Luke Sprague of Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe
Fire Up Chips
As Tribal Council Sub-Chief for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, Luke Sprague is honoring tradition and serving his community
Growing up on the Isabella Indian Reservation, Luke Sprague has always had a deep connection to the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. From an early age, he gained firsthand experience in the tribal workforce, building a career that began as a summer youth worker at the age of 14 and now spans nearly 15 years of service to his tribe.
As Sub-Chief of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Council since December 2023, Luke provides leadership alongside the Tribal Chief and fellow council members. As part of the future for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, Luke is focused on serving his community while educating others on his tribe’s rich culture and traditions.
On his educational journey – and how he persevered through challenges:
My personal growth as a student – earning my master’s while also working full-time along with raising three children – taught me discipline, making the appropriate sacrifices, being resilient and always looking ahead. Life will never go perfectly as imagined, but I needed to push through and prove to my children that no matter the circumstances, anything is possible. My father passed during one of the last semesters of my graduate program, but I never gave up, because that was going to be one of the biggest accomplishments in my life. He was a significant part of my access, watching my children for many semesters so I could attend evening classes.
On his role as Tribal Council Sub-Chief:
After graduating with my MSA degree, I was reelected to the Tribal Council and got sworn in as the Sub-Chief in December 2023. I am happy to have completed my higher education prior to that, since this new role is a high responsibility requiring my full effort and time to perform my duties and serve the community to the best of my ability. As Sub-Chief, I serve as Chair of meetings, functions and decision-making in the Chief’s absence, along with working alongside the executive and council. Going from being a regular council member to the Sub-Chief was a transition that I had to learn through experience as time went on. I realized I had to take the initiative to provide direction when necessary, something that I wasn’t completely prepared for, but at this point, I am starting to fill those shoes more and more.
As a member of the Tribe, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve on our Tribal Council that operates as our governing board. This is a tremendous honor, and I understand that I can continue to support our community in this role. Having the ability to work with local, state and federal partners allows me the opportunity to form meaningful partnerships while bringing resources back to our community. It also allows me the ability to educate others and help them better understand who we are as a nation, focusing on our rich culture and traditions.
On the economic and cultural contributions of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe to Michigan:
The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan is an organization that is dedicated to the preservation of our rich cultural history while striving to protect the interests of our indigenous community for the next seven generations. The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe continues to help drive tourism and economic development in the Great Lakes Bay Region through our gaming properties, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort and Saganing Eagles Landing Casino & Hotel. We are also able to accomplish this through our non-gaming businesses managed by our subsidiary, Migizi Economic Development Company, and are the leading employer in both Isabella and Arenac Counties.
Many people think tribal nations simply operate casinos. However, the Tribe’s community-centered programming offers over 200 diverse programs in our region and continues to support local non-profits and charitable organizations. We also remain committed to our bi-annual 2% revenue distributions that have totaled over $290 million, dating back to the spring of 1994. These dollars support local schools and government with assistance in providing needs for elders’ programming, public safety and technology and in protecting those most vulnerable in our communities.
What he loves most about living in Michigan:
I enjoy our transitional seasons the most. Spring is a breath of fresh air, and the fall provides the perfect temperatures with beautiful scenery. When approaching closer to the Upper Peninsula, the state will transition from big city living to ski and outdoor resorts, which are a great, peaceful getaway. Living in Central Michigan, we can travel anywhere in the state within 2.5 hours. I grew up traveling the state racing motocross and still ride to this day, just not a fulltime racer anymore. The summer months keep me busy at the lakes golfing with friends and family. I am currently training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu which is my primary physical activity during the winter months and also compete in tournaments a few times per year.
The 12 federally recognized Indian tribes that call Michigan home each have their own unique historical, cultural and political structures. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) provides tribal initiatives and resources to promote greater awareness, participation in economic growth sectors, entrepreneurship and strategic partnerships.
