Newsletter 
January 2020
Upcoming Meetings
Alliance Executive Committee Meeting
Tuesday, January 28
3:30 p.m.
Kingsford City Hall
Alliance Annual Meeting
Thursday, February 20
7:30 a.m.
Chippewa Club
RSVP to Lois Ellis
Brownfield and Land Bank Development Tools Training
Tuesday, March 10th
Bay College West
10 a.m.- 3 p.m.
2020 Board of Directors Changes
At the December Alliance Board meeting, the Board appointed two new Directors and reappointed four current Directors to serve three-year terms ending in 2022. The Board also unanimously approved the slate of Officers for 2020. A strong field of eight candidates submitted applications and we thank them all for their interest in volunteering with our organization.

Congratulations!
New 2020 Directors:
Jim Rice, VA Medical Center Director
Chuck Nelson, Dickinson County Healthcare System CEO

Re-elected Directors:
Craig Allen, Breitung Township Schools Superintendent
Jon Coyne, BOSS Snowplow Director of Engineering
Steve Feira, M.J. Electric V.P. Human Resources
Benjamin Wood, Range Bank Community Bank President

Re-elected Officers:
Chair - Russ Kassin, First National Bank & Trust S.V.P./Chief Lending Officer
Vice Chair - Tony Edlebeck, City of Kingsford City Manager
Secretary/Treasurer - Lee Lofstrom, Dickinson County Industrial Development Corp. President


Thank You!
Finally, we share our appreciation to outgoing Board member Nicole Lutz, Owner of CJ Graphics. We thank Nicole for her valuable contributions to our Board and as a member of our Executive Committee during her term. We are pleased that Nicole will continue to assist us as an active participant on our Loyal to Local Planning Committee, the Business Retention & Growth Task Force and the Marketing & Branding Task Force. A sincere thank you to Nicole for her continued support of our efforts.
Alliance Investors Invited to Annual Meeting
Mark your calendars! The Alliance Annual Meeting is set for February 20 at 7:30 am at the Chippewa Club and all Alliance Investors and Board Members are encouraged to attend. The Annual Meeting will provide an opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments of the organization in 2019 and to update the Investors on our plans for 2020. Alliance Investors should RSVP to  Lois Ellis .
Save the Date!
Brownfield and Land Bank Development Tools Training
Tuesday, March 10 th
Bay College West
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
With the recent reactivation of the Dickinson County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and the creation of the Dickinson County Land Bank Authority, the time is right to learn more about how these tools assist communities and developers in creating new investment opportunities. Mark your calendars for Tuesday, March 10 for this training at Bay College West with speakers from across the state sharing their knowledge and expertise. 
Content:
  • Brownfield Redevelopment Basics
  • What is a Land Bank?
  • Combining Brownfield and Land Bank Tools
  • Success Stories Using Redevelopment Tools
All interested parties are encouraged to attend including developers, bankers, local elected officials and governmental staff, and local planning and zoning board members. Please contact Lois Ellis if you have questions or are interested in attending.
Legislative Update – Overtime Salary Threshold 
In September 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor ruled to increase the minimum salary threshold for executive, administrative and professional exemptions from $23,600 annually to $35,568 annually, which took effect on January 1. In Michigan, Governor Whitmer’s administration is reviewing a state increase above the federal level, potentially to $50,673 or $61,272, which would make many more workers eligible for overtime wages.

Thank you to those that responded to our recent survey request on these potential State of Michigan changes to the overtime salary threshold levels and the potential impacts to your business. Your feedback is appreciated. The information has been aggregated with responses from around the region and shared with state officials.
LOYAL to LOCAL Participant Update
The LOYAL to LOCAL program continues to gain momentum in sharing the important message of supporting local businesses and organizations. Two new participants were welcomed in late 2019. We thank the Dickinson Conservation District and True North Outpost for joining our efforts. There are now 107 participants involved in the program. New participants are welcome to join the program at any time, with the program participation fee of $250/annually pro-rated for the months remaining in the program. Inquire to loyaltolocal@daeda.com for more information. Check out loyal2local.org for a full list of participants.
Bay West Training Opportunities
Bay College West has a number of offerings based off feedback from industry partners to proactively address area training needs. Consider the following options for your team to advance their skills!
Time Management
February 18
8:30 am – 10:30 am
$99
Register by February 4
Office Lean
16 hours/16 seats
March 16 – 17
$693
Lean Training
Six Sigma Lean Black Belt
160 hours/10 seats
May – August
$7,200
Negotiation Training
April 7 – 8
$315
Register Today! Operation Action U.P. Annual Meeting
The Operation Action U.P. Annual Meeting is on Thursday, February 13 in Marquette at Northern Michigan University’s Northern Center Ballrooms. Each year, members of Operation Action U.P. and the business community from across the Upper Peninsula gather to celebrate business success in the region. Please reach out to Emily Tardiff for any additional information.
The Operation Action U.P. Excellence Awards recognize up to four outstanding businesses or major institutional employers that have contributed to the economic well-being of the Upper Peninsula. Congratulations to Bacco Construction who will be one of four awardees at the meeting on February 13! Other award winners from across the Upper Peninsula include Advanced Center for Orthopedics and Plastic Surgery, Hurley Marine, and Trenary Home Bakery.  
Dickinson Area Economic Development Alliance | 906-360-4653 | info@daeda.org | www.daeda.org