DURANT, OK – The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma recognized 12 small businesses at its annual Chahtapreneur Award Ceremony at Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant. Each year, Choctaw Nation gives Chahtapreneur Awards to a Choctaw business in each of the reservation’s 12 districts, as well as awarding one business Chahtapreneur of the Year. This year, the highest honor went to Izabella’s Learning Center in McAlester.
Izabella’s Learning Center, which is listed as a Five Star Level Daycare Program by Oklahoma Human Services, is owned and operated by Jamie Ragan, who’s utilized Choctaw Nation Small Business Development’s programs to help her business thrive. Izabella’s Learning Center provides childcare to up to 60 kids from infants to five-year-olds.
Award nominations are based on business owners’ participation in the Choctaw Nation Small Business Development program, community involvement and community impact.
Chahtapreneur Award winners by district:
- District 1: Sherman’s Shoes (Idabel)
- District 2: Frazier Electric (Broken Bow)
- District 3: New Again Consignment (Talihina)
- District 4: Pretty Paws Mobile Pet Spa (Spiro)
- District 5: Brew & Bliss (Stigler)
- District 6: Humma Fichik Designs (Talihina)
- District 7: The Ranch Restaurant (Tuskahoma)
- District 8: Sweet Meltz (Fort Towson)
- District 9: Three Birds Tax Service (Durant)
- District 10: The BARbershop Atoka Cuts Served Neat (Atoka)
- District 11: Izabella’s Learning Center (McAlester)
- District 12: Cobra Electric Service Inc. (Tupelo)
“We work closely with all our small businesses, so we see the hard work and dedication that goes into each new venture,” said Billy Hamilton, Director of Choctaw Nation Small Business Development. “Our annual awards ceremony is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate those efforts and hopefully encourage more Choctaw small business owners to utilize the resources we offer.”
Choctaw Nation Small Business Development’s focus is delivering technical assistance, training programs and access to capital for entrepreneurs in an effort to build successful, job-creating, Choctaw-owned companies within the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
