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2011 is now at our back door, so I hope it proves to be a better year than the last two for our members and the country in general. Looking ahead, AICCW will celebrate its twentieth anniversary in 2011! Looking back, I was thinner and had dark hair, and now my hair color is more distinguished, LOL. Not many non-profits can boast twenty years like we’ve enjoyed, but because of our members and the a!liate organizations (FACC & AICTA), we are just beginning to shine. I suspect the next twenty years will be easier and grander than the first twenty.

It has been awhile since AICCW published a newsletter. For those who have been actively involved with the Chamber, you understand how extremely busy and productive 2010 has been. The good news is that we are now back on track with a better communication plan to our members and Wisconsin’s Indian Country. We have contracted with Siobhan Marks of Sonsee Array Creative to redesign our website, develop electronic newsletters for our membership and help us market the Chamber. We expect this to launch sometime in January of 2011.

First American Capital Corporation welcomes William (Bill) Beson as the new Program Director. With Bill on the team, we now have the ability to turn FACC into a national model of excellence for all of Indian Country.

Considering the economic times we are in, Chamber construction companies have done well on WisDOT projects. Going by the numbers, we increased DBE opportunity in the Northeast region (N41) from 0-3% to 21.5% and Southeast region (I94) at 19%. Those are numbers we can all be proud of!

We’ve noted a slight increase in vertical markets as the Building Trades slowly begin to turn around, but until an abundance of work appears, profitability in this industry will continue to be challenging.

With a new administration coming in, we all wonder how this will a"ect Indian Country in our state. As we wait and watch, we should take this time to reflect back on the many accomplishments that have been made and remain hopeful these trends will continue.

Finally, while many of us were disappointed at losing the High Speed Rail project along with the 400 jobs it would have created, we are optimistic about Wisconsin’s job future. We eagerly look forward to learning more about the job creation plan that our incoming Governor Scott Walker has been working on. Until then, here’s wishing everyone a bright and prosperous 2011!

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A M E S S A G E F R O M C R A I G A N D E R S O N ,E X E C U T I V E D I R E C TO R

New !nancial product launching in 2011 o"ers NEW opportunities for AICCW member businesses!

2010 Golf Outing

17th Annual Awards Program

Community Awards

Thank You to Kevin Chesnik

Your Chamber at Work

DBE Member News

The Year in Review

O F C O M M E R C E O F W I S C O N S I NA M E R I C A N I N D I A N C H A M B E R

American Indian Business Capacity Building Project FACC: secure !nancing

Shovel Awards

we will be celebratingour 20th anniversary

in 2011

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Unveiling NewOpportunities

CDFI FUNDS NATIVE INITIATIVES Designed to overcome identi!ed barriers to

!nancial services in Native Communities.

Funded in part through a grant award with the US Small Business Administration.

FACC is a great resource for information and assistance in establishing or expanding businesses. Contact Bill Beson at (414) 604-2044 for informa–tion about our line of !nancial products, programs and services designed to promote Native business in Wisconsin.

First American Capital Corporation (FACC), is the business financing arm of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin. FACC was created to enhance the capacity of all American Indian entrepreneurs who reside in the State of Wisconsin through access, control, creation, leverage, utilization and retention of financial assets, by providing appropriate financial capital for Native development e"orts, and capacity-building business management and technical assistance.

Through our program, we are able to o"er Wisconsin businesses a strong support system, including education and business assistance that have become an integral and vital part of our annual FACC work plan. Small business owners or prospective owners can meet with business counseling specialists at the FACC o!ces by appointment or by attending one of our program o"erings.

I N T R O D U C I N G B I L L B E S O N ,FA C C P R O G R A M D I R E C TO R

Individual Counseling

preparing business owners in obtaining business !nancing.

Classroom Style Business Educationfour-part series o"ered to guide business start-ups and

Peer Group Training

develop tangible action plans.

