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ABOUT US

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HOW WE'RE HELPING

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We are a Native American managed association supporting Native American Nations who own, or wish to form, Tribal Sovereign Insurance Companies. 

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OUR PURPOSES:

 

  • The primary goal of SIANN is to promote, encourage and foster the creation of additional tribal sovereign insurance companies across Indian Country. 

  • Native Soverign Insurance Experts Supporting Native American Nations

  • Fostering and maintaining a collaborative relationship with State Insurance Departments.

  • Acting as a legislative and regulatory advocate for the Native American Sovereign Insurance Industry

  • Serving as a "clearing house" for quality sovereign education and timely industry information

  • Providing a networking forum for the Native American Sovereign Insurance

 

 

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF A TRIBAL SOVEREIGN INSURANCE COMPANY

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As the owner of a tribal sovereign insurance, the Tribal Nation can expect the following benefits and outcomes.

 

 

  • New Business Entity. The tribal sovereign insurance company should be viewed as a new business endeavor of the tribe. It is designed to make money while still saving money overall for the tribe. Low startup costs and a great return on investment.

  • Improved Coverages. Tribes have grown in size and complexity to where insurance provided by third-party insurance carriers in many cases don’t provide adequate coverages.

  • Customized Policies. With a tribal sovereign insurance, YOU write your own policies. These policies are custom tailored to fit your unique situation. No more “off the shelf” policies!​

  • Lower Premiums. Embedded in your insurance premiums are state and federal taxes, commissions, advertising expenses and the overhead of the insurer. These costs are all passed on to you. With a captive, your premiums will no longer include such embedded expenses.

  • No Commissions Expense. The insurance industry is notorious for very high broker/agent commissions. With your own captive, you will no longer be paying these commissions.

  • Strengthen Tribal Sovereignty. By forming your own tribal sovereign insurance company and engaging in self-regulation, you will thereby strengthen your tribal sovereignty.

  • Self-Regulation. You will form a regulatory body to license, supervise and audit your tribal sovereign insurance. You will thereby engage in self-regulation in the same manner as gaming tribes

Introduction Video

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NATIVE SOVEREIGN INSURANCE COMPANY EXPERTS SUPPORTING NATIVE NATIONS

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SIANN LEADERSHIP AND ADVISORY BOARD

JD Colbert

Mr. Colbert (Muscogee-Creek/Chickasaw) is the nation's most recognized and foremost expert on matters related to commercial banking and Indian tribes. Since 1987 he has assisted Indian tribes in starting or acquiring various types of banks and financial institutions. During his 30+ year career, Mr. Colbert has served as president/CEO of three different banks; a board member of five banks; Founding Executive Director of the North American Native Bankers Association (an association of Native-owned banks in the US and Canada). He has assisted over a dozen Indian tribes in acquiring or starting commercial banks. Mr. Colbert served a White House appointment to the Board of the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund at the U.S. Treasury, and he has actively assisted many Indian tribes and Native groups to start Community Development Financial Institutions. Colbert has managed over $22 billion under the US Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program (a/k/a the Bank Bailout Bill) and was a board member of a $13 billion pension fund and formerly served as Deputy Assistant Secretary — Bureau of Indian Affairs for Economic Development where his duties included overseeing the $3 billion Indian Trust Fund and the BIA Loan Guaranty Fund. Mr. Colbert began his career as a Bank Examiner for the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. As such, he was the first Native American federal bank examiner in the history of the U.S. bank regulation system. Mr. Colbert is active in legal, regulatory and policy formulation in the areas of banking, community development, economic development and Federal-Indian policy. He is a widely published author of op-ed pieces on subject matters related to banking as well as issues in Indian Country. He holds an undergraduate degree in business management from the University of Oklahoma as well as masters degrees from both Harvard University and Johns Hopkins University.

