Award-winning band puts members to work

Successful First Nation entrepreneurs and corporate leaders were publically recognized for their steadfast achievements in the world of business and celebrated at the Fourth Annual BC Aboriginal Business Awards in Vancouver Nov. 26.

Nora Newlands, executive director of the BC Achievement Foundation said the awards give recognition to the determination and dedication of Aboriginal people through their many economic developments. Newlands added that the awards also honor the fact that Aboriginal businesses contribute greatly to the local market and deserve public recognition as leaders in business.
“There are outstanding Aboriginal businesses—whether they be First Nations, Metis or Inuit—throughout the province,” said Newlands. “It’s been a great thing to identify them and showcase them. These businesses are greatly contributing to the province’s economy,” she said.

“We cover a wide-range of businesses,” said Newlands.

“We celebrate Aboriginal businesses that are joint-ventures and community-owned businesses, to name a few.

Lax Kw’alaams Chief Garry Reece, who received the award for Individual Achievement, which honours a person who has made a significant impact in the Aboriginal business community, says he was thrilled to learn of the esteemed tribute.

“I was really surprised and happy,” Reece said of the honor. “It reflected all of the hard work we’ve done and where we are today,” he added.

Reece said that when he became Chief Councillor 15 years ago the band was $6 million in debt due to what he called “bad decisions.”

“We were bankrupt,” said Reece.

But, with the help of the council and outside business advisors and management, the band began to get ahead again and acquired a logging license in 2005.

The band, located near Prince Rupert, B.C., received a bank loan for $9 million, got a forestry licence and started a logging and forestry company. Forestry export has been the band’s largest business development, said Reece.

While Reece wouldn’t say what the band’s annual revenue is from the venture, he did say it is “quite huge.”

Since the band signed on to a logging license in 2005 they have moved their flourishing business into global markets and gotten out of major dept.

“We (the council) have pulled together and made some good decisions” he said.

“We’ve opened an office in Beijing, “said Reece, adding that the band also has business ties with Japan and Korea.

The business venture has garnered economic ventures for his band in a major way.

“We’ve created over 200 jobs since the forestry company opened,” he said. “We have a number of band members working there and we’d like to see more.” For now the band has hired an outside company to oversee operations,” he said. “They’ve done an excellent job.”

Other business ventures include a band-owned fish plant.
“We did a major upgrade to our fish plant. We’ve put just over $11 million into it,” said Reece.

The plant, which can hold 600,000 lbs. of wild salmon, is a prime economic development for the band. Recently the plant has also started producing various forms of rock fish to contribute to the economy in the down salmon season, Reece explained.
The band has signed a land-use deal with the Port of Prince Rupert regarding their shipping centre.

Reece said their success is largely due to the support he has had in the community and within his council.

“To me this award is about my council and my community for supporting me” he said.

Chief Reece got involved in band politics 25 years ago, when his father-in-law encouraged him to run for council. Reece is in his fourth consecutive term as chief of the Lax Kw’alaams band.
Beyond business and economic development ventures, Chief Reece says it is important to address the needs of the community and especially the youth.

He said his band, once plagued with youth suicide, has now become healthier due to the investment of dollars and time into creating recreation projects for the member youth. Reece, who lost his youngest son to suicide at the age of 17, says a few years ago the youth in his community had voiced the need for a swimming pool, so the leadership decided to build a $10.5 million aquatic centre on their territory.

“When we built that we had—knock on wood—not one suicide from our teenagers,” he said proudly.

For Reece it is all about educating youth, adding that the band also has a school in their community.

“I think education is very important. That’s what our people need,” said Reece.

“We need our young people to step forward and get an education because they’re the ones who will be running the band,” he said.
Fellow award recipient Cliff Braker said he was “surprised” to learn his business, Braker Electric, had been chosen for the award.

“I didn’t even know I was nominated,” he said, adding that he hopes the acknowledgement will show other Nuu-chah-nulth band members that dreams and hard work can and do pay off.
Established in 1992, Braker Electric Ltd serves Port Alberni, Uclulet and Torino. The company specializes in residential, commercial, and industrial electrical installations and is committed to training and employing band members. It is known as a strong supporter of the local economy.

For Braker, who now owns the long-time family business, the award is a testament to the hard work and drive started by his father, Tinus Breaker, in 1978.

“I always helped when I was in junior high school,” Braker said of his father’s business.

“I think it is very important for First Nations to go to school and get a trade or any other education. It’s important to show that anything is possible,” he said. “I always tell kids that are interested in the business that ‘the best thing you can do is take a 10-month electricians course.”

“For my trade you must be good at Math,” continued Braker. “I wasn’t great at Math,” he admits with a laugh. “I had a hard time but I was determined to be my own boss,” he said.

“It just worked out great,” he said.