Pictured l. to r.­ Steve Skorupski;, Susan Hammond; Jane Martin, Secretary; Dan Williamson, President; Joe Falkson, Vice-President.

Glasgow, MT (April 17, 2006) – The Native American CDFI Coalition, a national membership association representing the Nation’s Native American community development financial institutions (CDFIs), held its first formal membership meeting, March 28-29, at the Mystic Lake Resort & Casino, Prior Lake, MN.  The purpose of the meeting was to adopt the organization’s articles and by-laws, elect its first board of directors and officers, and to discuss topics of mutual interest.  Dan Williamson, Executive Director of the Heritage Capital Fund, Glasgow, MT, was elected president.

Mr. Williamson came up with the idea for the new organization through informal exchanges with a number of established and emerging Native CDFIs.  “A consensus emerged that a gathering of similar organizations to exchange information would be beneficial to CDFIs that are addressing the unique needs and conditions of Native American economic development.  Providing mutual support for each other will allow us to take control of our own destinies through an organization that would speak directly to our needs,” said Williamson.

In addition to Williamson, four other directors were elected:  Joseph L. Falkson, Senior Managing Director, Native American Capital, LP, Silver Spring, MD (Washington, DC region), vice president; Jane Martin of the Turtle Mountain Housing Authority, Belcourt, North Dakota, Secretary; Susan Hammond, Executive Director of the Four Winds Community Development Corporation, Orono, ME; and Steve Skorupski, Executive Director of Hopi Credit, Keams Canyon, Arizona.

The group plans to hold meetings twice a year and has tentatively scheduled its next meeting for late fall 2006­probably in Tulsa, OK.  In the interim, the Board plans to continue to recruit new members­with the objective of having as many Native CDFIs on board by the next meeting as possible. Currently, there are 20 members. 

The Native American CDFI Coalition’s future planned activities include: mutual support activities conducted through meetings and its website, cdficoalition.com; promoting workshops and seminars in support of other Native American organizations’ meetings; and to providing a forum for circulating both the consensus and individual views of its members.