A recent dividend award with current Navajo Nation President, Buu Nygren
photo Courtesy of Diné Development Corporation
PROFILE
ddc-dine.com
Austin Tsosie, the CEO of Diné Development Corporation (DDC), spends a lot of time focusing on strategy. Considering that he and his executive team have seen revenue double from $68 million to $110 million in just about five years, it’s evidently time well spent.
Though headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., DDC spans the globe with its largest customer bases in Dayton, Ohio, and the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Md., areas. The organization comprises eight subsidiaries across several business segments, including information technology, professional, and environmental services, with three more subsidiaries expected to launch by year’s end.
DDC is a wholly owned Navajo Nation Corporation governed by the Navajo Council. “Our guiding mission is rooted in our commitment to the Nation,” explains Tsosie. “We provide economic development and other resources to advance the future of the Navajo Nation and empower its people.”
The bond between DDC and the Navajo Nation is exemplified in the biannual presentation of dividends to the Nation. The funds are distributed to the Navajo Nation General Fund and Business and Industrial Development Fund. DDC’s latest contribution of $500,000 was presented at the Navajo Nation Fair — the largest Native American fair and rodeo in the Southwest — which promotes preservation of the Navajo heritage through cultural enrichment.
DDC also sponsors two other annual Navajo/tribal events, the Navajo Nation Economic Summit and Reservation Economic Summit. These professional conferences are attended by more than 600 business leaders, policymakers, and tribal leaders who focus on collaboration in building the economic development of the Nation. DDC’s social responsiveness continues to reinforce the well-being of and inspire change for the Navajo people.
“It’s important to me that we fortify and nurture our corporate culture.” – Austin Tsosie
DDC’s impressive portfolio of services is due in large part to Tsosie’s attention to growth. “In my role, I constantly focus on strategy,” he says. “I am continuously assessing how we can diversify our customer base, lines of business, and operating locations to position us for future success. Leading alongside me is an exemplary executive team whose members represent diverse management and technical backgrounds with Fortune 500 companies and large federal contracting firms. Together, we strategize and assess opportunities to expand our client relationships and footprint.”
Tsosie may be always thinking about the next DDC venture, but he never loses sight of the greater purpose: benefiting the Navajo people. As a tribal member himself, Tsosie spent his early childhood on the reservation, and his ties to the tribe buttress his commitment to DDC and ensure that at its heart, DDC’s corporate culture maintains its commitment to the Navajo Nation and its people. “It’s important to me that we fortify and nurture our corporate culture,” says Tsosie. “That is accomplished,” he adds, “through providing financial support so the people can maintain their place on the reservation while upholding Navajo culture and traditions.”
According to Tsosie, DDC has more than 530 employees and aims to hire as many Natives as possible. Though there are inherent challenges to achieving that goal, Tsosie understands the complexities as he too had to overcome those same challenges. “Potential employees need experience to support our federal contracts, which require a depth of technology experience that many Natives do not have,” he explains. “Adding to the challenge is that our contracts often require security clearances. To address those issues, we educate the Native community about the importance of education and the ability to obtain clearances.”
After earning a BS in computer science and an MBA, Tsosie fulfilled roles in network administration and software engineering, then went on to serve in project management positions in support of worldwide operations. He led the creation of project management offices and developed management processes for three large companies across several industries. Tsosie served as a principal product manager consultant for a global company that offers business consulting, technology, engineering, and outsourcing services. He was also the U.S. principal product manager resource for supporting firms spanning the manufacturing, entertainment, and banking industries.
With that varied experience, Tsosie was recruited in 2011 to be president of DDC company, DDC IT Services. “I had never heard of DDC when they called me,” he remembers. He was promoted to his current position as DDC CEO in 2016. Tsosie says his vision for DDC is to build a lasting legacy for the Navajo Nation. “I’m imparting my knowledge to the next generation,” he says. “And that will be, for me, my greatest accomplishment.”
