Finance

The Tribal Finance Department

Finance Department Staff Bios: 

Clarence O. Brown, III is chief financial officer and special advisor to the Chairman and Tribal Council for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana.

Clarence is responsible for the governance of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana’s day-to-day accounting and finance activities. In his special advisor role, he provides strategic counsel related to Tribe’s existing business enterprises and expansion efforts. He has a long history of leadership roles within the public accounting and financial services, investment banking, healthcare, and multi-national retail industries. Before becoming CFO for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, Clarence was a practice leader and accounting director with Garrety and Associates CPAs, LLC. There he led the accounting practice for its attest and assurance business which included sourcing, leading, and engaging clients with their audits, reviews, compilations, and agreed-upon procedures for their accounting needs and uses. Clarence was also responsible for the firm’s consulting practice representing its clients with their acquisitions and financing, due diligence, and representation before the Louisiana Public Service Commission. He also led the firm’s corporate and entity taxation planning and preparation efforts with a client portfolio of over 600 clients. Before Garrety and Associates, CPAs, LLC, Clarence worked for Bear Stearns and JPMorgan in their fixed asset group. Clarence maintained daily funding activity of over $150 million in the acquisition, securitization, and creation of mortgage-backed securities. Clarence’s annual portfolio exceeded $22 billion. Before joining Bear Stearns and JPMorgan, Clarence served in numerous strategic roles in the healthcare supply chain and multi-national retail industries where his contributions included corporate finance, internal audit, banking, and international business development of foreign buying offices. Clarence has a BS in Accounting from Southern University A & M College.

Mission Statement:

The mission of the tribal finance department is to accurately report the financial position of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, its departments, programs, and business activities to various constituencies including, tribal members, tribal council members, department/program directors, government agencies, rating agencies, auditors, granters, and others who may have a vested interest in the financial activity and health of the tribe.

Within the scope of this mission is the responsibility to coordinate and direct all financial transactions recorded in the accounting system of the tribe. This responsibility requires us to be service-oriented relative to the financial needs of all constituencies of the tribe while assuring that all transactions adhere to the tribe’s policies and procedures, generally accepted accounting principles, and rules established by all authoritative governing bodies.

Vision Statement:

The tribal finance department employs competent and caring business professionals who are innovative, resourceful, collaborative, and helpful in facilitating the management and accountability of the tribe’s resources.

Values Statement:

We value a culture of accountability and people of integrity committed to doing the right thing. We employ good business practices in our department and encourage and assist members of the tribal community in doing likewise. We value input from those we serve and recognize the importance of active listening and continuously improving. We take personal ownership in helping find answers to questions and solutions to the problems of other tribal personnel and departments as well as constituencies external to the tribe. We value employees who are initiative, insightful, and have the ability to understand the larger environment in which we work. We value a keen spirit of teamwork and cooperation in helping fellow employees accomplish their assignments. We model respect and civility in our communications with others.

The following is a partial listing of various constituencies that the tribal finance department interfaces with and/or provides support to in performing its mission.

Tribal Government Departments/Programs:

  • Tribal Council
  • Planning Department
  • Cultural Educational Resources Department
  • Minors’ Trust Fund Program
  • Police Department
  • Tribal Court
  • Language Preservation Program
  • Member Education Program
  • Indian Health Services Department
  • Social Services Department
  • Finance Department
  • Member Hardship Program
  • Member Elder Housing Program
  • Pow Wow Committee Program
  • Human Resources Department
  • Economic Development Corporation

Local Government Agencies:

  • 12th Judicial District Court
  • 12th Judicial District Attorney
  • Avoyelles Parish School Board
  • Avoyelles Parish Clerk of Court
  • Avoyelles Parish Assessor
  • Avoyelles Parish Sheriff and Tax Collector
  • Avoyelles Commission of Tourism
  • City of Marksville

State of Louisiana Government Agencies:

  • Governor’s Office
  • Department of Revenue State Police
  • Department of Environmental Quality
  • Department of Labor

Federal Government Agencies:

  • Department of the Interior
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development Department of Justice
  • Department of Health and Human Services Department of Energy
  • US Environmental Protection Agency Department of Agricultural
  • Federal Emergency Management Agency

The level of interface with these various constituencies ranges from periodic financial reporting on a  quarterly and annual basis to daily interactions needed to properly process, record and report financial activities related to the execution of the department’s/program’s mission.

Tunica Biloxi Finance Department

1. Tunica Biloxi Tribal Government

  • Consolidated Fund
  • Insurance Benefits Fund
  • Sales Tax Collections Fund
  • Debt Service Fund
  • Indirect Costs Fund
  • Cultural Education Resources Center Fund
  • Revenue  Distribution Funds
  • Member Education Fund
  • Hardship Fund
  • Pow Wow Fund
  • Member Housing Fund
  • Capital Projects Fund
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs Funds
  • Tribal Council Department
  • Tribal Planning Department
  • Tribal Reservation Maintenance Department
  • Tribal Police Department
  • Tribal Court Department
  • Tribal Social Services Department
  • Indian Health Services Fund
  • Housing Dept. Fund

2. Tunica Biloxi Economic Development Corporation

  • (EDC) EDC Board of Director’s Operations
  • Tunica Biloxi Revenue Distribution Fund
  • Tunica Biloxi Venture Capital Fund
  • Tunica Biloxi Land and Property Fund
  • Tunica Biloxi Gaming Reinvestment Fund
  • Tunica Biloxi Per Capita Program Fund
  • Tunica Biloxi Elder Health Care Fund
  • 3. First Nation Gaming, LLC (Inactive)

4. Tunica Biloxi Financial Services

5. Tunica Biloxi Construction Company (Inactive)

6. Tunica Biloxi Indian Political Action Committee

7. LASPI, LLC

Budget & Finance Committee Board Members

  • Beverly Rachal, Chairman
  • Brenda Lintinger, Vice Chairman
  • Clarence O. Brown III, Spokesperson
  • Marshall Ray Sampson, Sr.
    • 318-305-0625
  • Harold Pierite, Sr.
  • Marshall Pierite

Other Financial Entities:

  • Mobiloans, LLC
  • Tunica Biloxi Holding, Inc. (Section 17 Corp.)
  • HALI, LLC
  • SUKU, LLC
  • Red Alligator, LLC