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News in
Brief
As of
December 8, 2006, Midland Tomorrow staff had made 82 retention
calls using the Synchronist Business Information
System. Early in first quarter 2007, Midland Tomorrow
staff will be utilizing the aggregated data from the
Synchronist system to publish a detailed report about the
economic conditions in Midland County. The report will
cover characteristics of the workforce, current and planned
company growth, and strengths and weaknesses of Midland as a
place to do business.
If your
business would be interested in receiving a retention call to
discuss your operations and learn about our services, please
contact Jess
Atwell, Economic Development Manager at Midland
Tomorrow.
Business owners searching for federal compliance
information, don't forget to visit www.business.gov,
a newly launched federal government Web site. The site makes
it easier to find information on taxes, immigration laws,
workplace safety, environmental requirements and other
regulations that can present challenges for small and
mid-sized businesses.
Each
issue of Growing Our Future features information on
Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center
events. Don't forget that you can see a comprehensive list
of all MI-SBTDC events for our region by visiting their Calendar
of Training.
Upcoming
technology-related seminars and events at
TheGlance.com
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Midland Tomorrow Consultant
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Dear Ryan,
Thanks to all those who have responded to our call for
feedback about our electronic communications. If you
have comments or suggestions about how we can improve our
newsletter, you are welcome to email them to
us. Or, if you would prefer to submit anonymously, you
can use the Contact
Us form on the Midland Tomorrow Web site. You do not
need to enter any information other than your comment.
You will find several important developments in this
month's newsletter. Dow Corning Corporation was approved by
the Michigan Strategic Fund to receive a Michigan
Renaissance Zone on greenfield property, abating most
taxes on that property for 12 years and greatly increasing its
attractiveness for potential clients. Midland Tomorrow and
regional partners combined to host a seminar on for-profit
business funding sources on December 6; it was the first
in a planned series of events. And Midland is once again
poised to have a strong showing in this year's Michigan 50
Companies to Watch competition, with six applicants
confirmed.
Midland Tomorrow continues to work on several long-term
attraction client siting projects. These are confidential
projects that will not likely be announced until well into
2007, but the prospects are exciting for our county and our
region. We will keep you informed of any developments that
occur.
Looking
back over the past year reveals a wealth of economic
development successes in every area of our economy. We want to
extend a heartfelt thank you to all our Board members
and investors for their ongoing work and encouragement and to
our clients and business partners for their assistance and
support. We also want to thank all the businesses and
entrepreneurs in Midland County for their diligent efforts
over the past year. You are the heart of economic development;
without you, our organization couldn't exist - and neither
could our community.
Best wishes from all the Midland Tomorrow staff for a
peaceful and joyous holiday season. Thank you for all you do!
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MSF Approves
Dow Corning Renaissance Zone |
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On Wednesday, December 20, the Michigan Strategic Fund
(MSF) approved the creation of a State Renaissance Zone on Dow
Corning Corporation property in Midland, Michigan. Their
approval was one of the final steps in the creation of the Ren
Zone, following approval by Midland’s City Council on Monday,
December 4. Subject to the actual signing of the development
contract, the Ren Zone will come into effect on January 1,
2007, and provide powerful incentive for companies to start up
or expand their operations in Midland County.
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Learn more... |
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Business
Capital Seminar Held Dec. 6 |
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On December 6, 2006, Midland Tomorrow worked with several
regional partners to host a focused workshop on raising
capital in Michigan. Entitled "21st Century Jobs Fund and
Beyond," the event focused on how for-profit companies can
attract capital both from Michigan's 21st Century Jobs Fund
and other funding sources. |
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Learn more... |
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Scott Fuson
Speech Available for Download |
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The keynote speech at Midland Tomorrow's 2006 Awards
Breakfast, given by Dow Corning Corporation's Vice President
of Marketing, Sales and Customer Service, Scott Fuson, is now
available for online viewing and download. The speech
discusses the importance of Midland's pro-business environment
to Dow Corning's success and the importance of the "seven C's"
in cultivating a successful workforce. |
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Learn more and
download... |
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Midland
Tomorrow Assists 50 Companies to Watch
Nominees |
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This year, Midland Tomorrow has nominated six local
second-stage companies for this year’s Michigan 50 Companies
to Watch awards. All six companies have submitted their
applications. We now await the end of January 2007 when
winners will be announced. Winners will subsequently be
recognized at a statewide awards dinner at the Kellogg Center
in Lansing on April 12, 2007. |
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Learn more... |
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Energy
Efficiency Dinner Meeting on January 18 |
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Join the Saginaw Valley Manufacturers' Association on
January 18, 2007, for a dinner meeting entitled Energy
Efficiency: Building the Bottom Line of Business. By
implementing energy efficiency measures, companies can reduce
operating costs, improve profitability and become more
competitive. Get the facts on energy efficiency and learn how
you can build the bottom line of your business.
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Learn more and
register... |
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Business
Plan Training Schedule for 2007 through
MI-SBTDC |
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The Michigan Small Business and Technology Development
Center (MI-SBTDC), Region 5, holds monthly Business Plan
Basics seminars for those who would like to start a business
or those in business who would like to become acquainted with
community and business resources. A calendar is now online
detailing the locations, dates and times for each of these
training sessions. Click the link below to learn more.
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Learn more... |
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Commercialization and SBIR/STTR
Training |
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Biotechnology Business Consultants, located in Ann Arbor,
MI, will be holding two different training sessions in January
2007. One session will cover best practices for technology
commercialization; the other will focus on the application
process for federal small business innovation research (SBIR)
and small business technology transfer (STTR) grants.
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Learn more and
register... |
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