The Michigan Opportunity
Through dynamic discussion, The Michigan Opportunity markets the state and promotes Michigan as a world-class business location. The podcast serves as a forward-thinking voice for Michigan as a conduit to global trends and applications in the new global economy.
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PreviousEpisodes
Kevin Johnson, President and CEO, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
Detroit Economic Growth Corporation: Find out why Kevin Johnson is up to the challenge of advancing the economy for all residents.
Kevin Johnson is the President and CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. The mission of the DEGC is to design and implement innovative solutions that attract investment, create jobs and advance Detroit’s economy for all residents. Join Kevin and host Ed Clemente to learn about neighborhood small-business growth, the new Stellantis/Fiat Chrysler Detroit Assembly Complex, Buy Detroit, international economic strategies and Detroit Means Business. He will also get into what the International Economic Development Council is, and his definition of what economic development means to compete. Overall, a very substantial and visionary discussion on Detroit and more!
Marty Fittante, CEO, Invest UP
Invest UP has a big job bringing prosperity to the 15 counties of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Hear how they’re doing it from the iron range to the Soo Locks!
Martin (Marty) Fittante is the Chief Executive Officer for InvestUP. InvestUP is the lead regional economic development organization for Michigan's Upper Peninsula, with the mission of driving prosperity across the entire region through collaboration, proactively leveraging relationships, and thoughtful leadership aimed at producing results. Join host Ed Clemente for a conversation with Marty about all the unique opportunities involved by attracting, retaining, creating and expanding industries with intellectual property for talent infrastructure, defense, medical devices, electronics and pharma. With support from several Economic Development Organizations and partners, InvestUP is improving internet access, creating higher education, leveraging natural resources, promoting tourism and much more. Also, find out what is going on at the Soo Locks, and the other former military air bases. Either way, the UP has lot going on!
Jennifer Owens - President, Lakeshore Advantage
What is up on Lake Michigan? The Lakeshore Advantage. See how they are helping West Michigan businesses in Allegan and Ottawa Counties.
Jennifer Owens is the President of Lakeshore Advantage, a non-profit economic development organization that connects businesses to the resources they need to grow in Allegan and Ottawa Counties. With host Ed Clemente, they discuss the ecosystem of advanced energy her team has been cultivating, other manufacturing industries as well as Opportunity Zones, Gentex, workforce and entrepreneurship. Jennifer has a strong pedigree in economic development, as well as a well-rounded career, strong internal and leadership teams, and partners to help make Lakeshore Advantage a successful organization.
Eric Frederick, Vice President of Community Affairs, Connected Nation Michigan
What do global nomads, the digital divide, Starlink & health care have in common? Connected Nation Michigan ties them all together
Executive Director, Connected Nation Michigan Eric Fredrick takes us into the exciting new world economy of how we will be connected for many of our daily activities in the near future. He explains how in the last year this industry has accelerated, and how digital connections impact us all. He discusses the highlights of the growing glossary of connectivity and how we build this out to rural and urban settings alike. Learn a little bit about Digital Nomads, telemedicine, Starlink, broadband, business & workforce opportunities and many other interesting topics.
Maureen Donohue Krauss, President and CEO, Detroit Regional Partnership
How the Detroit Regional Partnership has taken 11 Southeast Michigan counties and is marketing them globally for economic prosperity.
Chief Executive Officer of the Detroit Regional Partnership Maureen Donohue Krauss takes us on tour of what makes up the "Detroit advantage" of how marketing the region to out-of-state and international companies to attract investments and jobs. Find out how it was created, and the stakeholders involved and how it serves Southeast Michigan’s 11-county region. She provides a few anecdotal stories to show the unique process of economic development in action.
Birgit Klohs, Former President and CEO, The Right Place
A short history of how Grand Rapids & Western Michigan became an economic global powerhouse.
Former President and CEO Birgit Klohs worked at The Right Place, Inc. for over 33 years, with great success. During her conversation with us she discusses how she navigated the organization by collaborating with state and local leaders and business executives to create more than $5 billion in economic investment in the region and generate more than 50,000 jobs.
Under her tenure at the helm, she assisted the city of Grand Rapids become the beacon of business activity and high quality of life that it encompasses today. Her legacy impacted the creation of the bio-medical, scientific research, and growth of premier healthcare in the region and is coupled with a growth in higher education through out West Michigan.
Keona Cowan, Executive Vice President, Invest Detroit
A discussion about community-based lender “Invest Detroit” and their support of small business owners and developers of color.
