Message from Leadership
 There is only one week left to take the 2017 Employee Survey!
The survey ends at midnight on February 28th, and we are currently at a 71% response rate.
Remember, our goal is 95% completion!
You can find the survey in an email from PricewaterhouseCoopers.
 International Trade
This week, Lt. Governor Brian
Calley and several members of the MEDC team led a trade mission to Mexico for a
delegation of 21 companies –one of the largest delegations yet. Attendees from
MEDC included Lindsay Kirchinger, Natalie Chmiko, David Newhouse, Drew Coleman,
Ryan Michael, and Natalie Sandborn.
The key objective of this trip
was to increase Michigan’s exports to Mexico and expand on foreign direct
investment from Mexico into Michigan. While in the country, the Lt. Governor
met with TREMEC and Rassini, both of which have locations in Michigan. In fact,
TREMEC announced an expansion project last year in Wixom, MI. The meeting was
to reaffirm the relationships and extend appreciation for continued investment
in MI.
Efren Flores and Silvia Alonso
from our Michigan Mexico Center were in attendance as well and were
instrumental in the planning of this mission. Thank you to Efren, Silvia, and
everyone who helped make this trip a success!
 Pure Michigan
Two magazine
features spotlighting the Pure Michigan brand earned recognition by the
Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) at the
organization’s Adrian Awards Tuesday night.
Did
you get a chance to read these great pieces? Check them out below!
Skiing Michigan’s Hidden Gem: Skiing Magazine
Feature Placement Print (Silver)
 Beertown
Detroit: Draft Magazine
Feature Placement Print (Bronze)
 Video
As the
latest endeavor of a series of MEDC-supported projects in Marquette, the Delft
Theatre underwent a major transformation and is now the Delft Bistro. This
video was shared to the MEDC Facebook page and has already reached 56,000 views,
522 likes and has been shared 760 times!
Check
out this video made by Ryan Gajewski and Drew Mason:
 Resources and Recognition
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Find
the SMaRT doc on the new Intranet in the MarComm section!
The March edition of
the SMaRT doc will be available after March 3.
Questions or comments about the SMaRT doc can
be sent to Lauren Branneman or Frank Provenzano.
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 INSIDE EDITION: What is your role and responsibility?
I work within the Sales and Service Operations unit of
Business Development. My primary role is customer engagement; I work across the
state, mainly with Chambers of Commerce and business service
organizations/associations, to ensure these groups have a point of contact at
the MEDC and are aware of the programs and services we offer, or may have
access to through our partner relationships.
IE: What do you enjoy most about your work?
Being able to “connect the dots”; making a connection for a customer
is really exciting for me! I consider myself a dispatcher a lot of the time – I
often say that “I know just enough to be dangerous”, and have no problem
acknowledging that I am not the expert on most of our programs or initiatives,
but I love that moment when I know I can make an introduction or facilitate a
conversation that will be beneficial in some way. I also really enjoy breaking
down barriers to improve collaboration, whether it be identifying opportunities
within the MEDC departments, or bringing groups together within their regions
or industries. There are so many resources out there, we just need to have the
conversations!
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 IE: Tell us a little about your educational background
and career experience.
I started my “grown up” career as a Community Development
Manager for Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan. Among other responsibilities, I
was charged with executing three of the top annual fundraising events for the
organization. From there I went to BS&A Software, which is company name few
people recognize, but if you have ever looked up property records or paid taxes
on line, you have used one of their programs. I came to the MEDC from Delta
Township, where I worked in the Assessing Department for seven years. I am a
Michigan Certified Assessing Officer and Personal Property Examiner, two
endorsements that I maintain though I am no longer working in local government.
They sound boring but actually come in handy in work and real life. As far as
education, I am a Central Michigan University Chippewa, and am certified by the
National Development Council as an Economic Development Finance Professional.
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 IE: What activities do you enjoy outside of work, on the
weekends, or with family?
Most people in the office know my husband (Adam) also works
here! We have two boys at home who keep us busy all day, every day; Brady will
be 9 next month and Evan is 4. Baseball and T-ball season is around the corner
for them which means more time commitments for us. We have a couple of big home
projects that are taking our time more recently. By “we” I mean: I provide the
vision (which is guaranteed to be much more elaborate than Adam planned), and
he does the actual work. Right now he is framing our basement for finishing,
and soon will be starting the deck. When we need a break from reality, my
parents live in Indian River on Burt Lake, so we take advantage of having a
beautiful vacation spot in Northern Michigan, especially during the summer. We
love when we can share it with friends!
IE: What would you like to share about yourself that
people at MEDC probably do not know about you?
I dislike this question. I’m left handed. I speak fluent
sarcasm. There you go.
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Comings and Goings
New Hires
Katie Koerner – Marketing Content & Project Coordinator;
Marketing, Communications & PR – starting on 3/17/17. Katie is coming
to us from Neogen Corporation where she served as a Corporate Writer.
New
Opportunities
Charles Donaldson – Community Assistance Specialist (Region
6) – Community Development – starting on 2/27/17.
Departures
Abdel Abdelrahman, Accounting Specialist (SIGMA), Financial
Services, 2/24/2017
           
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