diversity journal | national american indian & alaskan native heritage month q&a

8/3/2019 Diversity Journal | National American Indian & Alaskan Native Heritage Month Q&A

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Please tell me about your NativeAmerican heritage.

I am a member of the TurtleMountain Chippewa Tribe of NorthDakota. Our reservation is very closeto the Canadian border. This is avery small tribe. It was one of thebands that was relocated from theNew England area, migrated acrossthe top of the Great Lakes, andcame down and settled in SouthernSaskatchewan, North Dakota, andMontana. After the Indian Wars wereover, we ended up with a very smallland grant around Belcourt, NorthDakota. When some of the tribalmembers in Canada came down toNorth Dakota, there wasnt enoughland for all of the tribe, so we weregiven land in western North Dakotaand over into Montana. It was onthis other land, which is called an

Indian Service area, which is whereI grew up. We moved over to theFt. Beck Reservation when I was ten

years old, and we lived right on theedge of the reservation in Montana.Ive grown up around Indian reserva-tions and tribal lands throughout mychildhood.How has your Native Americanheritage affected your business,from its beginning to now?

The thing that has had the impact

58 profiles in Diversity Journal Nb/Db 2011

n 1990, President GeorGe H. BusH aPProved a joint resolution desiGnatinG novemBer as national

american indian HeritaGe montH. similar Proclamations Have Been issued eacH year since 1994.

Today, the United States works closely with 564 federally recognized tribes toensure that each has a strong voice in shaping policies that directly impact the nearly2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Wed like to introduce you to some leaders who have made significant contributionsof their own, and celebrate their heritage as First Americans.

National American

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*Source: Earth Always Endures: Native American Poems, Selected by Neil Philip


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Ive always been involved in en-ergy. My formal education is fromMontana State University andUniversity of Berkeley. I becameheavily involved in different en-ergy technologies; I worked for theAtomic Energy Commission andI was on a presidential panel forPresident Carter. I worked at na-tional labs. One of the last projectsI worked on was helping to set upthe Solar Energy Research Institute,which is now called the NationalRenewable Energy Laboratory inColorado. I had seventeen years ofresearch back at those labs before Istarted to go into private businessmyself. Ive been involved in several

on our company is a program inthe small business administrationcalled the AA Minority ContractingProgram, where individuals thatare economically disadvantaged canapply. Certain federal contracts areset aside for disadvantaged AA busi-nesses. When I first started thiscompany in mid-1996, I wanted tocreate a company that was going tohelp Indian tribes handle their ener-gy issues. We did a lot of work withIndian tribes, helping them formutility companies, negotiate contractsand provide low-cost electricity totheir members on their reservations.In 2002, we restructured our wholecompany so I could apply for and get

this AA status. We started to workfor primarily federal agencies. Thatsreally when our company started togrow rapidly. We still work for someof those tribal organizations, suchas the Administration for NativeAmericans, which is a sub-agency fordevelopment of Indian tribes. TheIndian heritage is what allowed meto get the company AA-status. Weare now competing head-to-headwith larger companies, on the basisof our technical capabilities for pro-viding services.

What was your backgroundbefore starting up New WestTechnologies?

Williamson and son raising a wind turbine.

Indian & Alaskan

Native Heritage


3/660 profiles in Diversity Journal Nb/Db 2011

seeing that there is more and more ofthat on Indian reservations. Its a bigissue; I think until we get our youngpeople to not turn to those drugs, wewill not be able to be successful inthe wrong end.

Please tell me about your NativeAmerican heritage.

I am a Sioux- St. Marie. [Thetribe] actually originated as theSioux-St. Marie Chippewa inNorthern Michigan. I hail fromCheboygan, which is up in thestraits region of historic Mackinawwhere Lake Michigan and Huron

come under the bridge called theMackinaw. Our tribe was never actu-ally recognized as a tribe in the 1934Indian Act. Our tribe fought for itstribal recognition during the 60sand 70s during the revival, as Im sotold by my elders.

How do you keep your heritagealive in an age of assimilation and

companies, and kind of become a se-rial entrepreneur. New West has beengoing on for fifteen years.