The Michigan Opportunity had the pleasure of having a passionate discussion with Keona Cowans, Executive Vice President for Invest Detroit. Invest Detroit is a mission-driven lender, investor, and partner that supports business and real estate projects that will assist economic growth in Detroit and the region. Invest Detroit’s mission is to work for all Detroiters for an improved quality of life – inclusive housing, resourceful and walkable neighborhoods, and to provide equitable opportunities for jobs and business growth.
Ms. Cowans walks us down the many avenues of how the city weathered COVID-19 challenges, as well as the organizations many partners and stakeholders, the challenges of underserved communities and many other topics.
Tom Durkee of MEDC, Deidra Mitchell of Waséyabek Development Company, LLC Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi
Beyond Gaming: Economic diversification within Michigan’s Tribes.
The Michigan Opportunity had the pleasure of having a discussion with Deidra Mitchell, President & CEO of Waséyabek Development Company, LLC, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, and Tom Durkee, Business Development Manager, MEDC.
From Tom we will learn about the interaction of what the MEDC Tribal Business Development Program is, and the variety projects that they have been involved with recently and some of the trends. With Deidra we get an inside view of what types Tribally-owned business there are by the 12 Tribes of Michigan. Additionally, we will learn about the local economic impact and how Tribally-owned businesses differ from others in Michigan.
Fay Beydoun, Executive Director, American Arab Chamber of Commerce
Discover how a Michigan business organization is building economic and cultural bridges locally, nationally, and across the globe.
The Michigan Opportunity had a great discussion with Fay Beydoun, Executive Director, American Arab Chamber of Commerce. Fay also holds a seat on the Michigan Economic Development Corporation Executive Committee, as appointed by Governor Whitmer. Executive Director Beydoun runs a dynamic international organization that has grown to encompass a diverse local, national, and international membership. The Chamber has become the largest American-Arab business organization in the United States, stimulating economic growth by building economic and cultural bridges locally, nationally, and across the globe. We discussed the Michigan Council of Ethnic Chambers and Tejara Global Business Development Center and other international trade issues.
Gerry Anderson, Chairman and CEO, DTE
Hear the energizing story how Michigan navigated the pandemic, jumpstarted the economic recovery and the future of work.
The Michigan Opportunity had an exciting and strategic-driven conversation with Gerry Anderson, Executive Chairman of DTE Energy. He covers a wide range of topics from statewide issues such as the Chair of the Governors Michigan Economic Recovery Council; new leaders at Business Leaders for Michigan and the Detroit Regional Partnership, of which he is the Chair of both of those boards. We discussed future disrupters and evolving worlds of energy, workforce and navigating the new world of COVID accelerators.
About the Host: Ed Clemente
Ed Clemente joined the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) in 2020 as the Senior Advisor for Trends and Development.
From 2012-2020, Clemente served as a two-term governor appointed Hearing Commissioner for the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC). Executing over 7,000 judicial Orders/Decisions, over the tenure of service. Prior joining the MLCC, Clemente launched Michigan’s Energy Innovation Business Council (EIBC) establishing it as 501c3 and 501c6 entity and serving as its first President.
Ed Clemente was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2004 representing parts of southern Wayne County. During his three terms in the State House (2004-2010) he led task forces on electric vehicles, biosciences, film industry, Brownfield restoration, economic development, quality of life and advanced energy. Before his tenure as a public official, Clemente held several leadership roles at the Southern Wayne County Regional Chamber of Commerce, including President and Director Economic and Business Development. He also previously chaired the Economic Development Committee of the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments and was elected as a Trustee for Wayne County Community College District, serving four terms.
Clemente has earned degrees from Ferris State, Michigan State University and Sienna Heights Universities. Clemente was awarded with a prestigious fellowship to the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and The National Judicial College for Administrative Law. He graduated from several political leadership development programs, including Leadership Detroit, Michigan Political Leadership Program, and Leadership 21. He is a previous small business owner and has taught at Northwood University. Additionally, he hosts a “Critical Conversations” podcast and is a member of the Workforce Advisors for Wayne County Community College. Ed serves on the Board of Directors for Global Ties Detroit and the Motor Cities National Heritage Area. An avid traveler, Ed has visited more than 80 countries and territories, 150+ UNESCO World Heritage sites, many to play rugby tournaments, others for professional exchange and some for just intellectual curiosity.
The Michigan Opportunity is brought to you by Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). In collaboration with more than 100 economic development partners, MEDC markets Michigan as the place to do business, assists businesses in their growth strategies and fosters the growth of vibrant communities across the state.