Michigan’s Premier Economic Summit and Annual Meeting Sponsor Spotlight

Visionary Corporate Investors

Count on Us to Power Michigan’s Growth

Businesses need the right site to power their progress, expertise that turns challenges into opportunities, and a trusted energy partner to reliably power growth. Economic development agencies need an energy provider that works as an extension of their teams, bringing creative energy solutions that meet or exceed expectations. Consumers Energy delivers it all. Count on us to get you connected.

Consumers Energy works with state, local and regional partner agencies to help businesses choose Michigan as the best place to grow and thrive. We work as a team to understand a company’s long-term goals and connect all the dots, resulting in a “we’ve got this” customer experience. That’s why our service territory has welcomed more than $30 billion in new investment and 30,000 new jobs across next-gen manufacturing sectors since 2020.

An expanding site inventory helps ensure we can meet electric demand from all industries. Customized energy solutions offer energy- and cost-saving advantages. And our 2026 Reliability Action Plan continues to power improvements across Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. And it’s working: Since 2021, our average electric customer experienced one fewer hour in the dark in normal conditions. That’s a 28% drop – one of the largest in the nation – over that time.

If your business is exploring Michigan for the first time or you’re already here, let us power your success. If you’re an economic development agency seeking an energy provider committed to creatively getting to YES, we’d love for you to see us in action. Contact Consumers Energy's Economic Development Team today.

 

 

Platinum Sponsor

The Verified Industrial Properties Program or VIP BY DRP is Detroit Regional Partnership’s award winning industrial site readiness program. Since launching in 2021, VIP has helped identify, evaluate, and advance more than 100 industrial sites across 60 regional communities, representing an investment of $8 million in regional industrial site readiness. VIP ready sites are helping support high-value projects land across the region with Astemo (Wixom) and NanoGraf (Flint) being two recent examples. VIP reached a major milestone with its first successful site rezoning to industrial on a 181-acre site in Lapeer County, boosting the region’s supply of large constructable sites and strengthening competitiveness for future investment. Launched in 2025, VIP’s Industrial Development Toolkit will help municipalities proactively prepare for industrial growth and ensure developments deliver meaningful local benefits. The Toolkit is set for release in Q3 2026. In 2025, VIP earned four national awards for excellence in industrial site readiness and regional economic development. Contact Shannon Selby, Vice President, Real Estate, Verified Industrial Properties (VIP), Detroit Regional Partnership.

VIP by DRP expands from preparing sites to preparing communities with the Industrial Development Toolkit

Since 2022, the Detroit Regional Partnership’s (DRP) Verified Industrial Properties program, known as VIP by DRP, has been powering economic growth by advancing industrial site readiness across Southeast Michigan.

With intense competition between states to win investment, the availability of industrial sites and the ability to provide critical site data are often the difference between investment won and investment lost. VIP by DRP is keeping the Detroit region competitive on the national stage by providing decision makers with valuable, verified site data, while acting as a guide for inbound companies as they make their home in the 11-County Detroit Region.

To date, the program has invested over $8 million in preparing more than 100 industrial sites for development across more than 60 municipalities in the Detroit Region. Now, VIP by DRP is expanding that work to help prepare the communities themselves.

This summer, VIP by DRP is launching its Industrial Development Toolkit, a first-of-its-kind resource to help communities within the Detroit region navigate modern manufacturing. The toolkit guides communities through three steps: understanding what today’s manufacturing looks like, deciding if it’s the right fit for their growth goals, and if so, planning proactively to create shared benefits for residents, local government and companies.

The toolkit was developed through an extensive, collaborative approach convening municipalities, the private sector and economic development organizations. This stakeholder-led process consisted of more than 20 in-depth interviews and 50-person collaborative sessions. This feedback helped shape the structure and specific topics and issues the toolkit addresses, including master planning, zoning guidance and community engagement strategies.

Through this feedback, VIP by DRP found that when new projects are proposed, residents and community leaders often feel unprepared or are unfamiliar with modern manufacturing’s evolution and the jobs and economic benefits it can bring.