Business Sector Networking

events and training for inter-related businesses to encourage collaboration, leverage capacities and coordinate services on large contract opportunities.Bill Beson, an enrolled member of the Lac du Flambeau Band Lake

Superior Chippewa Indians, has been in a leadership role with the

Chamber since 2005, serving on the Board of Directors for FACC

and AICCW, FACC Loan Committee and committee chair for AICTA.

Bill’s professional experience in financial management, executive

leadership, manufacturing and contracting will enable FACC to

continue expanding its’ lending and business assistance programs.

A I C C W A N N U A L G O L F O U T I N Ga day on the greens benefits student scholarships

This year’s scholarship fund raiser was successful considering the low turnout (54) but thanks to sponsors Potawatomi Nation and Ho-Chunk Nation, Menominee Bingo Casino and Stockbridge Munsee, we met our goals. Because of this event and with our generous sponsors, we were able to raise $7,000 this year thus o"ering scholarships to eight American Indian students. To date, the Chamber has raised over $227,000 for the Wisconsin American Indian Scholarship Fund managed and distributed by the AICCW.

This year’s event winner was Team (Tom) Skenandore with an extraordinary under par score! This year’s Tribal Bragging Rights winners were team Ho-Chunk , led by Quentin Thundercloud, Jay Blackdeer, Kerry Funmaker and Lorenda Bird-Funmaker.

A special thanks to the Pines Hills Golf Course owned and operated by the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican tribe for maintaining a great golf course and providing great service for our special event and also of course to Lloyd Young the Pine Hills GM for his assistance.

$7,000 was raised for Student ScholarshipsThank You Sponsors & Golfers!

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indian country businesses & students17th Annual Awards Program Honored

2010 BUSINESS ADVOCATE OF THE YEARGwen Carr

2010 BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD RECIPIENTSRon Spoerl

Bart Cornelius & Leida Wesolaski

2010 STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERSDanielle Owen

Alyssa Huck

Kristen Klingman

Leslie Lynn Bowman

Lindsey E. Bowman

Tara RobideauxBad River

Erin Davids

Whitney Miller

Chamber members, students, family and friends gathered to recognize AICCW’s Business of the Year winners and student scholarship recipients.

Joining the festivities were emcee, Mark Denning and also Grammy Winner, Thirza Defoe, who entertained us with flute playing, storytelling and Hoop dancing. Thirza also led an Oneida social dance that got everyone up on their feet dancing! Renowned activist and

legend, Ada Deer, joined us as part of a tribute to Business Advocate of the Year, Gwen Carr. Ada also spoke on the importance of higher education and shared stories from her youth, educational and professional career.

Each year, the Chamber provides scholarships to Native students who are actively pursuing higher education. This year, the combined e"orts of sponsorships, the annual golf outing, silent auction and ra#es enabled

the Chamber to award over $20,000 to eight American Indian students!

Kudos to Thunderhawk Energy and Big Horn Trucking for their generous donation of a large screen TV that we ra#ed o" (Je" Johnson of J.W. Johnson & Associates and WisDOT, was the lucky winner). Thank you Ron, Bart and Leida! And congratulations to all of this year’s business and student winners!

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“Commerce is firmly committed to the development of a broad base of minority businesses that provide quality goods and services,” said Commerce Secretary Aaron Olver. “I appreciate this opportunity to recognize outstanding performance in minority business development.”

Rising Star WinnerGlobal Refractory Installers and Suppliers, Lynn Piwonski, Chief Financial O!cer - Green Bay

Community Economic Development AwardAmerican Indian Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin: Craig Anderson, Executive Director and President, for directing positive change to enhance the quality of life in the community.

This year’s “2010 Market Place” held at Country Inn Springs in Pewaukee, WI and put on by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce was excellent as usual and had an American Indian Company honored there at their awards luncheon, “Global Refractory Installers &Suppliers” owned by Lynn Piwonski (Little River Band of Ottawa Indians), Lynn is an AICCW member and we are so very proud of her.

Another award was given to Craig Anderson (AICCW President) by the State of Wisconsin O!ce of the Governor; “The Governor’s Special Community Economic Development Advocate Award”, which was totally unexpected.

