Member Education Sessions: Economic Development in Indian Country

Chris James is the President and CEO of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, the largest business development and technical assistance training organization in the country for American Indian and Alaska Native-owned businesses. A former Associate Administrator at the U.S. Small Business Administration and U.S. Treasury official, Mr. James has doubled the National Center’s revenue during his tenure, expanding procurement and training programs throughout the country while boosting attendance to the annual Reservation Economic Summit by nearly 30% in the last five years.

Mr. James manages a team of nearly 30 staff and contractors based in seven offices across the country, all focused on enhancing the resilience of small and medium enterprises, promoting holistic community planning, and supporting tribal governments and small business owners in developing a strategic approach to economic development.

Fostering strong relationships with supplier diversity offices at Fortune 500 companies such as Lockheed Martin, Nike, Google, Square Inc.; Northup Grumman, Alaska Airlines, Microsoft, and IBM, the National Center has grown the number of businesses it supports from 200 per year to more than 1,000.

Mr. James also leads the National Center’s advocacy work, coordinating with allies and tribal governments to hold local, state, and federal government officials accountable and constructively promoting policy changes that support access to capital and resources for small business incubation and growth. Under his leadership, the National Center has launched a Native Edge Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), and the National Center now boasts over $4 billion in procurement it has helped National Center clients secure.

From 2011 – 2016, Mr. James was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as Associate Administrator at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), where he led the Office of Field Operations and the Office of Native American Affairs, and where he established the SBA’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. Managing a workforce of over 800 people with an annual operating budget of more than $200 million, Mr. James oversaw programs and services that affected all 50 states and every U.S. territory and served as a liaison to domestic and international corporate partners and stakeholders. Mr. James was also the officer on record for Tribal Consultation.

Among his accomplishments at SBA was the creation of Startup in a Day, which worked with cities and Native American communities to create streamlined platforms to allow entrepreneurs to apply for all relevant business permits in an expedited manner. Mr. James was also the agency lead on the SupplierPay program, which worked with nearly 50 Fortune 500 companies to speed up payments to suppliers.

Prior to SBA, Mr. James was an Associate Program Manager at the U.S. Department of the Treasury from 2009-2011, serving as a liaison between the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, Native American tribal governments, and other federal government agencies. During his tenure at the Treasury, he approved over $120 million dollars in funding to deserving applicants and helped grow the number of certified Native CDFIs by 30%.

Rodney A. Butler has been the Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation since January 2010. Mr. Butler's service on Tribal Council began in 2004; one year later in 2005, he was appointed Tribal Council Treasurer, a position he held through 2009. During his tenure, Mr. Butler chaired the Tribe's Finance, Housing, and Judicial Committees, the MPTN Utility Authority, and served as an Interim CEO for Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Mr. Butler earned his Bachelor's Degree in Finance from the University of Connecticut where he played Defensive Back for the UCONN Huskies' football team. Prior to Tribal Council, Butler worked in the finance department at Foxwoods Resort Casino. He later became Chairman of the Tribal Business Advisory Board; an executive body responsible for overseeing the Tribe's non-gaming businesses and commercial properties. Chairman Butler has been involved with the Native American Finance Officers Association over the years and has a demonstrated commitment to the organization and brings extensive experience and a profound commitment to Tribal economic stability and growth to his new role as Board President for NAFOA. As a Tribal leader of over twenty years, he has overseen multiple expansions of the Tribe’s Foxwoods Resort, spearheaded community development initiatives on the Reservation, and played a pivotal role in establishing the Mashantucket (Western) Pequot Tribe Endowment Trust. His advocacy for the legalization of Sports Betting and iGaming in Connecticut significantly contributed to the Tribe’s economic growth. 

Chairman Butler is the 2019 recipient of the Citizen of the Year award from the Eastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce, and the National Indian Gaming Association's John Kieffer Sovereignty Award. In 2018, he received the St. Edmund's Medal of Honor Award from the Enders Island Retreat Center. In 2017, Chairman Butler was appointed "Tribal Leader of the Year" by the Native American Finance Officers Association. 

His service extends to various boards, including the National Indian Gaming Association, Board of Directors, the National Congress of American Indians Executive Board, the United South and Eastern Tribes Board of Directors, Roger Williams University, the Mystic Aquarium, the Board of Directors for Mashantucket Pequot Interactive, is on the board of Foxwoods El San Juan Casino, and previously chaired the board of directors for the United Way of Southeastern Connecticut. Recently, he was appointed to the Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee within the U.S. Department of the Treasury, illustrating his dedication to advancing Native American interests and fostering community development at both local and national levels.

As Chairman, Butler's primary focus is to ensure long-term stability for the Tribe's citizens, government, and business enterprises.

Bobby “Trae” Trousdale (he/him), a proud citizen of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, is a descendent of the Toupin family and was raised in Tecumseh, Oklahoma. Before joining NAP, Bobby “Trae” worked in student programming, advancement, and leadership within higher education. He also brings experience from the private sector in event planning, employee engagement, and executive operations.

Bobby “Trae” received a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Oklahoma City University. He holds an M.P.A. specializing in nonprofit administration and a graduate certificate in Native American Studies from the University of Oklahoma. His areas of research focused on issues of organizational diversity, community development, and Indigenous strategic planning.

In his free time, Bobby “Trae” volunteers with several local organizations including Sisu Youth Services, both Oklahoma City Pride organizations, and serves on the Board of Directors for the ACLU of Oklahoma. He also enjoys stickball, pickleball, antiquing, and exploring Oklahoma City’s local breweries with his spouse.. He is married to his college sweetheart, Taylor. Together they live on the Southside of OKC and have a dog and a cat, respectively named Timothy Gunnderson (à la Project Runway’s Tim Gunn) and Tamale.