MARQUETTE COUNTY | 2015/16 PRODUCTION BEGINS AT EAGLE MINE
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UPPCO MOVES HEADQUARTERS TO MARQUETTE COUNTY
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CONNECTING BUSINESS AND WORKFORCE
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Sponsored by the Lake Superior Community Partnership
WELCOME TO
MARQUETTE COUNTY POPULATION MARQUETTE COUNTY: CITY OF ISHPEMING: CITY OF MARQUETTE: CITY OF NEGAUNEE:
68,288 6,583 21,265 4,559
LOCATION Marquette County is in the central Upper Peninsula on the south shore of Lake Superior.
HISTORY The county of Marquette was first settled in the mid-1800s. Marquette was established in 1848. It was named after Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit priest.
FOR MORE INFO: LAKE SUPERIOR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP CONTACT: 501 S. Front St Marquette, Mi 49855 (906) 226-6591 (888) 578-6489 www.marquette.org Fax: (906) 226-2099 Lscp@marquette.org
HOW CLOSE ARE YOU TO MARQUETTE? MILWAUKEE, WI: 294 miles CHICAGO, IL: 384 miles MINNEAPOLIS, MN: 401 miles DETROIT, MI: 455 miles
DISCOVER MARQUETTE COUNTY Bike, run, or walk on the Iron Ore Heritage Trail spanning 48 miles from Chocolay Township to Republic Township. Stop and taste locally brewed beer from our many breweries. Spend the day beachside along 55 miles of Lake Superior shoreline or hiking to one of the 77 picturesque waterfalls. The Downtown Showdown ski and snowboard rail jam provides a glorious setting for tricks, spins, and flips every February. Black Rocks at Presque Isle hosts many scenic spots to hike or relax and gaze upon the beautiful Lake Superior waters. Cheer on sled dog teams at the start of the UP 200 and Midnight Run in downtown Marquette and the Jack Pine 30 in Gwinn. The Downtown Marquette Farmers Market brings joy to the community from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at the Marquette Commons, 112 S. Third St. Discover Sawyer Family Fun Day is a chance to check out Sawyer International Airport up close. Pioneer Days takes place in Negaunee each summer and includes a softball tournament, parade, family friendly activities and fireworks over Teal Lake.
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#8 Best Small City in America
WHAT’S INSIDE SECTIONS 1 LOCAL BUSINESSES 2 EDUCATION 3 HEALTH
4 RECREATION 5 NON-PROFIT 6 SERVICES
(Nerd Wallet)
(Gear Patrol)
LOCAL BUSINESSES NORTHERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 IRON RANGE AGENCY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 CASA CALABRIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 COCO’S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 COGNITION BREWING COMPANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 PIKE DISTRIBUTORS, INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 SWICK HOME SERVICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 QUICKTROPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 SUPERIOR EXTRUSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 LAKE SUPERIOR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP . . . . . . . . . . 12 EAGLE MINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 VAST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 U.P. REGIONAL LABOR FEDERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 UPPCO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Best Paddling Town
EDUCATION CAREER JUMP START . . . . . CAREER TECH EDUCATION .
#10 Best Place for Young Families (Nerd Wallet)
#23 Best Place for Millennial Job Seekers in the Midwest (Nerd Wallet)
25 Best Places to Travel in the World
(Canoe & Kayak Magazine)
#1 State in America (Thrillist)
10 Underrated U.S. Adventure Destination (Yahoo Travel)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
HEALTH YMCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 U.P. HOME HEALTH & HOSPICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 RECREATION MARQUETTE MARATHON TRAVEL MARQUETTE . . . .
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NON-PROFIT UPAWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 SAIL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 RED CROSS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 SERVICES MARQUETTE COUNTY SERVICES .
Lake Superior Community Partnership | marquette.org
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WHAT’S INSIDE
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VISION - MARQUETTE COUNTY | 2015/16
RECENT RECOGNITION
TRAINING GROUND NMU graduate student lands dream job in the U.P. Being a wildlife biologist has always been a goal of Cody Norton’s. The Marquette native has not only achieved that goal, but he was able to do it right here in the Upper Peninsula. The biology graduate student at Northern Michigan University is completing his thesis on black bears, researching white-tailed deer predation and starting his dream job, all before he graduates in August. An avid outdoorsman since childhood, Norton is one month into his new position as a Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist in the Shingleton area. “My entire life, I’ve really, really loved wildlife,” Norton said, adding that his new job — where he makes routine direct contact with animals and the natural environment — doesn’t feel like work to him.
food supply impact white-tailed deer populations in the U.P. The experience is also a unique one. This is the only large-scale study in Michigan that takes winter weather into account, Norton said. “So our study was really what the DNR looked to, and people throughout the state looked to, to try to figure out how severe were these past winters and how has it really affected the deer population,” Norton said. Research revealed the past few winters were devastating, Norton said, with up to 68 percent mortality for does and 100 percent mortality for fawns. “I think it was one of highest recorded mortality rates ... ever documented in the literature,” Norton said. While some people have attributed the deer population decline to wolves and other predators, this research shows the harsh weather has been chiefly responsible. “We’re taking that information and then trying to manage deer winter complexes throughout the U.P. right now, through the DNR, to ensure that deer have enough cover in the winter and have enough food so they can make it through, hopefully better than they have the last few winters.”
“It’s really neat having them in your hands, and their life really is dependent on you paying attention and doing everything correctly,” Norton said. “We are absolutely as careful and attentive as we can be. But every once in a while, you have to kind of sit back and say, ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this right now.’ It’s a blast. It’s what gets you through all those days out in the swamp getting eaten up by mosquitos.”
Norton’s thesis focuses on black bears, specifically the effects of the timber harvest and infanticide risk on their population. He won the Truman Award for best poster presentation at the 23rd annual International Conference on Bear Research and Management in Thessaloniki, Greece. He also presented at the Wildlife Society National Conference in Pittsburgh.
The U.P. and NMU have provided an ample learning environment for Norton.
While Norton has many small goals now, he already achieved the big one, and he was able to do so without having to venture far from home.
For the last three years, Norton has participated in a 12-year study by Mississippi State University and the Michigan DNR, researching how predation, winter weather, habitat and
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The conference in Greece brought researchers and wildlife managers from a variety of stakeholders, agencies and universities in 42 different countries together to address common and unique issues facing all bear species.