A special thanks to Aggo Akyea, Director of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce for being a great partner, we would have not reached this level of success without the Wisconsin Department of Commerce’s assistance.

2010 MARKETPLACE AWARDS

Emerging 200 Initiative (e200) Class of 2010

SBA Honors

American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin

Celebrates e200 Graduate Members!

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The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) honored participants in its Emerging 200 Initiative (e200) at a graduation ceremony. Earlier this year, SBA’s e200 program identified 200 small businesses across the nation that demonstrated high potential for growth. This year’s e200 program focused on Native American small businesses.

Milwaukee was just one of the e200 participating cities. Others included Albuquerque, Denver, Gallup, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Portland, Santa Ana, Seattle, Tucson, and Tulsa.

“We were very happy, along with our co-sponsors, to bring the Emerging 200 Initiative and its MBA-style environment and program to Wisconsin small businesses,” said Eric Ness, director of the SBA’s Wisconsin District O!ce. “The Class of 2010 brought dedication, commitment and enthusiasm to the program. We feel that upon completion of the class, each participant takes with them the tools and knowledge to take their businesses to the next level.”

The cornerstone of the e200 was an in-depth executive level MBA-like training, networking, and other resources necessary for success.

Participants were provided with the network and resources to develop long-term growth strategies to achieve size and scale. The 2010 program utilized the ‘Streetwise’ MBA program developed by Inner-city Entrepreneurs of Boston.

We congratulate ALL of the e200 graduates and are especially proud of our AICCW members who graduated from the e200 program:

Other 2010 graduates of the e200 program include:

The Nisha Group, Manisha Dotson

!ank You

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Winner of Multiple Business Awards, Kevin Chesnik LEAVES A LEGACY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR WISCONSIN’S INDIAN COUNTRYFor the past eight years, Kevin Chesnik has championed Native American business in Wisconsin as the Division Administrator of WisDOT. With a new administration approaching, Kevin departs WisDOT, but leaves a host of opportunity for Indian Country in his wake. Most recently, Kevin was recognized at two major conferences: the American Association of State Highway and Transportation O!cials (AASHTO) who honored Kevin with a special award “in recognition of outstanding leadership in the field of civil rights,” and also at the 2010 Secretary’s Golden Shovel Awards, where Kevin received an award “for stewardship and advocacy of the Nation’s Number One DBE Program.”

These awards are unprecedented for a number of reasons, but most profound is that no other state in the country has been able to achieve what WisDOT, its partners and the 11 Tribes of Wisconsin have done together. When Governor Doyle created Exec 39, each agency had the ability to implement that executive order in any manner they chose. Under Kevin’s leadership, WisDOT became a strong advocate and promptly developed a Tribal Partnership Agreement. This partnership provided legitimacy with the Tribes by incorporating them into the development process and seeking their recommendations for long-term sustainability. From there, a Tribal Task Force was created, and has become the policy making part of Tribal A"airs. This partnership set the foundation for a statewide Tribal Liaison, which has proven to be the engine that drives Tribal issues throughout the State’s agency.

The first initiative was one of the most contentious issues: Tribal historic preservation, which is the treatment of cultural resources and burials. With this project, the long standing dissonance between Tribal cultural resource sta" and WisDOT was turned into the most successful and innovative project in the country! This initiative includes a training component for WisDOT employees so they can contribute to ongoing successful partnerships between WisDOT and the Tribes of Wisconsin.

There is nothing like this anywhere else in the country, and one of the many reasons Kevin and WisDOT were awarded the ASHHTO National Award for Excellence in Civil Rights.

An example of a positive outcome is the repatriation of the Kingsley Bend Mound area to the Ho-Chunk Nation. This area contained e!gy mounds but was being used as a WisDOT wayside. With Kevin’s help, the sacred site was saved and returned it to its rightful owners. There are many other examples of positive impacts on the lives of Tribal people here in Wisconsin — some include: partnering with AICCW, AICTA and FACC to create contract opportunities, develop policies and conduct training that has been vital to business and job creation. The US 41 Project, a $1.6 billion project Kevin has been leading, which cuts through the Oneida reservation, is the culmination of all the tribal a"airs initiatives.

