NAFSA Hosts Inaugural Tribal Lending Regulatory Workshop
On February 15th, NAFSA held a first-of-its-kind workshop for tribal lending regulators, business officers, attorneys, and tribal officials at the organization’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. NAFSA members joined from across Indian Country to learn about interpreting tribal lending codes and federal consumer finance laws, how to develop regulatory processes and philosophies, onsite examinations, and methods for offsite monitoring and third-party audits. The workshop concluded with breakout sessions where the attendees shared experiences with common situations encountered by regulatory bodies. A reception followed the workshop and was attended by a member of Congress.
The workshop was led by Richard Fulkerson, a partner at Betzer Call Lausten Schwartz and a former Colorado State Bank Commissioner for twelve years. Fulkerson now functions as the tribal regulator for Plain Green, LLC, a tribal lending entity owned and operated by the Chippewa Cree tribe. He used his nearly three decades of experience in financial regulation to lead the day’s discussion and facilitate a meaningful conversation on the challenges and opportunities faced by tribal regulators.
In providing opening remarks, NAFSA Executive Director Gary Davis explained some of the meaning behind the NAFSA logo developed shortly after he took over the organization. Davis said, “the arrows you see [in the logo] bundled represent the strength we have when we work together.” He added, “I hope the NAFSA Inaugural Tribal Lending Regulatory Workshop is the first in a long and dedicated series of gatherings to promote the betterment of our industry and the never-ending quest for education amongst our membership.”
After the workshop, attendees reconvened on the rooftop of the Hall of States buildings, just a stone’s throw away from the U.S. Capitol, to continue the discussion on tribal economic development. Congressman Scott Tipton (R- CO) joined workshop participants and other NAFSA members to learn more about the tribal lending industry and strategies to promote e-commerce in Indian Country.
NAFSA looks forward to offering even more dynamic content in the future as the organization works to effectuate its mission to advocate for tribal sovereignty, promote responsible financial services, and provide better economic opportunity to Indian Country.