“Becoming a biologist has been my goal since day one. Now that I have it, as of right now, I want to keep doing what I’m doing,” Norton said. “I’ve only been doing it for a month so I ... just want to try to continually improve and manage the wildlife in my area as best I can.”
grows and supports community The Iron Range Agency has changed owners but is still in good hands. The insurance agency, located at 101 N. Main St. in Ishpeming, was sold this year, the sale went to long-time employees. In 1971, Harry and Bernice Edmark bought two insurance agencies in western Marquette County, forming the Viall-Dighera-Edmark Insurance Agency. The Edmarks became sole owners of the business, and renamed it the Iron Range Agency. Their son, Tom, joined the firm in 1977 and purchased it in 1988. Since then, the agency has grown from a staff of six to 14. The business bought Custom Insurance Agency in 1998 and Jennings Insurance in 2007. This year, Tom Edmark sold his agency to four employees: Scott Lyman, Jill Stagliano, Tracy Matson and Coleen Pepin. They have a combined total of over 100 years with the agency. Tom Edmark also stays involved by acting as senior executive advisor. “We like to support our community. They support us and we want to support them.” - OWNER, SCOTT LYMAN
“This is a longstanding business in the community,” Lyman said By selling the agency internally, the agency was perpetuated from within, he said.
The Iron Range Agency also over the years has supported a number of organizations in the community: Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Marquette County, the U.S. National Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame, Ishpeming
Lake Superior Community Partnership | marquette.org
Little League, the Western Marquette County Health Foundation, the Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, the Ishpeming Ski Club, the March of Dimes and the YMCA of Marquette County. “We like to support our community,” Stagliano said. “They support us and we want to support them.” The agency handles auto, business, home and life insurance. However, what sets the agency apart from others in the area, Lyman pointed out, is its longevity. “I think what maybe makes us a little different from what may be the typical insurance agency is that because we have such a longstanding presence in the community, we have an awful lot of customer loyalty,” Lyman said. The face-to-face contact helps with customer interaction, he said. Stagliano noted the employees at the agency tend to stay there. “Once hired, it’s almost a lifetime occupation,” Stagliano said. Clients then get to know the employees, who develop those personal relationships, she said. The clients also like it when they see the same face in the years following from when they first took out their policies. The agency, Lyman and Stagliano said, also encourages its employees to continue their education in the industry through advanced training and professional designations. The agency is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
LOCAL BUSINESSES
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VISION - MARQUETTE COUNTY | 2015/16
IRON RANGE AGENCY
Casa Calabria owners celebrate renovations with a ribbon cutting.
CasaCalabria
A True Family Restaurant The Casa Calabria on Third Street, one of Marquette’s oldest Italian restaurants, has a family tree that stretches across the Upper Peninsula to Wisconsin. The Johnson, Barbiere and Fernandez families have owned and operated 23 restaurants since Felix and Concetta Sarvello Barbiere opened the first one in Ishpeming in 1948.
But even after the national economic recession, the Casa has continued to flourish and just finished up with some recent renovations and improvements, including the installation of new carpets, booths, tables, wall coverings and kitchen equipment.
“Our grandparents were from Italy, Calabria specifically, that’s how we got the name, the Casa Calabria,” said Jim Johnson, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife, Joan, and brother Phil.
Along with the changing appearance, the restaurant, which is known for its lasagna, tenderloin steak and garlic bread, has added some new menu items, as well.
Johnson said his grandparents moved from Italy to Ishpeming in the late 1900s.
“We just put seafood on, we have scallops, tuna and shrimp on the grill, which are really great,” Johnson said, adding that the restaurant has even added hamburgers to its offerings.
“You grew your own little vegetables, raised your own pigs and chickens back in those days and then he started selling cudighis. He had his own little stand that they built,” he said. “So then his kids, my uncles, there were six boys, I think pretty much all of them moved to Milwaukee and started working at restaurants down there.” At 19 years old, Johnson moved to Milwaukee to manage a restaurant there and learned the business from his two uncles. In 1981, he moved back to Marquette, and with his brother opened the Casa, which has seen financial success over the years. “Out of those 34 years we’ve only had two years where we weren’t ahead of the year before, and one of those years we had construction on Third Street, so I kind of expected that then,” Johnson
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said, “and the other year was 2008, which was not a good year for anybody.”
But the menu changes aren’t intended as a diversion from the classic Italian food the restaurant has been serving up for years. “I think we have about 11 different sauces now, nine different pastas,” Johnson said. “But all the basic products are still the same and the bread recipe is still the same that we’ve used since day one.” While the restaurant’s interior retains the fine dining style and appearance, it’s not a shirtand-tie type of place.“We like to have people feel comfortable coming in in jeans or shorts,” Johnson said. “We try to make people feel comfortable and more at home.”
Local restaurant gets a makeover, nightlife gets a boost
A new event venue in Marquette is establishing itself in the live music scene, transforming a place the town knows well into a center of nightlife on the weekends. Coco’s restaurant has been serving breakfast, lunch and dinner on Lakeshore Boulevard for the last seven years. Since January, the restaurant has also become “Coco’s After Hours,” a music and event venue featuring a new bar, stage and sound system, with more changes in store. “I’m a big fan of nightlife,” said Nick Gonda, the owners’ son, who is heading up the changes. “I fell in love with the idea of having a place on the beach that served ice cold drinks.” Coco’s After Hours’ biggest renovations are completed, with a brand-new stage in the front of the restaurant, a second bar in the main dining room, an elevated DJ booth, a new house sound system and new lighting.
“We’re doing it big, we’re really ramping it up,” Gonda said. “A nice little start in January let us kind of dial things in with service ... this summer’s going to be a lot of fun.”
After Hours is open Thursday - Saturday from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Gonda, 25, spent the last four years working as a bartender at a large resort in Ibiza, Spain. That experience is the source of his inspiration for Coco’s After Hours, he said.
Gonda said the response so far has been phenomenal. “It’s been really awesome to see a lot of young people in here, a lot of fresh faces, people from out of town to check out the music and stuff, so it’s been great,” Gonda said. Gonda doesn’t want to “let too much out of the bag,” he said, but he has a lot planned heading into summer, including an interior mural by a local graffiti artist, liquid chalk paint in the bar for drawing on the walls, a patio for outdoor entertainment and a 300-person event tent for catering, weddings and outdoor concerts.
Lake Superior Community Partnership | marquette.org
“I want to change the game in Marquette a little bit,” Gonda said. “A lot of the big entertainment we used to get when the Upfront & Company was around isn’t really coming around much anymore, so we got to bring that back.” The best way to follow upcoming events and specials is on Coco’s Facebook page, updated daily.
