Michigan Turnaround Plan

Posted by on April 5, 2012

Do you remember in 2010 when I wrote about Business Leaders for Michigan (BLM) and we hosted their President Doug Rothwell here in Marquette County?  Let me refresh your memory and provide you with the some recently announced updates.

Business Leaders for Michigan, the state’s business roundtable, is dedicated to making Michigan a “top ten” state for job, economic and personal income growth.  It is comprised exclusively of the chairpersons, chief executives or most senior executives of Michigan’s largest companies and universities that provide over 320,000 jobs and generate over $1 trillion in annual revenue in Michigan.
The initial Turnaround Plan, designed by BLM, laid out a foundation of five pillars to turn Michigan around:
·         Responsibly manage finances

·         Effectively and efficiently provide public services

·         Create a competitive business climate

·         Strategically invest for future growth

·         Accelerate the economic growth of cities and metros
To access the updated 2012 plan you can log onto www.michiganturnaroundplan.comwhere you will see what has been accomplished in our state over the last year.  The report makes the statement that “our state finances are managed better, our tax policy has been improved, our regulatory environment makes more sense and the conditions are right to foster growth in our state, creating new jobs and bringing life to our communities.”
The 2012 plan now includes a sixth step: “Leverage assets to grow the new Michigan.”  Within this new step, six growth areas with significant potential are identified:
·         Engineering talent

·         Geographic location

·         Higher education system

·         Natural resources

·         Automotive industry

·         Health and medical expertise
See any connections to the Upper Peninsula in that list?  I certainly do.
So how does Business Leaders for Michigan help implement their plans?  Why would these business leaders take the initiative to outline such as plan?  In their publications, BLM answers like this:  “Business leaders know first-hand what it takes to create jobs and have a huge stake in the future of Michigan.  The plan is based on solid data, careful research and thoughtful planning.”   
As for implementation: “We build support among key stakeholders, advocate for policy changes, champion specific initiatives and report progress on our Web site.”
We look forward to hearing more from BLM and Doug Rothwell when he visits Marquette in September.  Stay tuned for more details.
Interested in learning more?  Log onto to the BLM Web site www.michiganturnaroundplan.com  or look for them on Facebook and other social media outlets. 
For information on the Lake Superior Community Partnership and our mission to stimulate and sustain a vibrant regional economy by facilitating economic growth and prosperity, visit our Web site at www.marquette.org or call 226-6591. 

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