EXPERIENCE: The Frank Dayish story

Born in 1958, and raised in Shiprock, New Mexico, Dayish said his life was shaped early by hard work, Navajo teachings and the Native American Church. He and his wife, Virginia, have been married for 50 years. The couple met in high school and built a life centered on faith, service and family. They have three children, all of whom served in the military. Since 2002, they have lived i Gallup and Chichiltah, New Mexico, while maintaining family land in Shiprock.

Frank Dayish Jr speaking at an event.

After graduating from Shiprock High School, Dayish joined the U.S. Marines. After completing military service, he returned home and launched Reflection Auto Center in Shiprock, an automotive parts business he operated from 1980 to 1985.

“I had a hard time getting a business site lease,” Dayish said. “I commend anyone who has started and continues to run their own business.”

He later earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from New Mexico State University in economics and operations management, and a Master of General Administration degree from the University of Maryland in financial and general management.

From 1986 to 1995, Dayish worked as a contracting officer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. He then worked for BHP Navajo Coal Company from 1995 to 1999 as safety and materials department supervisor, followed by work at BHP San Juan Coal Company from 1999 to 2001 as safety and supply supervisor. He later served as BHP’s government affairs representative until 2002.

“At BHP, I managed complex operations, including the development of underground mining systems,” Dayish said. “This was an effort that require adapting new technologies and training a workforce for an entirely new industry.”

In 2002, while still employed at BHP, Dayish was tapped to serve as vice president of the Navajo Nation.

“I was doing good, making good money and could have made a life-long career at BHP,” he said. “But I’ve been guided by teachings from my parents and the military. The values of honor, courage and commitment pushed me to help my Navajo people, so I accepted to serve as vice president.”

During his four years as vice president, Dayish said he pushed major health- related improvements for Navajo people. He advocated on Indian Health Service issues, fought health disparities, worked to protect Navajo’s position in federal hospital construction, helped negotiate 638 contracts and oversaw IHS procurement work.

After leaving office, he later became director of the Navajo Area Indian Health Service Division of Acquisitions and Contracts in St. Michaels. “At IHS in St. Michaels, I oversaw about $200 million a year in contracts,” he said.

In 2015, he was selected to become chief executive officer of the Kayenta Service Unit, where he oversaw 350 employees and a patient population of about 20,000. One of his major assignments, he said, was helping open the new Kayenta Health Center in roughly 300 days and moving the organization into the new facility. The center opened in July 2015.

In 2020, after what was described as an extensive nationwide search, Dayish was selected as chief executive officer of the Navajo Housing Authority.

“Dayish’s many years of executive experience gave him a deep body of knowledge that allows him to lead and manage successfully with a focus on developing strategic objectives consistent with NHA’s goals and mission,” the Board of Commissioners said at the time.

As the Navajo Nation’s tribally designated housing entity, Navajo Housing Authority operates 15 housing management offices, employs more than 350 staff, manages about 10,000 housing units and receives about $80 million annually in federal housing funds.

“I led Navajo Housing Authority during the COVID era,” Dayish said. “It was very difficult as we have a lot of elderly clients. We had to protect employees and tenants, and build or upgrade homes during this challenging time.”

Outside public office, Dayish continues to ranch and work with horses at his family property in Chichiltah, where his ranching business is listed as Arrowhead Ranch. He said ranching remains one of the happiest parts of his life. He also enjoys golf and is a longtime motorcycle enthusiast who rides with a veterans’ group and has participated in Run for the Wall, the national ride that honors veterans, prisoners of war and those missing in action.

Faith has remained central throughout his life. Raised in both the Native American Church and Navajo traditional ways, Dayish has long been active in protecting Native religious freedom. He has served as chairman of the Council of Peyote Way of Life Coalition and as former president of the Native American Church of North America, a national organization with about 20,000 members.

In recent years, he has also spoken publicly about the need to protect tribal intellectual and cultural knowledge from misuse through artificial intelligence and other technologies. He said the issue is not only about technology, but also about sovereignty, cultural survival and moral responsibility.

If elected, Dayish said his administration would first focus on restoring stability to the Navajo Nation, protecting federal resources, restarting economic activity, strengthening agriculture, expanding manufacturing and building housing in a cost-efficient way across the reservation.

He also said education will remain a major concern, especially as federal policies change and outside pressures affect schools serving Navajo students.

These days, Dayish might be seen jumping into his car or his white F-350 truck and driving out to a school or organization to provide consultation in strategic planning, leadership guidance and institutional problem-solving. “My work draws on decades of management experience across tribal, federal and commercial systems,” he said.