By equipping communities with these resources, VIP by DRP is helping municipal leaders take an active role in attracting and shaping projects that align with their local vision and community needs, create job opportunities and strengthen their tax base.

To learn more, visit www.verifiedindustrialproperties.com.

 

Gold Sponsors

For more than 16 years, Ann Arbor SPARK has served the greater Ann Arbor region as a catalyst for economic development. They accomplish this by building awareness of the region as a community that advocates for business and manufacturing development and growth. The SPARK team of experts attracts, develops, strengthens, and invests in driving industries to help our communities prosper. SPARK partners with and represents local municipalities to support and enhance their economic development efforts, which allows them access to national site selectors and international exposure, the benefit of regional marketing efforts, and superior project management support. SPARK reports on its successes and challenges to local economic development staff and city councils. While Ann Arbor SPARK’s core programs are designed for companies and individuals primarily located in Washtenaw County, the organization’s support extends to the six-county Greater Ann Arbor Region (GAAR) which includes Jackson, Lenawee, Monroe, Livingston, and Hillsdale counties. Economic development requires collaboration, and SPARK is committed to bringing together partners — like the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan Works! Southeast, city, and municipal partners, academic institutions, and others — to support the growth of companies and the creation of jobs. Contact Ann Arbor SPARK.

 

Indiana Michigan Power delivers safe, reliable power to more than 600,000 customers across Michigan and Indiana. As a fully integrated utility, I&M owns and operates generation, transmission, and distribution assets. The company supports regional economic growth through strategic investments in energy infrastructure, reliability, and sustainability. Working with state, regional and local economic development partners, I&M advances business attraction and expansion, particularly energy-intensive industries, by improving site readiness and ensuring competitive energy costs. Investments in grid modernization and transmission upgrades reduce outages and accommodate rising demand while aligning with clean-energy goals. I&M also provides energy-efficiency incentives and renewable options to help customers meet sustainability targets and lower operating costs. By enhancing transmission capacity and delivering dependable service, I&M enables access to competitive markets, supports job creation, and attracts capital. Focused on long-term partnerships, I&M combines infrastructure upgrades, customer programs, and community engagement to strengthen regional economic resilience. Connect With Us! Indiana Michigan Power Economic Development.

 

Source Advisors has helped CPA firms and their clients maximize specialized federal and state tax incentives for more than four decades. Headquartered in Fort Worth, TX, Source Advisors collaborates with accounting firms throughout the country to bring Cost Segregation, Energy Efficient Building Incentives (§179D, §45L and other energy consulting), R&D Tax Credits, automated R&D platform (GOAT.tax), Sales and Use Tax, Property Tax, LIFO solutions to their clients. With a global team of more than 280 professionals, Source Advisors serves many of the most prominent accounting firms, associations, and Fortune 1000 companies and has earned a reputation as a trusted tax incentive solution partner and recognized for delivering unmatched expertise and client experience. For more information, contact Al Schmitt – Senior Business Development (Great Lakes Region) Al.Schmitt@sourceadvisors.com or visit www.sourceadvisors.com.

 

Opening Reception Sponsor

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP is a Michigan-based law firm committed to advancing economic growth through strategic legal counsel and collaborative partnerships. With more than 230 attorneys across nine offices, Warner combines deep legal experience with practical business insight to support businesses, developers, nonprofits and public entities throughout Michigan and beyond.

The firm is widely recognized for its work in economic development and incentives. Drawing on nationally ranked capabilities in environmental, real estate, tax, finance and administrative law, Warner helps clients move complex projects forward. From $500,000 community revitalization efforts to billion-dollar industrial and commercial developments, the firm provides guidance through litigation, sophisticated transactions, regulatory processes and financing structures.

Warner’s economic development team works closely with developers, investors, businesses, nonprofit organizations and government partners to turn ambitious ideas into viable projects. The team assists clients in identifying, securing and implementing financial incentives that encourage investment, accelerate development and strengthen communities. Warner regularly works alongside economic development organizations, municipalities and private investors on projects that bring new jobs, housing and long-term investment to Michigan communities.

