Letter from the President
It is hard to believe I have been in this position for 20 years. It has been a fast ride and forever a challenge and a delight.
Early on we had a theme called “Embrace Change.”
How true that turned out to be as we switched gears from high unemployment to a workforce shortage. We had an average of 2000 “homes for sale” on the market, and now a scarce 300. The streets have changed, the waterfront has changed and the festivals have changed.
The one constant, is the Chamber’s focus on supporting business success, providing professional networking and business resources.
I have had the honor to work with the finest leaders in our business community. They are committed to building strong businesses and a strong community.
Thank you to Tom Schultz, Tyler Sales, our 2019 Chairman of the Board. He inspired and championed our current theme, “Taking it Outdoors”. We now welcome the 2020 chair Steve Olsen, Northern Machine Tool. Steve brings years of business experience and community leadership to our Chamber organization.
New to the board is Jonathan Wilson, DTE Energy. Jonathan is an emerging leader who is dedicated to making the region the best it can be.
The biggest source of pride for our board, members and staff is the transformation of downtown Muskegon. Research showed that the image of the entire county was dependent on the success of downtown. Many community stakeholders made strategic decisions to put resources into the success of this monumental project.
Now, we look forward to making the Muskegon Lakeshore a well-known destination for outdoor recreation. A large segment of our economy is tied to this vision and it works in concert with employee recruitment and retention.
After all, once people discover the Muskegon Lakeshore, there is no place else they would rather be!