Turtle Talk

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An excerpt:

Chairman Derek Bailey of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (GTB) recently postponed a family getaway to the Upper Peninsula to speak at a memorial service. These constant schedule changes and being accessible 24/7 as the Tribal Chairman have become the lifestyle Bailey and his family have adopted since his election three years ago.

“We were looking forward to our trip, but I was asked to speak at a memorial service for Helen Hornbeck Tanner. I considered it not only an honor but my obligation to be there,” said Bailey. “Tanner, while not Native American, played several crucial roles in the recent history for Indian tribes of the Great Lakes region. She is not the only reason but she certainly is a key reason why we (the GTB) are where we are at today. It was important that I let her family and friends know how much we appreciate what she did for us and equally important that our tribal communities know of her importance.”

TANNER’S CONTRIBUTION
Tanner, a long time Beluah resident, was considered the leading authority on the Native American history of the Great Lakes. She authored several books and research papers during her tenure as a professor at the University of Michigan and as a senior research fellow at the Newberry Library in Chicago. Her “Atlas of Great Lakes Indian History,” documented the displacement of Indian communities from 1640 to 1871. Her research and expertise played a crucial role in upholding Indian treaty rights with the federal government, including fishing rights on the Great Lakes.

Bailey’s presence at the memorial service marked the type of leadership style those within the GTB have come to expect. That leadership style has also made its mark throughout Northern Michigan, as well as in Lansing and even in Washington D.C..

In 2008 at the age of 36, Bailey became the fifth and the youngest Tribal Chairman elected by the GTB. Bailey has set out a course to build partnerships throughout Michigan and in the nation’s capital. In just three years of creating collaborations and partnerships, some in the Northern Michigan business community are calling on Bailey to consider either running for the Michigan State Senate or U.S. Congress.

BOTH SIDES OF AN ISSUE
“I think Derek would make an excellent representative for Northern Michigan in Lansing or Washington D.C.,” said Don Coe, managing partner of Black Star Farms Winery and chairman of the Michigan Commission on Agriculture and Rural Development. “What he has been able to accomplish in just a couple of years as tribal chairman is remarkable and his leadership skills in Lansing or Congress would be a valuable asset for us here in Northern Michigan. Derek has worked hard to not only better the GTB but also the greater Northern Michigan community.”

Coe is impressed with Bailey’s ability to understand both sides of an issue and bring opposing sides together.
“What I like is his ability to represent the GTB positions on issues and put those forward in a way that that is not threatening but accepting, and he is also able to put forward the issues of others back to his membership,” said Coe.

Coe adds that Bailey is also an exceptional listener, and has attracted the attention of the Obama administration. “You don’t call the White House, they call you and the Obama administration has been calling.”

That most recent call came a few weeks back when President Obama visited Holland and the White House called Bailey to let him know that the president requested his presence in Holland for a brief meeting.