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VISION - MARQUETTE COUNTY | 2015/16
COCO’S AFTER HOURS
COGNITION
BREWING COMPANY
Tucked away in the old tap room at the former Mather Inn Hotel in Ishpeming is the recently established Cognition Brewing Company. “We just went with that name because we wanted to make it so when you come in and get a beer, you’re actually kind of thinking about what it is you have in front of you, you’re not just pounding beers and not really thinking about it,” said Brian Richards, Cognition’s head brewer. A lot of thought went into naming the brewery, and a lot of thought went into naming the wide variety of beers the brewery has produced, such as the Hopjection Your Honor IPA or the Gnome-Wrecker Belgian Pale Ale, which was the first beer Cognition ever sold out of. “When people come in here they can expect to see new stuff on the taps pretty often,” Richards said. “We’re just trying to keep it fresh and have new stuff for people to try.”
excited and start learning about them, what goes into them, and the next thing you know you’re buying home brew equipment trying to replicate things you enjoy.”
ON MONDAYS, COGNITION PREPARES SMALL BATCH RELEASE OF EXPERIMENTAL BEERS EXAMPLES:
JALAPENO SAISON STRAWBERRY
As for the location, Cognition’s entrance is nestled into the side of the former Mather Inn Hotel, which was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1976 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, before the hotel closed in 1987. It was built in the 1930s and in 1959 served as lodging for the cast of the movie “Anatomy of a Murder.” Richards said another location on Ishpeming’s Main Street was considered, but the historical appeal of the former Tap Room, and the fact that the space was physically bigger, sealed the deal. “It already has a bar that everybody already has good memories of from back in the day, and it’s just been sitting empty for all these years,” he said. “It was just kind of a no-brainer as soon as we saw this option become available.”
On Mondays, Cognition also prepares small batch releases of experimental beers like bourbon-barreled barley wine and strawberry jalapeno saison. Richards said he wanted to get involved in the brewing business after he developed an affection for craft beer in college. “I thought I could save a bunch of money by just making good beer and not having to spend 10 bucks on a six pack all the time,” he said. “You just start trying different beers and get
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VISION - MARQUETTE COUNTY | 2015/16
PIKE DISTRIBUTORS, INC. For Pike Distributors Inc., hard work and going local are the keys to positioning the local family owned business for the future and keeping the third generation company in the Upper Peninsula. “The Upper Peninsula is our home and Pike believes in supporting the community. We are very proud of our involvement and sponsorship of organizations and events” said Vice President Jack Ketvirtis. “As the only locally owned distributor left in the region, we feel it’s absolutely important to make sure we support local businesses at every step because they’re the employers and employees who have supported us for generations” Ketvirtis said. “Pike Distributors is committed to continuing the great level of service to our customers that we have provided since 1937. Ultimately, we want to do our part to help our local economy and local communities thrive and compete in a 21st century economy, and we believe we’re in a position to do that.” Pike Distributors and its employees are committed to supporting the local economy – and that means getting nearly everything locally, including vehicles, office supplies, warehouse equipment and other goods and services. Pike is active in the local community and participates in charitable and community events including popular programs such as Bay Cliff Health Camp, Dead River Derby, Harbor Fest, Marquette Area Blues Festival, Marquette Royals Hockey, Negaunee Hockey League, Ore to Shore and West Branch Sportsman Club.
Lake Superior Community Partnership | marquette.org
| keeps it local
In 2011, Pike opened a new 35,000-plus square foot facility at 353 U.S. 41 East. Altogether, Pike employs more than 40 full-time employees at its three locations: Marquette, Newberry and Gladstone. Pike’s employees enjoy good wages and benefits, including health care, profit sharing, 401(k) and other benefits.
“The Upper Peninsula is our home and Pike believes in supporting the community. We are very proud of our involvement and sponsorship of organizations and events.” -V.P., Jack Ketvirtis
“We’re really excited to build relationships with our customers and give back because we’re all from the area, we all have deep roots in the Upper Peninsula. We don’t just provide on-time delivery; we also help folks in our community tackle challenges and solve problems to move the U.P. forward together, ” Ketvirtis said. As the third generation to lead Pike, Ketvirtis strongly believes in taking a hands-on approach to the business. He is often out servicing accounts, building displays and even driving a truck to deliver products.
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SWICK PROVIDES QUALITY SERVICE TO MARQUETTE COUNTY As any homeowner knows, things can go wrong in an instant. Your pipes could be clogged or the heat doesn’t turn on, and that can go from an inconvenience to a big problem. Thankfully for local residents, they have a company that can fix a wide variety of problems. Swick Home Services has been providing quality service to Marquette County for many years and is striving to continue to do so. “Our focus is on customer service and one of the things that we provide is letting customers make their own decisions,” Vice President and Operations Manager Rick Gilles said. “Sometimes we’ll go out and do a simple repair and we’ll say, ‘We can fix the problem or we can replace it with a new one.’ People don’t like not being able to make decisions on their own and we think giving them options gives them a better experience.
to provide other services. “We do heating and plumbing and we’re also helping local businesses,” he said. “We’re helping build the new Dairy Queen as well as some assisted living projects. We realized that we can’t focus on just one thing and we have to create a niche for ourselves.” In addition to providing good customer service, Swick also gives back to the community. Gilles says that it sponsors Alzheimer’s awareness, helps with Toys for Tots and provides scholarships for local students to go to trade schools. “It’s hard to find people who want to go into the trades, so we’re working hard to bring them back into schools,” he said. “It’s a well-paying profession and we tell kids that after their workday is done, they can actually see what they’ve accomplished.”
“We also tell our employees not to get nervous if they get a bad review because it gives us an opportunity to fix that problem and provide better service.”
In a nutshell, Swick is there to provide the residents of Marquette County what they need, whether it be in their home or in their community.
Gilles says that Swick has been around for almost 40 years and that it started off as a heating business. Over the years, Swick has grown from having two or three service technicians to nine or 10. It has also started
“We want customers to know that we are there for them whenever they need it,” Gilles said. “We’re blessed with the finest people and employees and our goal is to provide the best service in the Upper Peninsula.”
QUICKTROPHY CELEBRATES 15TH ANNIVERSARY QuickTrophy, an internet-based company that is located in Marquette, will be celebrating their 15th anniversary this fall.
design to make it easier for them, our target market, making their job as simple as possible.”
“In 2000 when we started this, there weren’t any other trophy companies on the internet,” said Terrence Dehring, president of QuickTrophy. “A year later, there were like five or six of us. If we had waited a couple more years, it wouldn’t have worked, but we were just in the right place at the right time.”
Dehring said that the concept for QuickTrophy wasn’t his initially, and that he came into the business by a little bit of luck.
