About the Native American Business Alliance

To facilitate mutually beneficial relationships between private and public businesses with Native American owned companies.

To educate the communities on Native American culture, paving the way for future generations.

We shall develop a relationship with the business community to bring Native American companies to the attention of companies
that are searching for goods or services that can be mutually beneficial to both parties.

We shall at all times be proactive in expanding opportunities to ensure the growth of Native American business.

We shall at all times maintain the highest ethical standards that are a part of our heritage.

We shall offer assistance to the Tribes of the Americans.

We strongly believe that Native American companies are fully capable of competing on an equal basis and encourage corporations
to provide opportunities based on sound business principals that would be mutually beneficial to both parties.

We are committed to informing the public of the capabilities of the Native Americans of today.

The honesty and integrity as taught by our fathers shall at all times govern our relationship with our corporate customers.

The symbol created for the Native American Business Alliance is a hybrid icon which
symbolically links the spiritual traditions of the past to the modern mission of the
Native American Business culture. It is forward moving, but progressive from a steady and solid core.

The central pattern was inspired by rhythms found in common themes presented
in several Native American cultures. It is a round icon symbolizing Mother Earth;
within it lies a complex, and repetitive pattern which celebrates the four directions.
Around this central icon is a series of forms which advance in a clockwise direction,
evolving from a basic geometric form (the circle again) to a modern, high-tech
satellite which represents a bridge between Mother Earth and Father Sky, providing
a medium through which thoughts, images, and ideas are communicated.
The interim forms are stylized representations of the sun, and of Mother Earth with her womb.

The rest of the composition is an amalgamation of forms and patterns
inspired by traditional Native American Indian clothing and religious icons,
such as the feathers and the stylized head of the Eagle.

The logo was designed by Lloyd Milby, Founder, and the artwork was done by Peter Hirt.

History of the Native American Business Alliance
(1995-2007)

The Native American Business Alliance (NABA) is a nonprofit organization formed in 1995 by the vision of one gentleman, Tom "Running Bear" Smith, and three other Native American business owners(Lee Pepion of The Blackfoot Company, Lloyd Milby of L.W. Milby Exhibit Services, Inc. and Ken Barnes of Upper Mohawk, Inc.). These men knew that Native American-owned companies could be recognized as competent businesses, capable of competing for and winning supplier/vendor contracts if they were given the same opportunities to compete as their African-American, Hispanic/Latino American, and Asian-American counterparts. Alone, the founding members were not successful in winning large contracts but collectively they were stronger and their voices could be heard by company representatives in charge of Supplier Diversity Programs. Through their vision and hard work the Native American Business Alliance was formed and the founders approached these representatives to give Native American Businesses an opportunity to compete and to do business with their respective companies. Because of the founding members’ determination to do business with and to help other Native American Businesses, many doors of opportunity have been opened since the beginning days of NABA.

Today, NABA has business relationships with many Fortune 500 Companies such as: The Coca Cola Company, DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Target Corporation, General Motors Corporation, United Parcel Service, Inc., American Express, Ford Motor Company, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing of North America, Walt Disney World, Delta Airlines, IBM and many more companies who are willing to recognize Native Americans as competent business owners. Through our partnership with these corporations, Native American business owners have the opportunity to compete for contracts.

As NABA continued to examine the needs of the Native business owners, regional networking sessions and training workshops were implemented to promote business opportunities, increase business skills, and share information about available job openings. NABA also reaches out to Corporate America to educate and raise awareness of the rich culture and traditions of Native American and Indigenous People through annual special events and activities that involve the presentation of Native Dancers, Craft Makers, Artisans and/or Musicians and Drummers. Overall, it is the continued need to educate Corporate America on the culture and traditions of Native American and Indigenous People - along with the planning for future generations - that serves as the guiding force in keeping the mission of the founding members alive. We also strive to develop and build relationships that will promote capable Native American Business Owners who are able to compete in Corporate America and thus meet the supply needs of Corporate America.

To learn about membership in the Native American Business Alliance, please click here.

To see a list of all of NABA's Corporate Partners, please click here.

To learn about our upcoming events, please click here.