November 29, 2023
Bi-Weekly Executive Newsletter
 Dear Friends,
A pretty extraordinary event happened earlier this month that gave me such pride and hope for the future of the next generation.
More than 6,000 students and teachers from 100 metro Detroit high school schools, including 45 from Oakland County, gathered at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi for the annual MiCareerQuest Southeast to explore the career opportunities that await them.
This event showed these engaged and excited students some of the high-paying career paths they can pursue in the areas of advanced manufacturing, construction, health sciences and technology.
It was fun, interactive, and a highly engaging way for students to get a taste of where they might work in the coming decades.
I even got the chance to check out some virtual reality technology and perform a surgery, thankfully on a medical training manikin, with the talented team from Corewell Health.
This event was not only a great opportunity for students, it also was a chance for 120 companies and 1,000 of their employees to shine and begin the recruitment efforts that will bring the skilled and talented workforce of the future to their doorsteps.
And I can’t talk about the MiCareerQuest experience without a shout-out to the phenomenal Oakland County MiWorks! Team and the 150 volunteers from across the region who did everything from directing traffic and corralling students and teachers to helping the businesses with their exhibits. Putting on this event is a truly herculean effort and it went off without a hitch.
I was perhaps most impressed when I looked at the crowd from a balcony above the showroom floor and saw a sea of students really digging in, asking the hard questions and interacting with the displays.
I saw the spark in those eager faces and you know what? I didn’t see a single face buried in their cell phone. Now that was amazing!
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With gratitude,
Dave Coulter
Oakland County Executive
 Community Conversations: Sustainability Conference
Oakland County held its first-ever sustainability conference at the Waterford Oaks Activity Center on Nov. 17 and representatives from 20 communities came to learn from each other about sustainability efforts happening around the county.
Hosted by Erin Quetell, Oakland County’s first chief environmental sustainability officer, the event encouraged community leaders to share their needs, barriers and successes while learning how to access and use federal and state-funded opportunities for sustainable infrastructures, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and more.
The leaders came from all corners of the county to attend Community Conversations: Sustainability, including: Berkley, Birmingham, Clawson, Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Huntington Woods, Lathrup Village, Madison Heights, Oak Park, Pontiac, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Royal Oak, Southfield, Troy, Beverly Hills, Milford, Ortonville and Brandon and Royal Oak Townships.
Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter gave opening remarks and explained one of the county’s strategic goals is environmental sustainability. “We were intentional when we created a sustainability office when I first became Oakland County executive and made it a priority. But, I know that not every city has the resources for such an office. So that’s why we are here today to convene communities to let you know what federal, state, local and county resources are out there that can be tapped by you for projects that you are planning,” Coulter said.
Funding and grant applications were the most popular topics for the 20 cities, villages and townships with many of them looking to create more energy-efficient municipal buildings.
Quetell also announced the county’s partnership with Michigan Saves, the state’s non-profit green energy bank, to create Oakland SAVES (Simple Actions for Valuable Energy Savings). Oakland County will use the program, to distribute $5 million in American Rescue Plan Act money to help residents improve their home’s energy efficiency, such as installing insulation and ENERGY STAR products. Applications for the Oakland SAVES program will be available early next year.
At the close, community representatives shared what topics they wanted to delve into including the need for more collaboration, community engagement, solar and wind power, and workforce training at a future Community Conversations.
Coulter Appoints Veteran Journalist and PR Pro Teresa Mask Recinto to Lead Oakland County’s Public Communications Department
Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter announced the appointment of Teresa Mask Recinto as Director of the Department of Public Communications.
In that role, Recinto will lead a team of writers, artists, videographers, and communications and community engagement professionals who are working to inform residents, businesses, and communities about the work that Oakland County does and what services, programs, and resources are available to them.
“So much of what Oakland County does touches the lives of its residents in both small and significant ways and the Department of Public Communications is an essential conduit to link our residents to the information they need to help them navigate bureaucracy and access services ranging from mental health care to education and training to small business consulting,” Coulter said. “Teresa brings an incredible depth of experience in media and corporate communications that will help the county deliver the facts and data to the public in clear and meaningful ways.”
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 Applications Now Open for Oakland Together 40 Under 40 Class
Applications are now open for the Oakland Together 40 Under 40 Class of 2024. The award program seeks individuals under the age of 40 who embody Oakland County’s vision of “All Ways, Moving Forward” with significant and essential service to their communities, creative innovation, or high achievement in their professional field.
“Our 40 Under 40 classes have encompassed talent, skill, and excellence coupled with passion for public service and a commitment to significant and critical contributions to their communities,” said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter. “I have no doubt that the 2024 class will be no different, and I look forward to connecting with the people who are making such a difference in our county.”
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