Services

Acqusitions & Economic Development

 Holisso's experienced professionals assist our clients in the successful execution of mergers and acquisitions through an integrated, proven approach that links acquisition strategy, diligence, pricing and post-acquisition integration and metrics.

Success Story:

We at Holisso acquired Riverwalk Crossing for the Muscogee Creek Nation. We purchased Riverwalk for our client at a sheriff's auction in Tulsa County, OK in April, 2012.

Riverwalk is a 300,000 square foot lifestyle center. Riverwalk was built in 2007 for approximately $40 million. We purchased it for our client for only $11.5 million. The entire transaction was completed in 3 business days.

Our acquisition of Riverwalk was named the 2013 Deal of the Year by the Native American Finance Officers Association.

Capital Access: Debt/Equity Financing

At Holisso, we act as financial advisor to our clients in successfully accessing the capital markets for a wide range of structured financings at favorable rates, terms and covenants.

Success Story:

Holisso acted as Financial Advisor to the Muscogee Creek Nation in regards to a large expansion of the tribe's flagship casino, RiverSpirit.

The expansion adds a 26-story, 500 room hotel, a new events center and 50,000 square feet of new gaming space. The new expansion will be sub-branded as Margaritaville.

Holisso acted as lead negotiator for a $350 million bank syndication financing at favorable interest rates, terms and covenants.

Federal & State Chartered Banks, CDFIs, & Financial Institution Ownership

J.D. Colbert and Holisso are widely regarded as the world's leading experts in banking in Indian Country. Mr. Colbert has assisted nearly a dozen Indian tribes in forming or acquiring commercial banks since 1987.

Success Story:

Colbert founded the Chickasaw Nation-owned Bank2 in 2002. Bank2 is a state chartered commercial bank with total assets of $120 million as of June, 2015.

Under Colbert's direction, Bank2 begin offering the HUD Native American 184 home loan. Bank2 is annually among the nation's leaders in originating the 184 home loan for Native Americans. 

Mr. Colbert and Holisso have assisted a dozen tribes nationwide to acquire commercial banks.

In addition, Holisso has consulted with dozens of tribes nationwide to start or acquire financial institutions including Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs).

Financial Advising                                  New Initiative: Tribally Chartered Bank

In 2010, Holisso, acting as Financial Advisor to the Native American-owned Avondale Investments, successfully led the effort to obtain a contract as Financial Consultant to the U.S. Treasury under the 2009 Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, commonly known as the "bank bailout bill".

Holisso and Avondale were one of only six firms selected by the U.S. Treasury out of well over 200 competing submissions. Holisso and Avondale oversaw approximately $22 billion in Treasury equity investments in several banks nationwide.

Holisso also established financial analyses protocols and reporting formats to Treasury to analyze and report on the financial condition of the banks in the portfolio.

 J.D. Colbert and Holisso have conceived, developed and written a business plan for the world's first legitimate tribally chartered bank. For the past 239 years all banks in the U.S.  have  been chartered either by a state or the federal government. J.D. Colbert recently co-authored an article that was published in the University of Oklahoma's American Indian Law Review Journal. The article is titled "Capital, Inequality, and Self Determination: Creating a Sovereign Financial System for Native American Nations". It outlines a plan for how and why tribes should create tribally chartered banks. 

Colbert's ground breaking plan anticipates a federally recognized Indian tribe creating an independent tribal bank regulatory commission. That commission will be empowered to charter banking institutions that will become fully accredited members of the U.S. and worldwide banking community.

Any such tribally chartered bank may provide banking services to, among others, areas of emerging lawful commerce. This includes the growing cannabis industry (medical/recreational/industrial), the online lending business and eventually the online gaming industry.

Using the Contact button on the Holisso home page, please reach out to Mr. Colbert or any of the Managing Associate Partners for more information about this innovative and creative plan to establish a tribally chartered bank.