As Kevin reflects back on his eight year career with WisDOT, he states, “I am proud of these successes along with my personal journey of accepting my own Tribal heritage. I was enrolled in the last couple of years which has made these accomplishments much more meaningful to me as a Native person. Knowing that I’ve had a part in shaping Wisconsin policy for Tribal People and building for the future is what I am most proud of.”

Thank you Kevin — we have benefited greatly from your leadership!

PLEASE REMEMBER TO USEAICCW Member Businesses

FOR YOUR NEXT PRODUCT AND SERVICES NEEDS!

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Are you planning business / home repairs such as painting, remodeling, etc? Need industrial/commercial supplies? Looking to create powerful

marketing materials to promote your business? Trying to lower your insurance costs? Retail supplies? Legal help?

Before hiring a contractor and buying needed goods or services, please contact AICCW sta" or visit www.aiccw.org and review the list of member businesses! Supporting American Indian owned businesses is mutually beneficial now and contributes to building and strengthening our communities in the long term!

Working and supporting each other = results for everyone!

membership has its benefitsIf you have not already done so, become a member and join the growing numbers of American Indian owned businesses that are now members of the AICCW.

We look forward to you adding your voice to existing members as AICCW sta" actively represents American Indian businesses at various state and federal business advisory committees, as well as among majority business representatives throughout Wisconsin interested in buying from ‘minority’ enterprises. Members enjoy access to a variety of business development educational programs, networking events, information sharing, referrals and collaborations with our established banking, insurance and investment networks, as well as a variety of web-based marketing and networking resources to help grow and expand your business.

Please call us at 414.604.2044 or visit us online at www.aiccw.org. You can also email Craig Anderson, AICCW Executive Director at craiga@aiccw.org.

JOIN us@AICCW

!!

Capitalize on Members’ Resources on the AICCW Website www.aiccw.orgPeriodically check the Calendar of Events to save a date for an upcoming training program; post a “Hot Deal” from your business; establish your own business’ web page on the AICCW site with your own URL.

Contact Craig Anderson at 414.604.2044 if you need more information or assistance on capitalizing on website resources available to members!

www.AICCW.orgMARKET YOURBUSINESS VIATHE CHAMBER!

The Chamber works hard to benefit its members.

Please let us know how we can help you!

During the fourth quarter of 2009 the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin (AICCW) began work on two Master Contracts – Marketing & Outreach and Technical Services - with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Supportive Services (DBESS) O!ce, specifically for certified DBEs.

These contracts followed the WisDOT American Indian Business Capacity Building (AIBCB) Project — for pre-DBE’s — implemented by AICCW, which concluded in June 2009. The AIBCB Project was designed to build awareness of opportunities and requirements associated with performing WisDOT subcontracts as certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) (i.e. being ready, willing and able sub contractors) as well as training and technical assistance to guide American Indian owned business owners to compile and submit their DBE applications.

Examples of products and services available to certified DBEs through AICCW include but are not limited to:

Managing the Pilot test of the Bid Express (on-line bidding exchange system) Small Business Network (SBN), which is a Web-based system for primes to post solicitations for quotes and electronic quote forms for DBE/subs to create sub quotes and securely submit them to primes through SBN, among other features such as keyword searches for bid items, bid tab analyses, view plan holders/eligible bidders lists.

Going forward in 2011, AICCW will be presenting a number of SBN training programs as well as outreach and awareness building events. If you are quoting WisDOT projects, you are encouraged to sign up for a no-cost SBN Account by going to www.wi.bidx.com and click on Small Business Network/DBE Account Request Sign Up which will ask you to fill in your business contact information to request an account. Once your account is approved you will receive an e-mail with your username/password information. Please contact AICCW for more information or if you would like a copy of the WisDOT DBESS SBN Pilot Report.

