Recap of Community Connection Event with Amy Berglund, Director of Business Initiatives, InvestUP.
In June, the Morning Brew featured guest was Amy Berglund, Director of Business Initiatives, who joined us to discuss initiatives being led by InvestUP.
Overview of InvestUP:
Led by Marty Fittante, CEO and former Chief of Staff for Michigan State Senator Tom Casperson, InvestUP is the lead regional economic development organization for the Upper Peninsula. It is privately funded and focused on initiatives that promote growth and development across the region. These initiatives span multiple sectors, including population growth, talent attraction, workforce development, housing, and other unique regional needs.
During our conversation, Amy walked us through the initiatives important to Schoolcraft County and the Upper Peninsula as a whole.
Population:
We began our conversation by discussing population trends. Amy shared that the Upper Peninsula has lost 48% of its K-12 population since the 1970s. The largest demographic is currently 55+, with a significant segment of 18-24-year-olds due to the presence of three major universities. InvestUP has been focusing on engaging the 18-24 demographic through job fairs, internships, and local community networking opportunities, with the goal of retaining them post-graduation. Amy highlighted 906 Industry Day, held at Michigan Tech, as a particularly successful event connecting Upper Peninsula businesses with local talent. Two Schoolcraft County businesses, Online Engineering and Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital, participated.
Housing:
We also discussed the nationwide housing shortage, with a focus on rural areas where challenges hinder long-term growth. This shortage significantly impacts the region’s growth and development efforts. Employers often struggle to retain talent due to limited housing options. We identified several roadblocks, including high construction costs, a lack of skilled trade workers, insufficient businesses to meet demand, expensive building materials, and inadequate infrastructure.
Amy reported that InvestUP is involved in several projects addressing these challenges:
Build U.P.: This housing fund was created to fast-track high-impact, shovel-ready housing projects. InvestUP’s CEO successfully advocated for $50 million in funding from the state legislature to address housing shortages across the U.P. Ultimately, $15 million was awarded. These funds help developers move projects forward. Currently, 10 projects are in the pipeline, with two already funded, including Cedar Street Real Estate in Manistique, which will feature both retail and residential space.
Career and Technical Education (CTE): InvestUP is exploring ways to support housing construction through CTE programs. This initiative aims to increase housing while teaching valuable skills to students. Amy discussed a CTE program where students build a townhome-like structure each school year, then deconstruct it and reuse the materials for the next class. By finding ways to cover material costs, these homes could be completed and added to the local housing supply.
Labor:
Understanding the labor market in the Upper Peninsula is essential for all initiatives. In 2022, the Upper Peninsula Collaborative Development Council launched a study to better understand the regional workforce and align it with employer demand. The study produced six recommendations to meet talent needs. We focused on recommendations 3, 4, and 6, which highlight the benefits of dual enrollment, CTE, technical training, and entrepreneurship services.
View the Labor Study.
Amy also discussed programs designed to expose students to local businesses, noting that students may not always be aware of opportunities in their own communities. We discussed Limestone FCU’s upcoming Career Pathways panel event at Lake Superior State University (LSSU), where students will have the chance to network with local employers and participate in a Q&A session. We also talked about our Learn it. Plan it. Pitch it. event, modeled after NBC’s Shark Tank, where students pitch business ideas after six weeks of classroom instruction.
Amy emphasized that expanding these programs to include local community involvement is key to long-term success. Collaborative efforts with UP Michigan Works! and MI STEM Council are underway to invite high school teachers to visit local manufacturers like Billerud and EMP, so they can share this knowledge with students interested in these fields.
Michigan’s Outdoor Innovation Fund:
InvestUP secured $3 million in funding to support early-stage startups in outdoor innovation and recreation technology across Michigan through the Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund. These funds target businesses in outdoor mobility, wearables, trail advancements, and tourism experiences, supporting entrepreneurship in the Upper Peninsula. Amy mentioned projects like Quiet Pickleball paddles, solar equipment for hiking and biking trails, and ATV trail charging stations.
Community Involvement:
The conversation shifted to local community support, particularly for skilled trade startups. Amy noted that these businesses often need more support with administrative tasks. She recommended referrals to local organizations like Schoolcraft Tourism & Commerce and Small Business Development Services. MEDC is also funding the Central U.P. Small Business Support Hub program, designed to help small businesses with research and grant opportunities, in collaboration with the Lake Superior Community Partnership.
We thoroughly enjoyed our discussion with Amy and gained a deeper understanding of InvestUP’s collaboration with local economic development organizations and the initiatives supporting growth across the region. Looking forward to seeing the growth and impact these initiatives will bring to the Upper Peninsula.
The purpose of Morning Brew is to foster connections within the community, encouraging participants to interact with local leaders, business owners, and hometown heroes. Hosted at The Grind Coffee House, these events serve as a platform for meaningful discussions about current events and development in our community. Learn more.
Article by, Jennifer C. Watson, CEO, of Limestone FCU
