Oklahoma Native American Business Consulting Center

History of the Native American Business Alliance

(1995-2006)

The Native American Business Alliance (NABA) is a nonprofit organization formed in 1995 by the vision of one gentleman, Tom “Runningbear” Smith, and three other Native American Business Owners (Lee Pepion of The Blackfoot Company, Lloyd Milby of L.W. Milby Exhibit Services, Inc. and Ken Barnes of Upper Mohawk, Inc.) who knew they could be recognized as competent business people, capable of competing for and winning supplier/vendor contracts, provided they were given the same opportunity to compete as their African-American, Hispanic/Latino American, and Asian-American counterparts. Alone, the founding members were not successful in winning contracts but collectively they were stronger and their voices could be heard by company representatives in charge of Supplier Diversity Programs. Hence, the Native American Business Alliance was formed and the founders approached these representatives to give Native American Businesses an opportunity to compete and to do business with their respective companies. Because of the founding members’ vision and determination to do business with and to help other Native American Businesses, many doors of opportunity have been opened since the beginning days of NABA.

Today, NABA has business relationships with many Fortune 500 Companies such as: The Coca Cola Company, DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Target Corporation, General Motors Corporation, United Parcel Service, Inc., American Express, Ford Motor Company, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing of North America, Walt Disney World, Delta Airlines, and IBM and many more and who are willing to recognize Native Americans as competent business owners. Through our partnership with these corporations, Native American business owners have the opportunity to compete for contracts.

AS NABA continued to examine the needs of the Native Business Owners, Regional Networking Sessions and Workshops (training) were implemented to promote business opportunities, increase business skills, and share available job openings. In turn, NABA reaches out to Corporate America to educate and raise awareness of the rich culture and traditions of Native American/Indigenous People through annual special events and activities that involve the presentation of Native Dancers, Craft Makers, Artwork and/or Musicians/Drummers. Overall, it is the continued need to educate Corporate America on the culture and traditions of Native American/Indigenous People - along with the planning for future generations - that serves as the guiding force in keeping the mission of the founding members alive. We also strive to develop and build relationships that will promote capable Native American Business Owners who are able to compete in Corporate America and thus meet the supply needs of Corporate America.

NABA MISSION

The Native American Business Alliance

mission has two parts:

1. To facilitate mutually beneficial relationships between private and public businesses with Native American owned companies.

2.  To educate the communities on Native American culture, paving the way for future generations.

Indian Business The Oklahoma Native American Business Enterprise Center The best online resource for all Oklahoma Indians, or all other Indians. This site will help anyone involved with Oklahoma Business or in the City of Tulsa to connect with the Cherokee Nation Tulsa and Muscogee Creek can often be sifficult places to find employment, especially people who hail from Native American tribes, such as the Muscogee Tribe and the Cherokee. Native American rights arte obviously a thorny issue and here at the The Oklahoma Native American Business Enterprise Center we aim to help Native American business to move along. Please come back to this site later for more information and updates!