Chaldean Chamber Honors Mike Denha for Paving the Way

Mike Denha

By Vanessa Denha-Garmo

Faith in God, a strong work ethic, and stepping up to help others have been the foundational principals of how Mike Denha has lived his life. “My mother used to say if you see a load down from a mule don’t close your eyes; if you can help them, put the load back up on the mule,” recalls Mike.

The scenario growing up in Iraq may be drastically different from life in America, but the premise remains the same. Help those who need it. Mike has done that his entire life. That is why the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce has chosen Mike as their 2022 Businessperson of the Year. The 87-year-old husband, father of six children and grandfather of 13 grew up in Telkaif, Iraq, going to school and working in the family business. They harvested the fields and the Denha family owned their own business making Tahini, sesame paste. The extended Denha family are the original manufacturers of Tahini.

Mike was among the approximately 35 Chaldean boys who went to middle school in town, most of them remaining friends throughout their lives. After three years, he headed to Mosul for high school. He was the first Denha to graduate high school.

“I remember working in the field on a 110-degree day and my sister-in-law ran over to me with a jug of water and she was doing the halhole, (a sound of celebration) to tell me I passed high school. She was so excited for me,” he recalled.

Mike worked at an oil company, and he also wanted to continue his studies. He was accepted in the college of farming in Baghdad. He was at crossroads - to stay in Iraq or take an opportunity to go to America. He eventually decided to go and was the first one in his immediate family to go to the United States. He had relatives there who he lived with and worked with during his first few years in the country. It took him three months to come to America.

“It was 1956. I had $50 in my wallet. I lived with my cousins Thomas and Virgine Denha,” he said. “My cousin Sabri Denha and I eventually went into business together in 1965.”

Mike lived with Tom and Virgine for six years and would occasionally spend time at Sabri’s house. With no form of communication with his own family in Iraq other than letter writing, the young Mike went back to Iraq to visit his family in 1966. “My mom couldn’t stop kissing me,” he said. “My sister told her to leave me alone. My mother cried, ‘I found my lost son.’”

Mike contemplated staying in Iraq but had a business in America and needed to go back and help Sabri. He also wanted to help his older sister Mariam and her six children find safety. Her husband had been killed years earlier after being wrongly accused of a crime. After six months in his homeland, Mike headed back to the United States.

In 1962, John F. Kennedy signed the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act, which was created to help foreigners who had fled from persecution in their home countries. This enabled Mike to bring his sister to America.

In 1968, he met and married his wife, Nedal Hamama. At that time, there were about 350 Chaldeans in America. “We were one big family,” said Mike. “When someone got married, we pretty much invited everyone in the community.”

He had originally booked a honeymoon to Hawaii “but Faisel Arabo suggested we honeymoon in Iraq so both of us could visit with our families. We spent 21 days there.”

With his cousin Sabri becoming a naturalized citizen, the two were able to buy a store on 12th Street in Detroit with the help of Jack Najor. Their first store was burned down in the 1967 riots. After that, Mike and Sabri purchased the Super Fair store on 7 Mile in Detroit.

“We stayed partners for a few years before we realized it wasn’t profitable enough for two families. I told Sabri to keep that store since he had a family. I went on to buy Lucky Strike that I would rename Food Lanes. Sabri wasn’t just a cousin and business partner, he was my brother and we truly cared for each other. Family is everything.”

The business Mike purchased was not profitable. “I was determined to turn that business around. So many people doubted me, but I knew I could do it.” Mike took the business from making $18 thousand a week to $80 thousand in a two-year period.

Mike and Nedal created a true partnership in their marriage. “I couldn’t do any of this without her,” he said. “We raised our kids while I worked. She was determined to get them into good Catholic schools, driving them everywhere and encouraging all of them to go to college.”

All six children have degrees, careers, and businesses. Mike’s two oldest grandsons are pursuing law degrees while another grandson is pursuing a medical degree.

During the 25 years Mike owned several stores, he created an apprenticeship program before many in the Chaldean community really knew that such programs existed. He hired and trained more than 50 family members and friends to operate businesses. He had them learn every aspect, running day-to-day operations in every department. “Many went on to buy their own businesses and some are more successful than me. I couldn’t be happier.”

While Mike was teaching newcomers how to work in America, Nedal was teaching them how to assimilate in different ways. She helped parents register their kids in schools, helped make doctor appointments, and helped their children with homework. “She hosted dozens of families in our home, making dinner and helping them learn how to live in this country,” said Mike.

Mike helped secure loans for many people trying to buy their first business; he also loaned money out to many people struggling to get started over the years.

As passionate as he is about people, he is just as passionate about the Chaldean community. He helped establish Southfield Manor through the Chaldean Iraqi American Association of Michigan (CIAAM), which he was very involved in. Throughout the years, he has donated to the Church and most recently, to Bishop Ibrahim’s Library and to the Chaldean Community Foundation, donating $100,000.

“I am very proud to be Chaldean and of our people,” he said. “They are hard-working and dedicated. We want to preserve our language and our culture. We may be about 250,000 people in Michigan, but we can make noise like 2.5 million people.”

Over the years, Mike expanded his businesses to venture into real estate. He and his sons have become the first Chaldeans to own a manufacturing company. This industry is in his blood even though he never imagined owning a manufacturing company when he first started out.

He eventually invested in a metal forging company, primarily run by his second son Jeff, an educated engineer. “It has been inspiring to see Chaldeans become educated and diversify themselves,” said Mike. “Chaldeans have gone into so many kinds of businesses. I am happy to see this and am so proud of our community.”

Mike’s faith is focused on humility, something his parents embraced. “When my father was dying, my brother asked him if he owed anyone money or if anyone owed him money,” recalled Mike. “My father insisted that we do not ask for any payment and that if someone could afford to pay him back, they would on their own and if they couldn’t, he would let it go.”

Mike’s desire to help others didn’t stop there. “I learned a long time ago when you open the door for opportunity for someone else, God opens three doors for you,” said Mike, “but that is not the reason you do it. You do it because it is the right thing to do. If I saw someone willing to work hard and be successful, I was willing to help them get started.”

Mike has strived to live his life guided by God, quoting one of his favorite scripture verses, “for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” - Luke 14:11.