IHB HEAD NAMED TO BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE
MINNEAPOLIS – Dr. Patrick Rock, Indian Health Board
of Minneapolis CEO, was appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton to a 18-member
committee that will recommend ways to enhance the University of
Minnesota’s Medical School, in an effort to ensure the state’s
preeminent medical school is a national leader in medical training,
research and innovation.
The Blue Ribbon Committee will come up
with ideas for strategies and investments in the medical school, and
prepare recommendations for the 2015 Legislature.
"The future health of Minnesotans
depends on what we do now to train the next generation of medical
professionals in our state. Today’s medical students will become
the doctors who will care for our families, and the research
professionals who will develop life-saving innovations in medical
technology in the years to come," Dayton said.
The committee’s goals include:
National Prominence, ensuring the Medical School’s national
preeminence by retaining and attracting world class faculty, staff,
students and residents. Nation-Leading Research and Innovation,
sustaining the university’s national leadership in health research,
care innovation and health-care delivery, capitalizing on the state’s
investments in biomedical research and ground-breaking discoveries;
Excellence in Clinical Services, expanding the university’s
clinical services to strengthen its ability to serve as a statewide
health-care resource for providers and patients, as a training site
for health professional students and residents, as a site for
cutting-edge clinical research, and as a source of critical funding
for the Medical School and health sciences; and Meeting the Health
Care Needs of a Changing Minnesota, addressing the state’s health
workforce needs so as to serve Minnesota’s broad continuum of
health care needs, including primary care, a growing aging
population, and increased chronic health needs.
HO-CHUNK LEADER RECEIVES US COMMERCE
DEPARTMENT AWARD
WINNEBAGO, Neb. – Lance Morgan,
president and CEO of Ho-Chunk Inc., received the Advocate of the Year
Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business
Development Agency in late July.
Morgan was honored during a special
ceremony at the 2014 National Minority Enterprise Development Week,
July 31 and Aug. 1 in Washington, D.C.
The award is given annually to an
organization or individual who has shown leadership and commitment in
advancing the minority business community. It pays tribute to
minority entrepreneurs who have demonstrated economic impact in a
global economy.
Morgan was nominated by Trisha Luna,
the Federal Acquisition Advisor of the Federal Procurement Center,
for his direction of Ho-Chunk, the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska’s
economic development corporation. Launched in 1994 with a single
employee, it has grown to a staff of more than 1,000 with operations
in 16 states and eight foreign countries. Ho-Chunk operates 35
subsidiaries and has revenues in excess of $260 million.
The Ho-Chunk, Inc. portfolio includes
companies with SBA 8(a) certification that have been recipients of a
wide variety of federal government contracts across 32 agencies.
As a minority-owned corporation,
Ho-Chunk has actively sought out qualified individuals of other
minority races and ethnicities in addition to Native Americans.
As a result, the company has been
successful in its minority recruiting efforts and today its employee
base includes 35.1 percent minorities. In the state of Nebraska,
where the company is headquartered, the minority population as of the
2010 Census was 19 percent. Additionally, corporate executive
management is 100 percent Native American.
Under Morgan’s leadership, Ho-Chunk
has created a new community on the Winnebago Reservation named the
Ho-Chunk Village. The Village is a 40-acre development that includes
private homes, multi-family housing, commercial and industrial
businesses. The company also maintains a scholarship and internship
program for Tribal youth as a means to educate and train future
Ho-Chunk, Inc. employees.
Morgan is a frequent speaker across
the country on topics such as Indian law and Tribal economic
development issues. He has consulted with hundreds of tribal
governments on economic development and taxation initiatives.
In addition to the MBDA Award, Morgan
was selected as a “Champion of Change” by the White House, one of
only 18 people across the U.S. In 2012, he was awarded the Nebraska
Builder Award by Harvey Perlman, Chancellor at the University of
Nebraska, and was also appointed to the Board of Trustees of the
Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in 2013.
VICTORIOUS TEAM WISCONSIN RECEIVED BY
MENOMINEE
KESHENA, Wis. – On July 27 the
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin welcomed home the athletes of
Team Wisconsin who returned from the North American Indigenous Games
that took place in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Team Wisconsin was composed of some of
the finest Native American athletes from all tribes in the state. The
athletes trained rigorously over the past year to prepare themselves
to take on the challenge to represent their families, tribes and
state on Team Wisconsin. Team Wisconsin competed in a variety of
individual and team sports during the week-long competition, bringing
home a total of 38 medals; 9 Gold; 14 Silver; and 15 Bronze.
“On behalf of the Menominee Indian
Tribe and Tribal Legislature, I would like to congratulate each and
every athlete of Team Wisconsin. The North American Indigenous Games
(NAIG) is the equivalent of the Olympics in Indian Country. NAIG
brings together the best of the best in all 500-plus Indian Nations.
We at Menominee are fortunate to have so many talented youth and
young adult athletes that succeed in the rigorous selection process
for this competition.” Menominee Tribal Chairwoman Laurie Boivin
said. “I would like to thank our Menominee Athletes for your
dedication, commitment and for bringing honor to your people. You
have been judged the best of the best in Native American Athletics.
Pass those lessons onto the young ones who will model after you.”