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Alliance Executive Committee Meeting
Tuesday, April 27
3:30 p.m.
Via Zoom Meeting
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Alliance Board Meeting
Thursday, May 20
7:00 a.m.
Via Zoom Meeting
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Annual Loyal to Local Presentation - May 19 |
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The Loyal to Local Planning Committee invites current participants and all those interested in learning more about the program to attend a webinar on May 19 from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. The webinar will highlight why being Loyal to Local is important, the program’s growth in the first three years, and goals for the coming year. The presentation will conclude with time for questions from the attendees. The 4th year of the Loyal to Local program will kick off on July 1.
Please register to attend the webinar here. Questions? Please contact Rich Mortl at 906-282-0966 or Lois Ellis at 906-360-4653.
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Career & Technical Education Graduate Recognition |
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In May, Heavy Metal Tours will recognize local high school graduates pursuing careers in manufacturing and technical occupations upon graduation. This social media campaign will ask for student nominations with one random winner from each of the eight area high schools. The winning students will also receive a prize package of gifts from area companies and Heavy Metal Tours. Watch for the kick-off announcement on the Heavy Metal Tours Facebook page.
The Dickinson County area is home to many companies that offer meaningful careers in fields that align with Career & Technical Education paths. These careers typically require certificates or two-year degrees, which lowers education costs and helps many young adults avoid student loan debt. Learn more at heavymetaltours.com.
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Bay West Leadership Academy Graduates |
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The third session of the Bay West Leadership Academy (BWLA) has concluded with fourteen graduates from area employers. The program's format includes nine workshops, lunches, and community presentations that develop participants' skills, professional network, and awareness of Dickinson County.
One participant from the 2020/2021 cohort commented, "Thank you for this opportunity. I really enjoyed the program. There are people from completely opposite industries, and everything was tied together so that everyone could relate to something. I really can't think of anything I'd suggest to add or change."
Bay West is especially grateful for the local industries' support over the last year when training programs were not a top priority in the face of the pandemic. "This program is successful because we have excellent presenters and organizations willing to share their time and talents with others. We weren't sure if there would be enough interest this year, and I'm so glad we were able to continue with the program despite COVID-19," Gina Wollner, Dean of Bay College West, shared.
Congratulations to this year's participants:
- Jerry Dywasuk, BOSS Snowplow
- Aidan Joseph, American Transmission Company
- Lindsey Martin, M.J. Electric
- Ashley Metz, M.J. Electric
- Doug Sage, Systems Control
- Mary Campbell, Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center
- Sarita Grunszynski, Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center
- Dr. Shannon Powell, Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center
- Heidi Picord, Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center
- Katie Tedeschi, Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center
- Dr. Dean Hartwig, Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center
- Ashley Kujala, Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center
- Eric Clawson, Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center
- Ann Mattson, Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center
Bay College looks forward to launching the fourth year of the program with registration opening this June. The price will remain $900 with twenty available seats. Please contact Gina Wollner with any questions.
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Our Featured Employer this month is 41 Lumber, a full-service building material supply and design company. 41 Lumber has a retail store and distribution center in Quinnesec and a brand-new kitchen and design center in downtown Iron Mountain opening soon! Check out the full feature here.
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Alliance Hosting Intern Social - June 3
We are excited to offer our annual Intern/Co-op Social in June. This free event aims to introduce interns to the many activities and places that make our community unique while encouraging them to build their careers in the Dickinson County area. The event includes networking, lawn games, drinks, and appetizers. All COVID-19 health guidelines will be in place to ensure a safe and fun event for all.
If you have interns working at your company this summer, please reach out to Lois Ellis so we can invite them to this fun event.
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Champion, Inc. Company Culture Highlighted |
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InvestUP featured Champion, Inc. as part of a three-story series about U.P. companies that are finding innovative ways to build a strong internal culture. Check out the full story here.
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Current COVID-19 Rules and Guidance Extended
The Michigan Occupational Safety & Health Administration (MIOSHA) extended the workplace safety rules through October 14. Read more here.
The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) issued an extension of the Gatherings & Mask Epidemic Order through May 24. Read more here.
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Michigan STEM Forward Internship Initiative |
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The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is collaborating with Ann Arbor SPARK to offer the Michigan STEM Forward internship program on a statewide basis. SPARK has run the program locally through the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti SmartZone with a decade of positive results. In scaling the program up, MEDC and SPARK expect to place 425-450 STEM students currently attending Michigan colleges into STEM-focused internships throughout Michigan. With the support of a $1.5 million grant approved by the MEDC Board, SPARK will contribute 50 percent of the interns’ pay, and participating companies will pay the remaining 50 percent. SPARK will track the employment status of the interns for at least 12 months to measure their retention in Michigan. If your company is interested in this program, please reach out to Lois Ellis for details. Learn more online here.
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TRAINING: Make Your Meetings More Productive |
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Bay West and Northern Initiatives are co-sponsoring a Facilitator Training on June 23 at Bay West. In this training, you will gain the tools to make meetings more productive, reduce meeting time, improve task accomplishment, and increase results. In an interactive, fast-paced format, you will learn how to build an effective agenda, use a variety of tools to accomplish your objectives, and deal with difficult meeting behaviors like getting off track or dominating. You will also learn techniques to manage conflict and build consensus.
Course Outcomes:
- Identify the difference between leader and facilitator responsibilities and identify strategies to address the conflict of serving both roles
- Apply the “plan, do, study, act” cycle to continuously improve meeting effectiveness
- Develop an effective meeting plan
- Use effective processes and tools to accomplish an agenda
- Facilitate the tools for brainstorming, cause and effect, decision matrix, and force field analysis
- Learn the tools to work with difficult meeting behaviors
Register by June 18 online here.
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FREE Webinar Resources for Small Business |
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The Michigan Small Business Development Center offers an on-demand webinar library on a wide variety of business topics, all available at no cost. Check out everything from the Fundamentals of Small Business Success to overviews of types of business legal entities and even step-by-step tutorials of public services such as the Michigan Treasury Online tool. Visit the online library, here.
Upcoming Workshops
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Introduction to Marketing Your Business
April 27
1:00 p.m. CT
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Financial Management
April 29
1:00 p.m. CT
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