Monday, March 17th, 2025
Media Contact: Stephen Howard | Director of Marketing and Communications | 405-744-4363 | Stephen.howard@okstate.edu
Oklahoma State University’s Spears Business School and the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association held its third annual tribal summit on March 6th, attracting 286 subscribers.
Tribal leaders and businessmen gathered at the Weswatkins Center on the Stillwater campus for sessions on tribal leadership, workforce development, casinos, business development, economic development, agriculture and food sovereignty.
The tribal summit featured 50 speakers and facilitators representing the tribal nations of Oklahoma, featured experts working with state and out-of-state tribal and tribal businesses. Participants represented 23 Indigenous tribes and 60 casinos, tribal businesses or other organizations. Participants traveled from 44 Oklahoma cities, and representatives and speakers came from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas.
Oiga has partnered with Spears Business since its first Tribal Summit three years ago. Oyga President Matthew Morgan and the OSU Spears Tribal Steering Committee helped recruit tribal leaders for the event.
“The Tribal Summit hosts not only tribes but tribal businesses, so you can discuss challenges to the issues you are facing through discussions in the session and draw solutions,” Morgan said.
Interim OSU President Jim Hess welcomed attendees at the tribal summit. Dr. Hess said OSU has one of the largest Native American student populations at Athletics and Athletic Colleges, with more than 3,445 Native American students enrolled in the spring of 2025.
Approximately 800 Native American students are enrolled in the Spears Business. Dr. James Payne, dean of Spears Business, pointed to the importance of Oklahoma’s tribal nation and economic development.
“We have established the OSU Spears Tribal Steering Committee that helped to create the Tribal Summit, which we believe will make a difference for the tribe in providing venues for further business education and networking,” Payne said.
2019, Oklahoman Native Impact Survey The total economic impact of tribes in the state was $15.6 billion. In 2024, Native American participation in the Oklahoma workforce reached the highest percentage in the last 20 years, increasing since 2021. Federal Reserve Bank.
Tribal Summit featured morning and afternoon sessions addressing a variety of topics that affect tribal businesses. The general session of the first morning was “Guide the Voice: Tribal Business in a Changing Landscape.” This highlighted impactful stories and tribal leaders across Oklahoma, highlighting best practices and positive thinking.
Morgan has promoted guests and panels of Benbrosh, the Chief Investment Officer of the Cherokee Nation Business. Dumboren, Chicasau Nation, Secretary of Commerce. Chief Belief Friend, Wyand Nation. Heidi Grant, Senior Executive Officer – Commerce, Choctaw Nation. Chairman Jacob Keys of the Iowa tribe, Oklahoma.
Dr. Mark Tower, Dean, Spears’ business assistant, promoted his second general morning session, “Tribal Leadership: Planning for the Future,” which addressed the sustainability of the Oklahoma tribe. The panel featured Lieutenant Colonel Chris Anoatby of the Chickasaw Nation. Chairman of the Citizen Potawa Tomination, Rocky Barrett. Jeffrey standing bear, chief of Osagenation. and Keys.
Panel facilitators for the afternoon breakout session include Chris State, the player performance group. Emmanuel Bezzell, Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises; Maries Mason and Dr. Tower, Spears business administrators;
Dr. Rodney Holcomb, assistant director of the OSU’s Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Productual Productual Center, helped coordinate the sovereignty sessions for agriculture and food. Carly Griffith Hotvent, Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative. Janie Simms Hipp, JD, CEO of Native Agriculture Financial Services. He also served as a facilitator for afternoon sessions.
The Tribal Summit received support from the following sponsors:
Premium Sponsor
Lunch Sponsor
Muscogee Country
Player Performance Group
Facilities and parking sponsors
Defeating sponsors
Eastern Shawnee Tribes in Oklahoma
Indigo Sky Casino and Resort
Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises
Breakfast sponsor
Exhibition booth sponsor
Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiatives
Energy resources for the next era
Sovereign Bank
Tinker Federal Credit Union
The next tribal summit is set for March 2026. Spears Business A website to learn more about tribal summits and other tribal nation resources.