QuickTrophy is able to ship their products, which include trophies, medals, glass awards, nametags, nameplates, acrylic awards, and more, worldwide in just a matter of days depending on the location. This is due to their high volume and fast turnaround, and it gives their customers a lot of variety to choose from. On QuickTrophy.com, it states that the website was designed and tested by coaches and team managers who order a lot of trophies. “People who order trophies would be the team managers and the coaches, so we came up with our design and we sat down with some people and said to just go through this and give us some feedback,” Dehring said. “We made a few changes to the
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“I was moving to Marquette, and a friend of mine that lives in Detroit had the idea,” he said. “He had a regular job, so he didn’t have the time to dedicate, and he said, ‘If you don’t have a job lined up when you move to Marquette, do you want to go into business together?’ “He and another guy had done some preliminary investigations, and saw that this idea probably has some potential — and then I came along and my background was pretty suited for this type of a business.” He added that being internet-based allowed the company to be located wherever they wanted. “It works fine to have it located in Marquette because we can ship worldwide, we can ship nationwide,” Dehring said. “Probably two-thirds of the country is only three days away, shipping time.”
If you need something made from shapes such as a P tube or an I beam, Superior Extrusion Inc., is the place to go. The company, located at 118 Ave. G at K.I. Sawyer, creates custom shapes made from aluminum for its customers, which can be solid, hollow or semi-hollow. “To give you a frame of reference, most people understand that we take aluminum and we push it through a die, and that die will determine what shape comes out, so it will be very similar to a PlayDoh machine,” Dan Amberg, former corporate president and chief executive officer said. “There are many different shapes,” he said, “so customers will have between one and hundreds of shapes the company can make.” Randy DeBolt, current president, founded the company in 1996 with his brother Myron. “We started with a handful of people,” Randy DeBolt said. “Today we’re at 175.”
AN INTEGRAL PART OF MANUFACTURING aluminum parts needed to make a window. “So, we’re supplying manufacturers,” Amberg said. “We’re also supplying companies that supply manufacturers, so we’ll sell to service centers that’ll sell to manufacturers. Our products end up all over the world. We sometimes don’t even know because they’re going from one or two to three hands before the end product is actually made.” The company also recycles its aluminum, which is high-grade industrial scrap. Because aluminum can be recycled repeatedly, there is little waste at the site. Another boost to Superior Extrusion is its switch in 2014 to a mostly 24/7 operation. The company’s 100,000-square-foot space consists of two connecting plants. More improvements could be on the way.
Superior Extrusion now sells 3 million pounds of product per month. “We look for growth opportunities and possibly expansion,” he said. The company made its first extrusion in 1998 starting with a 7-inch press. In 2008, a 9-inch press was added. That was a big growth opportunity for the company, Amberg acknowledged, because more metal is being pushed through in the same amount of time. Superior Extrusion’s parts generally are shipped to companies that make products. For example, the company will produce the
Lake Superior Community Partnership | marquette.org
LOCAL BUSINESSES
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VISION - MARQUETTE COUNTY | 2015/16
SUPERIOR EXTRUSION
LSCP - THEN AND NOW
The Lake Superior Community Partnership (LSCP) began in the 1980s when community leaders gathered to focus on issues affecting the county’s mining industry, which threatened thousands of jobs. In 1997 the threat of closure of the KI Sawyer Air Force Base reignited the group which was then called the Lake Superior Jobs Coalition. Leaders were solicited from all sectors of Marquette County. With the ultimate closure of the base, they supported the county commission as they made the difficult but forwardthinking decision to move the airport to the old Air Force base.
“Our focus remains clearly on economic and busines development and all the services that encompasses.” -CEO, AMY CLICKNER
“The LSCP has evolved over the last 17 years as any organization should. Years ago we were an umbrella organization for many non-profits to more effectively use the resources granted us by our community members,” said LSCP CEO Amy Clickner. “Our work in the past has been varied. From playing support roles in the Ore to Shore, Noquemanon Ski Race and NTN to helping to create a recreational authority that is now known as the Iron Ore Heritage Trail, we have been there when needed. Now, our focus remains clearly on economic and business development and all the services that encompasses.”
LSCP celebrates ground breaking with longtime partner and client CrossFit 906.
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The partnership is built on the belief that efforts to improve the area’s quality of life should be regional in nature, built around private-public partnerships and focused on community development. In fact, the ongoing partnership between the LSCP and Marquette County is crucial for development efforts and has been in place since the organization’s creation. The LSCP is 75% privately and 25% publicly funded. The understanding that private sector investment drives economic development is one of the group’s founding principles. Located at 501 S. Front St. in Marquette, the LSCP provides business development services for anyone in Marquette County. In addition to these services, an extensive network of partners allows it to make connections between businesses, organizations, leaders and legislators and provide a powerful legislative voice by advocating for programs and policies that strengthen our regional economy. “We encourage anyone who has an idea for a business or already owns a business to stop in,” commented Clickner. “Our experienced business development team can assist you with any of your business development needs and make the connections that matter.” The LSCP recognizes that the growth of the area’s tax base relies on the ability to create and retain jobs that keep residents in our county, while attracting new ones. Since the county’s economy depends on highly skilled people, it must be competitive in attracting professionals who have many options when choosing an area in which to live.
VISION - MARQUETTE COUNTY | 2015/16 Lake Superior Community Partnership | marquette.org
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EAGLE MINE SURPASSING COMPANY PROJECTIONS Since beginning production last fall, through the first quarter of this year, the Eagle Mine and Humboldt Mill have continued to surpass expectations of its owners, the Lundin Mining Corp. “Thanks to our team, we’re off to a great start this year at Eagle Mine,” said Dan Blondeau, senior advisor for communications and media relations. “This year will be our first full year of operations, also our biggest production year.” Production first began Nov. 24 at the Eagle Mine in Michigamme Township and the Humboldt Mill in Humboldt Township. First quarter production at the Eagle Mine was 8,053 tons of nickel and 7,074 tons of copper, which was better than the company had projected. “We also delivered higher than expected throughput, grades and recoveries,” Blondeau said.