From 1996-2002 most ofyour business was from NativeAmericans. Has it grown fromthere to non-Native Americans?What percentage of your businessis still primarily Native American?

I would say 20% of our businessis helping federal agency programs ishelping Indian peoples and Indianreservations. But the client is reallythe federal government. 95% of ourclient work is all for federal govern-

ment. Tribal work is now a smallerportion of our overall company, butwe keep on pursuing other opportu-nities to work on different programswith Indian companies.

I also read you are active inphilanthropic support for NativeAmericans. What do you primarilygive to?

I originally wanted to be a teacher.Ive always stayed involved in the

education side. I really think educa-tion is the key to all ethnic groups,whether Native America, Hispanic,or African-American. If you get theeducation, you will get better-payingjobs and you will naturally bring upthe standard of living for your fam-ily. So thats where I focus most ofmy giving: to programs, particularlyscholarship programs, to send minor-ity students to college. We did a lotof high school programs to encour-

age students to get involved withSTEM, and there was always a col-lege scholarship component of it. Weare involved in the American IndianCollege Fund which gives to tribalcolleges and universities.

Do you think NativeAmerican-owned and -operatedbusinesses are growing?

Not at the rate that I would like.The problem again comes back tothe fact that American Indian stu-dents in K-12 represent 1% of thetotal students in the United States.But only 1% of that 1% will actuallycomplete a bachelors degree at a col-lege or university. Of that, those stu-dents that will get a bachelors degreethere is a very small percent that will

get a graduate or doctorate degree.So until that change, I dont thinkyou will see as many successful largeIndian-owned businesses by individ-uals or entrepreneurs. When peopletalk about Indian businesses, usuallythey refer to businesses that havebeen started by Indian tribes. Thosebusinesses and my business struggleto find qualified Indian people thathave the necessary STEM degreesto fill the job openings we have. We

still have a priority preference hir-ing for minority students, but wehave trouble filling those jobs. Withan unemployment rate that is 9%,you would think you would be ableto find a lot of qualified people forthose jobs. Skilled people with thedegrees are hard to find. So, it comesback to education.

What do you think is the mostimportant issue facing Native

Americans today?The proliferation of drugs on

reservations. Minority or not, myrational is that people that dont havea job lose their self-esteem and cantprovide for their families are moresusceptible to turn to alcohol anddrugs. When they do that, they getinto a spiral that is very difficult forthem to cover from. We just keep

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interview NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN & ALASKAN NATIvE HERITAGE


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blending of cultures?I have children, so its my job to

understand their heritage. We respecta lot of cultures, and we talk about alot of them. We take lots of trips toNorthern Michigan; we tour aroundthere and spend a lot of time withmy family. The history and heritagecomes from being around family. Soduring that week we dont do a lot,so my children can actually get theheritage from my aunts and unclesand grandparents.

How has your Native Americanheritage affected your business,

from its beginning to now?There are some advantages ofbeing a Native American, specificallyfrom being a minority. The nameishpi is a Chippewa word for ad-vance, to move forward, or above.We knew going into it [we would be]a Native American, minority-owned,service-disabled veteran, small busi-ness at the very least. We wanted tochoose a name that respected theculture. We focused on building a

business that really respected theemployee. We are always trying toadvance, whether its our clients mis-sion or our employees lives. We givethem the opportunity to reach what-ever heights they want.

Why did you create your company?Theres a need for good, honest

contracting. The government can-not survive on government servicealone. We wanted to run this busi-

ness with the Seven Feathers, whichagain is a teaching from the NativeAmericans. We remember wisdom,love, courage, respect, honesty, truth,and humility. Theres a way to dobusiness out there, theres a customerservice, and I was in other organiza-tions where that was not their focus.A lot of my employees have been vet-erans. We have taken our uniforms

How much do you really know about the many ethnic and cultural groupspresent throughout the country? In this issue ofDiversity Journal, we highlightNative American heritage. We have compiled misconceptions and discovered

the actual facts to test your knowledge and to increase your understanding ofthe Native American peoples.

