Feb. 24, 2015
eConnect

UPCOMING EVENTS

Member Mixer

Twisted Rooster

March 19

Reinventing Macomb: Political Hot Topics

Ukrainian Cultural Center

March 20

Charlie Langton of FOX 2 and WWJ, moderator

Governor's Macomb County Business Lunch

March 31

MacRay Banquet Center

Warren Mayor
Jim Fouts

State of Warren Address

April 9

Andiamo Italia

Secrets of My Success: Conversations with Entrepreneurs

April 24

Villa Penna

Featuring Wendy Achatz of Achatz Handmade Pie Co.

Safety Literally Pays for Macomb Area Businesses:

Macomb Chamber Members Earn Workers Comp Dividend of $83,352

Ensuring safe work practices and participation in a workers compensation dividend program available through the Macomb County Chamber truly paid off for 25 businesses, as they are now sharing a $83,352 premium dividend.

The 11% dividend amount returned is based upon each participant's premium costs and ranges from $11 to over $11,599 with an average dividend of over $3,334. Since 2003 Accident Fund Insurance Company of America has paid Macomb County Chamber participating member dividends in excess of $1.3 million dollars.

Over and above the dividend opportunities, the Macomb County Chamber group dividend program offers a 5-percent discount on workers compensation insurance premium rates to participating businesses.

Practicing and promoting safety in the workplace not only leads to fewer injuries and workers compensation claims, resulting in lowered premiums, but can also lead to monetary rewards through our group program dividends.

For more information on participating in the Accident Fund, contact the Macomb County Chamber office at 586.493.7600.

Langton to moderate

Reinventing Macomb:

Political Hot Topics

Mark your calendars for some lively discussion on Friday, March 20, when the Macomb County Chamber hosts Reinventing Macomb: Political Hot Topics. Charlie Langton of FOX 2 News and WWJ Radio will moderate the event, which brings locally elected officials together with the business community for conversations that move the county forward. Planned topics for discussion include

prevailing wage, transportation, religious freedom, and no fault insurance.

Please note that we can now accept credit cards or corporate checks!

Register here.

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Member News

The Macomb County Chamber is proud to be a partner of the fourth annual Entrepreneur-YOU conference, a collaborative initiative to help women become successful business owners, scheduled March 20 at Walsh College. Among its varied business-building activities, Entrepreneur-YOU conducts all-day workshop-taught by leading business professionals-to teach women entrepreneurs about the resources necessary and available to open, run and grow a business. To learn more about the event and to register, visit www.walshcollege.edu/eyouconference.

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As part of the "Year of Giving Back" program created to commemorate its 60th anniversary, Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union partnered with the Humane Society of Macomb in February. In addition to donating needed supplies to the Humane Society, staff from MSGCU's Shelby Township branch volunteered weekends there. In the branch, staff displayed photos of their pets to encourage members to consider the benefits of having pets and to spark conversation about their own furry friends. Members have reported that they adopted pets as a result of MSGCU's collaboration.

Send Member News to Michelle Fusco at michelle@macombcountychamber.com

DTE Energy's Successful Ongoing Procurement with Michigan Businesses

DTE Energy spent $632 million in the first nine months of the year as part of the Pure Michigan Business Connect Initiative surpassing its goal of $506 million for the period. A portion of that investment - $112 million - was spent with Detroit-based suppliers.

The Pure Michigan Business Connect Initiative is part of an $8 billion public-private program announced by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder at the Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference in 2011. Administered through an alliance with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the program helps companies find new ways to raise capital, get access to a variety of business services and provides business-to-business procurement opportunities to help grow and create jobs.

As a leader in the initiative, DTE has pledged to shift an incremental $1 billion in spending from businesses located outside of Michigan and the United States to Michigan-based suppliers by the end of 2015.

DTE encourages businesses interested in becoming a supplier to review the information available on its website at dteenergy.com/supplychain. There you'll find information on the pre-qualification process that DTE uses, bid opportunities, how to contact a buyer and more.