Chuck Garrett is chief executive officer of Cherokee Nation Businesses, the tribally owned holding company of Cherokee Nation. With over 10,000 employees worldwide across three business units, CNB generates annual revenues exceeding $2 billion. Garrett has professional leadership experience in the investment banking, legal and commercial real estate industries and his career demonstrates a track record of sustainable long-term growth, strategy development and team building. He is a trusted advisor, mentor and community advocate.
As a tribal business leader, Garrett has been aggressive in positioning CNB outside the traditional tribal businesses with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and developing new profit engines — resulting in a doubling of revenue and profitability since being named chief executive officer in 2019. He has executed growth initiatives throughout the portfolio of businesses, while raising awareness of the CNB brands and providing the vision, direction and strategy for the company.
Garrett has received numerous recognitions such as: Native Business Top 30 CEO, NAFOA Executive of the Year, Native Business Summit Tribal Enterprise of the Year Award, Journal Record Most Admired CEO, 55 over 55 Inspiring Oklahoman and most recently Top 30 CEOs in Indian Country by Marquis Who’s Who.
He earned a bachelor of arts in political science from the University of Oklahoma and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He is also a member of the New York, Oklahoma and Cherokee Nation Bar Associations.
Garrett was elected to the board of directors in 2023.