Construction Safety Program/OSHA 10 hour Construction Safety & Health Certi!cation Training: This task includes two elements:

1) Assist certified DBEs with the development/review/ update of their business’ comprehensive Safety Program, including required company policies/

procedures/ training/forms to be in compliance with government safety requirements. This service includes compilation of a complete Safety Program — as needed — and a minimum of three hours of Safety Program orientation/implementation training.

2) O"er of the OSHA 10-hour Construction Safety & Health Certification Training – this training is for DBE owners, designated safety o!cer and crews – both in terms of compliance issues but also for the potential benefits realized by businesses that prioritize their responsibilities for workplace safety including increased employee productivity/e!ciency, reduced costs of operations and resulting bottom line profits.

For more information on the AICCW Construction Safety Initiative and to sign up for both Safety Program assistance and/or OSHA 10-hour training, contact AICCW.

Assessments/Early Intervention Plans: The EIP is an information gathering tool used by the DBESS O!ce as a first step in DBEs’ access to available business resources to strengthen/expand your business operations. The EIP is an opportunity for you to both document your experience and capacity as a DBE as well as identify and request specific areas of technical assistance and/or training to help you build your business capacity to complete on and perform WisDOT contacts. Contact AICCW if you are interested in both completing a DBE Assessment/EIP as well as available business development resources available to you as a certified DBE.

AICCW will be providing DBE Marketing & Outreach/Technical Services through June 30, 2011, so please contact Craig Anderson, Executive Director or Gary Mejchar, Assistant Director for more information on additional services available to you.

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DBE MEMBER NEWSAICCW Serves as Consultant with the WisDOT Disadvantaged

Business Enterprises Supportive Services O!ce

New Sponsors & MembersUniversity of Phoenix

Johnson Concrete Construction, LLCLaw O"ces of Kimberly Powers, S.C.

Peters Logging, LLCS.A.F.E. Inc,.

The WisDOT Tribal Task Force formed out of the innovative 2005 WisDOT Tribal Partnership Agreement, in response of Governor Doyle’s 2004 Executive Order relating to an a!rmation of the government-to-government relationship between the State of Wisconsin and Indian Tribal Governments located within the State of Wisconsin.

The original American Indian Business Capacity Building Project (AIBCB) – implemented by the American Indian Chamber of Commence of Wisconsin (AICCW) – is an element of the Tribal Task Force. The AIBCB Project is designed to assist Indian businesses and economic development programs one and o" reservations in building their capacity to become WisDOT certified as Native American Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (NADBEs).

Funding for the AIBCB terminated in June 2009. The Tribal Task Force, and the

College of Menominee Nation whichprovides administrative support, allocated additional short term funding support for the AIBCB Project in 2011. Plans of the AICCW for 2011 for the AIBCB Project include:

Technical Assistance with American Indian business owners interested in applying for their DBE certification, including one-to-one assistance with compiling required business information, review of DBE application content and procedures and feedback on completed applications prior to submittal to help identify issues and omissions to facilitate more rapid WisDOT/UCP processing of the DBE application.

Development of a written/Web-based Guide to Becoming WisDOT Certi"ed Native American DBE including a check list of ‘are you ready to be a certified DBE’ directions to available resources to help review the DBE application, options if your application is rejected, and first steps to take once certified.

“How to Become a WisDOT Certi"ed NADBE” Workshop

“Understanding of What It Takes to Do Business with WisDOT” Workshop

To sign up for these available pre-DBE services and for more information on either the American Indian Business Capacity Building Project or Tribal Task Force, contact Craig Anderson, AICCW Executive Director.

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Re-launches the American Indian Business Capacity Building ProjectWisDOT TRIBAL TASK FORCE

AICCW Offers New Pre-DBE

Services in 2011

Need a Business Loan? FACC May Be Your Source for FinancingAccess to credit in the form of business working capital loans, equipment loans, contract financing is becoming very di!cult to get through traditional banks.

First American Capital Corporation (FACC) is an alternative lending partner designed to serve Wisconsin Indian Country through a variety of flexible financial products at competitive interest rates and associate no cost business assistance services including one-to-one counseling, classroom training and workshops.