“We are excited to have discovered new zones of high-grade mineralization so close to the existing mine, and we look forward to ramping up our exploration campaign for the remainder of the year.” - PRESIDENT AND CEO, PAUL CONIBEAR
Across its operations, Lundin recorded first quarter net earnings of $83.3 million or net earnings attributable to shareholders — after deducting noncontrolling interests — of $71.8 million ($0.10 per share). Lundin operations, minus the Tenke Fungurume copper cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, generated cash flow of $224 million. “During the first quarter, we achieved record copper and nickel production as well as record levels of operating cash flow, which reflects the positive contributions now being attained from our recent acquisitions,” said Paul Conibear, Lundin president and CEO. “Eagle performed at or above full design capacities for the entire quarter.” Lundin’s $83.3 million net earnings for the first quarter was an increase of $70 million over the $13.3 million earned in the first quarter last year. In an
earnings release, the company said those results were positively impacted by the recently-acquired Candelaria Mining Complex in Chile, which had net earnings of $59.5 million, and the Eagle Mine, which posted $13.4 million in net earnings. Operating earnings for Lundin during the first quarter were $274 million, which was an increase of $230.9 million from the $43.1 million in the first quarter in 2014. Lundin officials said the increase was primarily attributed to Eagle’s $56.1 million and Candelaria’s $163.7 million operating results. The earnings report said average London Metal Exchange prices for copper were 17 percent lower than the first quarter of 2014, with nickel prices down 2 percent and lead down 14 percent. Zinc prices were up 2 percent. First quarter operating costs, excluding depreciation, were $250.6 million, which was an increase of $150.4 million compared to the $100.2 million from the first quarter of 2014. Lundin officials said the increase was largely attributed to the incremental costs of $32.3 million at the Eagle Mine and $128.5 million at Candelaria. Eagle Mine’s copper production in the fourth quarter of 2014 was 3,975 tons. The full 2014 production total was 4,304 tons. Lundin officials had projected production of between 2,205 and 3,307 tons. Nickel production for the fourth quarter of 2014 at Eagle Mine was 4,512 tons, while the full 2014 production total was 4,740 tons. Projections for nickel were the same for that of copper. Lundin recently announced that exploration drilling near the Eagle Mine has intersected a new zone of high-grade massive and semi-massive nickelcopper sulphide mineralization. The discovery is located approximately two kilometers east of the Eagle deposit, and is a consequence of the step-out drilling program. Conibear stated in a press release, “The significant assays reported… demonstrate that our exploration strategy near the Eagle Mine is delivering exceptionally high-grade results. We are excited to have discovered new zones of high-grade mineralization so close to the existing mine, and we look forward to ramping up our exploration campaign for the remainder of the year.”
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LOCAL BUSINESSES
HAS YOU COVERED VAST, a Marquette-based regional insurance and risk management firm, has built a reputation over the past 130 years as the company of choice for businesses and individuals alike. “We’re a very fortunate company, that we have the support of so many people in our community,” said CEO and Chief Risk Officer Scott White. The firm has more than 40 employees, able to provide insurance coverage for everything from the smallest business to the largest employers in the Upper Peninsula. “We’re an independent agency that does multi-lines — personal insurance, benefits, business insurance. We also have specializations in professional healthcare liability, surety, manufacturing, and construction,” White said. He said it’s important that the firm’s clients have such a wide range of options. “It’s very clear. I mean, there isn’t anybody in our marketplace that doesn’t need some kind of insurance,” White said. “There isn’t an employer in the region that doesn’t need workers compensation, property, general liability, group health insurance, group life
insurance ... The people in our region need it, very specifically.” VAST was originally founded in 1885 by Sidney B. Adams as a oneman insurance and real estate operation. White said the gymnasium at Graveraet School is named after Adams. Since its humble beginnings Sidney Adams Real Estate, Insurance and Loans has undergone nine name changes and has had 15 partners. Its current partners are White, Chris VanAbel, Pam Stewart, Tom Cousineau and Jay Hiller. Community participation is important to the company as well, White said. Its employees are encouraged to join local service organizations, and are members of such clubs as Kiwanis, Rotary and 40 Below, among others. The firm’s team talent is another reason it has been able to provide such top-quality services, White said. Its employees are highly skilled people who have decided the Marquette area is where they want to put down roots. “We’ve been able to attract and retain some of the best and brightest talent from the region, from the Upper Peninsula,” White said. “We’re very proud of that.”
WORKFORCE MATTERS Commercial growth is often the result of several groups, organizations and businesses working together to achieve a common goal. This is certainly true in Marquette County and the Upper Peninsula. “Economic development encompasses many things,” said Amy Clickner, Lake Superior Community Partnership CEO. “For a project to be successful many pieces of a complex puzzle must come together. In the construction phase this is particularly important.” A recent construction project that has had a great impact on economic development in our area is the Hampton Inn Marquette Waterfront. “The Hampton Inn Project is an example of the availability of the union workforce and collaboration between management and labor in the Upper Peninsula,” stated Jim Ebli, Upper Peninsula Construction Council Management Co-Chair and President of Gundlach Champion. “When the doors were open for business over 36,000 man-hours were expended on the project, the high quality work was performed safe and productive. This would not have been accomplished without the available work force.” The Hampton Inn had a positive experience completing construction as well. “Our experience with Gundlach Champion when building the Hampton Inn Marquette Waterfront was excellent,” commented Tim Larson, Hampton Inn owner. “You couldn’t have asked for a better contractor. They have an outstanding team who worked very closely and collaboratively with
Lake Superior Community Partnership | marquette.org
us throughout the whole process. They took a lot of pride and ownership in the building ensuring the endresult was nothing short of stunning.” Other examples of successful and ongoing projects that have brought a tremendous amount of economic development to the area include the Eagle Mine & Mill facilities, Presque Isle Power Plant, Cliffs Natural Resources, and Jamrich Hall on the campus of NMU. The Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council and the Upper Peninsula Construction Council are examples of organizations that work to ensure the successfulness of projects across the region. The Councils help protect the safety, working conditions and wages of Michigan’s unionized construction workforce. They support building trades unions by working with contractors and contractor associations. Members bring pride, professionalism and a strong work ethic to every project, whether they’re working for a signatory contractor or as a community volunteer. Signatory contractors and building trades professionals work together to advance their industry by supplying the safest, highest quality and most cost effective construction services at the best possible value. The Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council is an affiliate of the newly formed Upper Peninsula Regional Labor Federation, another example of an organization that works to create jobs and lift the economy across the region. The Federation was formed to be the parent organization over all the Central Labor Councils in the U.P. The U.P. RLF represents 41 AFL-CIO affiliated local unions withapproximately 13,000 members.
LOCAL BUSINESSES
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VISION - MARQUETTE COUNTY | 2015/16
VAST
U P PCO
TRANSITION MAKING PROGRESS
Upper Peninsula Power Co. (UPPCO) officials said good progress has been made since August toward the utility returning to serve 10 counties in the Upper Peninsula as an independent energy provider.
The company announced the UPPCO leadership team would include CEO Barbara Siehr, CFO Steve Manz and Chief Operating Officer Keith Moyle.
In August, UPPCO officials said the sale of the utility to Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Partners, announced earlier in the year had been completed.UPPCO was sold to the Balfour infrastructure equity investment fund by Chicago-based Integrys Energy Group, returning UPPCO to its original status as a Michigan-headquartered energy provider.
Siehr said nine months into the transition, the progress has left her feeling good about the utility’s future. In particular, she cited the new employees who have been hired to provide key support services and work on the front line serving customers.
Their parent company, Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Partners, is an infrastructure equity investment fund, focusing on investments in energy, utilities and transport infrastructure in the U.S., Canada and Europe. The fund has offices in New York and London.
