NAFOA Honors Tribal Leaders and Enterprises at 19th Annual Leadership Awards

The Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA) celebrated outstanding achievement across Indian Country last month at its 19th Annual Leadership Awards, held April 28 in Reno, Nevada, during the organization’s 44th Annual Conference. The awards spotlight Tribal leaders, executives, and financial ventures making measurable strides in Indigenous economic development.

The Education Program of the Year went to the Walker River Paiute Economic Development Authority’s Emerging Business Leaders (EBL) program. Launched in 2025, the intergenerational initiative prepares Walker River Paiute youth ages 15–24 for careers in business and economic leadership. A seven-member advisory board of young Tribal members formally advises the WRPEDA Board of Directors on business strategy and community investment. EBL Chair Sydney Williams called the recognition an affirmation that youth “play a powerful role in guiding our Tribal Nation’s economic future.”

The Executive of the Year award went to Jon Panamaroff, CEO of Command Holdings, a Pequot Company. A member of the Native Village of Afognak, Panamaroff has spent decades building Native enterprises, overseeing 175 percent revenue growth at Command Holdings and managing more than $600 million in investment capital across his career. He emphasized his commitment to mentoring the next generation of Native leaders alongside delivering strong financial results.

The Business Impact Deal of the Year was awarded to the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians for a landmark $390 million construction financing deal to redevelop River Rock Casino into Caesars Republic Sonoma County — a premier gaming resort slated to open in Summer 2027. Led by Citizens Bank and involving a first-of-its-kind multi-party credit agreement, the deal also includes an option for a 45-year HEARTH Act lease, potentially the longest-term financing ever completed for a Tribal casino.

The Government Impact Deal of the Year honored Metlakatla Power & Light, which secured $5.2 million in financing through Native American Bank and a coalition of Native-led CDFIs to connect Annette Island to the Ketchikan utility grid — bringing affordable power and internet to Alaska’s only Tribal reservation.

Finally, the Tribal Leader of the Year award recognized Erica M. Pinto, Chairwoman of the Jamul Indian Village of California. A 27-year Tribal Council veteran and the first woman elected Chairwoman of JIV, Pinto has overseen significant land expansion, a thriving casino that created nearly 1,000 jobs, and broad regional leadership roles across California’s Tribal nations.

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