With experience across more than 50 incentive programs, Warner helps clients navigate tools such as Brownfield Tax Increment Financing, New Markets Tax Credits, Federal Historic District Rehab Credits, the Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Act, PA 198 abatements and Renaissance Zones. By bringing together attorneys across disciplines, the firm helps clients maximize available resources and move projects from concept to completion.

At Warner, every project — regardless of scale — represents an opportunity to create lasting impact. Through thoughtful counsel, strong partnerships and practical solutions, Warner helps clients build projects that support Michigan’s long-term growth.

Contact: Jared Belka, Partner, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, 150 Ottawa Ave NW, Suite 1500, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, PH: 616-752-2447, jbelka@wnj.com, wnj.com.

 

Lunch Sponsor

Macomb County Planning and Economic Development (MCPED) is committed to helping our more than 21,500 businesses retain, grow and attract economic investment while improving the overall quality of life in our region.

The outcome of these efforts is clear. Macomb County now has a $56.9 billion GDP, driven by our highly skilled and talented workforce. This includes more than 453,000 individuals employed across key industries like manufacturing, health care, retail, education, government and professional services.

As the official economic development organization for our community, MCPED works to create an environment where these industries can flourish, with connections to supply chains, labor, technology programs and prime locations. Our expert team collaborates one-on-one with organizations, providing support with site selection, grants, tax incentives, financial support and workforce training. In 2025 alone, this group helped companies secure more than $305.2 million of investment in new and/or expanded facilities and equipment – which created more than 901 new jobs, while retaining nearly 342 existing positions. Work with us and you can be a part of this incredible growth. All assistance is free and confidential. Everything is on your terms.

 

Silver Sponsors

Clark Construction Company has been building Michigan for 80 years. Founded in 1946, Clark operates as a construction manager serving public, institutional, and private clients across the state. With offices in Lansing, Grand Rapids, Auburn Hills, and Alpena, we are positioned to support projects wherever they happen in Michigan.

What We Do

Clark manages the full construction process, from early preconstruction planning through project closeout. We work alongside owners and design teams to set realistic budgets, validate schedules, reduce risk, and deliver buildings that perform as promised.

Our core markets include K–12 education, higher education, healthcare, municipal and civic facilities, municipal infrastructure, hospitality, retail and mixed-use, science and technology, and corporate work. We have served school districts across the state, long-term campus partners, healthcare systems, and municipal clients. The work varies. The approach does not.

How We Work

Planning is where projects succeed or fail. Clark's pre-construction process includes our Critique™ Constructability Review, a structured drawing review that surfaces conflicts, scope gaps, and sequencing risks before they become field problems, and Clockwork™, our tradehour-based scheduling analysis that confirms a project schedule is buildable, not just date-driven. Both tools exist to protect owners from surprises.

Once construction begins, our Connect™ platform gives owners and design partners real-time access to documentation, RFIs, submittals, and daily reports. Transparency is not a talking point; it is built into our processes.

Clark Contracting Services

Clark Contracting Services (CCS) is our in-house self-perform division. CCS provides direct field capabilities in carpentry, framing, drywall, demolition, millwork, and mass timber, scopes where schedule control and quality consistency matter most. When coordination risk is high or schedule is tight, CCS gives us and our clients a direct line of accountability that trade-only delivery cannot match.

Built in Michigan. Staying in Michigan.

Our four offices are not satellites. They are embedded in the communities we serve, staffed by people who live and work there. Our trade partner relationships are built over decades, not assembled project to project. When we hire local trade partners and suppliers, it is because it produces better outcomes, and because it is the right thing to do.

Eighty years in, Clark remains Michigan-focused, and committed to the same principles that have guided the company since 1946: Competence, Reliability, Sincerity, and Care.

We are proud to support the MEDA Summit and the economic development work happening across Michigan.