F:Native Americans had inherited royalty.F:Native Americans do not have any type of royalty. The Indian princess wasa concept created by the Europeans. In fact, most Native American chiefs werenever actually chiefs. Europeans had spread the idea of chiefdom since they couldnot fathom people living in a property-less society without permanent formal rank.A chief created a parallel with which the Europeans could make deals with, such assomeone who could sell land. Clarifies Montana State University-Northern Professorof Native American Studies Jaako Puisto, Few Native American cultures did havea hierarchical structure with monarchy. Some of these include the Mississippianculture centered in Cahokia (1000-1400), Natchez further down the Mississippi River

until 1700s, and the Powhatan around Chesapeake Bay. These were not the norm,however, as most Native American cultures were egalitarian, kin-based societies.

F:Native Americans are rich from gambling revenues.F:Almost 25 percent of Native Americans live beneath the U.S. poverty level.Tribes that own casinos use proceeds to help better their community. This funding isthen used for tribal schools, medical clinics, roads, elder care, child care, and collegescholarships. Few Native American communities have profitable casinos, and mosthave no casinos whatsoever, adds Puisto.

F:Native Americans are not full citizens of the United States because theybelong to their own sovereign nations.F:A bill was signed by President Calvin Coolidge on June 2, 1924, providingtotal citizenship status to Native Americans. Native Americans are citizens of U.S.,

and many are members of their nation as well, but Native nations are within U.S.with limited sovereignty, which does not preclude U.S. citizenship. Many people frommany ethnic backgrounds in U.S. have a dual citizenship, elaborates Puisto.

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off but we hang them proudly. So weare here to provide a service, a vitalservice. We wanted to do business adifferent way, and [weve been] fairlysuccessful.

Ishpi means to advance; how has

this word become a part of yourcompany?

Its part of our culture. We abso-lutely must in all cases provide valueto all our clients. We are a services-based company. If our services arenot advancing their mission or solv-ing their problems, than we have novalue there. Its very important thatwe work with our clients to help

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*Source: Earth Always Endures: Native American Poems, Selected by Neil Phili


5/662 profiles in Diversity Journal Nb/Db 2011

businesses. Why do we need todiversify our businesses? Our com-munity needs a lot of help; there is

a lot of sickness, whether physical ormental. There is a lot of unhappi-ness today. Alcoholism runs rampantin some communities. And one ofthe ways to help that is to have thefinancial resources to provide hope.Thats why we need to diversify, notto make money. Its so the moneycomes in, so we can help more ofour people. PDJ

them solve their mission. In mostjobs we are directly impacting thewar fighter. We have a vital mis-sion; thats something my manage-ment team and I work very hard tohelp our employees understand. Ascontractors, we are very heavy intocyberspace. Its vital we are providinga value.

Your three year growth is extraordi-nary. What do you affiliate this to?

People, first off. Putting the rightteam together. It has nothing to dowith me; it has everything to do withthe team that I put in place. They

uniquely understand the needs of theclient. We are a small business witha niche. We didnt start a businessbecause we are small and minority-owned and there are special advan-tages; we have worked very hard tobe the best we can be. I attribute[success] to an unyielding devotionto ensure that youre meeting withthe client, advancing their mission,and adding value to your client.

How many employees do youcurrently employ?

70. Theyre distributed in the na-tional capital region, the tidewaterVirginia region, and in San Antonio,Texas. Corporate headquarters are inCharleston, South Carolina.

Are you active in any NativeAmerican philanthropy? What doyou primarily give to?

I am a board member of the

American Indian Chamber ofCommerce of the Carolinas.We serve both North and SouthCarolina. I run a couple of commit-tees as a part of the board. I [also]routinely will go up to NorthernMichigan on my own to talk to thetribal chairman about expandingtheir economic development outsideof the traditional Native American

gaming enterprises. I am trying toencourage the tribe.

Do you think Native American-owned and operated businesses aregrowing?

I think the opportunities are there

for the Native American businessesto expand, that includes tribally aswell as individually. I believe theres atremendous amount of opportunity.I think the government gives you anupper-hand if you are just willing toget out there and take the initiative.Id like to see tribes diversify theirportfolios, and do what my tribe isdoing-- giving back. Not only givingback to the elders but to the commu-nity. They have health care, educa-

tion, you name it. Our tribe is doinga great job at giving back to the trib-al members. But there are so manytribes that could be doing more. Asmy company grows and stabilizes, Ifully plan to do more outside of mytribe. Im from the state of Michigan;Id love to help out the state, too. Aslong as Im allowed to be here, mylife will be filled with more and moregiving back.