“Employees continue to work hard at what the company is known for—providing safe and reliable service” - CEO, BARBARA SIEHR
Under terms of the sales agreement announced in January 2014, the purchase price was about $298.8 million for UPPCO’s electrical distribution operations, excluding its American Transmission Company holdings. UPPCO’s assets include seven hydroelectric generation facilities, 3,300 miles of electric distribution lines and 58 distribution substations. No changes are expected for UPPCO customers as a result of the sale.
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LOCAL BUSINESSES
“These are jobs and functions that had been performed outside Michigan that have now been brought back here to the Upper Peninsula,” Siehr said. “We are very pleased to be part of creating new jobs and helping the region’s economy.” Siehr said she anticipates more job creation in the coming months as the company continues its transition back to the U.P. In addition to hiring new employees and investing in office space for them, UPPCO is deep into its preparations to establish warehouse space and facilities and staffing for dispatching line crews and taking calls from customers, Siehr said. UPPCO hopes to continue to grow its presence in the U.P. Although in the midst of its transition, Siehr said employees continue to work hard at what the company is known for—providing safe and reliable service, customer service and being a proud community supporter in the areas the utility serves. UPPCO was incorporated in 1947 through a merger involving three smaller electric companies: the Houghton County Electric Light Co., the Copper District Power Co. and the Iron Range Light and Power Co. They serve roughly 52,000 electric retail customers with a service territory that measures 4,460 square miles. The utility was previously acquired by Integrys in 1998. For more information, visit: www.uppco.com.
VISION - MARQUETTE COUNTY | 2015/16 Lake Superior Community Partnership | marquette.org
CAREER JUMP START
LOOKS TO HELP STUDENTS LAND JOBS
With the cost of college tuition forever on the increase, Career Jump Start (CJS) helps promote other career choices for local high school students and those who have already graduated by helping them connect with employers in the trade industries. According to Linda O’Brien, Career Jump Start Liaison for Region 1, the CJS program “is actually an initiative that was started by Governor Snyder back about three years ago when he was designating 10 regions across Michigan. As part of the initiative, Governor Snyder encourages the education and workforce development sectors to work together to help build a better state.”
after three years obtain an associate’s degree in a high-tech, highdemand field, after which they are guaranteed employment with the same employer for an additional two years. O’Brien added that this will allow workers to remain in the state of Michigan instead of just obtaining a degree and moving on to work elsewhere. Anyone interested in MAT2 or Career Jump Start and what it has to offer can find a listing of all the regional liaisons on mitalent.org website under career explorer.
facebook.com/MiCareerJS.
Career Jump Start (CJS) helps promote other career choices for local high school students and those who have already graduated by helping them connect with employers in the trade industries. O’Brien, the liaison for the whole Upper Peninsula, has the unique task of bringing information to school administrators, counselors, parents and, most importantly, students, about Career Jump Start and the programs and resources available to them within their community, region, and even in the State of Michigan. “In each region, the career liaison works with the workforce placement agencies as well as the intermediate school districts, high schools, community colleges and universities,” said O’Brien. The career liaisons also promote the Michigan Advanced Technical Training program (MAT2) supported by a group of downstate companies partnering with community colleges to create a curriculum to meet the technical training demands in those industries.” This five-year program is open to Michigan residents who have earned their high school diploma or GED. Upon acceptance in the program, students will have their college tuition paid for by the employer who hires them, receive on-the-job training with pay, and
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EDUCATION
VISION - MARQUETTE COUNTY | 2015/16
CONNECTING BUSINESS AND WORKFORCE Career Tech Education Committee is a volunteer board set up to support and promote Career and Technical Education opportunities for both K-12 and college students. Although the group is still relatively new, they are constantly looking for opportunities to develop partnerships between education and industry and recruit sponsors for workshops and events that benefit CTE students and instructors. The group, which is chaired by Stu Bradley, originally started with five individuals and has grown to over thirty individuals and organizations who have an interest in producing the skilled workforce needed to sustain and grow our regional economy. It includes representatives from Marquette Alger Regional Education Service Agency, Northern Michigan University, Local school districts, Lake Superior Community Partnership, Michigan Works!, Manpower, the Upper
Peninsula Construction Council, local government, state agencies and industry. Early CTE programs committee have the same rigorous content and challenging academic standards as other high school courses and they are academically aligned with college courses so the students are eligible to receive college credits. By offering the opportunities created through CTE, it allows students to test drive a career while they are in high school and determine the best career pathway for themselves. CTE is hands-on, minds-on learning that promotes greater academic achievement as well as provides students the opportunity to move into a great career quicker and without a mountain of student loan debt. Most importantly, CTE provides the skilled workforce needed to sustain and grow our economy.
Lake Superior Community Partnership | marquette.org
EDUCATION HEALTH NON-PROFIT
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MARQUETTE
YMCA Off the top of her head, Lisa Coombs-Gerou couldn’t say how many programs are being offered by the YMCA of Marquette County.
literacy programs, financial education and legal services, to name just a few of the available services.
It’s little wonder.
“Some really neat things are happening here,” Coombs-Gerou said, adding there will be about 200 staff members working this summer when camps are held.
Upon further inspection, the number is around 175, with the possibility of more in the future. “There’s just a lot of stuff happening here a lot of people don’t know about,” the local YMCA’s CEO said. “We have an amazing team doing amazing work.” The programs offered at the “Y” revolve around three areas: (1) youth development; (2) healthy living; and (3) social responsibility. “In each, we have a number of evidenced-based programs that have been proven time-and-again to deliver outcomes or measurements,” Coombs-Gerou said. “The goal is for youth development, reaching the potential of every child; improving the nation’s health and well-being; and having the
She said she’s especially proud of “about a dozen” programs at the “Y.” “I like what we’ve done for our live strong cancer survivors, the diabetes program and the Alzheimer’s program is really rewarding,” said Coombs-Gerou, nearing her eighth year as the “Y’s” CEO. “ The latter shows that physical activity really makes a difference.” She said she and her staff can “always do a little better” with the programs offered at the “Y.” That’s why a $2.99 million expansion program began last fall at the Marquette facility that will double the size of its wellness center, create a new health innovations suite and eventually add two gymnasiums, all enhancing the “Y’s” effectiveness, Coombs-Gerou said. “The big gymnasium is a critical component of our future,” she said. “The issue is we don’t have enough space in the winter. “It will cost $1 million to build and we don’t have the funding right now.” But a campaign to raise funds for the gym has begun.
