2011 Native American 40 Under 40 Announced

Native News Network Staff in Native Currents. Discussion »

MESA, AZ - The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development is proud to announce the recipients of the 2011 Native American 40 Under 40, who will be recognized as part of the 36th Annual Indian Progress in Business Awards Event on Thursday, September 8 at The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

The Native American 40 Under 40 recognition was incorporated in 2009 as part of the National Center's 40th Anniversary and highlights 40 existing and emerging American Indian leaders under 40 years of age who have demonstrated leadership, initiative and dedication to achieve impressive and significant contributions in their businesses, communities and to Indian country.

INPRO is a multi-faceted event, which will also include the American Indian Business Opportunity Fair Avenue where Indian businesses, corporations, tribal enterprises, and government agencies can network and have face to face meetings.

The 36th Annual Indian Progress in Business Awards Event 2011 awards banquet, presented by Raytheon, is the oldest and most prestigious American Indian recognition event honoring natives and businesses that support business development across Indian Country. Presentations will also be made to the recipients of the Jay Silverheels Achievement Award, the First American Corporation Leadership Award, the First American Entrepreneurship Award and the American Indian Fellowship in Business Student Scholarship Award.

Corporate sponsors include Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, IBM, Northrop Grumman and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

36th Annual Indian Progress in Business Awards Event 2011 will include an exciting host of events leading up to the formal awards banquet and presentations, which will include:

Wednesday, September 7

Thursday, September 8

2011 NATIVE AMERICAN 40 UNDER 40

Courtney Aitken-Gifford(Leech Lake Band of Ojibiwe)
Economic Development Director, Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Bemidji, Minnesota

J. Chance Alberta(Chuckchansi)
Tribal Council Treasure, Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi
Coarsegold, California

Chief J. Allan(Coeur d'Alene Tribe)
Chairman, Coeur d'Alene Tribe
Plummer, Idaho

Twyla Baker-Demaray(Three Affiliated Tribes) Project Director, Nation Resource Center of Native American Aging
Center for Rural Health
Grand Forks, North Dakota

John Beaver(Muscogee Creek Nation)
Director/Curator, Muscogee Nation Museum & Cultural Center
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Prairie Bighorn(Ft. Peck Sioux Tribe)
Comptroller, Northern Cheyenne Tribe
Billings, Montana

Amy Bowers(Yurok)
Attorney, Native American Rights Fund
Boulder, Colorado

Jennine Elias(Inupiaq Eskimo)
External Affairs Coordinator, Native American Contractors Association
Washington DC

Charles Galbraith(Navajo)
Deputy Associate Director, Office of Intergovernmental Relations and Public Engagement
Office of President Barak Obama
Washington DC

Chad German(Mille Lacs Band of Ojibiwe)
CEO/President, Red Circle Agency
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Berbon Hamilton(Osage)
General Manager, Osage Innovative Solutions, Osage LLC
Catoosa, Oklahoma

Russell Harjo(Seminole/Pawnee/Siletz/Grand Ronde)
Northeastern State University
Wewoka, Oklahoma

Dawson Her Many Horses(Rosebud Sioux)
Assistant Vice President, Bank of America
Charlotte, North Carolina

Vanessa Ray Hodge(Acoma Pueblo)
Senior Counselor, Office of the Solicitor
Department of the Interior
Washington DC

Levi Horn(Northern Cheyenne)
National Football League Player, Chicago Bears
Chicago, Illinois

Ashley Iserhoff(Cree Nation of Mistissini)
Deputy Grand Chief, Cree Regional Authority Executive Committee
Nemaska, Quebec

Pete King(Oneida Nation of Wisconsin)
Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, Oneida Seven Generations Corporation
Green Bay, Wisconsin

Jason Lambert(Eastern Band of Cherokee)
Economic Development Director, Eastern Band Of Cherokee Indians
Whittier, North Carolina

William Lowe(Muskogee Creek)
Director of Tourism, Muscogee Creek Nation
Tahlequah, Oklahoma

Shayai Lucero(Pueblo of Laguna & Pueblo of Acoma)
Owner, Earth and Sky Floral Designs
Old Laguna, New Mexico

Sean McCabe(Navajo)
Managing Shareholder, Anuskewicz & McCabe CPA PC
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Traci L. McClellan-Sorell(Cherokee Nation)
President, McClellan-Sorell Consulting, Inc.
Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Kenneth Nelson, Jr.(Native Village of Port Lions)
Deputy Director of Operations, Community Power Corporation
Afognak Native Corporation
Anchorage, Alaska

Bryan Newland(Bay Mills Tribe of Chippewa Indians)
Counselor to the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Indian Affairs, US Department of Interior
Springfield, Virginia

Bradley Osborne
President, NANA Oilfield Services, Inc.
NANA Development Corporation
Anchorage, Alaska

Cassie Reese(Muskogee Creek Nation)
Director of Development, Tulsa Community College Foundation
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Tasha Repp(Samish Indian Nation)
Partner, Moss Adams LLP
Bellingham, Washington

Gyasi Ross(Blackfeet)
Associate General Counsel, Crowell Law Office
Suquamish, Washington

Paul Russell(Fort McDowell Yavapai Apache)
Council Delegate, Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation
Fort McDowell, Arizona

Edward Sequoyah Simermeyer(Coharie Indian Tribe)
Counselor to the Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Indian Affairs
US Department of Interior
Elkridge, Maryland

Shyla Sheppard(Three Affiliated Tribes)
Fund Associate Director, Tribal Business Initiative
New Mexico Community Capital
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Eddie Sherman(Navajo/Omaha)
Development Manager, National Indian Child Welfare Association
Portland, Oregon

Michelle Sparck(Qissunamiut Tribe)
President, ArXotica, Inc.
Bethel, Alaska

Lillian Sparks(Rosebud/Oglala Sioux)
Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans
Department of Health and Human Services
Washington DC

Jon Swan(Chippewa Cree)
Consultant, The Boston Consulting Group
Waltham, Maryland

George Tahdooahnippah(Comanche)
Health and Fitness Promoter, Commanche Nation
Apache, Oklahoma

Travis Trueblood(Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma)
Founding Partner, Trueblood Law Group, PA
Moore Haven, Florida

Derek Valdo Sr.(Acoma Pueblo)
Director of Safety Services, AMERIND
Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico

Burton W. Warrington(Prairie Band of Potawatomi)
President & CEO , Prairie Band LLC
Mayetta, Kansas

Dennis Worden(Coeur d'Alene Tribe)
Legislative Director, Native American Contractors Association
Washington DC

posted August 17, 2011 5:10 pm edt