Business Development
Last month, Inside Edition reported on the progress
of The Inn on Water Street, a project furthering Marine City as a cultural destination
for locals and tourists alike.
Today, the small town’s redevelopment continues
to be in the spotlight. The opening of the Snug Theatre and Riverbank Theatre,
in addition to the boutique hotel project, are bringing new life into the
quaint riverside town.
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Check out Katharine Czarnecki’s article
in The Times Herald to read more about the collaborative efforts that made
the “Marine City Miracle” possible.
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Talent
By Richard Martin
Did you know that the Michigan Talent Team has teamed up
with the Michigan veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) to make Michigan THE premier
place for transitioning service members and their families? We have been
working together to attract transitioning service members who are 3 to 6 months
away from leaving the military to re-enter the civilian workforce.
“The partnership our
MVAA Private Sector Employment Council has with the MEDC on Veteran outreach
activities has been exceptional and helps differentiate companies from Michigan
at the events. It is a competitive advantage in the war for talent. We
have employment candidates’ comment on how they had not considered Michigan
before interacting with the team at the Washington DC SACC event. The
partnership has helped us land highly skilled candidates who bring their talent
and families to the state of Michigan.” – Mark McKeen, Senior Manager,
Employment Branding, General Motors
Each year, between 250,000 and 360,000 veteran’s transition
out of the military, and, given the right job opportunity, 66% of those
veterans are willing to call a new place
their home. This is good news for Michigan businesses who want to hire
veterans, but are struggling to find qualified talent. According to a recent survey, 47% of
employers have hired a veteran in the last year. That number is rising every
year as more and more employers are learning new ways to tap into this amazing talent
pool.
Our Talent Team has attended the Service Academy Career
Conference in Washington, DC and the Hiring Our Heroes event in Ft. Carson, CO.
So far, we have seen 5 veterans and their families make the move to Michigan.
In a couple of weeks, we will be in San Antonio, TX to continue making a
difference. Michigan has so much to offer veterans. We have a very diverse
employment landscape, natural beauty that very few places can match, hunting,
fishing, amazing parks, trails, beer, and the list goes on and on. It’s easy to
see why veterans are choosing to make Michigan their next stop, over the
competitors.
Image
There are only
a few days left to share your favorite hidden gems from around the state for
the 5th Annual Pure Michigan Moments Photo Contest!
The contest
launched November 1 and will run through November 13. The public will be able to
vote for their favorite photos from November 14-23, 2016. Photos may be
submitted directly to michigan.org/photocontest,
or through Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags
#PureMichigan and #PMContest2016. Submissions must identify the location in
Michigan and the description of the hidden gem featured in the photo and cannot
have been submitted in previous photo contest. Additionally, Twitter and
Instagram accounts must be public in order to submit photos through social
channels.
This year, two winning photos will be selected from the eligible entries
received. The first will be selected by a panel of judges from Travel Michigan
and McCann Detroit, Travel Michigan’s agency of record, to be featured in the 2018 Pure
Michigan Calendar. The second winning photo will be selected by public vote
to be featured across Pure Michigan social media channels. Both winning
photographers will receive a prize package from the Pure Michigan store and three
runners up, based on public vote, will receive a $25 gift card to the Pure
Michigan Store.
All contest
photos will be displayed at michigan.org/photocontest
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Have you ever wondered how Michigan was named
Michigan? Before colonization, the now Great Lakes State was home to at least
eight Native American tribes throughout the land, one of which being the Ojibwe
Indians. The Ojibwe were the first people to openly interact with the French in
Michigan, trading furs and knowledge of the area for guns and goods. Through
translation, the state of Michigan was named after the Ojibwe Indian word
“Michigama,” which means “great lake” or “land surrounded by water.”
With this in mind, we invite you to take a watch
some Michiganders stumble their way through some uniquely-named destinations
found across the Great Lakes State. Test yourself and learn the correct
pronunciations here.
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Employee Input
INSIDE EDITION: What is your role and responsibility?
I am a planner for
the Redevelopment Ready Communities Program for Regions 6 and 9 in the Community
Development division. RRC works to empower communities to
proactively shape their future by establishing solid planning and development
process to retain and attract business investment and talent. As an RRC
planner, I provide a detailed analysis of a communities planning processes and
procedures and identify actions to complete to become a certified Redevelopment
Ready Community.
IE: What do you enjoy most about your work?
First of all, I work
with a wonderful group of people in the RRC program and I feel fortunate to be
part of a cohesive, engaging and fun team. Communities that are engaged
in RRC see the value in streamlining their development practices and strive to
be the best community that they can be. Working with these communities to
develop partnerships and providing technical assistance to help them attain
certification has been rewarding.
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IE: Tell us a little about your educational background and career experience.
I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Family and Community Services from Sienna Heights University and a Master’s Degree in Family and Community Services (concentration in poverty and aging populations) from Michigan State University. After receiving my bachelor’s degree, I worked as a Resident Service Coordinator in Multi-Family and Senior Housing linking residents to community, agency and social service resources. My experience in housing led me to MSHDA working as community outreach specialist for the Community Development Division. As an outreach specialist, I worked with communities to identify state, federal and private resources to support revitalization efforts in downtowns and neighborhoods.
