TribalNet's 25th annual conference and tradeshow

(PRESS RELEASE) -- For the past 25 years, TribalNet has been at the forefront of connecting tribal government, casino and health leaders with the latest advancements in technology. This year's milestone conference and tradeshow will be the most impactful yet, featuring an impressive lineup of speakers, insightful sessions and an expansive tradeshow floor showcasing cutting-edge solutions tailored to the unique needs of tribal organizations.

Twenty-five years ago, consumer and business technology was blossoming and changing rapidly. It was a big year for growth in the early internet and the entire world was worried about Y2K issues creating a doomsday scenario. Consumers were trading in VHS tapes for digital DVD players and using their pagers and Palm Pilots to organize their day.

It was also an exciting time for tribes as tribal gaming was still just beginning to develop across the nation. Tribes were working to use this newly emerging opportunity to offer casino style gaming as a means to build their communities with the higher end goal of becoming a self-sufficient tribal nation.

This growth of tribal owned casino facilities led to an explosive growth in the number of employees, facilities, infrastructure and services that each tribe was tackling without any roadmap or relevant experience. Working with extremely limited resources and an often limited knowledge of the complicated and often problematic technology landscape that was integral to this rapid expansion in systems across gaming, not to mention similar technology changes in government and health systems as well, was a challenge Michael Day, the then MIS Director of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and the founder of TribalHub and TribalNet found himself in this exact position in 1999.

“Navigating that complex landscape of technology vendors, regulations and best practices proved challenging,” said Day. “Understanding the absurdity of every tribe facing this challenge completely on their own is what led to my vision for TribalNet and eventually TribalHub.”

Day began an outreach initiative by sending a simple US postal letter to the main tribal headquarters of every tribe across the United States, containing a newly coined TribalNet logo and collaborative mission statement and an invite to attend a first gathering of tribal technology minded leaders.

This was the beginning, culminating in 1999 with planning and hosting the very first TribalNet Conference held in Sault Ste. Marie, MI in 2000.

“The very first TribalNet conference was at Kewadin Casinos in their newly built convention center," said Day. “The event was sponsored by IBM and we had maybe 15 technology leaders from tribes across the nation in the room. It was a small start, but I could see the need, the potential, the benefits and the valuable community that this group could become.” said Day.

The primary goal was to discuss common technology challenges, to share effective technology solutions and to foster a new collaborative network that would serve to support and educate all tribal technology leaders in their own effort to grow innovation and success within their own tribal government and enterprises.

From that humble beginning, TribalHub has grown into the thousands that attend TribalHub and TribalNet events today.

TribalNet thrived from the grassroots efforts of numerous volunteer tribal technology leaders across the nation who believe in and support the shared goals of networking, information sharing, education, and open communication among the nation's tribal technology leaders.

They focus on how ever-changing and constantly advancing technology can be best implemented to grow tribal enterprises and improve tribal membership services.

“Each year that we’ve been able to host the TribalNet Conference & Tradeshow has been an opportunity to bring together an entire industry and provide a platform for connecting, learning, problem-solving, mentoring, growth and so much more,” said Shannon Bouschor, Director of Operations for TribalHub.

Bouschor has been with TribalHub since 2005.

“Celebrating 25 years for TribalNet this year, means celebrating 25 years of the evolution of technology at tribes and tribal enterprises and more importantly it means celebrating those who have been a part of that journey and the impact that they have made on their tribes and enterprises from maybe even just 1 year all the way to 25.”

TribalHub and the TribalNet Conference & Tradeshow have been a catalyst to driving change within this industry. “By getting everyone together and growing TribalNet, we have changed the isolated individual rural tribe model to showcasing tribes as a national purchasing and revenue generating powerhouse in technology,” explained Day.

Not only has TribalHub grown tribe to tribe connections, but also the connection between solution providers and tribes. “We’ve seen the awareness of tribes and of solution providers to tribes grow dramatically,” Day continued. “Some large solution providers now have a dedicated team focusing on the needs of tribes because of our event showcasing the combined power, the relevancy and strength tribal governments, casinos and health facilities have.”

Educating tribal leaders working in the casino, government and health verticals on the number of opportunities technology can bring to their tribal communities is a cornerstone of the organization’s mission.

TribalHub stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and community-building. Its legacy is not just in the technologies it has helped implement but in the relationships it has forged and the trust it has instilled among tribal nations, technology providers and its members alike.

What’s the future of TribalNet and TribalHub? “In the future I see technology taking tribal organizations, enterprises and health facilities to a new level,” said Day. “ Gaming within a Native American community is designed just as commercial gaming is, only with the greater goal to support the efforts of the tribe. It’s about people, services, and availability leading towards self sufficiency. The most rewarding thing is helping tribes achieve that goal through an improved and expanded use of technology.”

What was primarily thought of as only a cost center (technology) by tribes and a cost of doing business 25 years ago, has arguably become the most important revenue making opportunity and game changer for tribes.

This year's conference features three keynote speakers, dedicated tradeshow floor time, nightly networking events, and 7 unique tracks including Tribal Gaming & Hospitality Technology, Cybersecurity, General Technology, Leadership & Management, Tribal Government Technology, Tribal Health Information Management and new this year AI’s Revolution.