Operation Action U.P. Annual Meeting
Posted by Amy Clickner on January 20, 2012
Each year, the members of Operation Action U.P. (OAUP) and the business community from across the Upper Peninsula gather for their Annual Meeting to celebrate the accomplishments of regional businesses and share in their success. This year’s meeting will take place Friday, January 27 in the Great Lakes Rooms of the NMU University Center in Marquette.
Operation Action U.P.’s mission is to bring together industrial corporations, financial institutions, utilities, institutions of higher learning, businesses and concerned citizens in a coalition that will work to create a favorable economic climate and strong employment base for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
The theme of this year’s OAUP Annual Meeting is “Jobs vs. Regulatory Burden,” which is aimed at addressing the challenges businesses have when complying with such things as environmental regulations.
The keynote address will be given by Dr. Susan Hedman, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 Administrator. She directs EPA’s operations in the six-state Great Lakes region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, as well as 35 federally recognized tribal governments. She is also Manager of the Great Lakes National Program Office, which oversees restoration and protection of the largest freshwater system in the world.
Prior to accepting her current appointment from President Obama, Dr. Hedman was environmental counsel and senior assistant attorney general in the Illinois Attorney General’s office, where she focused on litigation and legislation relating to environmental protection, energy efficiency, renewable energy, carbon capture technology and associated consumer issues.
There will also be a panel discussion featuring mining experts from the region to talk about the future of mining in the Upper Peninsula. This year’s panel will include Adam Burley, president of Kennecott Eagle Minerals Company; Mick Lawler, senior mine manager of HudBay Minerals, Inc.; and David Anderson, director of health, safety and environment and government relations, Orvana Resources US Corp – Copperwood Project.
In addition, several outstanding Upper Peninsula businesses will receive Awards of Excellence for 2011. The Operation Action U.P. Excellence Awards recognize up to five outstanding businesses, or major institutional employers that have contributed to the economic well-being of the Upper Peninsula. These award winners will have the opportunity to “spotlight” their business with a presentation at the annual meeting, giving the audience a better understanding of how they came to be deserving of an Award of Excellence.
For more information on the 2012 Operation Action U.P. Annual meeting, visit operationactionup.org and download a brochure and registration form. The cost of the event, which includes lunch, is $45 for OAUP members and $50 for non-members. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Crystal Kuklinski at 906-226-6591.
