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The Southwestern Alliance
CONNECTIONS
Southwestern Michigan Economic Growth Alliance and
the Berrien County Manufacturers' Council |
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September, 2009 - Volume 1, Issue 8 | |
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| Greetings! |
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Every now and then there are special moments in the economic development world that make life worth living in southwest Michigan. Sometimes it is a little difficult to overcome the negative press - locals know what we have here, but the rest of the world has to get a taste before they can believe.
Last Saturday night was one of those tasting moments for many first-timers who ventured into the "Non-Pareil" world of Buchanan. Event planners scheduled artists, musicians, chefs, wineries, and local merchants to offer visitors an opportunity to taste and savor the bounty of our vineyards and fields and to experience the quality of art and culture that we take for granted.
What the planners could not have planned however, was the show that Michigan herself put on. As if saying thank you to those who believe in her and who have invested in the revival of our little piece of Americana, the weather was beyond spectacular. The last warm breezes of summer kept the crowd around the gazebo comfortable and happy as they tapped their feet to the lively Motown music performed by Greta Pope. Young and old alike could not resist dancing and the laughter echoed throughout the downtown.
But the moment that made my day and revived my spirit was when I looked from the top of the hill on West Front Street to the east end of downtown and saw that it was full of cars, full of people (carrying shopping bags), full of American flags waving in the breeze, and in the center of it all was the most golden, full harvest moon I have ever seen. Yes, that's my Michigan and I hope she's yours too.
Shelley Klug |
| Big Events Past and Future! |
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The Past: Buchanan celebrated its Old Mill Festival August 28-30, 2009. Although the weather wasn't very cooperative, there were many fun events for the community including Battle of the Bands, an almost non-stop concert on The Common, a classic car "cruise in" and a spectacular fireworks display.
The Future: Niles will be celebrating "Rockin' in the USA" at the Niles Apple Fest October 1-4, 2009.
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| Spreading the News |
Last Saturday evening, I had the privilege and pleasure to  say, "cut the ribbon" for a business opening in a new location in a beautifully restored building in downtown Buchanan.
The "Bardot" building was designed by Kevin Barker and is the home of D. MottL Realty, LLC. Business owner Dorothy Mottl hosted an open house for her clients and many friends as a thank you to those who continue to believe in, and support, small town businesses in southwest Michigan.
In the category of "surprising businesses" I also had the welcome pleasure this week of finding out just what Packard Industries of Niles makes. Hint: It's not cars!
Since 1966, Packard Industries Inc. has been manufacturing office partitions and office systems furniture. This company can customize standard furniture to individual needs or create a unique look to make a design statement. There are a number of styles and materials available in a seemingly limitless number of combinations. To find out more about this home-grown company go to:
AWARDS
In the category of "keeping secrets" - we're waiting to share the news about an award one of our members just received. The news has been embargoed until September 15! Just a few more days... |
| New Economy Partnerships |
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The state is launching a new initiative to attract and retain jobs and investment in information, communications and technology industries. The New Economy Partnerships collaboration brings together, in some ways, disparate programs, organizations and efforts throughout the state, with the goal of making Michigan a destination for industry firms and services, said Ken Theis, director of the Michigan Department of Information Technology, or DIT.
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| September 30, 2009 - PTAC |
| Sell your products and services to the nation's largest consumer... the government!
The Berrien County Manufacturers Council will host Jan Campbell, director of the Southwest Michigan Regional Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), who will share how PTAC's electronic bid matching service can assist you with finding the right opportunity for government contracts. The government purchases billions of dollars in goods and services each year. Your company should take advantage of this enormous market - many Michigan companies already do!
This meeting is open to anyone interested in exploring the potential of this market. The meeting will be held September 30, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. at Lake Michigan College - Bertrand Crossing Campus #109. Please RSVP to Shelley Klug at 269-683-1833 by September 25. (smega1@sbcglobal.net)
To learn more about PTAC, check out www.ptacsofmichigan.org. |
| October 29, 2009 |
Financing! This luncheon meeting will feature three speakers presenting information designed for business owners and local commercial loan officers. The information will be specific and direct with examples of how the programs have benefited others in situations that may be similar to yours. Mike Flanagan will discuss Michigan's Capital Access Program (CAP), Eric Hanna will explain a relatively new program - Michigan Supplier Diversification Fund, and Lisa Epple will discuss the USDA Rural Development's Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program.
This meeting is sponsored by the Berrien County Manufacturers Council and is open to all. The meeting will be held October 29, 2009 at noon. The luncheon is $10 per person and will be held at the Berrien County RESA Building located in Berrien Springs at 711 St. Joseph Avenue (formerly known as the ISD building). Please RSVP to Shelley Klug at 269-683-1833 or smega1@sbcglobal.net by October 26, 2009.
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November 4, 2009 |
Back by popular demand! The Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) will be holding a series of ten free half-day seminars for employers about the state's unemployment program at various locales around the state in October and November. The seminars explain to employers Michigan's UI tax and benefit programs as well as recent changes at the agency. Seminar topics include: How UI benefits are paid and charged to employer UI accounts; New online UIA services for employers; How UIA calculates employer UI tax rates; and How to appeal an agency determination. In addition, there will be two breakout sessions - one on UI benefits and the other on UI taxes. Each session starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 12:30 p.m. The seminar closest to the SMEGA area is in Kalamazoo on November 4, 2009. (Kalamazoo OPD Training Center, 322 Stockbridge Avenue).
To register for any of the seminar sessions, employers can obtain a registration form at the UIA website ( www.michigan.gov/uia). Employers with questions about the seminar can call the agency's Employer Customer Relations staff at 1-800-638-3994. | |
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| Website of the Month |
The September "Website of the Month" is designed to help small business. In fact, their motto is, "Small Business. Our Business." Start-ups, innovators, and emerging small businesses will want to check into the training, counseling, research, and resource materials available at the Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center (MI-SBTDC) in Kalamazoo.
The Website of the Month for October is going to be the new Southwestern Alliance website! The site is in the hands of the focus group for evaluation and review and when all changes have been incorporated, the link will be provided for your convenience. |
| A Little Event |
| Just a quick note. I will be attending a training seminar in Lansing September 21-24; however, I will be checking email and voice mail messages daily. The training is through the International Economic Development Council and will cover numerous topics - I look forward to sharing the information with you when I return. Thank you for your patience.
As a reminder, I hope you forward this newsletter to others so we can share the news about the value of doing business in southwestern Michigan with each other and to let the rest of the world know what we can do! If you would like to share your news in this newsletter, please contact the SMEGA office.
Shelley Klug | |
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Shelley Klug, Executive Director
Southwestern Alliance
Phone: 269-683-1833
Fax: 269-683-7515
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