Articles of Incorporation

Abstract:

Chartered under the laws of the Winnebago Tribe and wholly owned by the tribe, Ho-Chunk Inc. (HCI) was launched in 1994 to diversify the Tribe's business interests while maintaining a separation between business and tribal government. HCI has a simple mission: to use the Tribe's various economic and legal advantages to develop and operate successfully tribally owned businesses and to provide jobs and opportunities for tribal members.

Author: Blackhawk, John
Publication Date: Sep/14/1994
Source: Winnebago, NE: Ho-Chunk, Inc.
Contact Info: Lance G. MorganPresident and CEO, Ho-Chunk, Inc.(402) 878-2809

Full Text:

Ho-Chunk, Inc.
Articles of Incorporation

September 15, 1994

INDEX

Section 1. Name
Section 2. Duration
Section 3. Purposes and Powers
Section 4. Immunities of the Corporation
4.1. Sovereign Immunity of the Corporation
4.2. Jurisdictional Immunity of the Corporation
Section 5. Principal Place of Business; Mailing Address; Registered Agent
5.1. Principal Place of Business
5.2. Mailing Address and Registered Agent
Section 6. Operational Requirements.
6.1. Fiscal Year
6.2. Business Plan
6.3. Annual Report
Section 7. Board of Directors
7.1. Duties and Powers; Bylaws
7.2. Selection, Number and Tenure
7.3. Resignation; Removal
Section 8. Authorized Shares
Section 9. Incorporators

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
Ho-Chunk, Inc.

September 15, 1994

The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska ("the Tribe"), a federally recognized Indian Tribe organized pursuant to Section 16 of the Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984) (25 U.S.C. _ 476) as amended by the Act of June 15, 1935 (48 Stat. 378), acting through the Winnebago Tribal Council, hereby authorizes these Articles of Incorporation to be filed under the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, Title 11, Business Corporation Code, for the purpose of creating the tribal corporation described herein.

The corporation described herein is to be wholly owned by the Tribe and is subject to Sections 11-1001 to 11-1091 of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Business Corporation Code.

Section 1. Name. The name of the corporation is Ho-Chunk, Inc.

Section 2. Duration. The period of existence of the corporation shall be perpetual, except that the corporation may have these Articles of Incorporation amended or restated or the corporation may be dissolved in accordance with the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Business Corporation Code.

Section 3. Purposes and Powers. The purposes for which the corporation is organized are to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Business Corporation Code. The purposes specified herein shall be construed as both purposes and powers.

Section 4. Immunities of the Corporation.

4.1. Jurisdictional Immunity of the Corporation. Pursuant to Section 001.1003, Subdivision 2 of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Business Corporation Code, the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska hereby confers on the corporation all of the Tribe's rights, privileges and immunities concerning federal, state, and local taxes, regulation, and jurisdiction, to the same extent that the Tribe would have such rights, privileges, and immunities, if it engaged in the activities undertaken by the corporation.

4.2. Sovereign Immunity of the Corporation. Pursuant to Section 001.1003, Subdivision 3 of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Business Corporation Code, the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska hereby confers on the corporation sovereign immunity from suit to the same extent that the Tribe would have such sovereign immunity if it engaged in the activities undertaken by the corporation. The corporation shall have the power to sue and is authorized to consent to be sued in the Winnebago Tribal Court or another court of competent jurisdiction, provided, however, that:

(a) no such consent to suit shall be effective against the corporation unless such consent is:

(1) explicit,

(2) contained in a written contract or commercial document to which the corporation is a party, and

(3) specifically approved by the board of directors of the corporation, and

(b) any recovery against such corporation shall be limited to the assets of the corporation.

Any consent to suit may be limited to the court or courts in which suit may be brought, to the matters that may be made the subject of the suit and to the assets or revenues of the corporation against which any judgment may be executed.