IE: What activities do you enjoy outside of work and with family?
Travel and cultivating new experiences with my friends and family is important to me. Being outdoors - whether on a lake, river or hanging out at a campsite is where I prefer to be in the summer. My other favorite activities include hiking, softball, knitting, quilting, cooking and home renovation.
IE: What would you like to share about yourself that people at MEDC probably do not know about you?
- After finishing my bachelor’s degree, my husband and I quit our jobs and traveled throughout Costa Rica for three months.
- When on a road trip, I will map out roadside attractions to stop at.
- I have experience in welding and have created a few sculptures.
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Comings and Goings
New Hires
Janice Thomas – US Business
Attraction Manager (Great Lakes Region) – Business Development; Global Business
Development – starting on October 24, 2016. Janice formerly served as the
Manager of Government Affairs at Magna International, Inc.
Mark Birkmeier – US Business
Attraction Manager (East Coast Region) – Business Development; Global Business
Development – starting on October 24, 2016. Mark is coming to us from
Gonzalez Design Group where he served on the New Business Development – Defense
team.
Brittney Hoszkiw – Community
Assistance Specialist (Detroit) – Collaborative Community Development – started
on October 10, 2016. Brittney was previously with the CCD team detailed
from MSHDA where she served as a Main Street Specialist.
Mark Ignash – Program Manager-Defense Operations – Business
Development; Business Development Projects – starting on November 21. Mark is coming to us
from the University of Michigan where he served as the Project Intermediate
Manager.
New Opportunities
Cynthia Richardson – Director, Michigan Talent Attraction &
Resources – Executive – starting on November 7
Emily Tucker – Director, International Trade – Business
Development – starting on November 7
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Resources and Recognition
For the last 14 years, Laura Krizov has been a vital part of the Michigan Main Street Program, serving as Manager and elevating the program to its current status. On October 28th, Laura was named to the National Main Street Board of Directors to provide her perspective and rich experience to the board.
Congratulations Laura on this outstanding achievement!
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Did you know that
Michigan has more industrial designers than any other state? More than
4,000 strong to be exact. This fact helped inspire the MEDC to support the foundation
of the Michigan Design Council in January of 2015. The Council is made up of design thought leaders from across
our state, representing Michigan’s major industries, academic institutions, and
professional organizations. The group’s main goal
is to grow and retain industrial designers in Michigan to encourage job
creation and investment in the state.
In January 2016, the group
launched the first annual Michigan Design Prize. The annual competition
co-sponsored by the MEDC, is designed to showcase Michigan’s design talent and
encourage students to consider careers in industrial design. The competition
was open to all Michigan residents including K-12 students. The winners were
announced on October 28th at the Eli and Edythe Broad Museum in East
Lansing.
Eleven finalists from 50 entries were chosen to work with an industrial designer from a Michigan company to bring their idea to fruition. Companies like Sundberg-Ferar, Newell Rubbermaid, Herman Miller, Whirlpool and GM all provided a member of their design team to work one on one with the finalists. Participants were tasked to create designs for products that solve a fundamental challenge for Michigan and for society as a whole. This year’s challenge was to design “a physical product solution that allows people to safely enjoy the benefits of Michigan’s diverse water resources.” The finalists’ submissions included a variety of creative innovations for products that address water safety and improve water quality. One finalist designed a water-game that promotes physical activity to combat obesity.
Kevin Kerrigan, SVP of the MEDC’s Automotive Team is on the Design Council board. A designer himself, Kevin has worked with design teams all over the world on innovative solutions for the automotive industry.
“Industrial design is a unique combination of engineering and creativity,” said Kevin Kerrigan, SVP of the MEDC Automotive Office.
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“It was inspiring to see that a majority of the entries came from the K-12 segment. Michigan Design Prize is a great way to encourage kids to consider creative technical careers and ensure a robust talent pipeline for the future.”
Jordan Dyment (pictured) was the winner in the K-5th grade category. The second-grader from Roosevelt Elementary School designed a filter system that attaches to the stern of a boat to clean contaminants from the water as the boat propels through it.The 2017 Michigan Design
Prize Competition is expected to launch in January.
In addition to the
competition, the Council has developed a curriculum guide to help K-12
teachers foster the creative development of the state’s youth.
For more information on
the Michigan Design Council’s Initiatives, please visit: http://www.michigandesigncouncil.org/
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We loved seeing everyone's Halloween spirit in the office last Monday! Thank you to all who participated,
everyone looked great!
Mark Your Calendar for the All Employee Meeting &
Recognition Program!
Tuesday, November 22nd, in Dart Auditorium on the campus of
LCC at 1 p.m.
Box lunches will be provided.
Training Opportunities
The Ultimate
Supervisor December 1, 2016
Lansing $149.00 www.careertrack.com
Understanding
Financial Statements December 6, 2016
Lansing $249.00 events.pryor.com
How to Excel at
Managing & Supervising People December 8-9, 2016
Lansing $299.00 www.skillpath.com
For additional training
opportunities, follow the links below:
AMA Seminars IEDC Professional Development Fred
Pryor Seminars/Career Track SkillPath SOM Civil
Service Training
(Available to all employees)
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