April 20, 2012
Report out by Workgroups
- Infrastructure
Fred Stonehouse reports for Infrastructure. The Committee has recently completed a support effort for Students Reinventing Michigan’s Jim Shea’s tour of the UP to put on town halls in six locations. The town halls covered a variety of information regarding Michigan’s roads and bridges infrastructure including:
- All about Michigan’s road crisis
- Misconceptions about transportation infrastructure
- Questions and answers about roads and bridges
- Funding options to address transportation infrastructure concerns
The workgroup will be working with Fred Kotler to embark upon a comprehensive UP-Wide study of transportation infrastructure resources and needs. Three of five airports have completed the airport survey; Holly will follow up with the other two to obtain the data. Next steps and utilization of the survey need to be determined. Discussion will be held at the next meeting.
Another goal is to bring airport managers together for discussion of common issues and concerns. Fred, Vikki Kulju and Holly will plan and execute the first meeting. Other related items included weighing in on the FAA reauthorization bill. Stonehouse reports that Delta Airlines will not be adding summer flights. This raise major concern among members attending at the impact to regional businesses is a hardship; members will research existing highway studies and trail systems; will be receiving an MDOT study for all to review that may serve as a legislative platform; are reporting that the anchor projects for MERIT are identified and committed to with the projects moving forward. Senator Carl Levin visited the Marquette County Airport and spoke to members of the Green Aviation Coalition with input that he was impressed with the coalition and its intent. Stonehouse spoke to cruise ship opportunities on the Great Lakes.
- Tourism
Vickie Micheau speaks to the Tourism workgroup activities. Their efforts support the tactic of the Upper Peninsula region to become a major tourism destination. The workgroup is hosting the first Upper Peninsula-wide tourism Convention to help “lighten up” and share the attributes of communities across the U.P. The conference is scheduled for May 30th and is being promoted as a tourism and professional development conference with workshops, roundtables to discuss best practices and business and community showcases. Keynote presenter is Bruce Goddard with a luncheon keys presenter Dave Lorenze, Public Relations and Industry Relations Manager of Travel Michigan. The conference is aligned to the UPWard Initiative supporting bringing resources together to grow tourism in the Upper Peninsula while supporting Michigan’s Pure Michigan marketing campaign. The conference is being planned by members that include the Marquette County Convention and Tourism Board, UPTRA; MI-SBTDC, Delta County Commerce Center and St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce.
The Tourism Conference is poised to promote the U.P. as a vacation destination with the intent of having people leave the conference talking about the value of spending dollars in the Upper Peninsula. Members from the group also attended the Governor’s Conference on tourism, after which the U.P. conference is being modeled.
- Healthcare
Al Hendra reports for the Healthcare workgroup. This workgroup has combined its efforts with the Upper Peninsula Healthcare Roundtable since many of the goals were identical. Efforts to keep the community informed about the economic impact of healthcare continue through publications such as Business is UP! and through events such as the upcoming annual Healthcare Roundtable sponsored Conference. This year’s theme will help to support the tactic of enhancing and expanding the use of telemedicine. This year’s theme is “Innovation in Healthcare through Technology” and features the Director of Telemedicine at Marquette General Health Systems, Susan Makela. Dave Lord, Vice-President of Operations at OSF St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center is also a keynote speaker who will speak to how electronic medical records are expanding consumer involvement in obtaining their health information.
The UPHCRT continues its work on the worker pipeline. The membership is currently in the process of surveying healthcare industry members across the Upper Peninsula. This bi-annual survey looks to address any workforce gaps and training needs to ensure a ready and available workforce for the industry.
- Education and Workforce
Deb Doyle reports for Chairs Tony Retaskie and Barb Walden. There are current STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) activities occurring throughout the region. The Governor has asked the Math and Science Centers across Michigan to work on increasing these skills in the worker pipeline. Through NMU’s Seaborg Center, the Upper Peninsula Math and Science Centers are working on asset mapping these activities that include FIRST Robotics, Lego Robotics Camps, the Science Olympiad and Mind Trekkers to name a few. To support getting the message out about STEM, this year’s Great Lakes Summit will feature key note speaker Jim Brazell who is an entrepreneur and technology forecaster who will speak to building business and education partnerships supporting STEM activities across all industries.
Entrepreneurship is also a focus of this pillar. Similar asset mapping is taking place across the state to identify current K-12 entrepreneurial activities. The group supports a more broad focus on K-Adult Learner as we grow a culture of life-long learning and ensure that we are building the skills sets of those going back to school to obtain high school diploma or GED. Workgroup is tracking non-degreed programs and training to create a catalog or inventory available to the community. Workgroup needs to connect with all pillars to identify workforce/training needs in order to create programs that meeting industry demand and grow the economy of UP.
- Natural Resources
Vicki Schwab, Delta County EDA Director and Co-Chair of the National Resources Committee reports. The Top priorities as it relates to economic development of our natural resources: mining, forestry and logging and agriculture.
- To support mining, committee member Rick Kauppila has attended the CR 595 public hearing with the purpose of constructing a new primary county road that will improve emergency, commercial, industrial and recreational access to northwest Marquette County and reduce truck travel through Marquette County’s population centers and keeping up on the GTAC mining project that is currently off the table due to Wisconsin legislative issues. To support forestry and logging we have connected the Michigan Association of Timberman with MI-SBTDC and will be supporting the 2012 Logging Congress through sponsorship and booth.
- To support agriculture we are building a partnership with the MSU Extension, most recently supporting the Agriculture for Tomorrow Conference.
- We are currently researching the impact on farming that federal legislation is proposing to not allow anyone under the age of 18 to operate farm machinery.