YMCA of Marquette County 906-227-9622
social responsibility of giving back and providing support for our neighbors.” There are programs in education from school readiness, to mentoring youth/teens and to college prep education. Under the swim, sports and play category, there’s under 18 swimming/ diving; youth kayaking; flag football; and youth karate among the 29 programs available at the “Y.” In the healthy living sector, there’s family yoga; aerobics/dance; diabetes prevention; and an Alzheimer’s program among the offerings. There are also adult basketball, soccer and tennis programs, as well as cycling and lifeguard workshops, and adult swim lessons. In the area of social responsibility, the “Y” offers foster care, adult
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HEALTH
KEY TO U.P. HEALTH
Word is getting out about all that the Upper Peninsula Home Health and Hospice has to offer thanks to events hosted by the Upper Peninsula Hospice Foundation. According the U.P. Home Health and Hospice website, uphomehealth.org, its mission is to serve “home bound individuals after a surgery, illness, or terminal diagnosis. Our focus is on exceptional quality care and we maintain a philosophical approach to care that focuses on empowering people to live life to the fullest.” The U.P. Hospice Foundation helps to fulfill that mission. The U.P. Hospice Foundation is a nonprofit program within U.P. Home Health and Hospice—which covers all of Marquette County. According to Lindsay Hemmila, director of community services, the U.P. Hospice Foundation is “one of the few foundations that doesn’t have any overhead, it’s not paying anybody’s salary or paying to keep lights of a building on—100% of all money raised in the Hospice Foundation gets to go back to patients and their families.” There are a few different ways that the family can utilize the money provided by the Foundation. The first one being the Make-a-Memory program, which is available to every individual and family served by U.P. Hospice and is similar to the Make-a-Wish program for kids.
“In the 43-years that we have been in business we have never turned anyone ever away. We’ve never sent one bill to anyone ever. We are very proud of that.” - DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES, LINDSAY HEMMILA
“We are making dreams and wishes come true for our hospice patients and their families,” said Hemmila. “Whether it be something as simple as needing their yard raked—we’ll organize some volunteers together and have them go over and rake their yard—to knowing that someone’s dream is to get onto Lake Superior and do a nice charter fishing trip with loved ones before they pass—we might pay for that get together. Really the sky’s the limit in terms of what we can help put together for the families.”
Because Dancing with the Stars has created such an awareness with hospice, our hospice numbers and other hospice numbers within the counties has doubled,” said Hemmila. “A lot of the awareness has helped people to understand what hospice is and the benefits of the program. Studies have shown that people with the hospice program tend to lead longer, fuller lives.”
Lake Superior Community Partnership | marquette.org
Lately, the Make-a-Memory Program has been doing something extra special for their hospice patients and their families— something that will last for generations. “We’ve been doing a lot of family sessions where we hire a photographer to come in and get a bunch of pictures so everyone can remember some of those last moments together,” said Hemmila. Another part of the foundation will help cover patients’ medical supply needs. “If someone is in need of a wheel chair or different things like that, we have a loan closet that they can borrow from or we can go and purchase what they need to make their comfort of living easier,” Hemmila said. The Hospice Foundation also allows patients with the inability to pay to receive the care they need. “In the 43-years that we have been in business we have never turned anyone ever away,” Hemmila said. “We’ve never sent one bill to anyone ever. We are very proud of that.” Dancing with the Stars is one of the events put on by the U.P. Hospice Foundation that generates funding for the organization. This year is the third year the event has taken place and the hospice program has benefitted from its popularity. “In the first year, we had sold out of all our tickets to Forest Roberts Theater in about two and a half months, which was good because we wanted a sold-out event and it netted over $35,000, which we thought was great,” Hemmila said. “Last year, we sold out of tickets in two and a half days and we also created a live stream option into Hedgcock Fieldhouse that people could watch on big screens and we netted over $65,000. This year we sold out of all the tickets to Forest Roberts and the live stream – over 750 tickets-in two and a half hours and anticipate to net over $100,000.
For further information about the hospice program or for information on volunteering, you can reach Lindsay Hemmila by: phone: 906-225-4545 email: lindsayh@uphomehealth.org. or email directly through uphomehealth.org
HEALTH
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VISION - MARQUETTE COUNTY | 2015/16
HOSPICE FOUNDATI N
MARQUETTE MARATHON | CONTINUES TO GROW Marquette is starting to raise its national profile when it comes to athletics. There’s the Noquemanon ski race, the U.P. 200 sled dog race and now a running marathon is becoming even more popular. The Marquette Marathon started in 2010 and is one of the final Boston Marathon qualifiers. The race has grown in popularity and gives local residents a chance to compete without having to travel. “It’s really awesome to see the growth we’ve had,” race director Cris Osier said. “Before, runners had to travel to race and now we have people coming to enjoy the U.P.” Last year, the marathon changed as it switched from a double loop to a point-to-point course along the Iron Ore Heritage Trail. Osier says that runners seemed to enjoy the wilderness and the overall experience. This year’s marathon begins in Ishpeming at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5, finishing up in Marquette, while the half-marathon begins in Negaunee at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum at 9 a.m. According to the race website, Marquettemarathon.com, there will also be a
five-kilometer race and a kid’s fun run on Friday, Sept. 4, at Lakeview Arena in Marquette. “We’ve had about 1,100 runners and lots of them return the following year,” Osier said. “We’re hoping to continue to gradually increase that the next few years. We’ve had runners from 27 states, two countries and four people from Alaska. We also get a wide variety of ages competing, from teens to people in their late 60s. “We’ve had to deal with weather in the past, so we’re hoping it’ll be a beautiful day so we can pack Third Street with spectators to welcome the runners into Marquette.” Over the years, Osier has seen a lot of people on the course and seen how they react once they reached the finish line. Some are amped and ready to keep going, while others are spent after giving their best effort. “I’ve seen everything,” she said. “I’ve seen people who are energized and others who have given absolutely everything they had to finish. Running is an interesting sport in that you are running against yourself, and a lot can affect your performance such as your training, the amount of sleep you get, your shoes. You learn a little more each year watching people.” Osier thinks that the event is a huge benefit for the community and for its residents in general who want to get into shape. “The race helps promote a healthy lifestyle,” she said. “It helps show the importance to committing to things, helps increase self-esteem and changes lives for the better. We hope we can get lots of people to sign up and volunteer for this great event.”
TRAVEL MARQUET T E Its official name is still the Marquette County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
They do it through print advertising, newspapers, television and radio.
More often than not, however, it goes by Travel Marquette.
“Marquette is such a great product, (but) we have our challenges,” Young said. “it’s a major distance from cities.