What do you think is the mostimportant issue facing NativeAmericans today?

Diversification of businesses. TheAlaskan Native corporations andtribes in Alaska have done a greatjob diversifying. Theyre involved indefense contracting heavily. A lot ofthe tribes could do the same things.Its educating and diversifying their

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NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN & ALASKAN NATIvE HERITAGE

18.4% |Population Growth from 2000-2010

.9%| of total US population

AlAskA, New Mexico,south DAkotA, oklAhoMA, ANDMoNtANA Are the top stAtesfor AMericAN iNDiAN AND

AlAskA NAtive populAtioNs236,691| All FirmsAmerican Indian and Alaska Native

34,353,842 | Receipts ($1,000)

185,037 | Employees

96,543| All Firms Female-ownedAmerican Indian and Alaska Native

8,862,208| Receipts ($1,000)

52,432| Employees

1,523,112| Annual Payroll ($1,000)


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How do you define leadership? Leadership to me is about integrity and goodcommunication. I have been lucky to observe those skills in my mentors. Peoplecan handle tough situations as long as you are honest with them.

What is your most rewarding career accomplishment? One of my proud-est moments was being selected to be on the Accenture corporate rebrandingteam. It was not only successful, receiving many industry awards, but I alsofelt like I was part of history.

Whats the worst mistake a leader can make? Being dishonest and notcommunicating with candor. People will not look to you to lead if they cannottruly believe in what you stand for.

What was the best advice you ever received? Nothing can ever replacehard work; the harder you work the luckier you will get. Tap into your naturaltalent, keep your nose to the grindstone and stay focused on your abilities.

What risks should a leader take? Challenge the status quo. Encouragepeople to stretch and embrace change. Being bold and disruptive in a calcu-lated way helps to drive out solutions that address a situation with fresh eyes.Ask hard questions, mix things up. PDJ

tribe:Turtle Mountain Band ofChippewa Indians in North Dakota

eDUCAtiON:BA, University of North Dakota;MS, Northwestern University

WHAt iM reADiNG:Leading withQuestions, by Michael Marquardt

MY PHiLOSOPHY:Integrity and hard

work will never fail you, stay focused.

iNtereStS:Trying new recipes,working with my mother and mentor

JuniKae Randall on her latest AmericanIndian television project, and spending

time with my wonderful family

COMPANY:Accenture HeADQUArterS:New York City

WebSite: www.accenture.com eMPLOYeeS:236,000

PriMArY bUSiNeSS:Global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing

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How do you define leadership? In the words of John Quincy Adams, If youractions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more,you are a leader.

Whats the worst mistake a leader can make? The inability to make a hard de-cision or standing by a decision that has been made. People want a leader who isdecisive and who lays out their vision and priorities. Betraying trust, personal ar-rogance and surrounding yourself with people that dont have a contrary opinion.

What was the best advice you ever received? I once worked for an individ-ual who was not well-liked but was well-respected who told me to be yourselfand dont try to be what others want you to be. Treat everyone the same, stay

out of the political game; there is always someone better then you. Do yourbest and the best will happen for you.What are some personal and/or professional sacrifices to being leader?

Unfortunately the hardest part of being a leader is the effect it may have onyour family and friends. Leadership comes with a responsibility to the orga-nization and the people within it. Time, in some cases, is not a friend, andsacrifice to those who are the closest to you is the most difficult. PDJ

tribe:Catawba and of the Cherokee tribe

eDUCAtiON:George Mason University;Wharton School of Business,University of Pennsylvania

WHAt iM reADiNG:Decision Points, by George W. Bush

MY PHiLOSOPHY:You get what you settle for.

iNtereStS:Boating, traveling, basketball, a goodbottle of wine

COMPANY:CSC HeADQUArterS:Falls Church, Virginia

WebSite: www.csc.com eMPLOYeeS:93,000

PriMArY bUSiNeSS:Technology

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profiles NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN & ALASKAN NATIvE HERITAGE

diversity journal | national american indian & alaskan native heritage month q&a

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