The problem was actually not Erlang, but how bash was configured. The bash client I had for my terminal did not have the path configured for where make was installing the compiled code. I found this out when I went down the path of trying to install MacPorts on my box. After their installer ran I had the same error in terminal. At this point I realized it was system configuration issue and not application specific. Luckily Garrick Van Buren had the same kind of issue with MacPorts and his bash client. His tip let me to search where the bin directory path was set with the env command and this is what made all the difference. I moved the built code over to a mapped bin and this fixed the issue.

I wanted to post this in-case anyone else stumbles onto this issue with any install such as Erlang. Now that it is installed I am off to dig into the new language.