Paulette Jordan, NIGA Secretary, conducted the official membership roll call which declared a quorum. NIGA Treasurer Andy Ebona presented his treasurer’s report, which included the annual audit update submitted by Joseph Eve, of WIPFLI LLC. NIGA Vice Chairman David Bean then officially opened up nominations for the positions of Chairman and Secretary, where both current Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr. and Secretary Paulette Jordon received sole nominations. The first-panel discussion for the day was the “Safeguarding the Seventh Generation: Risk Management in Indian Country,” brought by Mark Van Norman of Van Norman Consulting, and Dereck Valdo, Chief Executive Officer of AMERIND Risk, a native-owned insurance company based in Indian Country at the Santa Ana Pueblo in New Mexico. Indian nations, as sovereigns, possess sovereign immunity from the suit just as do Federal and State Governments. Tribal sovereign immunity is a recognized doctrine of Federal law based on the status of Indian tribes as sovereigns pre-dating the United States. While the Supreme Court has recognized tribal sovereignty immunity, the lower federal courts, and State Supreme Court have been inconsistent. This challenge may also represent an opportunity that can be addressed through the use of risk management, risk pools, tribal tort reform and Federal legislation affirming the authority of Indian tribes to maintain our sovereign immunity and establish our laws on tort reform. Tribal leaders heard about the importance of having a tier level system of risk management in place through insurance to protect Tribal Sovereignty and Tribal Sovereign Immunity. By putting coverage in place, Tribes are exercising their sovereignty and safeguard their assets from civil and tort claims and avoid a dangerous precedent that is being set in the courts to erode Tribal Sovereignty. In the afternoon membership meeting, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Tribal Council and members of
their business council presented a check, contributing to NIGA to support the organization’s mission of representation in Washington, DC. Keith Anderson, Shakopee Vice Chairman, presented the check to the NIGA Board of Directors and said, “It is our humble honor to present NIGA with this contribution today. We value the work they do for all of Indian Country in Washington, D.C.” Anderson added, “We have done this for many years.” Chairman Steven said, “The impact of the Shakopee contribution and support going back to the late Stanley Crooks, all the way to the current leadership continues to play a vital role in D.C.” The Legislative Update panel followed. The session was moderated by Jason Giles, Executive Director of the National Indian Gaming Association, and included panelists Aurene Martin, President of Spirit Rock Consulting, Steve Bodmer, General Counsel of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians and John Harte, Principal at the Mapetsi Policy Group. Liz Homer of Homer Law moderated the session entitled “Indian Country Regulatory Update,” where tribal leaders were provided updates from Jonadev Chaudhuri, Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) and Jamie Hummingbird, Director of the Cherokee Gaming Commission and Chairman of the National Tribal Gaming Commissioners/Regulators (NTGCR.) The Tribal Economic Development discussion rounded out the day of discussion, which included some of the most successful Tribal business people in Indian Country. Chris James, President and CEO, of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) moderated the discussion with experts Joanne Whiterabbit of the Minnesota American Indian Chamber of Commerce, Joe Nayquonabe, Commissioner of Corporate Affairs for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians and Jamie Fullmer, Chairman and CEO of Blue Stone Strategy.
5 |INDIAN GAMING UPDATE - SPECIAL 2019 TRADESHOW EDITION
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