LAKOTA FUNDS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Loan Officer
- Member Service Representative
Job Titles:
- Member of the Supervisory Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Supervisory Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Supervisory Committee
LaVonne Randall (Oglala Sioux) is the Finance Manager of Lakota Funds, a certified Native community development financial institution located on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Ms. Randall has several years of experience in financial management as she owned and operated her own business prior to joining the Lakota Funds team. She has also held positions with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Branch of Real Estate Services and the United States Air Force. LaVonne has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Associate's Degrees in Word/Information Processing and Secretarial Science. She is also certified as an Economic Development Finance Professional by the National Development Council and Citigroup.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Finance Manager
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Branch Manager of the Black Hills Federal Credit Union
Richard Dryden is the Branch Manager of the Black Hills Federal Credit Union in Hot Springs, South Dakota. As a long-time credit union employee, he has also held a loan officer and teller position for the Black Hills Federal Credit Union and the Agricultural Loan Officer position for the Rapid City Production Credit Association. Mr. Dryden has served on several local boards and committees including the City of Oelrichs Town Board, the Oelrichs School Board, and the Hot Springs Child Protection Team. He graduated from Chadron State College.
Job Titles:
- Member Service Representative
I have been an employee of the Lakota Federal Credit Union since October 18, 2012 - shortly after the credit union received its charter and before we officially opened our doors to the public in November that year. As a manager, I play many roles here at the credit union. I also do underwriting for loan products, assist members with opening accounts, open Share Certificates, and work the teller line processing everyday transactions for members.
I was born on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation here in South Dakota and am a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. After graduating as valedictorian of the class of 2005 at Red Cloud Indian High School, I attended South Dakota State University and then later Oglala Lakota College.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Member of the Board of Directors
Tawney Brunsch (Oglala Sioux) is the Executive Director of Lakota Funds, the first-ever Native community development financial institution on a reservation. Since becoming Executive Director of Lakota Funds in 2010, Ms. Brunsch has led this financial institution through several more history-making accomplishments, including: the charter of the Lakota Federal Credit Union, the launch of a child development account program, and the conversion that is currently underway of a low-income tax credit housing development into privately-owned homes. She innovated a collaborative of key regional leaders in the Native asset-building field to form the Great Plains Native Asset Building Coalition, and is a member of the South Dakota Indian Business Alliance and the Native CDFI Network. In addition, Ms. Brunsch serves on the Board of Directors for Mazaska Owecaso Otipi Financial, a Native community development financial institution dedicated to creating opportunities for homeownership on the Pine Ridge Reservation, and was recently appointed to the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines Advisory Council. Ms. Brunsch received her Bachelor's Degree in Commercial Economics from South Dakota State University and is certified as a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Preparer.