Tribally Owned Businesses are Top performers in securing millions of dollars in government contracts. According to the The Harvard School of Business, “tribally owned enterprises that are insulated from political interference are about four times as likely to be profitable as those that are not.” Insulating tribal business entities from political interference is accomplished by establishing a managing board of directors and a corporate charter that is beyond the direct control of tribal council members.
Tribes are increasingly asserting control over their land, resources, and governance of their communities. Different Tribes around the country are involved in a wide range of economic activities from tourism, gaming, energy, agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, federal contracting, and telecommunications. In many parts of the country, Tribes are becoming regional economic and political power houses and becoming largest employers. Tribal governments and tribal businesses engage in a wide range of business and financial transactions. As sovereign Nations, tribes have powers and capabilities not available to individuals.
The federal government provides strong incentives for Tribes to develop these companies to empower Tribal economic self sufficiency.
Tribal council initiated turning authority of the First Light Oysters over to the Community Development Corporation (CDC) for business oversight. Allowing CDC to handle and implement business structures within the tribe allows economic development to grow for tribal members that not only protects our individual interests but the tribal government as a whole. Any economic development created by the CDC is to benefit the tribal citizens and not used to pay back any debt to gaming investors.
COVID completely halted the oyster market, allowing the board to focus on developing agreements, assessing the oversight/inventory, and more. Thanks to the help of Tribal Citizens Cheenulka Pocknett, David Pocknett, and Nathan Mills, the fish in the water have been handled enough to not suffer a drastic loss due to lack of funding, resources, and sales during the pandemic. The CDC commends the values and work ethic of these men and cannot thank them enough for their dedication to keep this valuable grant area in the hands of the tribe.
The Board has also contracted 2 Harvard Kennedy Graduate Business School Interns this summer to help assess the viability of the farm and help develop a sustainable business structure. CDC President and Vice President hosted the 2 interns in Early July and guided them to our farm where we met with the workers. Cheenulka Pocknett and David Pocknett answered fulfilling questions and aided us in filling in missing information on how to successfully assess the grant area. An MOU determining authority between the CDC and Tribal Council is on the Tribal Council table to determine where First Light Oysters will go from here.
On another note, The board has been working diligently this past year on implementing organization infrastructure and learning how to develop the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal enterprises. We will be looking to you for your input on what avenues of federal contracting the citizens are most interested in. Please look out for a survey coming to your email this month. In order to be up to date and receive the most accurate information involving the tribe, make sure the enrollment department has all of your correct contact information, including email.
CDC hosted a community meeting this past May and was able to conversate with tribal citizens and answer questions. The board is set to meet with Tribal Council for a semi-annual shareholder representative meeting this August and would love the community to tune in to hear about some of our ongoing projects and initiatives. The August 18th Tribal Council meeting has been proposed for the shareholder representative meeting date but has yet to be confirmed. We will host another community meeting within the next few months. Until then, we hope to keep the community up to date with providing information each month through the mittark. Please, do not hesitate to reach out to any board members with any questions regarding the CDC.
The Mashpee Wampanoag Community Development Corporation is a tribally chartered entity established in 2014-ORD-007. The purpose of this corporation is to engage in any lawful activity, business, enterprise, venture, investment, or financing, to promote the social welfare, economic security, and development of the tribe and tribal members, assist the tribe to be self-sufficient, and provide economic support for Tribal Members. It is key to remember that the shareholders of the corporation are you, the tribal citizens. The tribal council acts as shareholder representatives, voting on behalf of the tribal citizens.
The CDC consists of at least nine Directors that are appointed by the Tribal Council/Shareholder Representatives. Two (2) positions on the Board may be filled by members of the Tribal Council acting as shareholder representatives. All Directors are to be enrolled members of the Tribe and at least the age of 21. The board is happy to report that we are now a full acting board with President Talia Landry, Vice President/Shareholder Representative Nelson Andrews Jr., Treasurer Denise Johnson-Hathaway, Recording Secretary Selena Hendricks, Shareholder Representative Winnie Johnson-Graham, Director Angela Marcellino, Director Nancy Rose, Director Vanessa Lopes, and Director Robert Kyle Bassett.