Contact: Sheila Suppes, Business Development Manager, PH: 248-318-9051

 

The Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance, a division of the Flint & Genesee Group, serves as the region’s lead economic development organization and a central driver of business growth throughout Flint and Genesee County. Building on the area’s legacy of innovation, the Economic Alliance strengthens the local economy by equipping businesses of all sizes and stages with the tools, resources, and guidance they need to thrive.

To support business retention, the Economic Alliance works with area companies to provide resources, training, and workforce connections that support the growth and sustainability of Genesee County businesses. The Economic Alliance also helps connect businesses with grants and incentives to expand and remain in Flint & Genesee.

To attract new companies to the region, the Economic Alliance markets sites to businesses throughout the nation and around the world. For example, a major site development project known as the Advanced Manufacturing District is aimed at bringing transformational investment to the region. Once established, this will bring at least $2 billion in investment and 2,000 jobs to Genesee County.

In addition to attracting and retaining businesses in the region, the Economic Alliance hosts the Flint & Genesee Small Business Support Hub, one of 27 Hubs established through the State of Michigan’s Small Business Support Hub Program. The Hub offers comprehensive, no-cost support to small business owners and entrepreneurs in Genesee County through technical assistance, personalized coaching, and connections to help them take their businesses to the next level. In addition to providing support and referrals to local partners and resources, the Hub hosts events and training throughout the year to help small businesses and entrepreneurs in Genesee County grow.

With these efforts combined, the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance contributes to the Flint & Genesee Group’s overall vision of becoming a top-five community in Michigan based on jobs, talent, livability, and equity by 2040.

Contact info@flintandgenesee.org or (810) 600-1455 today!

 

Oakland County Economic Development

Oakland County, Michigan—the Advantage you’ve been looking for.

Advantage Oakland, Michigan's Premier Economic Development Department. Serving your Community, Business, and Workforce needs.

Our leaders are committed to building a secure future – making Oakland County a partner you can trust.

Oakland County has more than $127.3 billion in economic activity, accounting for 20% of MI’s GDP. We are home to over 700 foreign-owned firms from 34 different countries. Oakland County is a global leader in advanced manufacturing, automotive/mobility, defense and aerospace, research, engineering and design, IT/computer services, and robotics integration.

Where you can tap into a world-class workforce – ready to power your business forward.

Oakland County boasts a strong, resilient economy fueled by a highly educated workforce, with 70% of residents having post-secondary education or higher. The robust labor force drives innovation across our key industries, while an affordable cost of living ensures businesses and employees thrive.

Where you can connect to the world. But always feel at home.

With world-class schools, vibrant communities, and strategic resources, Oakland County is a premier destination for growth and opportunity.

Visit the newly enhanced www.AdvantageOakland.com to connect with us, find available properties, data points and more!

Experience the Oakland County Advantage—Your future starts here.

 

The Rudolph Libbe Group is a full-service construction and facility services provider helping industrial, commercial, and institutional organizations build, improve and maintain high‑performing facilities. With a customer‑first approach, Rudolph Libbe Group delivers integrated solutions—from site selection and construction to renovation, process upgrades, HVAC service, and facility management—designed to improve performance, ensure on‑time delivery, and maximize long‑term facility ROI.

Comprised of Rudolph Libbe Inc., Rudolph Libbe Properties, GEM Inc., GEM Service, GEM Energy, and Lehman Daman, the Rudolph Libbe Group brings over 70 years of experience serving mission‑critical environments across manufacturing, industrial, health care, education, commercial, and energy markets. From offices in Ohio and southeast Michigan, the company supports customers across the United States. Contact Brian Klatt, Vice President Enterprise Business Development, Rudolph Libbe Group, at 419-392-7160 or 734-455-0600.

DESIGN/BUILD

Based on complexity, traditional construction methods are not always the best answer, particularly when a design needs to be created around the owner’s process, budget, or timeline and not done to spec. By using the design/build method of construction delivery, projects can be done more affordably, faster, and safer.

RLG’s design/build approach optimizes participation among all the project stakeholders. It brings everyone involved in the planning, design, and construction together earlier rather than later.

