from the desk of APACC Executive Director Alysia R. Green, cBSP
February 2019
Dear APACC Sponsors, Members and Friends,

Wow, we’re full speed ahead and halfway through February! Happy Lunar New Year from APACC is either hosting or partnering on so many great upcoming activities. We’re truly thankful to be seen as a gateway to Asian/Pacific Islander American and U.S. businesses.

What an awesome segue way to our first big event of the year; APACC’s 16th Annual East-West Business Connection which is our matchmaker. Taking place on March 6 in Livonia, we have over 50 corporate buyers from more than 30 companies confirmed from auto, defense, financial and healthcare just to name a few of the industries. AND they’re looking for every commodity/service under the sun such as: agriculture, autonomous technology, composites, IT, landscaping, plastic injection molding, recruitment/staffing, small stamped parts, etc. Whew! The list is extensive which means there are amazing business development opportunities just waiting to be had. 

As our matchmaking event has been incredibly successful, we’re adding a new component! We’re kicking off our Entrepreneur Academy during the afternoon of East-West with discussions on emerging technologies from Inteva Products and Henry Ford Health System as well as a local, successful entrepreneur leading his company and adapting in an always, changing world. We will also bring entrepreneurial experts to you as representatives from business incubators/accelerators and funding sources will be on hand to answer questions whether you have a great idea, are a start-up or an established business. By the end of the day, we’ll have over 350 attendees. Register to be an exhibitor to gain the additional exposure. Don’t miss out!!

Shortly after East-West is the signature event that APACC is most known for; our elegant, black-tie Annual Gala . This year, on Saturday, May 4 at the beautiful MGM Grand Detroit, we celebrate 18 years of achievements in the Asian community while styling in our ethnic and formal best! Approximately 700 guests including top corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and many prominent civic and government leaders will be in attendance.  

And, if you weren't aware, there are still sponsorship opportunities available for both the East-West Business Connection and the 18th Annual APACC Gala . Considering we just celebrated Valentine’s Day, have I mentioned how much I, and the rest of the staff, LOVE our sponsors, members, friends and community partners????

Have a great rest of your month! Hope to see you at our Signature events!
Regards,

Upcoming APACC Events
APACC East-West Business Connection
"IoT and Digital Transformation:
Making the Connection and Capitalizing on the Opportunities"
SPONSORED BY:


Showcase Sponsor: Nissan North America

Supporting Sponsors: General Motors , DTE Energy , and MGM Grand Detroit

Energizing Sponsor: G-TECH Services, Inc.



Media Sponsor: Corp! Magazine Magazine Sponsor: DBusiness
PANEL DISCUSSION:
• Bill Foy , SVP of Engineering, DENSO International America, Inc. 
• Chris Willis , Chief Design Officer, DOMO Inc. 
• Jason Tsai , VP of Product Development, FANUC Robotics 

Moderated by: John Clark , Managing Director, Automotive, Discrete Manufacturing, Supply Chain, DOMO Inc. 
Confirmed Speakers:
  • Suk-Kyu Koh, Chairman & CEO, Chrysan Industries, Inc. 
  • Courtney Stevens, Director of Virtual Care Department, HFHS 
  • Seema Verma-Prince, Global Director for Strategic Planning, Inteva 

Moderated by: Ronald E. Whitney, Partner, Honigman 

Meet the Experts:
  • Ann Arbor SPARK
  • CEED Lending
  • Macomb OU Incubator
  • New Economy Initiative (NEI)
  • Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)
  • Small Business Development Center (SBDC) 
  • TechTown
  • U.S. Small Business Administration
$15 OFF
Admission
Be sure to enter code
P ARTNER at registration for Entrepreneur Academy by 2/19/19
MGM GRAND
Detroit
$199 Room
Book a Room at MGM Grand Detroit for $199* for the APACC Gala on Saturday, May 4, 2019.  
*Room not inclusive of tax and resort fees.  Reservation cutoff date is 04/03/2019 11:59 p.m.

