Governor Bill AnoatubbyJuly 2013
A good idea can make things better for many people. A great idea can revolutionize a society.
Sometimes, it takes a little time and experimentation to hit on just the right idea, at the right time and in the right place. We sometimes have ideas we consider “can’t miss,” but when we insert them into the real world, they will occasionally meet with failure. Things don’t always turn out the way we expect. But the lessons we learn from our unsuccessful attempts help us as we move forward. The key is to keep thinking and coming up with new ideas. You will hit on a great one eventually!
We are greatly blessed at the Chickasaw Nation to have a tribe with an exceptional commercial operation. Our businesses are growing and we are continually looking at new ways to expand and make things better. The best news is that our businesses provide the resources we require to provide the wide array of programs and services Chickasaws enjoy.
And our businesses have benefited from Chickasaws and others coming up with great ideas, which are then developed into great businesses.
Prior to our commercial emergence in the 1990s, the Chickasaw Nation was very dependent on the federal government for its scarce programs and services. There were no tribal businesses or other entities that might conceivably contribute to the tribe’s dreams.
The Chickasaw people could access only limited education, housing, health care, nutrition and other programs. But, we all shared the belief things could get better if we built on our cultural foundation of perseverance and achievement.
During the 1970s and 1980s, we learned how to better access and utilize the federal funds on which we depended for basic services. We became familiar with representatives and officials who could assist us in our efforts to provide more robust programs and services for Chickasaws.
It became clear we could not, over time, sustain the hearty and expansive programs and services we envisioned with federal dollars alone. For Chickasaw people to really take that big “leap” into the unparalleled success we envisioned, the Chickasaw Nation would have to grow.
Growth, to us, equaled self-sufficiency and opportunity for Chickasaws. We had some good ideas and, probably, a great one or two! We chose the path of tribal commercial expansion with the goal of a vibrant and self-sufficient nation dedicated to improving the lives of its people.
Our growth was not without its setbacks. Those who make their livings in business know the keys to success most often lie in an organization’s ability to adapt and respond to challenges. We learned to adapt and base our decisions on the market environment and how best to propel our growth.
In the 1990s, we began to break through and hit our stride. We built our businesses on good ideas that took into account the realities of what was available to us. We worked to utilize any advantages we perceived, and we followed through. Our management team, built from within, has been a strong and essential pillar in our success.
It is with great pride that we point to our successes in business. However, the real proof of our success is the new Chickasaw university graduate; the very best health care; Chickasaw elders gathering for a nutritious meal and fellowship; the greatest opportunities for personal success and happiness.
Together we have accomplished much, and together the opportunities for future service are limitless.
