Utah Indian chamber formed

Cal Nez is miles away from the Navajo Nation, where he was raised by Navajo-speaking grandparents.

Even so, it's clear the Salt Lake business owner with decades of graphic-design experience hasn't forgotten his roots. As president of the new Utah Native American Chamber of Commerce, Nez says it's fitting that the eagle feather — held sacred by most American Indian cultures — is incorporated into the chamber's logo.

At a ceremony this past week at the Zions First National Bank Building where the chamber unveiled its logo and mission, a golden eagle was brought into the room as a traditional blessing was offered.

"It is time for the Native-American community to rekindle our entrepreneurial spirit," Nez told a gathering of business owners and local, state and tribal officials.

Navajo Nation Vice President Ben Shelly was among those who offered encouragement. "Corporate America should take notice of our Native-American business talent," he said.

Nez told the Deseret News that the idea of an American Indian chamber has been on his mind for years. During 21 years as a business owner, he sometimes found it difficult to make his name widely known.

"The time has come when Native Americans can come together and be able to showcase their abilities, the capabilities of their products and services," Nez said, "to let the world know we're here."

The 1,145 majority American Indian-owned businesses in Utah in 2002 accounted for $81.3 million in sales and receipts, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's economic census. The most common sector was construction, with 219 businesses, followed by 131 retail trade businesses.

Sher Tsoie-Walker, who runs a property-maintenance company from her Eagle Mountain home, says she's on board with the new chamber and was surprised to learn at the unveiling ceremony there are so many American Indian businesses in Utah.

"The big advantage...is just having peers of the same background as I am," she said. "Peers of all Native-American descent I can look up to."

The new chamber joins the ranks of other ethnic chambers serving black, Hispanic, Asian, Latin-American, and Pacific-Islander communities. While it's aimed at promoting Native-American businesses, Nez said membership is open to all, regardless of race or ethnicity.

The chamber is still in its infancy. Nez said a physical location is still in the works, and for now, membership is a small. A Web site, set to be launched at www.utahnativeamericanchamber.com, should help attract more members..