Where has APACC been?
MI Bar International Section Event
GM Heritage Center, Sterling Heights, MI
January 16, 2019
DENSO Supplier Diversity Luncheon and NAIAS Preview 
January 17, 2019
DTE Energy Auto Show Charity Preview 
January 18, 2019
Wayne State University MLK Tribute 
Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Detroit, MI
January 22, 2019
West Michigan Membership Meeting
Goei Center, Grand Rapids, MI 
January 22, 2019
Oakland Chamber Network (OCN) Meeting 
Oakland Community College - Orchard Ridge Campus, Farmington Hills, MI 
January 25, 2019
Chinese Association of West Michigan
2nd Annual Grand Rapids Lunar New Year Festival
DeVos Place Convention Center Ballroom, Grand Rapids MI 
February 2, 2019 
photos courtesy of Kavy Lenon, HermanMiller
ACA Lunar New Year Banquet 
Golden Harvest, Madison Heights, MI 
February 9, 2019

That's My Cup of Tea!
Pitch Club Detroit @ Ann Arbor SPARK
Pitch club is a unique mentoring and funding program hosted across the state of Michigan in cities such as: Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing, and Grand Rapids. Pitch Club has ongoing monthly events that provide entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn from seasoned entrepreneurs and investors. The events are meant to educate, network, inspire and provide valuable experiences for being investable. As part of the events, 3 lucky entrepreneurs will receive the opportunity to practice their pitch and discuss business plan with funding experts, giving them a better understanding the mindset of an investor. Presenters will be given milestones to complete. In addition to guidance from our host and guest experts, attendees will be given a survey to provide additional feedback to the presenters. Pitch club will also feature a guest keynote who can speak on topics related to starting a company, technology, and opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Pitch Club events feature 3 startup presentations, a pool of judges, and keynote speaker. You can find more information about Pitch Club by visiting our website: www.PitchClubMI.com

Deadline for startups to apply is Sunday, February 16, 2019: http://www.pitchclubmi.com/pitch-club-application.php

Time/Date/Location:
Wed, February 27, 2019
5:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Ann Arbor SPARK Central Innovation Center
330 East Liberty Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Michigan Angel Group will also be hosting an Angel Investor meeting prior to Pitch Club, at the same location. Anyone interested in learning more about becoming an investor are welcome to attend! 

SPARK Angel Investors Meeting 
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
SPARK Central, 330 E. Liberty, Ann Arbor
3-5pm

Benefits of attending:
• Meet active angel investors
• Learn how you can generate large returns on investments
• See where to find Michigan investment opportunities
• Hear about trends in investing in this asset class
• Discover ways to get involved
Rocket Mortgage Classic PGA Tour
APACC is pleased to share with you an exciting opportunity coming to Detroit this year! In case you haven’t heard, the Rocket Mortgage Classic will make history in 2019 as the first PGA TOUR event ever held in the city of Detroit. The event is scheduled for June 24-30 at the historic Detroit Golf Club, the tournament will feature 156 of the world’s top players competing for a $7.3 million purse over four days and 72 holes. Embodying the spirit of Detroit, the week-long event will also feature great entertainment, cuisine and social activities on and off the course. The Rocket Giving Fund is the primary charitable beneficiary of the tournament and will support many local charities.

What many people may not know is that there has already been a minimal commitment of four (4) years and is likely to be another ten (10) years pending the anticipated success of the inaugural event. Moreover, with the NAIAS moving to June in 2020, Detroit will be seeing hundreds of thousands of new visitors to the city in that month alone, which is a great opportunity to gain a large amount of exposure with new audiences. 

For your convenience, please find below links to information about hospitality suites, corporate sponsorship opportunities, and the ProAm tournament. Many of these opportunities are nearly sold out and are on a first-come-first-serve basis. It is also likely that returning sponsors may be given a first right of refusal for upcoming years; therefore, if you think this may be something your company would be interested in, you may want to reach out to Mr. Andy Walters via the contact information below at your earliest convenience. 


More information is available at RocketMortgageClassic and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram ( @RocketClassic).

Please contact: 
Andy Walters, Sales Director, Rocket Mortgage Classic / PGA Tour, Intersport
Office 313.329.5695 or Cell 248.797.2356
1 Woodward Ave, Suite 1402, Detroit, MI 48226

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

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