LCO Joins Wisconsin Tribes in Collaboration on Business Initiative

Wisconsin tribes launch a new business initiative to increase profitability on the enterprise level, as well as engage in strong inter-tribal commerce solutions.

Submitted by Curtis DeCora

Tribal Business League

Five Wisconsin tribes today announced the launch of the Tribal Business League, a new tribally-led non-profit buying club. The Tribal Business League, the first and only tribally-led non-profit buying club in the United States offers a new way for tribes to engage in inter-tribal commerce while reaping the benefits of a buying club. A buying club affords each tribe volume discounts on pricing of goods and services as well as exclusive product lines only offered to large groups.

Added benefits include monthly meetings to discuss common challenges and hurdles experienced by tribal business leaders.

The Wisconsin tribes participating as members of the Tribal Business League include; Lac du Flambeau, Lac Courte Oreilles, Bad River, Red Cliff and St. Croix. The five tribes have worked diligently to ensure vendors were properly vetted and procurement procedures were followed to solidify the best possible partnership for the members of the Tribal Business League.

"This has been long overdue for the tribes to engage in collaborations, nearly 25 years of previous attempts, and we’re proud to announce publicly we have officially launched this initiative to benefit all tribes involved.” says Curtis DeCora, Founder of the Tribal Business League. “If we can work collectively on ensuring our enterprises are profitable, efficient and positively contributing to the tribal economy, there is no limit to what we can tackle next.”

Goals and Objectives of Tribal Business League

The primary goal is to help all member tribes reap the benefits of a buying club style organization, which filters into enterprise goods and services including; fuel, tobacco, cigarettes, snacks, sodas, and light grocery, to name a few. Historically tribal enterprises operate on razor thin margins while employing tribal members to operate these for-profit enterprises. The Tribal Business League allows all member tribes to immediately increase their profitability without any investment, warehousing, or storage of bulk goods. Each tribe operates as it did prior to joining the Tribal Business League.

The Launch Party

The Tribal Business League launch party took place in Danbury, Wisconsin at the St. Croix Casino Danbury which included a mini trade show and expo with 12 vendors present, displaying goods and services, providing taste testing and demonstrations. In attendance were tribal business leaders and tribal enterprise executives from each of the five participating tribes, dozens of eager community members, and other tribes interested in joining the tribal business league. The launch party was sponsored by Midwest Food and Tobacco Group out of Slinger, Wisconsin. Midwest Food and Tobacco Group is the first partner of the Tribal Business League dedicated to delivering quality customer care, proven unmatched pricing along with exclusive product lines and private label capabilities.

Features and benefits of the Tribal Business League include:

+ Lowest possible pricing on all goods and services

+ Tribal consulting team negotiating on behalf of all member tribes

+ Monthly meetings to tackle the largest challenges and hurdles in our enterprises

The Tribal Business League will be in operation of as October 9th, 2019, and improved pricing takes effect immediately with all participating retail locations. . For more information on the Tribal Business League, visit www.Buy-Native.us.

Buy Native Initiative

The Tribal Business League is the driving force behind the Buy Native initiative and will strive to produce a strong Buy Native campaign in their respective geographic locations to enhance the well-being of the local economies and increase profitability to the tribal enterprises and tribal business.

About the Tribal Business League: The Tribal Business League is the first tribally-led non-profit buying club in the United States operated by the tribes for the tribes. The Tribal Business League’s mission is, “Tribes helping tribes achieve business success” and focus on the core of its mission by engaging all tribal leaders and business executives in consistent membership meetings. The Tribal Business League operates under the direction of a board of directors, which also serve as the consulting team to assist with procurement and negotiations of contracts and service agreements with all vendors servicing the member tribes.

Tribal Business League

LCO Box 1711

Hayward, Wisconsin

(715) 638-0481

www.Buy-Native.us