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David W. Anderson inducted into Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame

The Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame has inducted David Anderson (Choctaw/ Ojibwe), of Famous Dave’s, into their 2012 Hall of Fame. The event will be held on December 1st at The Estate in Atlanta, GA. Anderson is an author, speaker, civic leader, serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the founder and former CEO of Famous Dave’s Legendary Pit Bar-B-Que family of restaurants.

Before launching Famous Dave’s, Anderson enjoyed a successful sales career with Fortune 500 companies and founded a gaming management/investment firm. He helped found three publicly traded companies, and in 1986, he earned a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University.

In 1994 he opened Famous Dave’s BBQ Shack in Hayward, Wisconsin. Soon, the restaurant was serving up to 8,000 customers a week, and was voted the "hottest restaurant concept in America." The company grew quickly, adding locations throughout the Midwest and beyond, and in 1996, Famous Dave’s went public (NASDAQ). Two years later, Anderson began franchising Famous Dave’s of America. Today, the company has 53 locations and 133 franchises in 33 states and one Canadian province, and continues to grow, with earnings of almost $40 million.

Patina Park new executive director at Division of Indian Work

The Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches  has hired Patina Park to run the Division of Indian Works, the oldest direct-service organization for American Indians in the Twin Cities

Park is a lawyer from the Cheyenne River tribe in South Dakota, and was a child welfare project coordinator with the Ho-Chunk Nation Department of Justice. She has strong connections in Hennepin County, with Minnesota tribal communities and experience in tribal government. "I am very excited by the opportunity and humbled by the excitement I am feeling," she said. "DIW is a wonderful organization and I am optimistic that with everyone’s help, we can continue to expand its impressive impact."

Late SMSC Chairman Crooks Named Person of the Year

The late Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Chairman Stanley R. Crooks was named Shakopee Patch’s 2012 Person of the Year on December 27, 2012. Chairman Crooks passed away August 25, 2012, of natural causes.

 Chairman Crooks garnered 68 percent of the vote in the poll run by the national website Patch.com’s Shakopee site. The late Chairman was Chairman of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community for 20 years. He was one of three people nominated by readers of the website for their contributions to Shakopee.

The Chairman was known for his decisiveness, quick humor, keen intellect, and analytical mind. With a vast knowledge of treaties and sovereignty, he defended tribal sovereignty and championed self-determination and self-sufficiency. On the national level, he helped set policy regarding Indian Gaming and was widely consulted on issues of importance to Indian Country.

Under his tenure, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community grew into one of the most successful Indian tribes in the country. Crooks’ interest in energy self-sufficiency led to the development of numerous energy initiatives including a wind turbine, biodiesel, and a partnership with Rahr Malting of Shakopee to build and operate Koda Energy, a facility burning biomass for energy production. He provided the leadership behind the investment of millions of dollars into infrastructure and facilities on Community lands. With a goal of attaining meaningful self-sufficiency Chairman Crooks committed resources to the development of water, sewer, water treatment, electricity/energy, and food independence.

Rosy Simas and Brent Michael Davids win 2013 Native Arts And Cultures Foundation Fellowships

The Native Arts and Cultures Foundation (NACF) has awarded its 2013 Artist Fellowships to 12 American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian artists in eight states. Fellowships were awarded in six disciplines, including: dance; film; literature; music; traditional; and visual arts. The fellowship are $10,000 and $20,000 with a total allocation of $200,000.

This year’s fellowship recipients include local composer and musician Brent Michael Davids (Stockbridge Munsee Band) of Saint Paul and choreographer Rosy Simas (Seneca) of Minneapolis. David’s award is a $10,000 music fellowship. Simas’s award is a $20,000 dance fellowship.

"It is NACF’s mission to provide support and to nurture the creativity of this country’s Native artists through our fellowship and other grantmaking programs," says NACF President/CEO  T. Lulani Arquette (Native Hawaiian). "We congratulate the 2013 fellows for inspiring their communities, for their vision, their innovation, and for bringing the creative spirit of Native peoples to the world."

NACF is a national 501(c)(3) charity committed to building a fund dedicated exclusively to foster the revitalization, appreciation and perpetuation of Native arts and cultures. To learn more about the Foundation see: www.nativeartsandcultures.org.

NACDI hires Jay Bad Heart Bull as the new President and CEO

The Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI) announces the hiring of Jay Bad Heart Bull as President & CEO. Bad Heart Bull has been serving as the Vice President of Little Earth of United Tribes in Minneapolis, MN since 2009. He brings a wealth of experience and leadership to NACDI having worked at a number of organizations in the Twin Cities American Indian Community.

NACDI was formed in 2007 and has grown to play an important in the urban American Indian community. The NACDI Board of Directors has led the hiring process. The Board is excited to begin a new chapter of NACDI’s work in the community.  

"To build on our successes of the last five years, it’s important that NACDI have a strong, dynamic leader. Jay Bad Heart Bull is just the person for the job. He is a young, positive member of our community who has the skills and experience to take NACDI to the next level." – Robert Lilligren, Vice-President Minneapolis City Council and NACDI Board Chair

NACDI is an American Indian community development intermediary organization – the first of its kind in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.