Repeat performance
Repeat performance
Stevens re-elected NIGA chairman at annual conference
With about 5,400 attendees and a record 800 trade show booths, the National Indian Gaming Association Trade Show & Conference at the San Diego Convention Center last month celebrated its 20th anniversary with what NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr. called "the best trade show thus far in NIGA's history."
Stevens, who ran an uncontested race, was re-elected as NIGA's chairman during the show. Chief Boyd, a partner in the architecture firm Thalden-Boyd, was elected as the NIGA Associate Member Representative during the Associate Member meeting held on Monday, April 11, the first day of the show.
A member of the Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin, Stevens will immediately begin serving his third two-year term. Lynn "Nay" Valbuena, a member of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, also was re-elected by acclamation to her fifth term as NIGA secretary.
Stevens called NIGA's twenty year history, "illustrious" and said he was "honored and humbled to have been re-elected by the leadership in Indian Country and NIGA's 184 member tribes and associate members, who have provided me with the inspiration to protect our right to conduct Indian gaming to benefit our communities and keep our industry strong."
In conjunction with the trade show, NIGA also published a directory of American Indian-owned businesses, and continued to develop its American Indian Business Network, which is designed to improve the advocacy of Indian owned businesses. More than 30 Native-owned businesses were included in NIGA's "American Indian Business Network Expo."
"The American Indian Business Network underscores NIGA's commitment to supporting Native-owned businesses across the country and to providing opportunity for our people," Stevens said. "We are very excited about the Network's progress and future development."
As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, NIGA hosted a reunion of several former NIGA executive committee members. The former NIGA leaders provided an overview of the organization's early years. Bill Houle, NIGA's first chairman and a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota, and Purcell Powless, NIGA's first vice-chairman and a member of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin, were among those who posed for what NIGA staffer's described as a "historic" photo opportunity.
Despite the overall feeling of celebration at the show, there was a serious and somewhat reverent cast to the occasion, as Stevens had only weeks earlier participated in funeral services for members of the Red Lake Tribe who died in the recent school shootings.
Stevens was joined by National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) President Tex G. Hall at the funeral services, and spent several days following touring the reservation.
"Children are our most precious resource; and words cannot express how difficult it was for me-especially since I am a father and grandfather-to see so many of our young people, who have left this world too early," Stevens said during the course of the memorial services.
"As we are laying our loved ones to rest, we can now begin the healing process," added Stevens. "I have urged our tribal leaders and all our Native people throughout Indian Country to remember Red Lake in their prayers and to offer all the support they can possibly give to Red Lake Nation to help them heal."
-Matt Connor
Stevens re-elected NIGA chairman at annual conference
With about 5,400 attendees and a record 800 trade show booths, the National Indian Gaming Association Trade Show & Conference at the San Diego Convention Center last month celebrated its 20th anniversary with what NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr. called "the best trade show thus far in NIGA's history."
Stevens, who ran an uncontested race, was re-elected as NIGA's chairman during the show. Chief Boyd, a partner in the architecture firm Thalden-Boyd, was elected as the NIGA Associate Member Representative during the Associate Member meeting held on Monday, April 11, the first day of the show.
A member of the Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin, Stevens will immediately begin serving his third two-year term. Lynn "Nay" Valbuena, a member of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, also was re-elected by acclamation to her fifth term as NIGA secretary.
Stevens called NIGA's twenty year history, "illustrious" and said he was "honored and humbled to have been re-elected by the leadership in Indian Country and NIGA's 184 member tribes and associate members, who have provided me with the inspiration to protect our right to conduct Indian gaming to benefit our communities and keep our industry strong."
In conjunction with the trade show, NIGA also published a directory of American Indian-owned businesses, and continued to develop its American Indian Business Network, which is designed to improve the advocacy of Indian owned businesses. More than 30 Native-owned businesses were included in NIGA's "American Indian Business Network Expo."
"The American Indian Business Network underscores NIGA's commitment to supporting Native-owned businesses across the country and to providing opportunity for our people," Stevens said. "We are very excited about the Network's progress and future development."
As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, NIGA hosted a reunion of several former NIGA executive committee members. The former NIGA leaders provided an overview of the organization's early years. Bill Houle, NIGA's first chairman and a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota, and Purcell Powless, NIGA's first vice-chairman and a member of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin, were among those who posed for what NIGA staffer's described as a "historic" photo opportunity.
Despite the overall feeling of celebration at the show, there was a serious and somewhat reverent cast to the occasion, as Stevens had only weeks earlier participated in funeral services for members of the Red Lake Tribe who died in the recent school shootings.
Stevens was joined by National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) President Tex G. Hall at the funeral services, and spent several days following touring the reservation.
"Children are our most precious resource; and words cannot express how difficult it was for me-especially since I am a father and grandfather-to see so many of our young people, who have left this world too early," Stevens said during the course of the memorial services.
"As we are laying our loved ones to rest, we can now begin the healing process," added Stevens. "I have urged our tribal leaders and all our Native people throughout Indian Country to remember Red Lake in their prayers and to offer all the support they can possibly give to Red Lake Nation to help them heal."
-Matt Connor
