa.
“I commend our tribal operations and our Council for driving us to ensure that we create jobs so that we can become self-reliant,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “By ‘creating jobs,’ I don’t just mean with the tribe, but also by stimulating our entrepreneurs to create vibrant communities and a strong economy through small business development.”
TERO maintains a listing of Indian-owned businesses that is used by the Cherokee Nation and its entities when letting contracts out for bid. TERO Certified firms receive Indian preference in the bid process. During the ceremony in Catoosa, the Cherokee Nation recognized eight outstanding TERO Certified businesses with awards to honor their excellence.
Lori Smiley of NDN Art and Frame in Tahlequah was presented the Indian Business Community Leadership Award for her involvement in a host of community activities and organizations.
The Indian Business Customer Service Award was awarded to AIA/RC Sales. The company is owned by Bob Smith and operates out of the Miami, Oklahoma area.
Meridian Associates out of Tahlequah received the Indian Consultant Business of the Year Award for the service it provides to community service organizations. The business is owned by J.W. Jones.
Steven Springwater of Springwater Fence Company received the Indian Construction Business of the Year award. The Park Hill company currently employs a 100 percent Cherokee staff and advocates customer satisfaction.
The Indian Retail Business of Year was awarded to Harts Sports Center, a screen-printing and trophy retail sales business in Tahlequah. The company believes it thrives and survives on customer satisfaction.
EquaCor Plastics and Packaging, owned by Kelee Fourkiller-Wright, was named Indian Woman Owned Business of the Year. Located in Tulsa, EquaCorp is a distributor of packaging, food service and janitorial supplies.
The Small Certified Indian Business of the Year Award was presented to Southwest Litho, Inc., a family owned and operated print company in Tulsa.
“Thank you for the honor, but we feel we should be honoring the Cherokee Nation for the opportunities that it has afforded to us,” said Mike Houser, owner/operator.
GSE Construction, owned by Don Stinson, was awarded the Large Certified Indian Business of the Year Award. The business employs an 80 percent Native American staff and takes pride in quality of service.
“We hope this event grows in future years,” said Cara Cowan Watts, Tribal Council Representative for Rogers County. “This event is a demonstration of the Tribal Council’s dedication to Indian-owned businesses. We believe in Indian preference.”
In August of 1984, the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council approved a resolution and ordinance that enables the tribe to exercise its inherent sovereign powers by imposing Indian preference on employers working on or near the jurisdictional boundaries of the Cherokee Nation.
“On behalf of the Tribal Council, I want to say that we are extremely proud to help expand procurement opportunities for small businesses, especially minority-owned businesses,” said Meredith Frailey, Speaker of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council. “We believe that TERO legislation is one of the most important vehicles for small business participation in our contracting environment. Small businesses are the backbone of our communities.”