Each member of this preconstruction team – which includes the owner, architect, engineer, and design/build contractor – considers key questions to help optimize the project. Critical design changes needed to prevent or correct potential problems before they become “baked in” to the design are discussed upfront. This communication mitigates the high risk of cost overruns and construction delays before they happen.

SELF-PERFORM

The trade construction capabilities that RLG self-performs — Civil, Concrete, Mechanical, Electrical, Carpentry, Masonry, Millwright, Boilermaker, and Structural Steel — directly translate into positive outcomes for our client's business. Employees who work directly for us mean better control over safety, on-time schedules, and successful delivery.

RLG’s multi-discipline trades, with decades of preconstruction and consulting experience, ensure project and job site safety, accurate budgets, high-quality services, and minimized risk and disruption to a facility’s daily operations.

 

Site Selection Magazine: Trusted Since 1954

For over 72 years, Site Selection Magazine has been the authoritative voice in corporate expansion, facility planning, and economic development strategy. Recognized as an award-winning and highly respected publication, Site Selection delivers actionable insight to decision-makers driving industrial and corporate growth around the world.

Published bi-monthly, each issue reaches nearly 42,000 C-suite executives directly by mail. Our readers rely on Site Selection for exclusive coverage of real estate markets, industry trends, and the strategic considerations shaping corporate location decisions.

Whether you're seeking to reach corporate leaders or connect with influential site consultants and economic developers, Site Selection Magazine offers unmatched access to the executives making global expansion decisions.

Contact Cathy McFarland, Regional Director, PH: 770-325-3444, Catherine.McFarland@conway.com, to learn about marketing opportunities.

 

Turner Construction Company is committed to delivering exceptional construction solutions, driven by innovation, integrity, and collaborative partnerships. With more than 50 years of continuous presence in Michigan, Turner has successfully shaped the region's skyline and infrastructure by executing diverse projects across commercial, healthcare, education, industrial, aviation, and sports sectors.

Our comprehensive range of services includes Construction Management, General Contracting, Design-Build, Preconstruction, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Sustainable Building Practices, and Program Management. Turner's dedication to client success emphasizes safety, quality, and efficiency, ensuring projects are delivered on schedule and within budget.

As a trusted partner deeply rooted in the Michigan community, Turner Construction Company leverages local expertise combined with national resources to support economic development and sustainable growth across the state.

Discover more at www.turnerconstruction.com or contact Brett Klinger, General Manager, bklinger@tcco.com or (313) 596-0500.

 

Bronze Sponsors

For nearly 130 years, Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. has been a trusted partner in shaping environments that inspire and elevate. Our journey is grounded in the belief that exceptional design arises from a thoughtful understanding of our clients' visions. Guided by our core values of ingenuity, curiosity, and belonging, we approach each project with a commitment to innovation and collaboration. Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. is more than a design firm; we are a community of innovators, continuously exploring new ways to make a meaningful impact. Our legacy of award-winning designs and historic projects stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to quality and excellence. As we move forward, we remain passionate about creating environments that inspire, engage, and endure. For more information on Albert Kahn Associates, please visit albertkahn.com or contact Annette Hammerle, Director of Strategic Relationships, PH: (734) 309-2049.

 

This year, Anderson Economic Group, LLC celebrates 30 outstanding years of economic consulting in market and industry analysis, economic development, and public policy.

Over these three decades of helping U.S. and global clients from our offices in East Lansing and Chicago, AEG’s expert consultants have conducted benchmarking, economic development and market analyses, and economic and fiscal impact studies in industries that include (but are not limited to) real estate development, automotive and manufacturing, alcoholic beverages, energy and environment, K-12 and higher education, and franchised businesses.

Because our work is rooted in the core values of professionalism, integrity, and expertise, the country’s most respected news outlets regularly quote Anderson Economic Group’s consultants. More importantly, our work continues to inform corporate decision-making, government hearings, and court proceedings.

