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Article: Native Americans Are Catching Banks' Eye: Only 2.8 million Americans claim to be full-blooded natives, but this group's growing financial needs are attracting banks. A key component for success? Trustworthiness.
- Article from:
- US Banker
- Article date:
- September 1, 2005
- Author:
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Ask Bob Bryce what a salmon ceremony is, and he'll tell you. The president of Snohomish, WA-based First Heritage Bank has attended several of the events, which the Tulalip Native American tribe performs yearly to commemorate the arrival of the first salmon of the harvest season. "The salmon ceremony is genuine, historical and, I think, a time for their people to come together with the local community and each understand each other better," he says.
It's this understanding that he's counting on. The Tulalip Tribe is the largest shareholder in First Heritage Bank and, although its members hold only $10 million in deposits and $10 million in loans at the bank, the ...