Wayland, Mich. (September 24, 2025) – Gun Lake Casino Resort (GLCR) recently welcomed a guest speaker with a wealth of knowledge in teambuilding and leadership to help complex organizations achieve success. His name is Dave Cooper, Command Master Chief (Ret.), the leader of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, formerly known as SEAL Team Six. Mr.
Cooper spoke to 70 members of casino leadership, Gun Lake Tribe Tribal Council, and government leadership staff at GLRC on Thursday August 28.
Mr. Cooper shared his insights on building trust through accountability and empowering the “rank and file” to give honest feedback to decision makers, even when expressing
dissenting opinions. Mr. Cooper led SEAL Team Six during the strike which killed Osama bin Laden, and the rescue mission of Captain (Richard) Phillips. He shared powerful real- life stories about how these principles played vital roles in the success of each of those missions.
During his 25-year career as a Navy SEAL, Mr. Cooper and his teammates successfully executed some of the most significant special operations missions in the history of the U.S. Military, receiving numerous awards from a Silver Star to four Presidential Unit Citations.
“We are honored to have welcomed the former Command Master Chief for his inspirational presentation to the Tribal Council, government staff leaders, and the executive team at Gun Lake Casino Resort,” said Brian Decorah, Senior VP/General Manager. “His message reinforced the importance of teamwork, accountability, and a culture of trust; similar to the Indigenous Seven Grandfather Teachings.”
Following Mr. Cooper’s presentation, Tribal Council presented him with a blanket to honor his service and express appreciation for his visit. In priority of recognizing military veterans, he was presented with the first Gun Lake Casino Resort Challenge Coin. These coins will
be given to all veterans, both guests and Team Members, on Veteran’s Day. Veteran and Security Director, Brett Miller, presented Mr. Cooper with the first Challenge Coin.
Gun Lake Casino Resort is proud to employ 1,500 dedicated Team Members across a wide range of departments, including gaming, hospitality, food and beverage, security, and executive management. We are always seeking talented individuals to join our team. For more information about exciting career opportunities and benefits, please visit: https://gunlakecasino.com/careers/.