Emphasis on Family
Everything revolves around family. This is what Chris Day has learned from his 53 years of lived experience. As a member of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi, family ties are even more valuable to Chris’s story.
Chris grew up in Chattanooga, TN with two brothers. His dad grew up on the Pine Creek Indian Reservation in Athens, MI. His mom was born in Tennessee but grew up in Battle Creek, MI, where she met Chris’s dad.
Chris’s dad, Cecil, was also a member of NHBP. His mother and sisters attended boarding school. Cecil was also a paratrooper in Vietnam. This history has carried through to Chris, who has worked hard to overcome these generational traumas. Chris graduated from Chattanooga State Community College with a degree in Engineering Technology in 1997. He also attended Bryan College and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2014. Chris has always been a hard worker. He started his career in the Wireless Telecom Industry in 1998, with the engineering firm ARCADIS Geraghty & Miller International. After leaving ARCADIS in 2001, he ambitiously started his own company, TeleCAD Wireless Site Design, Inc., offering a multitude of engineering and real estate services to the Wireless Industry. In addition to managing over 135 highly experienced employees, he also managed the daily operations for TeleCAD Wireless’s corporate office in Hixson, TN, and oversaw TeleCAD Wireless’s offices in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas. His main responsibilities included revenue forecasting, CAPEX and OPEX budget preparation, cash flow analysis, cost-benefit analysis and all aspects of revenue accounting and financial reporting. In addition to being proficient in Real Estate and Site Acquisition, he also managed all contract negotiations and vendor relationships for TeleCAD Wireless, and third-party vendors when requested by my clients.
Chris has worked this hard to provide for his family. He met his wife, Pam, at Chattanooga State when he was 20 years old. Shortly after, they married, and now they have four children and three grandchildren. The whole family lives on the same compound and are very close to each other.
Family means everything. And so does heritage. Chris has always been proud of his Native heritage. He even served on the Board of Directors for Waseyabek Development Company, which his tribe owns. This company that manages non-gaming economic
Development. Chris said, “It is very important for all tribal members to support the tribe and incorporate the ‘Seven Grandfather’s Teachings’ to help us interact with each other. I also feel that we should learn about the history of the tribe and have awareness of the struggles our ancestors had, learn from our mistakes, and keep the traditions and culture alive for future generations.”
These teachings include Love, Respect, Bravery, Truth, Honesty, Humility, and Wisdom. Chris lives by these teachings and instills them in his children, grandchildren, and anyone else he comes across.
NHBP values these teachings, and family, above all else, and so does Chris. He is not only a great businessman, but a great friend, husband, father, and grandfather. He always puts others before himself, and his legacy lives on through the most important thing to him, his family.
Native Narratives 