NAFSA Brings Indian Country’s Online Lenders to Major Economic Development Event
LAS VEGAS – Native American Financial Services Association (NAFSA) hosted its first Financial Services Expo on March 14th and 15th, 2017 with tribal and industry leaders, legal professionals, and lending experts at the National Reservation Economic Summit (National RES), in Las Vegas. The expo began with opening remarks by NAFSA’s Executive Director, Gary Davis. NAFSA was the presenting sponsor for National RES.
“This is only the beginning for our industry and trade association,” Davis remarked. “Less than two weeks ago, as we made our way across the Capitol, Members of Congress were impressed with the fact that our tribes are serving people that the American banking system is not. These are the 65 million Americans who make up the unbanked and underbanked – the credit invisible – with no credit or low credit. These are good folks making a median income of $43,000 and have good jobs. But what happens when they need access to additional cash? Who is meeting that need? Right now, the answer is Indian Country.”
NAFSA hosted unique and content-packed workshops at the Financial Services Expo. Moderated by Gary Davis, these workshops illustrated the potential of tribally-controlled online lending solutions, the challenges of overregulation, and the limitless opportunities the industry possesses. Accomplished presenters like Otoe-Missouria Tribal Chairman John Shotton, Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians Chairman Jim Williams Jr, Associate Professor at San Diego State University Katherine Spilde, Ph.D, as well as internationally-recognized champions of the lending and fintech space provided the engaging narrative on tribal online lending solutions.
In addition to four additional workshops Financial Services Expo today, in the evening NAFSA will host the conference’s closing reception. Mr. Davis also gave opening remarks at National RES, which can be viewed below
Formed in 2012, NAFSA is a 501(c)6 trade association located in Washington, D.C that advocates for tribal sovereignty, promotes responsible financial services, and provides better economic opportunity in Indian Country for the benefit of tribal communities.