Consent to suit by the corporation shall in no way extend to an action against the Tribe, nor shall a consent to suit by the corporation in any way be deemed a waiver of any of the rights, privileges and immunities of the Tribe. The Tribe shall not be liable for the payment or performance of any of the obligations of the corporation, and no recourse shall be had against any assets or revenues of the Tribe in order to satisfy the obligations of the corporation.

The sovereign immunity of the corporation shall not extend to actions against the corporation by the Tribe.

Section 5. Principal Place of Business; Mailing Address; Registered Agent.

5.1. Principal Place of Business. The corporation shall be a resident of and maintain its corporate headquarters on the Winnebago Nebraska Reservation in Winnebago, Nebraska, but may conduct its business activities any place in or outside of the United States. The corporation may have such other offices, either within or without the Winnebago Nebraska Reservation as the business of the corporation may require from time to time.

5.2. Mailing Address and Registered Agent. The mailing address of the corporationÆs initial registered office is Winnebago Tribal Office, Highway 77, P. O. Box 687, Winnebago, Nebraska 68071, and the name of the initial registered agent at this address is John Blackhawk, Tribal Chairman.

Section 6. Operational Requirements.

6.1. Fiscal Year. The Corporation shall have a fiscal year, which shall be determined by the board of directors during the first twelve months of operation of the corporation. Such fiscal year shall end on the last day of any one calendar month, and shall begin the first day of the next succeeding calendar month.

6.2. Business Plan. Not less than 30 days prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, the corporation shall prepare a business plan for such fiscal year and present it to the Winnebago Tribal Council for review and approval.

6.3. Annual Report. Not less than 60 days following the end of each fiscal year, the corporation shall prepare and deliver to the Winnebago Tribal Council an annual report and an audited financial statement, including a balance sheet and a statement of income and expenses, including comparative figures from the preceding fiscal year.

Section 7. Board of Directors.

7.1. Duties and Powers; By-laws. The business and activities of the corporation shall be managed by the board of directors. The board of directors is hereby vested with all powers necessary to carry out the purposes of the corporation and shall have control and management of the business and activities of the corporation. The directors shall in all cases act as a board. The directors may adopt such bylaws for the conduct of their meetings and the management of the corporation as they may deem proper, not inconsistent with the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Corporation Code and other tribal laws, or these Articles of Incorporation.

7.2. Selection, Number and Tenure. The board of directors shall consist of five members, selected by the Winnebago Tribal Council, as follows:

a. two members shall be current members of the Winnebago Tribal Council,

b. one member shall be a member of the Tribe, not a member of the Winnebago Tribal Council, and

c. two members shall be persons experienced in business and need not be members of the Tribe.

Upon the selection of the initial directors, the Winnebago Tribal Council shall choose, by lot, one director who will serve an initial term of one year, two directors who will serve an initial term of two years and two directors who will serve an initial term of three years. Thereafter, the term of each director shall be for three years; provided that the term of any director who is selected under clause (a) shall expire if such directorÆs term as a member of the Winnebago Tribal Council expires. Subject to the proviso of the preceding sentence, each director shall hold office until the expiration of the term to which he was elected and until his successor has been selected and qualified. Vacancies on the board of directors shall be filled by the Winnebago Tribal Council.

7.3. Resignation; Removal. Any director may resign from office at any time, such resignation to be made in writing and to take effect immediately without acceptance. A director may be removed, with or without cause, by the Winnebago Tribal Council.

Section 8. Authorized Shares. The corporation shall be authorized to issue nine (9) shares which shall be held by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and voted by the Tribal Council pursuant to Section 11-1021 of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Business Corporation Code.

Section 9. Incorporators. The incorporator of this corporation is:

John Blackhawk
Winnebago Tribal Office
Highway 77, P. O. Box 687
Winnebago, Nebraska 68071

Filed:

Tribal Secretary

URL: http://modelpolicies.thepraxisproject.org/files/model_policies/P15.2.doc

Notes:

Related Names:

Contact Info: Lance G. MorganPresident and CEO, Ho-Chunk, Inc.(402) 878-2809