On Monday, May 23 more than 100 of the region’s major economic development stakeholders gathered at Grand Casino Mille Lacs for the inaugural Mille Lacs Tribal Economy Summit to share dialogue on our local economy and award and award economic change makers.
The Summit, hosted by Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures and sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield Minnesota and the Entrepreneur Fund, celebrated the shared well-being and the success within the Mille Lacs Tribal Economy.
Open to all residents and entrepreneurs within the Mille Lacs Tribal economy, the Summit featured presentations from top business leaders including Neil Linscheid with UM Extension, Tawanna Black with the Center for Economic Inclusion, and Joe Nayquonabe with Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures.
Each presenter brought out interactive dialogue with participants related to making positive changes to reinvent rural communities, funding resources and availability, businesses’ role in a post-pandemic world, entrepreneurship within the Mille Lacs Tribal Economy, and key strategies to activate diversity, equity, and inclusion while balancing the economic needs of the region.
Chief Executive, Melanie Benjamin welcomes attendees.
Mille Lacs Tribal Economy Awards & Recognition
The Mille Lacs Tribal Economy is full of economic changemakers. To recognize these influential leaders, five different awards were developed to honor individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in our rural communities.
The Babaamiziwinikewinini Award, which translates to Business Making Man (Entrepreneur of the Year) recipient is Bradley Harrington with Wenji-Bimaadizing Media. Founded in 2019, Bradley and his incredible team of artists, programmers, designers, and educators bring Wenji-Bimaadizing Media to the forefront of the Indigenous Media Industry.
The Babaamiziwinikekwe Award, which translates to Business Making Lady (Entrepreneur of the Year) recipient is Adrienne Benjamin with Yo Adrienne B. Adrienne is a multi-faceted artist. Most recently, Adrienne’s work with Minnetonka Moccasins, and Coral and Tusk have helped both businesses develop plans for reconciliation, and an apology for their decades-long cultural appropriation.
The Eni-wiidookaazod Inini Award, which translates to The Helper Man (Community Partner) recipient is Steve Hallan, Pine County Commissioner. From Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures’ work in affordable housing to ensuring community members have access to reliable and affordable broadband, Steve is a true champion. Steve has served for nearly 15 years as a Pine County Commissioner and has served as Board Chair six times and Vice Chair two times.
The Eni-wiidookaazod Ikwe Award, which translates to The Helper Lady (Community Partner) recipient is Marge Agnew, Mayor of Onamia. Marge supports and leads important conversations about affordable housing, entrepreneurship, and childcare in the city of Onamia. Marge was in full support of Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures’ latest housing project, Red Willow Estates, and immediately went to work researching financing programs through her connections.
Eni-giikisijiged Award, which translates to forever situating things (Legacy Award) recipient is Hank Bonga. Since the 1970’s Hank Bonga has been working tirelessly to advance American Indians – from his work at American Indian Centers in Detroit and Chicago, to writing and receiving grants that supported programing for Native artists and housing for Elders. Over the years, Hank has aligned with a wide range of investors, including Corporate Express (now Staples), Foxwoods Development Company, Kenco Company, Excorp Medical, and 1Source Office and Facility Supply.
Mille Lacs Tribal Economy Award recipients. (L to R): Joe Nayquonabe, Dan Miller for Hank Bonga, Steve Hallan, Marge Agnew, Bradley Harrington, Beth Gruber, & Dustin Goslin. Not pictured Adrienne Benjamin and Hank Bonga.
“This year’s award recipients exemplify ingenuity and leadership that have helped their local communities become stronger and more resilient,” said VP of Business & Economic Development for Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures, Dustin Goslin.
The Mille Lacs Tribal Economy Summit will return in May 2023. Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures has made a five-year commitment to continue the conversation around the regional economy with regional stakeholders.
About the Mille Lacs Tribal Economy
The Mille Lacs Tribal Economy encompasses the three districts of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, which includes Census tracts 9504, 9505, 7704, 9703, 9701, 9702. These Census surround the tribe’s key districts, government, and businesses that drive the economics of the region. District I includes the main reservation on the west side of Mille Lacs Lake; District II includes the communities in Minisinaakwaang (East Lake), Sandy Lake, and Minnewawa near McGregor, as well as the community of Chiminising in Isle on the south side of Mille Lacs, which is District IIa; and District III includes the Aazhoomog (Lake Lena) community near the St. Croix River east of Hinckley, as well as a large community of Mille Lacs Band members living in Hinckley.