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- By Native News Online Staff
Tribal Business News, a sister publication of Native News Online, will host its Fourth Annual Great Lakes Tribal Economic Summit on Tuesday, September 16, and Wednesday, September 17, at the Gun Lake Casino Resort in Wayland, Michigan.
The event will bring together tribal leaders, Native business executives, and non-Native business leaders from Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa, along with state and federal agency representatives involved in tribal economic development.
“While our summit is named the Great Lakes Tribal Economic Summit, we’ve had attendees from as far away as California, Montana, Oklahoma, and Arizona,” said Levi Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation), publisher of Tribal Business News. “This summit will provide attendees with innovative strategies to conduct business across a wide range of industries throughout Indian Country.”
The summit will offer timely insights into navigating federal policies amid significant political shifts in Washington, D.C. Attendees will hear from subject-matter experts on the latest developments in tribal economic development.
A highlight of the event will be a fireside chat featuring former Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Bryan Newland (Bay Mills Indian Community). Newland will discuss how tribal nations can effectively navigate the federal government, especially as the Trump administration shifts its approach to tribal relations. A former tribal chairperson, Newland will speak candidly about why tribal nations cannot rely solely on federal support during times of uncertainty.
A Michigan native, Newland grew up in Brimley before heading to Washington, D.C., to serve in the U.S. Department of the Interior during the Obama administration. He later returned home to the Bay Mills Indian Community, where he became a tribal judge and served as tribal chairperson. In 2021, President Joe Biden appointed him as assistant secretary for Indian Affairs, serving under Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo). In March, Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville PC announced that Newland was joining the firm as a principal in its Indian Tribal Governments Group.
Also on the agenda is Diane Cullo, Assistant Administrator of the SBA’s Office of Native American Affairs, who will provide an overview of how tribal governments and Native entrepreneurs can access programs through the Small Business Administration. Following the summit, Cullo will host an SBA tribal consultation session from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday at the Gun Lake Casino Resort.
Other sessions will focus on opportunities for tribes to establish foreign trade zones, as well as explore new developments in energy, education, and broader economic innovation.
For those traveling by air, the nearest airport is the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) in Grand Rapids, Mich. Tribal Business News is excited to offer attendees of the Great Lakes Tribal Economic Summit special rates at Gun Lake Casino Resort! Deadline to reserve a room is September 12, 2025.
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