NLEA June Newsletter
Check out what we and our partners have been up to.
Charlevoix County announces first county-wide Pitch Night

Hannah Sanderson, Business Attraction & Growth

Charlevoix County will hold their first county-wide business pitch competition this fall 2019. NLEA is seeking entrepreneurs with a well thought-out business plan or businesses that are two years or younger to compete for their slice of $15,000 in the Charlevoix County Pitch Night.

This event is one of three county pitch night competitions under the umbrella of Northern Michigan Pitch Night (Antrim, Charlevoix, and Cheboygan Pitch Night), hosted by the Northern Lakes Economic Alliance and in partnership with our local community partners.
AM Manufacturing moves into Norwood Township facility

Buck Love, Business Retention & Growth
AM Manufacturing staff pictured (from left) Ken Madell, Draftsman and Tammy Mitchell, Office Administrator at their new location 05321 US Hwy 31 South, Block Road, Charlevoix, MI.
Established in 1986 by the current owner, Alex Mitchell, AM Manufacturing LLC produces complete load-out system components (loading spouts) for the bulk loading industry with 5 full-time employees. The company completed a move on May 13 th , 2019 to a new facility within Charlevoix County (05321 US Hwy 31 South, Charlevoix, MI 49720 in Norwood Township). The new 9,600 square foot plant on 5.1 acres more than doubles their old production and office space.
Open doors, open minds

Save the dates for area Manufacturing Day tours

Carly Bortz, Administrative/Communications

National Manufacturing Day tours will return to Northern Michigan! On Oct. 8, 9 & 10, 2019 , area middle and high school students and parents will have the opportunity once again to tour some of the region’s most unique and innovative manufacturing facilities.

Tours will take place during school hours at 22 companies throughout Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet counties.
NLEA Community Development Team. Pictured from left: Jessica Lovay, Community Development & Grants; and Amanda Baker, Community Development & Engagement.
NLEA introduces Community Development team

Andy Hayes, NLEA President

Northern Lakes Economic Alliance (NLEA) has reconfigured staff positions and job descriptions to resurrect the community development role. Rather than remove this from the organization, it was important to find an efficient way to keep it as a resource in order to best serve local municipalities.

Direct development with Corridor Improvement Authorities

Jessica Lovay, Community Development & Grants

Like many rural Northern Michigan communities there are a plethora of development opportunities outside the traditional downtown but what can a community do to help mold and direct what that development looks like? Through the State of Michigan Corridor Improvement Authority (CIA), communities can do just that.
Add to your community development toolbox
Amanda Baker, Community Development & Engagement

Regional partners gathered in Traverse City on Monday, June 10, 2019, to share the multitude of programs used to push community development forward. Community representatives and consultants from across Region 2 refreshed on ways to move their projects forward.

NLEA Intern Update

Evan Root & Madelyn Cain, NLEA Interns

Throughout the past four weeks working at NLEA, we have learned a tremendous amount about economic development and how to best work with communities in order to be successful. We have been faced with challenges while searching for specific data information that the state requires to be included in our marketing package. The gracious municipalities in Northern Michigan have been willing and able to direct us in the right direction to find the information we seek.
Find out what our Core Partners are up to!
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