SBTEC hosts open house for new warehouse to begin manufacturing wholesale tobacco products
Open house attendees on March 18.
By ROSELYNN YAZZIE
Office of Public Affairs
FORT HALL — The Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Enterprise & Agri-Business Corporations (SBTEC) Distribution Warehouse had an open house on Tuesday, March 18.
Carlie Jim, SBTEC Retail Operations Manager, welcomed guests who helped with the construction and thanked them for their involvement and contribution to the project.
“It was a long time coming. Something that the Tribe envisioned clear back in 2003. So again, everyone that helped see this plan come to fruition, thank you,” said Jim.
The space was celebrated with a prayer and smudge by Anthony Pete Broncho.
Fort Hall Business Council Chairman Lee Juan Tendoy and Echo Marshall, Business
Development executive.
The SBTEC Distribution, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Distributorship, was established to create economic opportunities by focusing on Tribally manufactured and wholesale tobacco products. It has the authority to buy, import, export, transport, manufacture, sell, and deliver tobacco and other products to retailers within the Reservation.
SBTEC future goals include expanding operations by acquiring a cigarette stamper, case cutter, and case packer, allowing the purchase of unstamped tobacco products at lower costs, and self-stamping. The expansion could lead to possible opportunities for other reservations and off-reservation sales.
Additionally, SBTEC Distribution will purchase wholesale operating supplies like copy paper, paper towels, and toilet paper for delivery to internal Tribal Enterprises and departments.
Carlie Jim, Tribal Enterprises retail operations manager.
Offices housed in the SBTEC Distribution Warehouse are the Business Development Executive Department, including Echo Marshall and Warehouse Manager, Connie Davis, who is an interim. Eventually they’ll also have warehouse workers to stock the products on shelves.