Please contact Bill Beson, FACC Program Director at 414.604.2044 / bbeson.facc@gmail.com for more information. Visit www.aiccw.org and click on the FACC logo to access necessary loan application forms and associated resources. We look forward to hearing from you regarding your business !nancing needs!

Sarah Kalmanson of LittleRedFeather Design, displayed DBE profiles she creates for all AICCW members at the recent Golden Shovel Awards. These attractive profiles are provided in partnership with WisDOT and are available to all Chamber DBE’s, free of charge.

To schedule your DBE pro!le, email Craig Anderson at craiga@aiccw.org.

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1. Key customer impacting jobs. Find the key jobs a"ecting customers and put the right people in those jobs. Align their

compensation, see to their recognition and really support them.

2. What gets measured gets done (WGMGD). Step one: Set an overall goal with your people. Step two: Communicate that goal repetitively and build trust. Step three: Track the actual against the goal and give feedback frequently.

3. Big Audacious goals. Results happen by reaching higher, setting easily attainable goals only fosters complacency.

4. CEO’s monthly letter. Get your message to everyone, building trust, teamwork and results.

5. One page business plan with UBP. Get your unique business proposition right, publish it in your one page business plan and give it to all employees. Work to get their full understanding and focus their e"orts on its achievement.

6. 12 month company calendar. Show future events to all employees, creating coordinated teamwork. The results will speak for themselves.

7. Trailing 12-month charts. Track the sum of the 12 prior months, charted for three years, by month. Chart sales, gross margin percent and the things that cause sales to happen (this early warning system allows you to take action long before an actual decline in sales).

8. Regular recognition. Praise people for performance on a regular basis. It pays o" 1000:1 over incentive compensation. Nothing has more impact on great performance than recognition.

9. Monthly priorities sharing. This enables employees to share individual goals and help each other achieve them.

10. One-to-one with direct reports. Prescheduled, individual, short, uninterrupted weekly personal meetings will keep your team on top by building relationship and communication.

With the holiday season upon us, I hope you’re able to take time o" to spend with your family and friends. This is also a good time of year to “re-energize” yourself and polish up your CEO tools for the upcoming business year. The following are the most e"ective CEO/Executive tools as picked by over 10,000 CEO’s and managers of mid-sized companies, yet most can be utilized even in the smallest of companies:

CEO’s

CORNER

I recommend selecting two, maybe three tools to use in January. Give yourself some time to practice and get comfortable with your selections and to

see the results. Once two or three of the tools have become a regular part of your routine, chose a couple more. When you look back a year from now, you’ll be amazed at your accomplishments!

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Profitable New Year. — Bill

Golden Shovel AwardsAICCW Members Represent Wisconsin’s Indian Country

THREE NATIVE AMERICAN BUSINESSESRECEIVE THE SECRETARY’S TOP HONORS

Je" Johnson (right), of J.W. Johnson & Associates, received a “Team Award” in recognition of his e"orts on the USH41 Mega Project and partnering with AICCW on WisDOT DBE technical assistance e"orts.

Craig Clements (left), of Pro Electric, was one of this year’s Golden Shovel Award winners.

Accepting for Norbie Dretzka of UPI Construction, was Craig Anderson (left) of AICCW.

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Our SponsorsT H E A M E R I CA N I N D I A N C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E O F W I S C O N S I N

R E C O G N I Z E S O U R S P O N S O R S W H O S E G E N E R O U S S U P P O RT A L L OW S

U S TO P R OV I D E O P T I M U M O P P O RT U N I T I E S F O R A L L O F O U R M E M B E R S .

Eagle Black Bear Turtle

Eagle Feather

Wish i n g Youal l the warmth of the Season

and a joyous new year

AMERICAN INDIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF WISCONSIN

West Allis, Wisconsin 53227

www.aiccw.orgCHAMBER CONNECT NEWSLET TER DESIGNED BY SONSEE ARRAY CREATIVE