Newsletter 
October 2022
Upcoming Meetings
Small Business Roundtable
Monday, November 3
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. CT
Bay West Room 236
RSVP to info@daeda.org
Executive Committee Meeting
Monday, November 3
3:30 p.m. CT
Bay West Room 115
Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, November 17 (subject to change)
8:00 a.m. CT
Bay West Room 115
Manufacturing Day Success
A big thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of Manufacturing Day 2022! We truly appreciate all the collaboration and effort that culminates in a meaningful experience where local ninth graders can explore professional trades in manufacturing.

THANK YOU!
To the companies that presented activities to the students – Billerud, BOSS Snowplow, CCI Systems, Grede, Loadmaster, Systems Control, Trident Maritime Systems
To Enbridge for your donation and giveaways
To our educational partners – Bay College West Campus (host) and the DIISD Tech Center
To the participating schools - Iron Mountain, Kingsford, Niagara, North Dickinson, Norway
To all of our volunteers who shared their time and expertise to support the event

  • 7 companies
  • 5 schools
  • 310 ninth graders
  • 30 volunteers
Small Business Roundtable - November 3
The Alliance Small Business Retention & Growth Task Force is pleased to host a Business Roundtable event on Thursday, November 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CT at Bay West in Room #236. Many will remember these events held prior to the pandemic. We want to hear from the small business community to learn more about their challenges, opportunities and ways that The Alliance can support their efforts for growth and success.

The program will include a conversation led by Nicole Potvin, regional consultant for the Michigan Small Business Development Center, and will be centered on small business trends and insights. The agenda also includes time for dialogue on any topics of interest to the business community. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP in advance to info@daeda.org and note any special dietary requests.

Questions? Please contact Lois Ellis.
Loyal 2 Local - Holiday Season Coming
As you prepare for the holidays over the remainder of the year, please remember to support our local business community. You can visit the Loyal 2 Local website and use the directory to find local gifts and gift card options. There's something for everyone on your list!
 
Employers – if you plan to reward employees or thank clients, please consider buying local gift cards. The Loyal 2 Local program offers a bulk gift card buying option, making it very easy for you! Check out this menu of bulk gift card options, and simply let us know your choices. We take care of fulfilling orders from multiple businesses and will deliver them to you! Contact Lois Ellis to inquire.
Going Pro Talent Fund 2023
The Going PRO Talent Fund (Talent Fund) makes awards available to employers to assist in training, developing and retaining current and newly hired employees. Training funded by the Talent Fund must be short-term and fill a demonstrated talent need experienced by the employer. The training must lead to a credential for a skill that is transferable and recognized by industry. The State of Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity awards funds to employers through Michigan Works! Agencies (MWA). Locally, interested employers should contact Carmen Thomma-Frank early to allow ample time for the fact-finding process to ensure applications are completed in time for review. More information about the Going Pro Talent Fund can be accessed here.
Return North: Virtual & In-Person Options
Return North is an annual professional career fair that matches job seekers with the right employers located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Through the Return North event, candidates and local companies have an opportunity to meet in an organic, mutually beneficial environment and communicate freely with each other. Both virtual and in-person events are being held in November.

Details and information on how employers can get involved can be found at return-north.com/.
FREE Online Workshops Offered
Through a partnership with the consulting team at the Michigan Small Business Development Center in the Upper Peninsula, The Alliance and the Dickinson Area Chamber of Commerce host workshops on topics of interest to business owners and those interested in starting a new business. Look for the following sessions on the first Wednesday of each month through the remainder of the year. If you have suggestions for topics you would like to see covered in a future workshop, please reach out to Lois Ellis.

You can also check out the On-Demand Library where you will find many valuable presentations on timely business topics. You will be asked to create an account to attend workshops or view the library of resources. 
County Data Refreshed
The Dickinson County Data Booklet now has 2021 data. This annual report creates a clear image of the economic factors in Dickinson County. The booklet’s data is created with the Economic Modeling Specialist’s Incorporated (EMSI) developer tool. The data pulls from more than 90 different federal, state, and private data sources. The report uses historical trends to look into past economic activity. It then combines those trends with published formulas to make predictions about the economic environment in Dickinson County. If you have any questions about this report, please contact The Alliance.
Congratulations to 41 Lumber
The Alliance extends our congratulations to the 41 Lumber design team, who recently won an American Residential Design Award for their proposed renovation of a 150-year-old Victorian home. 41 Lumber is the first firm from the Upper Peninsula & surrounding Wisconsin area to win this award. Congratulations to the 41 Lumber team!
Dickinson Area Economic Development Alliance
906-360-4653 | info@daeda.org | www.daeda.org