NLEA Celebrates 40th Anniversary TODAY!

While we’re celebrating all year long, TODAY officially marks our 40th year! On July 16, 1984, a group of forward-thinking community leaders in Charlevoix County founded the Charlevoix County Business & Industry Task Force. The group was tasked with supporting area manufacturers to increase long-term economic vitality and create year-round jobs for residents. Recognizing the value of pooling limited funds, both public and private sector entities joined together creating a groundbreaking economic development resource—more effective than what any entity could have created individually. One year later, Antrim County joined the organization creating the Antrim-Charlevoix Growth Alliance. In 1988, Emmet County joined and the organization was rebranded the NLEA, offering expanded economic development services for the region. Later in 2007, Cheboygan County joined, creating the NLEA as you know it today. 

NLEA is proud to have served over the last 40 years as this region’s economic development organization, supporting business success and growth and vibrant communities for talent to call home. Thank you to our public and private investors, and many partners who have believed in the mission and supported us over the years. Economic development is a team sport; we couldn’t do this work without you!

To deliver the most effective services and ensure an economically resilient region, the NLEA must continue finding ways as your economic development organization to improve, grow, and innovate. This is where we need your help. We’re in the midst of a six-month strategic planning process that will result in a 3-Year Strategic Plan for the organization. The NLEA has wrapped its first round of internal planning sessions and external engagement. External engagement thus far has included an Initial Impressions Survey launched at NLEA’s Economic Symposium and Showcase in May, a roundtable with Chamber of Commerce leadership, individual interviews, and four community feedback sessions in mid-June. The community feedback sessions - hosted in Indian River, Petoskey, Boyne City, and Bellaire - engaged community stakeholders across NLEA’s four-county service region representing both the public and private sectors. The sessions provided an opportunity to gather feedback on regional priorities, current NLEA services, and recommendations for NLEA programming in the future. 

The NLEA continues strategic planning this month with a planning session with our full Board of Directors and a roundtable discussion with business leadership. NLEA’s strategic planning consultant will continue conducting stakeholder interviews over the coming months and will release a comprehensive stakeholder feedback survey (stay tuned for that!) to ensure we capture a breadth of input. If you haven’t had the chance yet to engage, but would like to, please watch out for the next survey or reach out to NLEA President, Payton Heins payton@northernlakes.net. 

The NLEA strategic planning efforts have been generously supported by the Fund for the Community of the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation and the Cheboygan County Community Foundation. 

The NLEA is a nonprofit economic development organization serving Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet Counties and has been helping businesses and communities succeed and grow since 1984. Whether you are a community looking for assistance with property redevelopment and grant management or a business looking for assistance to secure funding for new equipment or expansion, the NLEA is here to help you. Learn more about these and additional services below.