The Northern Lakes Economic Alliance hired Chris Bauer, AICP as the Community and Economic Development Manager. Prior to arriving in northern Michigan, Bauer worked for the New York State Department of State in the Office of Planning and Development. He managed projects in the Western New York and Finger Lakes regions including the Brownfield Opportunity Areas program and the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. He had the opportunity to assist many communities with their revitalization efforts and ensure the public investments made served the public interest.

The NLEA has an overall mission to provide its partners resources that help their communities and entrepreneurs retain and create quality jobs. Because the organization uses tools such as community development grants, workforce training, entrepreneurial startup tools, and innovation accelerator events NLEA is looking forward to the future with Bauer.

David Emmel, NLEA President notes, “Chris brings a critical skill set to the NLEA which will benefit partner communities, investors, and private sector businesses across our region. We are thrilled to have Chris on our team."

Bauer was born and raised in Midland before attending Central Michigan University. He went on to earn a Masters of Arts in Geography and Planning from the University of Akron. Bauer has devoted his life to public service. Outside of work, he enjoyed coaching youth soccer and baseball, being a boy scout leader and is an active member of the Lions Club. He and his wife Cindy of 27 years have two children, Nathan and Katherine.

Be sure to say hello to Chris.

Northern Lakes Economic Alliance (NLEA) welcomes Abigail Kendziorski from Petoskey as the 2022 NLEA/DTE Energy Foundation Summer Intern. Every summer, the NLEA hires college students, with funds provided by the DTE Energy Foundation, and works with them to design a research project suitable to their interests and area of study.

Abigail Kendziorski was born and raised in northern lower Michigan. She graduated from St. Michael Academy in Petoskey in 2019 and is currently a senior at Ave Maria University in southwest Florida, studying Global Affairs and International Business as well as Economics.

Kendziorski’s research project is on the outdoor recreation industry of Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet Counties. Building upon regional strengths in outdoor recreation and themes discussed at the 2022 Northern Lakes Economic Symposium, her research aims to fully map the regional outdoor recreation industry ecosystem so the NLEA and its partners can better foster growth in the sector.

Kendziorski is grateful to be working with the NLEA this summer. With a love for northern Michigan, she “look[s] forward to researching and putting together a resource for the NLEA to use to better understand and grow the outdoor recreation industry here in our beautiful area.”

Say hello to Abigail too.

With high school and college students now on summer break, many local businesses are hoping to gain some relief from the national labor shortage. Governor Whitmer is highlighting the importance and potential of teenage workers by proclaiming June 2022 as Youth Employment Month. Many local hospitality businesses—restaurants, bars, marinas, day camps, and retail stores—rely on these workers to meet the huge demands of summer tourism. However, a seventeen-year decline in local school enrollments and sixteen-year decline in the seasonal labor force mean that businesses will not receive as much relief as they hoped.

The number of workers available when the labor force peaks in July has declined from 65,115 in 2005 to 53,061 in 2021, a decrease of 12,054 workers. This decline can also be connected to our aging regional population, limited housing for seasonal workers, and challenges finding affordable childcare. The data demonstrates that our shrinking regional labor force is not a new trend, but the COVID-19 pandemic and its permeating affects have contributed to a significant drop-off in the seasonal labor force, as seen below.

Wes Shephard, manager Gill Roys Hardware in Mancelona, shared that recruiting has become very difficult in recent years; “Normally we would have a stack of applications from high schoolers, but this year we only received five or six.” The store typically hires high school students to help in the busier summer months but they only have one this summer.

A declining youth population is not unique to our region. According to the Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, the 16- to 19-year-old population has decreased by 16.3% between its peak in 2008 and 2020. And the trend will continue.

Looking forward, communities need to explore methods to attract young families to the region to supplement the existing population. As the region develops approaches to address systemic demographic, labor, housing, and childcare challenges, it must get comfortable doing more with less.

Industry 4.0 is changing the way small and mid-size manufactures think about and grow their businesses. Yet with so many options for Industry 4.0 on the market, knowing where or how to begin this journey can prove challenging for companies who are busy focusing on the complexity of daily operations.

Is your manufacturing operation ready for review? Learn more reading the full article.

DEADLINE: JUNE 28

Northern Michigan native, Amanda Vondra, is teaming up with Ferris State University professor, Dr. Leslie Sukup, to provide central and northern Michigan businesses an opportunity to participate in a research study that will investigate if providing business educational opportunities has a positive impact. The study requires the completion of two brief surveys, and the potential to view five educational business videos (approximately 15 minutes each).

Upon completion of the study, the team aims to provide evidence of the need for business education in central and northern Michigan, particularly in rural communities. The research team hopes to kickstart an initiative that has the potential for substantial impact on our central and northern Michigan business ecosystems.

Contact Amanda Vondra or Dr. Leslie Sukup with questions.

To join the study, click the button below.

With region, state, and nation facing a talent crunch, the NLEA is seeking innovative ways to support local businesses. Earlier this month the NLEA hosted a virtual info session for local businesses on MI STEM Forward. The program provides recruiting, administrative, and financial support for business to with internship positions in the general fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

Businesses do not have to be in a STEM field to participate. A restaurant could hire a computer science major to develop an app. A retailer could hire someone studying engineering, mathematics, or computer science to develop an automated system to track inventory. If you are interested in learning more about the program, check out the MI STEM Forward website or click the video above to watch the recorded information session.

In November 2021, the NLEA initiated meetings with Cheboygan County and the City of Cheboygan to present the PACE program and how this program can be used to support businesses who have an interest in implementing clean energy initiatives. Cheboygan County joins Antrim and Emmet Counties as PACE approved communities. The NLEA is currently initiating the PACE program in Charlevoix County.

On May 10th of 2022 Cheboygan County unanimously voted in favor to become the 51st local government to join the Michigan PACE market which now covers over 76% of the State's population.

With every new jurisdiction that joins Lean & Green Michigan, the PACE market opens up new opportunities for commercial, industrial, non-profit, agricultural, and multifamily property owners to save on energy costs and stimulate the economy, making Michigan a more sustainable place.

Contact the Northern Lakes Economic Alliance for more information on how PACE can impact your entities' clean energy initiatives.

Did you see Jessica Lovay celebrated 8 years at NLEA?! Our amazing Jessica Lovay - Community Development & Grants Specialist puts the UNITY in community! Thanks for all the love and appreciation she received on social media.

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Wishing you a happy 4th of July!

Check out local Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Authorities for events happening in your area.

Our staff will be out of the office for the holiday Monday, July 4.

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