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Kenny Tolbert

Mr. Tolbert (Choctaw) worked as a consultant with the US Chamber of Commerce Native American Business Development Center for nine years. During that time, he worked with 30+ Native American Nations. He has extensive experience working in Business Development, Marketing, Sales and Business Operations. He has consulted with and assisted many Native American entrepreneurs and business owners across Indian Country. Mr. Tolbert's company The Tolbert Company was awarded the National Chamber of Commerce Minority Service Business of the Year for its efforts supporting Native American Businesses and Tribal Nations. During his 35+ year career, Mr. Tolbert has served as president/co-founder of two publicly traded companies. Mr. Tolbert was the co-founder of a gourmet food manufacturing and distribution company. He has been involved with numerous startup businesses with a focus on the hospitality industries. Mr. Tolbert was the Founder and President of TwoRows Restaurant and Brewery with multiple locations in Texas. Mr. Tolbert is an expert on higher education for Native Americans. He is passionate against the acceptance of lower educational standards and expectations for Native American Students. He has spoken across Indian Country to students, parents and tribal leaders concerning the educational opportunities available to Native American Students. He spearheaded the founding and development Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma's Scholarship Advisement Program. The Scholarship Advisement Program has served over 5000 high potential Choctaw Students. Mr. Tolbert earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from the University of Oklahoma in 1979.

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Gena R. Timberman

For nearly 25 years, Gena has committed her professional career to the pursuit of planning and guiding cultural projects in Indian Country toward successful completion. She championed the dream to build an American Indian Cultural Center and Museum in Oklahoma. As Director of the Native American Cultural & Educational Authority, Gena led the development of a nearly 300-acre site on the Oklahoma River envisioned to be the future home of a world-class cultural destination, a landscaped and programmed park and trails system, commercial development and visitor welcome center. In 1996, Gena graduated from Oklahoma State University. She received the Outstanding Contribution to the Native American Community award. In 1999, she graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. Over the years, Gena has provided a multitude of local, statewide, national and international public keynote speeches, presentations and lectures on project development and management, as well as Oklahoma tribal cultures, cultural tourism, and economic development in Indian Country. In 2013, Gena formed Luksi Group, LLC, a consulting business that provides cultural direction for creative design in Indian Country projects. Gena was recently engaged with the Choctaw Nation in the planning of the Choctaw Cultural Center, and as a consultant on the completion of the First Americans Museum. She is an attorney and continues her work today in project management, mediation practice, and tribal consultation.

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Dr. Norman Kerr Imes

Dr. Norman Kerr Imes, MD is a renowned medical professional specializing in Sleep Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Pulmonology. With over 50 years of experience in the medical field, he has dedicated his career to providing comprehensive care for his patients. EDUCATION: College: University of Oklahoma 1963-1966 Degree: Bachelor of Science - 1967 Medical School: University of Oklahoma School of Medicine Degree: Doctor of Medicine -1970 Internship: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Internal Medicine 1970-1971 Residency: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Internal Medicine 1971-1973 Fellowship: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Pulmonary Disease (Research and Clinical) 1973-1975 Chief Resident: Presbyterian Hospital, (part-time) Internal Medicine 1973-19 CURRENT POSITIONS: Private Practice, Sleep Medicine, Oklahoma City, OK Supervising Physician, Western Sleep Medicine- Scottsbluff, NE 2006 - present Medical Director, Sleep Solutions, Oklahoma City, OK 2013 - present Medical Supervisor for 15 independent sleep testing facilities and hospital- based sleep labs in Oklahoma, Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota Medical Director, Midlands Management (excess worker compensation) MIDLANDS MANAGEMENT: Midlands Management (Provider Excess Worker Compensation Insurance in 33 states) 2013 to 2021. 1. Developed a program to evaluate, manage, and provide reserve analysis of catastrophic workers compensation injuries across the country. 2. Provide medical opinions regarding catastrophic claims and how they should best be managed to assure the best medical care and costs. 3. Provide webinars to TPAs across the country who work for self-insured companies in an effort to improve medical care and decrease costs in catastrophic claims 4. Provide consultation and evaluation of severely injured workers for the Excess Carrier, Safety National 5. Oversee the process of determining medical reserves for future care of severely injured workers. 6. Provide life expectancy estimates for catastrophic injury cases. 7. Frequent lectures to claims adjustors, nurse case managers, underwriters, and others in the self-insured industry regarding our management methods, medical injuries and their long-term costs analysis, and how the American Healthcare and Pharmaceutical industry operates and affects Worker Compensation.

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