The Networks Northwest Board has unanimously approved the hiring of Terry Vandercook as the new Chief Executive Officer at Networks Northwest.

Vandercook served as Chief Program Officer at Networks Northwest until February of 2022 before leaving for a position with a northern Michigan company that assists agricultural employers across the country meet their workforce needs through the U.S. Department of Labor’s H-2A visa program. Prior to his past position at Networks Northwest, Vandercook was a Business Development Manager for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. He is a Northwest Michigan native and returned to the area with his family after serving a 20 year career in the United States Air Force.

“I am honored to have been chosen and to serve as the next Chief Executive Officer of Networks Northwest,” said Vandercook. “I look forward to leading the organization as it continues its long history of collaboration and excellence in workforce, community, and business development across Northwest Lower Michigan.”

It’s a job that out of anywhere in the world, can only be done in Harbor Springs. Moeller Aerospace, a Harbor Springs company, built parts to help send Artemis 1 to the moon.

NASA representatives were recently in Harbor Springs, thanking the crew at Moeller Aerospace for their dedication to the mission.

The unmanned mission is set for the moon, with the goal of someday, landing on Mars.

“We manufacture turbine blades, they power the rocket into space, you know, to the moon and then initially after that, we will be watching very closely to travel to mars and then who know what else,” said Stewart Cameron, the Plant manager at Moeller Aerospace.

“To think that a company in Michigan, not only Michigan, but northern Michigan, could be part of something so pivotal in not the the race to space, is something I never considered possible,” said Ian Haven, the Insides Sales Manager for Moeller Aerospace.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded $500,000 to Moran Iron Works (MIW) of Onaway. The Small Shipyard Grant will help modernize, increase productivity, and expand local employment opportunities while competing in the global marketplace.

The manufacturer received support from state government officials in obtaining the grant. “Moran Iron Works is a fundamental asset for our region providing nearly 100 jobs for the hardworking men and women who call Northern Michigan home,” said U.S. Representative Jack Bergman.

Founder and CEO of MIW, Tom Moran expressed, “The MARAD Award is a needed investment into one of the most important business sectors we have. Developing our marine capability is not only paramount to continuing employment for our team but critical to keeping the United States up to date in that manufacturing sector.

“It is common for a multi-million-dollar marine vessel to hover just a few percentage points between profit or loss and few business models can take on challenges like that and have profits left for improvement. We are proud to carry on the tradition of shipbuilding here in America.”

The motto "view of the Bay, half the pay," has the implication that you must sacrifice salary potential to live amidst the region’s glorious natural beauty and has long been one of the few black marks on the area’s reputation. Is it true?

A recent article in The Northern Express explores this idea with help from Networks Northwest, Traverse Connect, and NLEA's very own David Emmel.

According to Warren Call, President and CEO of Traverse Connect, Traverse City wages were "kind of stuck compared to the state for the last several years. In 2013, for example, the region had an average wage that was 82 percent of the state average wage. In 2018 we were still at 82 percent. And after our most recent update this winter, we’re now at 86 percent."

David Emmel says he’s observed demonstrable compensation increases in his region over the past several years, particularly in one key category.

“Wages and salaries have increased probably more in the hospitality and tourism industry than anything else,” Emmel says. “We’ve seen some increases in manufacturing and certainly in healthcare and other areas, but the big impact has been in that area of hospitality. In particular, we’re seeing more total compensation in hospitality jobs, which is wage and salary plus benefits. … Pre-pandemic, most jobs in the hospitality sector didn’t provide any benefits. Now, many have had to step up in order to attract and retain talent. That’s a big shift.”

At this point, Emmel says hospitality jobs in NLEA counties are competitive with the area’s other top industries—including manufacturing—in terms of salary and benefits. When asked whether the increases are helping to draw more talent to those employers, though, Emmel paints a more complicated portrait.

Match on Main is a reimbursement grant program, provided by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, that serves as a tool to support new or expanding place-based businesses by providing up to $25,000 in funding to support an eligible small business.

If your community is essentials, certified, select, or master status in the Redevelopment Ready Communities or Michigan Main Street Program, you are eligible to apply for the Match on Main Program.

The application for a new round of the Match on Main Program will open on Monday, October 3rd and close on Friday, October 23rd.

Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium

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