Rapid Growth in American Indian Firms in MN

Bruce P. Corrie PhD, corrie@csp.edu According to the Economic Census 2002, there were 2742 American Indian and Alaskan Native firms in Minnesota with 318 million in receipts. 487 of these firms had paid employees with $ 282 million dollars in receipts, employing 3676 people with 90 million dollars in payroll. Minnesota ranked 13th in the nation for growth in numbers of American Indian and Alaskan Native firms. In 1997 only 4 Minnesotan counties had 100 or more American Indian and Alaskan Native firms, the 2002 Census lists 8 Counties, 5 of which the Census provides data: Becker, Beltrami, Dakota, Hennepin and Ramsey Counties. For the first time, Minneapolis and Saint Paul appear as cities within Minnesota with 100 or more American Indian and Alaskan Native firms: 254 firms in Minneapolis and 120 firms in Saint Paul. American Indian and Alaskan Native firms had almost 40 percent growth of firms with paid employees, 60 percent growth in employees and 60 percent growth in payroll between 1997-2002.