UPEDA February 13, 2015 Meeting 

UPEDA's first membership meeting of 2015 promises to ignite our efforts and energize our members for the new year. This kick-off meeting will provide attendees with information critical to their communitiies and valuable networking opportunities for everyone.

We are putting together an action packed agenda that will provide information and updates about the energy issues we are all concerned about.

The U.P. Legislative Delegation is also invited and we are excited to hear about important updates regarding our communiities from them.

Several Young Professionals groups in the region are getting involved in this meeting as well and we look forward to connecting with these important stakeholders.

A presentation by Rich Vander Veen of Mackinac Power will provide communities with tools for new ways to finance energy efficiency projects.

The meeting will be held at the Ramada Inn in Marquette February 13, 2015. Please plan to join us for this important event.

8:30 - 9:00 Registration

9:00 - 10:30 Legislative Delegation ~ We will have an opportunity to hear from Senator Tom Casperson, Representative Ed McBroom (invited), Representative John Kivela, and Representative Scott Dianda. They will be in the area for the day and have agreed to join us and talk about their efforts.

10:30 - 10:45 Networking Break

10:45 - 11:15 Rich Vander Veen - PACE Program ~ Lean & Green Michigan brings a break-through, shared-services model of economic development to Michigan's local governments. Lean & Green Michigan allows municipalities to create a PACE district at no cost, with no need for new government staff or lengthy RFP processes, with access to private capital -- and to do all of this cooperatively with other counties, cities, and townships, building the regional economy.

11:15 - 12:00 Abhilash (Abhi) Kantamneni ~ Starting from a concise history of the energy problems in the Upper Peninsula, Abhi will talk about simple ways residents, small business owners, and industries in the UP save money on rising energy bills. Learn how high energy rates make some regions of the Upper Peninsula the best part of the whole country to install solar, and find out what Houghton County is doing to win $5,000,000 as a semifinalist in a national energy efficiency competition.

12:00 - 1:00 Lunch and one minute updates ~ Attendees will have a chance to share what they're working on and what is important in their home communities and hear from others about the same.

1:00 - 2:15 U.P. Talent Forum ~ What issues are important to young professionals in the UP? What professional, social and community attributes, opportunities and activities are important in the attraction and retention of young professionals to and in the area? What should UPEDA as a whole and individual UPEDA members be thinking about and working on to help insure that young professionals are attracted to the area and willing to stay and contribute to the economy of the area? Hear the answers to these questions and more directly from young professionals from across the U.P.

1:00 - 2:30 Steve Arwood Remarks~ Steve Arwood has been named director of the newly-created Talent and Economic Development Department, announced by Snyder in December. He will share his vision of the future with the group addressing business, community, economic, and workforce development in the State of Michigan.

Adjourn

 

 

Members - $25.00; Non-members - $40.00

Register Now!