General Council briefed on Tribal investments

General Council attendees received a 63-minute briefing on the Tribal investment portfolio in executive session during the Feb. 3 meeting held at the Tribal Community Center.

Four representatives from the Tribe's new investment consulting firm, Robert W. Baird & Co. of Milwaukee, Wis., and Tribal Finance Officer Julio Martinez gave the overview.

Since the meeting was held in executive session, Smoke Signals cannot report on the details discussed.

However, a 19-page handout was distributed to Tribal members that encapsulated the presentation and gave detailed information on the Tribe's investments - where the money is invested and the current value of individual endowment fund accounts. A copy of the handout can be obtained by contacting Tribal Council Executive Coordinator Stacia Martin at 503-879-2304 or stacia.martin@grandronde.org.

Baird representatives in attendance included Senior Vice President Joseph Hoon and Managing Director John Fitzgibbons from the firm's San Francisco office and Senior Vice President of Institutional Consulting Patrick Cronin and Associate Director of Research Aaron Reynolds from the Milwaukee office.

They discussed Baird's history, gave an overview of the stock market and U.S./world economy's performance in 2012 and discussed Baird's outlook for this year's financial markets.

Martinez then gave an overview of Tribal investments and endowment funds.

During the executive session, Tribal Council members and General Council attendees asked questions or commented eight times.

After coming out of executive session, it was announced that the next General Council meeting will be held 11 a.m. Sunday, March 3, at the Monarch Hotel & Convention Center, 12566 S.E. 93^rd Ave., Clackamas, which is off Interstate 205.

Erica Mercier, Russell Ray and Regina Wheeler won the $50 door prizes and Patsy Kellogg won the $100 door prize. Kevin Simmons, Steve and Sharon Freund, Brenda Tuomi, Evelyn Seidel and Kathryn Harrison won donated jewelry created by Tribal Council member Jon A. George, including San Francisco 49er's and Baltimore Ravens necklaces made in honor of it being Super Bowl Sunday.