Learn more by visiting AndersonEconomicGroup.com, or contact Dr. Cristina Benton, the firm’s director of market and industry analysis, at 517-333-6984.

 

For over 50 years, Battle Creek Unlimited, Inc. (BCU) has been instrumental in fostering economic opportunities in Southwest Michigan. As the economic development entity for the City of Battle Creek, this private nonprofit organization has been recognized for its commitment to enhancing the city's growth and prosperity. Recipient of the 2024 Mac Conway Award for Excellence in Economic Development and other accolades, BCU offers a range of services to support new and expanding companies as well as those considering relocating to Battle Creek. These services support their overall mission of generating investment in their community and include providing resources such as site selection, redevelopment assistance, community development, access to financing, and other essential tools within the city. Contact Battle Creek Unlimited.

 

The Detroit Regional Partnership is a regional economic development nonprofit serving Southeast Michigan’s 11-county region. Founded in 2019 by a group of business and philanthropic CEOs, the organization is laser-focused on marketing the region to out-of-state and international companies to attract investments and jobs. Contact DRP.

 

The Mannik & Smith Group, Inc. (MSG) offers an innovative and solution-oriented approach to helping clients complete successful projects by employing creativity to solve problems, maximizing value, and reaching cost-effective client solutions. MSG offers a full array of consulting services for both the public and private sectors including, but not limited to Civil/Structural Design and Permitting, Construction Engineering, Cultural Resources, Environmental, Geotechnical, Landscape Architecture, Planning/Funding Strategies/Grant Writing, Program Management, Surveying, Mechanical Electrical Processes, and Instrumentation, Controls & Automation. MSG offers an unparalleled diversity of infrastructure-related services to public, private, energy, institutional, and philanthropic clients. The firm’s mission is to help clients overcome hurdles to get their projects developed quickly while addressing infrastructure needs and regulatory requirements. Infrastructure is very expensive – and solving infrastructure needs most cost-effectively is their primary value to their clients. The firm currently has 9 offices throughout Michigan! Visit www.MannikSmithGroup.com or contact Steve Mihalec, Business Development Leader, PH: 734-598-1810, smihalec@manniksmithgroup.com today!

 

Friends of MEDA Sponsors

The Detroit Region Aerotropolis Development Corporation is a four-community, two-county public-private economic development partnership driving corporate expansion and new investment around Detroit Metro and Willow Run Airports. The Aerotropolis is the premier location for greenfield expansion in Southeast Michigan, offering 6,000 acres of development-ready land centered in a world-class network of transportation infrastructure. With two world-class airports, access to three major interstates, and five Class-A rail lines, the Detroit Region Aerotropolis is a prime location for global companies to build, expand, or develop.

 

Fleis & VandenBrink (F&V) is an employee-owned, multi-disciplined civil engineering firm with ten offices serving Michigan and Indiana. The F&V team encompasses a broad range of services designed to provide our clients with a one-stop-shop consultant. Providing a wide range of services allows us to design custom-fit solutions and award-winning projects - on time and on budget. Their growth has been an outcome of hiring the best people, doing great work, and focusing on client relationships.

 

At Miller Davis, we build transformational projects that strengthen communities and fuel economic growth across Michigan. For more than 100 years, we’ve delivered complex, high-impact construction projects with the experience, ingenuity, and grit to solve challenges before they become obstacles.

Headquartered in Kalamazoo, our reach spans the western half of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, supporting commercial, industrial, educational, healthcare, government, and mixed-use development initiatives. We provide full-service construction management, general contracting, design-build, and consulting services tailored to the needs of growing communities and economic development partners. Backed by self-perform capabilities, Miller Davis delivers greater control, faster response times, and dependable execution in the field.

If it matters to your community, Miller Davis is the team to build it.

 

RACER Trust's mission is to clean up and position former GM locations for redevelopment and beneficial reuse. They are responsible for conducting safe, effective environmental cleanups at approximately 60 locations. RACER is one of the largest holders of industrial property in the United States, and when it was formed was the largest environmental response and remediation trust in U.S. history.