WISCONSIN (November 7, 2025) – In honor of Native American Heritage Month, Wisconsin’s operator-ran organization the Indigenous Business Group (IBG) is thrilled to announce 2025’s award-winning businesses!
Indigenous-owned businesses contribute over $33 billion to the U.S. economy every year and employ over 200,000 people. Each year, IBG recognizes and honors the outstanding contributions and achievements of Native-owned businesses across industries. Recipients of the 2025 IBG Awards are:
- 2025 Business of the Year: ANASA Traffic and Restoration Services
- 2025 Outstanding Tribal Business or Enterprise: Wolf River Development
- 2025 Creative of the Year: Creatively Indigenous
- 2025 Nonprofit of the Year: She Rises Collective
- 2025 Business Leader of the Year – Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr.
Winners were announced during a special ceremony last month on Indigenous Peoples’ Day at Indigenous Biz Con, Wisconsin’s annual operator-ran business gathering. For the first time, this year’s event also invited attendees to pitch their ideas for a chance to win a business grant. OTG Gummies and Shawano Tricking won the Biz Pitch contest and each received a $2,000 grant to support economic development.
Indigenous Biz Con elevates the voices of Native entrepreneurs and creates opportunities for building collaborative ventures between Native-owned businesses and state or corporate partners. The two-day business event provides an opportunity for attendees to learn, network, and collaborate to build meaningful partnerships that result in growth. This year’s theme was “Rising Tides: Building Economies, Empowering Generations.”
“Indigenous Biz Con is an important event for the Wisconsin business community as a whole,” said Indigenous Business Group Co-founder member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians Rob Pero. “We’re excited for the opportunity to continue to grow and recognize so many impactful Native-led businesses in our fourth year.”
To learn more about IBC, visit indigenousbusinessgroup.org.
