LSCP Wraps Up 20th Anniversary

Posted by on December 17, 2018

As we wrapped up our 20th Anniversary in November, I took the time to reflect on the year and decided to compile a list of “LSCP Top Ten of 2018”. I believe it is important to reflect on accomplishments within an organization for many reasons. It allows the organization to access how much it has grown while also determining goals for the future. Sometimes celebrating can even be the driving force behind new ideas and certainly a motivator for staff.

  1. Exceed New Partner Investment- Welcome to all of our new partners we have gained in 2018. We’re thrilled to be working with so many unique and innovative businesses that the community is lucky enough to have here locally. We will continue to be a resource and advocate for you and your business.
  2. Empire Mine Efforts- We continue to advocate for the reopening of the Empire Mine to bring 350 family sustaining jobs to our region. We hope to see a decision being made in 2019.
  3. Meeting LSCP Business Retention and Expansion Goal- In 2018, we have met our goal of meeting with 475 businesses across Marquette County. Whether the business is a start-up or a large company, planning expansion or succession, we want to help eliminate problems that keep you up at night and help you reach your goals.
  4. 20th Anniversary Celebration- We kicked off our year-long Anniversary Celebration last November with the celebratory resigning of our articles of incorporation. We continued with our Annual Dinner in March and ended with a Business After Hours event in November. Thank you to everyone who was involved in the various 20th Anniversary events and all who have collaborated with us over the past 20 years. We could not have made it this far without all of you and we are looking forward to the next 20 years.
  5. Record Year for LSLA Recruitment-27 participants- It is great to see the growing number of people actively seeking a community leadership role. The leadership academy helps prepare potential leaders across Marquette County. Allowing for them to come together and form relationships while working towards educating themselves, and identifying what can be done to improve the community.
  6. Regional Partners- We’re continuing to expand our relationships and formal collaboration with regional partners. Our partnerships include the Baraga County Economic Development Corporation, Dickinson Area Economic Development Alliance and Michigan Works. Having these strategic partnerships allows for limited resources to be used more effectively and efficiently and avoids duplicating efforts regionally.
  7. EMSI Workforce Insight- Our ability to launch this new tool keeps the LSCP up to date with trends and information that can help businesses with their talent needs. The software allows us to provide data regarding wages, skill sets, alumni whereabouts and areas of concentration for recruitment focus.
  8. Family Feud Success- Although unrelated to economic development, Family Feud put the “fun” in fundraiser. The first time event was a huge success. Fundraisers like family Feud give the LSCP the ability to provide low cost/no cost services from our Business Development team.
  9. Completed a decade long project- This year we finally completed a critical building sale through the EDC. This project now allows for mining core samples to have a permanent home in the U.P., which are extremely valuable for continued exploration.
  10. Fully Staffed and Trained- To end my LSCP Top Ten of 2018 list, it is amazing to go into 2019 with a full staff who are completely trained and ready to tackle our mission in the coming year.

A few side notes to leave you with, there is still an opportunity to contribute to the LSCP for 2018 through our LSCP Foundation (a 501c3) allowing for a potential tax incentive prior to year end. The LSCP Foundation’s mission is to promote and advance economic and workforce development in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. There are several funds in the foundation to choose from. One being the Chairman’s Circle Fund. These donations go to support economic development functions including professional development, business attraction and projects not afforded through the general LSCP fund. Visit, www.lscpfoundation.org for more information.

Moving into 2019 were are kicking of the year with a bang! Here’s a list of a few events to mark on your calendar:

  • The Operation Action U.P. Annual Meeting on February 14th
  • The UP200 on February 15th
  • The LSCP Annual Dinner on February 20th

A heartfelt thanks to all of you who have supported the LSCP over the last twenty years. Economic development is not done in a silo and success relies on the network of stakeholders and partners that come to the table for the betterment of the region. We are grateful to all who play a role in Marquette County’s economic success.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Amy Clickner, CEO, writes a bi-weekly column for the Mining Journal.

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