From the Economic Development Desk of the
April 17, 2019
You are receiving this email because your organization is at one of the economic development tiers  with the Chamber of Commerce. As always, we encourage your comments and questions.
Read below for an update on economic development activities...

  • Met with Alpena City staff regarding two available properties
  • Attended an Alpena City Council meeting to listen to Greg Sundin’s State of the City address
  • Met with two consultants working with us on our Redevelopment Ready Community program
  • Presented at the Chamber’s Good Mid Day Alpena lunch
  • Met with our loan committee to review a loan request
  • Participated in a Presque Isle County Economic Development Corporation meeting
  • Presented an overview of our organization to the Montmorency County Economic Development Corporation board
  • Hosted an out-of-region group for a tour of downtown
  • Hosted a conference call with an out-of-region developer
  • Discussed our small business counseling and loan programs with two different interested parties
  • Discussed bad debt collection with our attorney
  • Answered countless calls and emails about spaceports

A message from Economic Development Director, Jim Klarich
Ever get the feeling that you’re getting pulled in a lot of directions at one time? There are things you need to get done, things that everyone thinks you need to get done immediately, and the then there’s the things that should have been accomplished last month but are still lingering on your desk. There are calls to return, paperwork to complete, deadlines to meet, presentations to prepare, site packages to complete - the list doesn't seem to end. Now put all of that on the desk of someone who isn't the most organized...

Trust me, you’re not alone in feeling overwhelmed at times. Thank goodness I work in an office that’s full of extremely organized people that unselfishly pick up all of the details that I leave bobbing around in my wake. Going from sticky notes covered in chicken scratch to friendly email reminders about when something is due or where I need to be at a certain time is like a warm blanket and so appreciated. If you’ve got people who help make your work life easier be sure to thank them! (That reminds me…thanks, Chamber coworkers!)

At our annual meeting last week, I challenged everyone to think about what our community might look like if we (our Economic Development Corporation) didn't exist. No community engagement, no small business counseling, no site selection, no loan programs, no outreach, no one to talk to developers, and so on. Zilch, nada. Based on the looks around the room and the calls I received afterward, the consensus was that it wouldn’t be a pretty sight. Our efforts are collaboration among a lot of stakeholders and while a small group of us work toward our combined goals every day in this office, we are only enabled to do so because of all of you. Thank you for caring so much about our community and for all of your support.
We would like to recognize the following members who have made commitments to move up in tiers for 2019:

Cardell and Sons Landscaping - Sponsor Level
Sponsored by
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Chairman Level ($3,201+)
Alpena Agency, Inc.
Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union
Alpena Community College
Alpena County
Alpena Power Company
Besser Foundation
Charter Township of Alpena
City of Alpena
H.P.C. Credit Union
Huntington Bank
Lappan Agency
mBank
Presque Isle County
Presque Isle Electric and Gas Co-Op

Leader Level ($3,200)    
Edward Jones - Marc Ferguson, Charles R. Ingle, Pamela Kirchoff, Andrew Kowalski, Bryan Strong
Lafarge 
MidMichigan Health
 
Partner Level ($1,500) 
Alpena Public Schools
Bannan Funeral Home
Besser Company
Chemical Bank
Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan
Downtown Development Authority
Decorative Panels International
DTE Energy
Employment Services Inc. (ESI)
The Home Depot
ITC Holdings, Corp.
LeFave Pharmacy
Northland Area Federal Credit Union
Pennzoil Ten Minute Oil Change Center of Alpena
PNC Bank
Propane Plus Inc., MI Stop Citgo, MI Stop Deli
Ripley and State Street Auto Washes
Star Staffing Alpena
Timm Construction Company, LLC
Walmart
Wolverine State Credit Union
  
Sponsor Level ($475)
Alcona Health Center
Alpena Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Alpena Beverage Company
Alpena Biorefinery
Alpena Community Credit Union
Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library
Alpena Events Complex
Alpena Glass Company, Inc.
Alpena News Publishing Company
Alpena Supply Company
Art Van Furniture/Young Appliance
Austin Brothers' Beer Company
Ball Tire
Banner Realty
Bedrock Contracting and Excavating
Besser Senior Living Community, Inc.
Boldrey, Senchuk, Rouleau & Williams, CPA's, PC
Bolenz Jewelry
Cardell and Sons Landscaping
Century 21 Crow Realty
Cliff Anschuetz Chevrolet Inc.
Consumers Energy
Control Solutions Inc
Cutting Edge Construction
Days Inn of Alpena
Dean Arbour Ford Lincoln
Downtown Union 76 LLC
Everett Goodrich, Inc.
Fiber Char
H&R Block
Holiday Inn Express & Suites
Huron Engineering & Surveying
Industrial Image, Inc.
Neiman's Family Market
NEMCSA, Inc.
NEMROC, Inc.
Northern Eye
Omega Electric & Sign Company Inc.
Ossineke Industries
Ossineke Township
Plowman's Collision Service
Pompeyos Mexican Grill
R.A. Townsend Company
R.S. Scott Associates, Inc.
Ramada Alpena
ServiceMaster Home & Office
Sherwin Williams
SkyWest Airlines
Specification Stone Products
Straley Lamp & Kraenzlein P.C.
Suez
Switzer Veterinary Clinic
Tarkington Family Dentistry
Team Elmer's
The Drug Store
Thunder Bay Accounting
Thunder Bay Electric, Inc.
Thunder Bay Eye Care
Thunder Bay Family Dentistry
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Thunder Bay Therapy & Sports Medicine
Thunder Bay Tree Services, LLC
True North Radio Network
W.G. Benjey Inc./S&A Company
WATZ
Werth Development, LLC
White, Wojda and Curtis
Wolf Family Dentistry
Wolgast Corporation