Monthly Meetings of the Keweenaw Industrial Council

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Down to October 2002 Minutes

About the Meetings

The Keweenaw Industrial Council meets ... (Phil to write an introduction, mentioning: usual time and location, numbers attending, great time for networking, types of topics, etc.)

November 13, 2002 Memo & Agenda

The next KIC membership meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 13 at the UPPCo headquarters building on the City of Houghton waterfront. As usual, the meeting will begin at 7:30 a.m. and, for those of you who did not take time for breakfast, will include an offering of pastries, fruit, yogurt, juice and coffee.

Tina Hall, The Nature Conservancy's Northern Michigan Director will make a presentation on a very timely topic - the proposed inclusion in Michigan's newly adopted Forest Legacy Program of 390,000 acres across the U.P. If successful, the project will keep the land in productive use as a source of pulp and sawlogs for wood products companies and, in addition, will keep the land open to public use and protect important and environmentally sensitive areas. A win-win situation for all U.P. residents. But it is not yet a done deal and time is getting short. Tina will update us on recent developments.

The meeting will also feature what is intended to be a regular agenda item at future KIC meetings - an updated on air service, airfares and flight schedules provided by Peninsula Travel's Sheila Peltier.

You should also be aware of the following event:

Great Lakes Entrepreneur's Quest (GLEQ) - This Michigan-wide business plan competition is aimed at stimulating the entrepreneurial culture across the state and includes training sessions for new and early stage businesses. The next training session is scheduled for November 14th and will be held locally at a site to be announced. It will teach companies to do a competitive analysis to identify your competitors and evaluate their respective strengths and weaknesses. By knowing the actions of your competitors, you will have a better understanding of what products or services your business should offer. You do not have to enter the GLEQ business plan competition to take advantage of the training sessions, but those entering the competition will have a chance at cash awards and the chance to present their business plan to potential investors. Contact Phil Musser at 482-6817 for more information and to sign up for the Nov. 14th session.

Keweenaw Industrial Council
Monthly Membership Meeting
Wednesday, June 12, 2002, 7:30 a.m.
Log Cabin, Houghton County Historical Museum Complex
Lake Linden, Michigan

Meeting Agenda

1. Approval of October 9, 2002 Meeting Minutes

2. Member Issues & Announcements

   1. NMU Continuing Education and Sponsored Programs - Joe Holman

   2. Call for KIC Board Candidates

   3. Air Service Bulletin - Peninsula Travel Service

   4. Julio Contracting Co - Celebrating 55th Anniversary

3. New Members

   1. Cheal Woodworking

   2. Keweenaw Title Agency

   3. U.P. Construction Labor Management Council, Inc.

4. Fall Membership Campaign Update

5. Executive Director's Report - Musser

6. Presentation: "A Partneship Initialtive to Incorporate 390,000 acres in the U.P. into Michigan's new Forest Legacy Program" by Tina Hall, U.P. Director for The Nature Conservancy

Adjourn meeting 8:40 a.m.

NOTE: The next membership meeting is the KIC's Annual Meeting on Wednesday, December 11th at 7:30 a.m. at the UPPCo Headquarters Building.

October 9, 2002 Minutes

Keweenaw Industrial Council
www.kicbiz.com
600 E. Lakeshore Drive, Houghton, Michigan 49930
Telephone: 906-482-6817, FAX: 906-482-3203
Monthly Membership Meeting
Wednesday, October 9, 2002
UPPCO Community Buiding
Houghton, Michigan

Present:

President Tom Scanlon called the meeting to order at 7:35 a.m.

Motion to approve September 2002 minutes - Bill Fink/John Hope

Karol Pelc reported for the Center of Entrepreneur and Leadership - They have developed a new booklet and schedule for guest speakers. They can provide students to help companies study and solve various business problems.

Phil Musser announced that George Kronschnabel, Great Lakes Plastics Corp., has recently been appointed to the Small Business Advisory Council for the Ninth Federal Reserve District.

Del Harma reported on the fall membership campaign for KIC.

• Jim Bogan is this lear's Campaign Chair.

• Goal this year is to raise #80,000

• Emphasis is to retain current or regain past membership

Leo Chaput gave a presentation on the history of the log cabin. Cabin was built during the WPA era (1940s) as part of the Boy Scout Camp; later used in conjunction with the Lake Linden ice rink and then moved to the present location at the museum.

Phil Musser - Executive Director's Report:

• Discussed visit of Northwest Airlines Vice President

  • Met with community leaders

  • Visited MTU Campus

  • Toured Portage Canal

  • The Northwest official stated he was impressed with our successful implementation of our economic development strategy, and that he felt few rural communities had a plan to grow their communities.

SmartZone Incubator Update

• LDFA will vote on incubator site next week

• Within a couple weeks the launch committee will begin looking for a CEO

Phil reported that Gary Stern from the Ninth District of Federal Reserve gave a presentation yesterday that was very positive with respect to future economic growth in the U.S. His visit was co-hosted by KIC and Wells Fargo Bank - Houghton.

Presentation - "Impact of Recession on the Western U.P. and the Occupational Outlook" - Kathleen Salow, Michigan Department of Career Development (MDCD) Office of Labor Market Information (handout)

• National recession has negatively affected the U.P. area economy, but not as severely as other parts of the state, and the U.P. has been more resilient than elsewhere in the state.

• The service sector and government employment have shown the most strength; the service sector will create one out of every 3 new jobs.

• In terms of total number of jobs created, the food preparation and prtective service sectors will create the most new jobs.

• U.P. real wages, i.e., the actual buying power of wages, remained flat in 2001

• The service, clerical and professional job groups are projected to create the most new jobs in terms of percentage growth

• Of new jobs to be created, 25% will require post secondary education, 20% will require work experience or at least 12 months OJT, and 42% will require less than one month OJT.

• More labor information is available at the MDCD website: www.michigan.gove/mdcd or by calling Kathleen at 906-226-3669

Motion to adjourn - John Hope/Jerry Vairus

Respectfully submitted,

Frank J. Stipech
Secretary

dh

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