Experience won the day at the Nishnawbe Aski Nation executive council elections Wednesday in Kashechewan.

The three deputy chief positions will be filled by incumbent Les Louttit and two former deputy chiefs, Alvin Fiddler and Goyce Kakegamic.

Alvin Fiddler is one of the newly elected Deputy Chiefs. (CBC)

Fiddler and Kakegamic previously served together on the NAN executive with former Grand Chief Stan Beardy.

Beardy left the organization earlier this summer after his successful campaign to become the Ontario Regional Chief for the Assembly of First Nations.

Harvey Yesno was voted in the new Grand Chief by chiefs from the 49 NAN communities in a tight race to the finish Wednesday afternoon prior to the deputy chief elections.

He beat out former deputy grand chief Terry Waboose by one vote on the third ballot.

Yesno left his job at the province's Ring of Fire mining secretariat to campaign for the new position. Before that, he was head of the Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund.

Yesno has a long history with Nishnawbe Aski Nation, going back more than 35 years to the founding of organization that represents communities in Treaty 9.

In his acceptance speech Yesno told chiefs gathered for their annual assembly that they are in the "early stages in the birth of our nation" and said he looks forward to working with them "to harness your energy to do what has to be done."

"I'm calling on your prayers to stand with me," he added.