This year, DDC is expanding its commitment to Indigenous people in STEM, not only by becoming a sponsor of the AISES National Conference, but also by sponsoring conference attendance for two students. Tsosie says he hopes to inspire AISES members to consider opportunities at DDC. “The conference is ideal for fostering networks among Native STEM students and professionals, and exploring career opportunities,” he points out. “Many of opportunities are the result of the relationships we build.”
Tsosie says he will continue to drive the legacy of the Navajo Nation with strategic and intentional growth through DDC’s service offerings, client and partner engagement, and community involvement.
— Kimberly Durment Locke
WONDR NATION brings online gaming and entertainment to future programmers.
Photo Courtesy of Wondr nation
wondrnation.com
No boundaries. That’s how Anika Howard, the president and CEO of WONDR NATION, sees the company’s future. The online gaming and entertainment venture, owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, is responsible for expanding the company’s services to other tribes and growing the tribe’s gaming business beyond its physical site, notably Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Conn.
Diversification sums up Howard’s strategic plan. Her goal is to keep players connected to the brand in multiple ways even after they leave the casino. She sees a natural crossover between e-sports, social media, video games, and online gaming and believes that as her industry becomes more digital, it will be increasingly integrated with the physical gaming experience. “We want to reimagine the way people experience gaming entertainment, and we want young people to experience new opportunities in gaming,” says Howard, a former marketing executive at Caesars Entertainment and IGT, a global gaming company.
Almost 45 percent of all gaming revenue in the U.S. comes from tribal gaming businesses, and that percentage has been rising according to PlayUSA, which covers the sector. Ending stereotypes about this burgeoning industry, especially among young people, ranks high among Howard’s goals. All too often Native youth mistakenly think the only career opportunities in the gaming industry are in the physical casino with traditional roles.
“Our industry needs data scientists. We need creative artists. We need programmers. We need engineers. We need mathematicians. We need strategists. We need marketers.” – Anika Howard
To help put an end to the bias, Howard hopes to develop Native talent from all tribes through WONDR NATION’s high school apprentice, college associate, and college internship programs. “Our industry needs data scientists. We need creative artists. We need programmers. We need engineers. We need mathematicians. We need strategists. We need marketers,” she says.
Her leadership team is currently all female, something she hopes will help counter other myths about opportunities in tech and gaming. “We want to create a pipeline of talent, and women and girls have such creative minds and different ways of looking at things,” she says. “Their voices are needed.”
WONDR NATION is also working to leverage technology to add new sparkle to visitor experiences at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center. They have strengthened STEM curriculum through WONDR Lab workshops for young visitors, and plan to add digital technologies like virtual reality and holographic aspects to existing exhibits.
Trinity Shaw, Mashantucket Pequot, worked as a WONDR Lab apprentice at the museum and assisted alongside other tribal members with the tribal WONDR Lab program this past summer. The team helped teach 75 Native students ages six to 14 how to program small spherical robots called Sphero Bolts. The project incorporated components such as wampum, traditional games, and canoe making to create fun learning experiences that reinforced connections between the sciences and traditional culture. “I think a lot of people my age don’t realize that the gaming industry is much more than just video games and slot machines,” says Shaw. “There are so many amazing opportunities for young people in the gaming industry, from working on apps to building hardware. Everyone can find something they love to do in this industry.”
Technology is the “great enabler and equalizer,” according to Howard. “We live in a place and time where you’re not defined by your situation, circumstance, or location. Technology will allow you to find your true authentic voice and connect with people like you. You can do anything.”
— George Spencer
▸ Boreal Heartland
Air Ronge, Saskatchewan
Field Sustainably harvested teas, mushrooms, and seasonings wild picked in Canada
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▸ Clearwater Seafoods
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Field Fresh fish and shellfish
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▸ Moccasin Joe Coffee Roasters
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Field Online gift shop with products by Indigenous artists and designers
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