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NOVEMBER 16, 2000

A panel of several Indian business leaders discussed economic development in Indian Country on Wednesday afternoon at the National Congress of American Indians' annual conference.

Included was Lance Morgan, CEO of Ho-Chunk Inc, the development corporation of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. He focused on corporate governance, or how the tribe and its successful corporation have developed a method of keeping tribal politics separate from daily business.

A member of the audience commented on the difficulties of making that separation. To him, it wasn't an issue of how to keep them separate, but when and how they would eventually collide.

J.D. Colbert, a founder of the North American Native Bankers Association, talked about the issue of bonds in Indian Country. He said Standard & Poor is currently evaluating how to rate bonds and that tribal leaders should get involved and make sure S&P understands issues such as sovereignty.

Another member of the audience, John "Rocky" Betts, Chairman of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, noted there were many obstacles facing successful development, such as state encroachment on taxation. But he suggested there are ways to overcome these limitations and used the tribe's bank as an example.

Get the Story:
Tribal sovereignty crucial to economic development (AP 11/16)

Related Stories:
Ho-Chunk Inc. wins award (Tribal Law 11/16)
Ho-Chunk Inc. up for award (Tribal Law 11/13)
Banks raising interest (Money Matters 07/21)

Relevant Links:
North American Native Bankers Association - www.nanba.org
Standard and Poor -www.standardandpoor.com
First National Bank and Trust Co. of Shawnee, Oklahoma -www.fnbshawnee.com
The Citizen Potawatomi Nation - www.potawatomi.org