Detroit Chamber's Connection Point Now Part Of MEDC's Pure Michigan Business Connect
DETROIT -- The Detroit Regional Chamber's Connection Point program, which has worked to connect Detroit-area businesses with new clients ranging from huge defense contractors to NASA, has become part of the Michigan Economic Development Corp.'s Pure Michigan Business Connect program.
"The Detroit Regional Chamber deserves our thanks for joining us in Pure Michigan Business Connect," said MEDC president and CEO Michael A. Finney. "This commitment will significantly add to the bid opportunities available to Michigan companies."
Pure Michigan Business Connect is a more than $8 billion public-private initiative that provides Michigan businesses with new ways to buy and sell, raise capital and connect with each other through an alliance of the Michigan Economic Development Corp., state agencies and major Michigan companies and organizations.
Connection Point, founded in 2009 with funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan, has made more than $200 million in bid opportunities available to Michigan businesses across 24 industries.
The program has facilitated millions of dollars in opportunities from companies headquartered outside Michigan including The Boeing Co., Deutz and ManTech International Corp.
Since December 2011, MEDC and the Detroit Regional Chamber have collaborated through the two programs at various events, including the 2012 Mackinac Policy Conference.
"In less than two years, these programs have been extremely successful generating hundreds of millions of dollars in increased procurement opportunities and contracts for Michigan suppliers with new customers, both within and outside of Michigan," said Benjamin Erulkar, senior vice president of economic development at the Detroit Regional Chamber. "As the programs grew along parallel paths, it became clear to both organizations that a greater degree of collaboration could amplify their successes across the state and throughout the global economy."
The new agreement ensures the work of Connection Point will now continue as part of the state's economic development efforts through Pure Michigan Business Connect. Moving forward, the Chamber will continue to serve as a strategic partner with MEDC on Pure Michigan Business Connect and support Connection Point programming in Southeast Michigan.
The MEDC markets the state with a focus on business, talent, jobs, and helping to grow the economy. For more on MEDC and its initiatives, visit: www.MichiganAdvantage.org.
