Posted by – Stephanie Carroll, Manager of Business Development and Community Relations

Last week, nearly 200 professionals in the economic development profession gathered in Holland, Michigan.  The theme for this year’s Michigan Economic Developers Association (MEDA) annual meeting was “Connect”.  It was all about connecting people, ideas, and solutions.

The sessions were timely and designed to help prepare local economic developers to learn first-hand how others are using innovative solutions to connect.

Sessions ranged from The Future of a Driverless Society to Building Tomorrow’s Talent through Meaningful Engagement and everything in between.  These fast-paced sessions covered all the top priorities in economic development.  We even got to hear from Jeff Mason, President, and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to get a bigger picture of how the state is doing and what lies ahead.

This location also gave us the opportunity to explore Downtown Holland and nearby areas.  It’s been years since I had been to Holland, so it was an ideal location to get fresh perspectives and strategies that are helping to make local communities thrive.

Holland was the perfect spot to reconnect with colleagues in the industry while focusing on the importance of collaboration and how we can work together to strengthen the Michigan economy.