The LSCP Evolution (part 1)
Posted by Amy Clickner on June 8, 2012
Last Wednesday, “The LSCP Evolution” event was held at the Peter White Lounge at Northern Michigan University to celebrate and announce our sharpened focus for the future. The event was aimed at clearing up confusion as to “who we are and what we do” at the Lake Superior Community Partnership.
When our organization was formed, it was in response to issues that were affecting our area’s economy and threatening hundreds of jobs in Marquette County. In the early 1980s, community leaders formed the Lake Superior Jobs Coalition to address issues affecting the County’s mining industry.
The group reformed in the mid-1990s to save K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base from closure. Although the attempt to save the base was unsuccessful, it was through this collaboration that the group realized it needed to continue working together to move Marquette County past the closure and toward redevelopment. Working with the County, the move of the County Airport to Sawyer was first on the list.
In 1998, the Jobs Coalition merged with the Economic Development Corporation of the County of Marquette, as well as the Marquette and Ishpeming/Negaunee Chambers of Commerce, and the Lake Superior Community Partnership was born. The original intent of forming the organization was to support business development and job growth for Marquette County through collaboration and shared resources.
In the early days of the organization, there was an economic development branch and a Chamber of Commerce branch. Both worked together to achieve the common goal of the organization. The fusion of such things as political advocacy with business and community development naturally fit together. The chambers also brought with them such things as community events and tourism promotion, which are important to the business community, but on a different side of the spectrum from business retention/expansion, attraction and entrepreneurial development.
Throughout the years, business associations, service clubs and development authorities have become the driving forces behind most community events, and have taken them to new levels. Similarly, the Marquette County Convention and Visitors Bureau has unquestionably established themselves as THE resource for tourism development. As these things have evolved, so has the Lake Superior Community Partnership, as we have gradually sharpened our focus on activities that lead to job growth.
Moving forward, the LSCP will continue to maximize organizational activities that specifically pertain to economic development and minimize those that do not. We will still serve most of the same functions, will still be a resource for information on our community, and will always support tourism and our vibrant community events. However, by sharpening our focus and changing the way we invest our resources, we intend to add more overall value for our dues paying partners and to the region by doing more of what we do best, and helping other organizations who are experts at the rest.
The Lake Superior Community Partnership’s business, is business. We will continue to focus on being the region’s leading resource for economic development; providing a wide variety of affordable and effective business development services; making the connections that matter between businesses, organizations, leaders and legislators; and providing a powerful legislative voice for programs and policies that strengthen our regional economy.
This evolution is natural, normal and inevitable…and the Lake Superior Community Partnership is ready to stimulate and sustain a vibrant regional economy by facilitating economic growth and prosperity.
Next week, I will discuss our goals for the future, and our strategic plan to accomplish our mission. For more information on the evolution of the Lake Superior Community Partnership, contact our office lscp@marquette.orgor call us at (906) 226-6591.
