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LAKOTA TECHNOLOGIES INC. ALLIES WITH COMPUTER GENERATED SOLUTIONS

(Reprinted from the Eagle Butte News 7-6-2000)

*This information was provided by Lakota Technologies.

June 15, 2000, Eagle Butte, SD: Computer Generated Solutions, Inc. (CGS) and Lakota Technologies, INC. (LTI) have entered into a strategic alliance that blends the resources of corporate America with the CRST. CGS, headquartered in New York City, is a $200 million per year corporate information technology leader.  Phil Friedman, himself an immigrant from the Ukraine, founded CGS in 1984.  While under Friedman's leadership, CGS has grown to be a leader in the fields of information systems engineering and applications development, web-development, E-commerce, technical training, recruiting, call management, and help desk.  CGS employs 1,600, providing services to CGS customers at over 15 offices and locations worldwide.

Lakota Technologies, Inc. (LTI) is solely owned and operated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, with Tribal headquarters located in Eagle Butte, SD.  The Cheyenne River Sioux   Tribe was the first American Indian tribe to own and operate a telephone     company, and has since expanded tribal business operations to include the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Telephone Authority, Cable Television, Lakota Networks (ISP).  "LTI was founded to create long term and meaningful jobs within the information technology industry.  We recognize  that the technology revolution is transforming the lives of people worldwide and that this transformation must include the Lakota people of the Cheyenne River Nation”, stated J. D. Williams, Executive Officer of LTI.

Technology training begins for the Lakota Nation: The Cheyenne River Sioux reservation covers an area approximately the size of Connecticut.  There are nearly 12,000 tribal members, and unemployment on the reservation exceeds 60%.  Schools on the reservation offer computer training in grades K-12.  The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe entered into an agreement with Cisco Systems to provide networking certification at the high school level.  The Si Tanka Community College and Vo-Technical School provide tribal high school graduates with opportunities to further their information technology education and experience.  

Until formation of the alliance between CGS and LTI, it was very hard for these students to find work on the reservation.  Those who desired to pursue careers in the information technology field were required to relocate to urban centers such as Minneapolis and Denver to find good opportunities.  Under the CGS/LTI New Millennium alliance, this labor pool will be given the opportunities to have a career working on the reservation where their families reside.  It is also anticipated that many tribal members who have relocated from the reservation to find meaningful work will return as new and better jobs are created in their homelands.

CGS/LTI New Millennium alliance providing training to the Lakota Nation:  CGS is providing mentoring services to help create jobs on the reservation.  Initially, these jobs will be to staff call centers, help desk, data entry, data conversion, document imaging, electronic document management, and distance education operations.  During July, ten employees of LTI will begin participating in a call center/help desk training and attendant certification program that will be conducted at a CGS call management center located in Dallas, Texas.  These ten people will be fully trained and ready to work by September, 2000.  The Lakota trainees will in turn train others as operations of this type expand on the reservation.

Technology Village: state-of-the art facility underway:  Plans are underway to construct and equip a facility located on the reservation that will provide work for 150 tribal members, that will be located in a state-of-the art technology center.  As operations on the reservation expand, tribal members will be offered opportunities to gain an education and get experience performing software engineering, applications development, web enabling and other information technology jobs.  As the demands for LTI information technology services increases, these facilities will be expanded as needed to accommodate the growth and support customer requirements.  The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe also anticipates the construction of a "Technology Village" where employees of LTI and their families can reside in an environment that include provisions for day care, education health care, recreation, and Cheyenne River Nation cultural activities. 300 acres have been designated by the Tribe for the development of the technology Village.

A unique approach to Mentor Prote’ge’: CGS and LTI are teaming together to market and sell information technology services that will be provided from the reservation.  LTI was founded, it was certified under the Small Business Administration's Small Disadvantaged Business, 8(a) and HUB Programs.  Under the terms of these programs, LTI, as a tribally owned and operated professional services will be able to work closely with government and commercial firms to develop new business opportunities. Fulfillment of contracts entered between LTI and government or commercial customers will be supported by the technical expertise, record of quality performance and dedication CGS to being of assistance to the Cheyenne River Sioux Nation For further information concerning this alliance, please contact: M Williams, Executive Officer, Lakota Technologies, Inc. (605) 964-2500, E- mail-jdwilliams@sat.net or contact Mr. Byron Van Epps, CGS-Washington, D.C. (202) 408-4838 E-mail bvanepps@cgsinc.com.  « Back to In The News