- We have adopted Resolution of Support for legislation that ensures harbor maintenance taxes are exclusively used for dredging, infrastructure, operation and maintenance of federally authorized ports.
- We staffed an UPWard initiative booth at the GLTPA spring celebration event
- Our group has started an executive committee and determined mining, agriculture and forest products are our top priorities.
- Higher Education
Jim Baker reports for Higher Education. Michigan Tech and Northern have completed their entrepreneurial asset mapping content and will share with the other Universities and Colleges to develop a region-wide guide. Tawni Ferrarini adds that both her and Jim are looking forward to seeing the broad diversity across the region and are outreaching to leadership from other post-secondary higher education institutions for the information that they are willing to compile.
Next on their agenda will be updating the county profiles on the UPEDA website.
- Business Growth and Development
Joel Schultz reports for Business Growth and Development. This workgroup re-energized over the last six months focused on those strategies and tactics that they could move forward with a little bit of hands on attention. Members inventories industrial parks and created a working document that identifies incubator and breeder buildings. The data sheet also includes identifying business space, type of zoning, proximity to college or university, if there is sewer and water, etc.
Workgroup also created a regional exporting document. The STEP Program (State Trade and Export Promotion offers assistance to Michigan Companies with fewer than 500 employees that may qualify for financial assistance for export related activities. Supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the program is designed to increase the number of Michigan companies that export and to introduce current exporters to new foreign markets and buyers. Chris Bosio from the Economic Development Agency assisted in this endeavor.
A regional business plan competition is being developed. Banks have been contacted to support the competition in the hopes of having a $20,000 award towards financing to the winner. Members inquire about whether the business plan competition timing would be set with GLEQ. The Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest encourages and educates entrepreneurs on the creation, start up and early growth stages of high-growth businesses within the state of Michigan. GLEQ links entrepreneurs pursuing high-growth opportunities with access to a statewide network of community resources, expert advice, high quality education, management talent and capital at every stage of development.
The next steps for this group include looking at more specific spelled out tasks and Schultz encourages members to look at the CEDS to see how we could advance those projects
New North, Inc. Presentation
Vicki Schwab introduces Jerry Murphy, Executive Director of New North, Inc. This organization is a collaborative effort among business and community leaders to promote cooperation and economic development in the 18-county region of Northeast Wisconsin. Their mission is to harness and promote the region’s resources, talents and creativity for the purpose of sustaining and growing their regional economy. New North was developed after they completed a regional economic study similar to our region’s Regional Innovation Grant study that has transitioned from a report to action through the UPWard Initiative.
Murphy spoke to the core value of their group: “collaboration” and to the six initiatives that support that core value
- Foster a skilled and diverse workforce
- Target Industry clusters and new markets
- Support an entrepreneurial climate and small business
- Encourage educational attainment
- Elevate sustainability as an economic driver
- Promote the regional brand
It is the last bullet point that was the main focus of his presentation. Saying that branding is the “backend of the strategic initiatives, Murphy says that there needs to be recognition that branding isn’t a logo and it just doesn’t happen. If one were to overlay a highway map over the NEW NORTH 18 county-region, one would see the transportation patterns that give insight into how each of the areas operate. It helps the organization speak in more tangible terms as drivers are those that essentially impact the regional economy that sometimes goes over boundaries.
Murphy adds that someone needs to champion the UPWard Initiative, or it will have stop and go feel. Volunteers are passionate, but having organizational support and ownership is essential. It won’t happen naturally: artificially make it happen and start to see things happen. We need to have great leaders: always going to be a piece that everyone identifies; pick what you can unify recognize uniqueness.
- What is brand: serves as an icon for people to gather
- Experience the value: brand is a promise delivered
- Listing of organizations: do we need to grow or have more people come to the resource
- Define value stream: what is the value you can show.
- Ensure that no matter at what level; the messaging is consistent (example Regional Tourism using State of Michigan “Pure Michigan” campaign, but still connecting it to UPWard Initiative.)
- Commit to something bigger.
- Brands working together:
- Focused outreach efforts targeting specific audiences
- Led by local entities. Keep individuality but attach to something bigger.
- Example: unified branding outcomes: Hartford, St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association example of Marinette having three to four different marketing for the same area.
- UPWard Banner equates to golden arches.
What are we selling?
Communication Channel: first audience you need to convince is the brand value to people working on the committees.
Where to start?
- Make it easy: have access to logo:
- Fingerprints = ownership: everyone buys in: Own It
- Keep it going
- Measure it
UPWard 4-20-12 Follow Up Discussion (brainstorming)
- Use technology for meetings (UP Link, Video Conference, Go-To Meeting)
- Committee members should do in-person visits at banks, municipalities and other stakeholders to build awareness, membership and support
- Give presentations to groups at meetings such as Rotary, Kiwanis etc.
- Define communication channel for events that align with UPWard
- Create executive/strategic board that meets more frequently than committees
- Update dashboard
- Seek out marketing consultant
- Identify and attract human capital
- Submit articles and promotional materials to newspapers, UPBT and other UP Wide publications (one pillar per month)
- Co-Brant with PTAC events
- Define tactical co-branding efforts
- Set benchmarks for branding and co-branding
- Create an annual report
- Leverage marketing expertise or funds for marketing (university marketing staff?)
- Marketing consultant
- ID and attract human capital/talent from public and private entities
- Define the “ask”
- Contributors – In-kind
- Advertising
- Printing
- Value proposition
- Reduce redundancy
- UPEDA/Operation Action/UPWard Alignment
- U.Pure Michigan
- Common narrative for UPEDA/UPWard/Operation Action
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