Seminole Tribe Receives Two Awards at NIGA Banquet

By Shelley Marmor

SAN DIEGO, CA — During the 2005 National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) Chairman’s Leadership Awards Luncheon on April 11, the Seminole Tribe of Florida received two awards. One of which NIGA Chairman Ernest L. Stevens Jr. called “one of the best awards I’ve ever presented.”

This distinguished award went to the Tribal Career Development Program. This program is an internship opportunity for Seminoles to learn the necessary tools to assume management positions within the Tribal Gaming department.

“These people are on the job working,” Stevens said. “The Seminole have made it their priority to train their people.”

Hollywood Tribal Council Representative Max B. Osceola Jr. accepted the award on behalf of the Tribe. Other Tribal representatives including Hollywood Board Representative David DeHass and Director of the Tribal Career Development Program Betty J. Goosens, as well as the program members themselves, joined Osceola on stage.

“We use to be in labor,” Osceola said. “Now we’re in ownership.”

Osceola received the award from honorary guest speaker at the luncheon, California Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante. Bustamante handed out all six of the President’s Leadership Awards.

During his speech before the award’s presentation he said, “I have been blessed with strong friendships in Indian Country.”

NIGA also recognized the Seminole Tribe for its involvement in the Second Annual Great Plains Christmas Drive. This year’s Christmas drive raised more than $60,000 worth of clothes, toys, money and other essential day-to-day items through efforts from NIGA, as well as six other Tribes.

The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut, the Forest County Potawatomi and the Seminole Tribe all received awards for their participation in the Second Annual Great Plains Christmas Drive.

All donations from the drive went to children and families living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. This reservation contains two of the poorest counties in the nation, Shannon County and Bennett County.

Other award recipients of the President’s Leadership Award include: the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, the Washington Indian Gaming Association, the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development/National Indian Business Association and the Native American Basketball Invitational.

Accepting on behalf of the Native American Basketball Invitational was former Phoenix Suns player Mark West. West is currently the Suns’ general manager and co-founder of the Native American Basketball Invitational with National Congress of American Indians President Tex G. Hall.

During the invitational, 64 of Indian Country’s finest native girl and boy basketball players took over the Suns’ home turf, the America West Arena, June 22–25. This was the third year of the invitational and participation has nearly tripled since its first year from 24 teams to 64.

When accepting the award Chairman Stevens presented West with a bolo tie as a sign of appreciation. Also during his acceptance speech, West also issued a challenge to the Seminoles, the Miami Heat fans and all South Floridians in general.

“Seminole Tribe,” he said. “I hope to see you in the finals.”