Newsletter 
September 2023
Upcoming Meetings
Upcoming Meetings & Events
Alliance Executive Committee
Thursday, October 12
3:30 PM CT
Bay West Room 244
Alliance
Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, October 19
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM CT
Bay West Room 244
Manufacturing Day 2023
The Talent & Education Task Force is excited to welcome area ninth-grade students to Manufacturing Day on Friday, October 6 at Bay College West Campus. Manufacturing Day is celebrated nationally on the first Friday in October. It is an opportunity to inspire the next generation, positively shift perceptions about the industry, and build the foundation for the future manufacturing workforce. 2023 marks the sixth year the Alliance has hosted the annual event. Thank you to Billerud, BOSS Snowplow, CCI Systems, Grede, Loadmaster, Systems Control and Trident Maritime Systems for agreeing to participate and help area students learn more about manufacturing careers. Find more information about professional trades careers at daeda.org/shift.
Loyal 2 Local Update
The Loyal 2 Local program is pleased to again exceed 100 businesses taking part in the sixth year of the program.

A special welcome to those new to the program this year:
Auto Value Iron Mountain
U.P. Sport & Spoke
Danielson's Floral and Greenhouse

We thank these new participants along with all the returning participants for their support of the program and hope you will also thank them by choosing to purchase their products and services. View a list of all Loyal 2 Local participants at loyal2local.org/directory.

The program also includes some new resources for Loyal 2 Local participants through a members-only Facebook group and the upcoming L2L Summit on November 1. Details will be emailed to all participating Loyal 2 Local businesses.
Bay West Leadership Academy Accepting Applicants
The Bay West Leadership Academy (BWLA) is geared towards bringing together emerging leaders from the area to develop meaningful skills, grow a professional network, and become more aware of Dickinson County and how to get involved.
 
Target Audience
  • Those interested in developing leadership skills and becoming involved in the community
  • Emerging young talent
  • Mid-level employees looking to advance their leadership skills
 
Program Includes
  • Eight workshops running October 2023 through May 2024, each 3-hour session is centered on key learning outcomes
  • A DiSC Assessment
  •  Seven community presentations about Dickinson County
  • Eight lunches centered on discussion and building a professional network
  • Admission to the 2024 Leadership Conference to be held on May 2
  • A professional headshot with all rights to share and reuse

Register by October 2
Questions? Contact Michele Campbell
Return North Virtual Career Fair Open to U.P. Companies
Return North is an annual professional career fair that matches professional job seekers with employers in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula through a virtual platform. The event will take place on November 30 and is currently accepting registration from U.P. companies and interested job seekers. More details at Return North.
UPWord Michigan Features Iron Mountain Couple
Iron Mountain natives Kate and Mike Pearson were featured by UPWord recently as they carve out their future in downtown Iron Mountain. The Alliance congratulates the couple on their success and thanks them for their investment and commitment to the local area. Read the full article here.
Link U.P. Group to Meet Up at Oktoberfest
Link U.P. Planning Committee members will attend Oktoberfest and encourage others to join them. Details about the “meet up” times are available on the Link U.P. social media accounts.
Seeking Business Speakers for Area Schools
Area schools are back in session and the Alliance Talent and Education Task Force hopes to add more business speakers to a collaborative resource for area schools. The group is circulating an interest form and collecting names of individuals interested in speaking to students in classrooms or educators about careers at companies in the Dickinson County area. This information will be shared with all local school districts and teachers throughout the area so they can schedule visits and bring business representatives into their classrooms to interact with students. This project is organized in partnership with The Alliance, the Dickinson-Iron ISD and the Breitung Township Schools. Access the interest form here.
Dickinson Area Economic Development Alliance
906-360-4653 | info@daeda.org | www.daeda.org