January 16, 2014 by Anne Minard, INDIAN COUNTRY TODAY MEDIA NETWORK
VERONA, NY - A contract dispute between two tech companies on the Navajo Nation is being touted as a “David and Goliath” tale, even though the self-professed victor has suffered a financial loss due to the lawsuit. The court decision, however, does score a win for tribal sovereignty.
The problem arose when James Wisch, a former employee of Albuquerque-based CamNet, Inc., left his position after four years and moved to Native Innovations, a Navajo-owned, newer company in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Both companies offer computer and other technical services to clients including schools on the Navajo Nation. Both companies say they take pride in going the extra mile for their clients. CamNet makes a practice of shepherding schools through cumbersome federal grant applications so they can take advantage of low-cost technological upgrades, for example. And Native Innovation is dedicated to reinvesting in the Navajo community.
“Instead of extracting and exporting profits from the tribes like 99% of our competitors, we want to instead reinvest our profits into our Native American employees, their families, and the communities that we serve,” states the company’s Facebook page.
Native Innovation has also given back by creating a Navajo keyboard application for Android and iPhone.
Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/01/16/native-innovation-declares-tech-lawsuit-dismissal-victory-153134
