Macon Magazine

Excellence in Education, Since 1903 St. Peter Claver Catholic School 133 Ward Street, Macon 478.743.3985 spccatholicschool.org mom at 23, college wasn't an option she knew existed. "I thought college was for rich kids," she said. "As a Native kid, I wasn't exposed to a whole lot, and the importance of education wasn't impressed upon me. My parents worked really hard for what they had, and that work ethic stuck with me." But something a former chief said to her changed her course. "He said with my work ethic, if I got an education, I could really make an impact," McCutchen said. A er that interaction, she opened her mind and began to think bigger. When her son was in grade school, she started her educational journey, eventually earning her bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in Indigenous Peoples law, both from the University of Oklahoma. "It was tough," she said, "but I didn't have the option to fail. My son could only depend on me. I needed an education to take care of my son." McCutchen understands breaking generational cycles requires more than hard work. It requires opportunity. And the businesses that MNB creates play an important role in strengthening the local economies where citizens live and work, helping them to grow, thrive, and flourish. MNB could be doing the same in the city of Macon soon. FROM OKMULKGEE TO OCMULGEE: PARTNERSHIPS IN MACON Jessica Walden, president and CEO of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, said with a national park on the horizon for Macon, there are exciting opportunities for MNB to help meet supplier needs and fulfill contracts. "Workforce is a critical issue everywhere," Walden said. "Yet MNB has areas of specialty and experts in fields that can meet some of these needs in important areas, such as healthcare and engineering. And we have many economic engines who've launched supplier diversity initiatives. They're looking for businesses who can fulfill contracts, and to have MNB be able to do so — it's an unprecedented opportunity." Walden, along with a group of Macon business leaders, took a recent trip to Oklahoma to meet with McCutchen and her team to learn more about MNB and the potential for partnership. "I discovered that MNB invests in entrepreneurship, which is a priority focus in Macon and within the business community," said Walden, who's already working with McCutchen in the early stages of a pitch contest. The idea is to allow MNB to discover and identify entrepreneurs who can support business opportunities in Central Georgia that will emerge from having a national park. "It'll be a fun collaboration, but one that could bring an exciting partnership into the spotlight," Walden said. The Macon Chamber recently invited MNB to be a partner member. "We are welcoming more and more involvement from Muscogee (Creek) Nation in our community service organizations and business opportunities," Walden explained. "Having more opportunity to work together, it's exciting and innovative and inclusive for us as a community." McCutchen added that MNB is experiencing unprecedented growth. Within the next decade, she sees operations relocating and expanding into new industries. "As we continue to diversify the revenue streams, we'll also be diversifying the skill sets of our people," said McCutchen, asserting that growth can only be attributed to the team of people that makes up Muscogee Nation Businesses, who work wholeheartedly to support the clients and organizational mission. "They're the heartbeat of MNB," she said. "Their work is selfless. It's more than just a job to them. They're Muscogee, and they're truly invested in ensuring the long-term success of the clients and the health and well-being of our communities." This is the second in a new Macon Magazine series highlighting the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Macon is part of the ancestral homeland of the Nation, and as Maconites continue to welcome a closer relationship, we feel it is valuable for our readers to learn more about the tribe — from Ocmulgee to Okmulgee. APRIL/MAY 2023 | maconmagazine.com 71

• Cover