Regina Emberton, President and CEO of
Michiana Partnership Speaks to the Club
Honorary member Art Decio was in attendance.
Doug Grant was visiting from the Wawasee Club.
The new commander of the Elkhart Salvation Army Lt. Shawn Debaar was introduced.
Judge Mike Christofeno was today’s Sergeant at Arm’s, the Judge quizzed members about the recent Elkhart County 4H fair.
The money the Sergeant’s committee raises over the year is pooled into a fund and then disbursed annually to area non-profit organizations.
The speake was Regina Emberton, President and CEO of Michiana Partnership. Michiana Partnership is a collaboration of the economic development partners from Elkhart, St. Joseph and Marshall counties in Northern Indiana and Berrien and Cass counties in Southwest Michigan (together, “Michiana Region”). The organization serves as a single point of contact for regional communication and seeks to create economic opportunities for all partner members through collaborative promotion, marketing and capacity building efforts.
The Partnership was founded in 2011 by working with community leaders, business executives, government agencies, site selection consultants, and others to help the Michiana region grow its economy. The Partnership is an outcome-based performance entity that serves as a single point of contact for regional communication. It provides companies, site selectors, real estate brokers, and corporate advisers with information and data that will create a favorable image of Michiana as an area for success due to a positive economic environment and strong partnerships.
The primary focus of the Partnership has been collaborative branding and business recruitment efforts to attract new jobs and investments by leveraging the individual strengths, competitive advantages, knowledge, and resources of the region. Partners recognized that by banding together, they could offer a broader range of services, benefits, and competitive advantages to better position Michiana when marketing the region to national and international entities. Partners also recognize that they have more to gain by working together than separately. They understand that a “win” for a particular part of the region is, in many ways, a “win” for all partners and the region. MPI has also focused on Developing research tools and assistance and administration/governance for regional efforts.
Michiana Partnership is also serving as the Administrator for the newly formed Northern Indiana Regional Development Authority – which consists of and leverages the vast experience and services of business, academic, philanthropic and government leaders working to transform the region by improving quality of life and spurring population growth.
The Partnership was founded in 2011 by the lead economic development organizations (LEDOSs) of seven counties, with encouragement from the States to work within a regional capacity. The first staff was hired 3/11/13 to implement the plan and further the mission.
MPI currently employs three staff:
The primary office location is within the South Bend International Airport, and the organization is further supported by resources of our LEDO partners, including the ability to work from their offices, which supports collaborative efforts with these partners.
For more information visit: http://www.southbendelkhart.org/
Up Coming Program(s): August 21st Candy Yoder, Director of CAPS, August 28th Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill.
Save the Date:
Saturday August 26th, annual Taste of the Gardens gates open at 11am.