The names may be interchangeable, but the bureau’s goal is still the same: bring visitors to Marquette. “It’s still our official name,” bureau executive director Nicole Young said. “But when you’re dealing with tourists, Travel Marquette keeps it simple. “It helps re-educate people to go to our website, travelmarquettemichigan.com.” The bureau’s focus is to bring overnight visitors to Marquette and its surrounding areas. “We’d love them to stay as long as they want to, though,” Young said. “We’d love to have them stay 3-5 nights.”
“It’s a great place to visit. All we have to do is tell people about it.” - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NICOLE YOUNG
Young and the four other employees at the bureau work closely with Pure Michigan and the Upper Peninsula Travel and Recreation Association to entice visitors to come to the local area.
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“There’s the perception the U.P. is more rustic than it actually is. We help educate people and get them excited (about the region).” She said Travel Marquette wants to attract a national audience. “(But) our best audience at this moment is the Midwest,” Young said. “We’ve placed national ads in Wisconsin and Chicago. “Our goal is to position Marquette to be that one place you want to visit when you come to Michigan. “We’ve got things to do and see you won’t find in Detroit or Grand Rapids,” she added. Putting together messaging and campaign advertising for the bureau’s programs is the best part of Young’s job.
visitors to the Marquette area. “(But motel) occupancy rates have stayed strong and they’re an indication of our success.”
The most difficult?
Eventually, the bureau would like to position Marquette as a global destination.
“Just educating people and overcoming obstacles,” she said. “I want to stretch people’s minds to see the bigger picture.”
“When people think of Michigan, I want them to think of Marquette,” she said. “The bottom line is we have a great product here.
In her present position since replacing longtime bureau director Pat Black, who retired last October, Young said it’s too early to tell how effective Travel Marquette has been in attracting
“It’s a great place to visit. All we have to do is tell people about it.” To contact Travel Marquette, call 906-228-7749.
VISION - MARQUETTE COUNTY | 2015/16 Lake Superior Community Partnership | marquette.org
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FINDING HOME The Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter has gone by that name for almost eight years now and it’s a name that better suits the organization’s goals. “We think of ourselves as Marquette County’s no-kill shelter and animal sanctuary,” said Lareina Van Strien, shelter manager. “That means we’re dedicated to giving every animal a chance at a home and a life.” Previously, the organization has been known as the Marquette County Humane Society, which created a lot of confusion.
to help promote providing a healthy lifestyle for pets.” The community and its support are key to UPAWS success, she said. “Volunteers help on a day-to-day basis, but having the community in support of what we do is very important to us,” Van Strien said. That includes the creation of a new, bigger shelter building in the near future.
“We’ve always been an independent organization, receiving no funds from Marquette County and not affiliated with the state or the national humane societies,” Van Strien said. “We’re just a small non-profit and the new name gave people a better understanding of who we are.”
“UPAWS is a small organization but we have outgrown our building,” Van Strien said. “We looked into the future and knew we had to grow and change. So we have 20 acres of property out near the Crossroads we’re going to be building on. We will be looking at creating a building that addresses all our needs.”
Each year, anywhere from 1,200 to 1,900 dogs, cats and other animals go through the current UPAWS building in Negaunee Township. UPAWS has been honored for its save rate of 97 percent.
UPAWS is open from noon to 4 p.m. every day but Thursday, when it is open from noon to 6:30 p.m. The shelter is located presently at 84 Snowfield Road, which is just a bit off of U.S. 41 in Negaunee Township.
“But we serve a bigger population than just the animals that come through the shelter,” Van Strien said. “We have animals who are at Pet Smart or in foster care. Also, we help people to keep their pets. And we provide information
To contact UPAWS: call: 906-475-6661 email info@upaws.org. On the web: upaws.org
SAIL
HELPING THOSE WITH DISABILITIES
Superior Alliance for Independent Living (SAIL) helps more than 1,000 people every year. The organization reaches out to people with disabilities and their families throughout the Upper Peninsula and is a member of The Disability Network of Michigan. “SAIL has five core services,” said Sarah Peurakoski, executive director. “Information referral, peer support, individual and system advocacy, individual independent living skills development and transitioning assistance.”
“We work on skills like being ready for a job interview or even something like how to ride a bus.” - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SARAH PEURAKOSKI
Information referral means when anyone calls in, we can refer them to the right agency, one that should be able to help them,’ Peurakoski said. “Peer support means individuals with disabilities can get support from other individuals with disabilities who know what it’s like to be going through something.” Advocacy can be a range of things including helping with independent educational plans for someone in school or addressing the needs of someone using public transportation,” she said. For the individual independent living skills development, SAIL has a
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NON-PROFIT
program called SPAR, which stands for Single Point for Activities and Recreation. “This assists individuals with social and recreational activities in the community,” Peurakoski said. “And we work on skills like being ready for a job interview or even something like how to ride a bus.” The fifth core service is transitions, which could be something like someone moving from a nursing home back into the community or helping a high school student get ready to find a job after graduation. SAIL is working at present with the Superior Health Foundation, an organization that Peurakoski said “is very generously helping to expand our social and recreation programs.” That includes the initiation of a program for veterans, which is being launched this summer. “We will be able to provide some social opportunities for veterans that will allow them to get out in the community,” she said. SAIL also assists people with benefits planning, which can help someone who’d like to work do so without impacting Social Security benefits. “We’re also working with people who have accessibility issues, providing access to assistive technology for them to try out, both at home and in the workplace,” Peurakoski said. SAIL is looking for board members at present. Peurakoski said anyone interested in joining SAIL’s board should contact her at 906-228-5744 or upsail.com
HELPING PEOPLE ACROSS THE U.P. The American Red Cross is known for helping people in need all over the country and the chapter in the Upper Peninsula is doing its part as well. The local chapter’s main focus is on local disasters and primarily home fires. According to Chuck Weitschat, executive director of the Northern Michigan Chapter, most fires are due to space heaters and wood stoves and the Red Cross is there to help people recover from their misfortune.
“We provide three nights in a hotel, a comfort kit, which is usually toiletries and stuff like that, and a monetary gift per incident,” he said. “We want them to have shelter and relief from their emergency.” Weitschat also knows firsthand what it’s like to be affected by a tragedy and appreciates the importance of the Red Cross. “I was personally affected by a fire, so I know what it’s like to lose everything,” he said. “The Red Cross is a valuable service and without its support, we couldn’t get back on our feet as fast.” In addition to helping local residents in their times of need, the chapter here also responds to armed forces and troops in service. If there is a service member who has an emergency at home, the Red Cross serves as a conduit and helps expedite the matter. It isn’t just emergencies that the Red Cross assists with. They also do their part to save lives. Weitschat says that they conduct ongoing blood drives, which save three lives per pint. Classes are available to teach people to deal with emergencies on their own such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), automated external defibrillator (AED) and first aid training. Aspiring babysitters can also be trained on how to provide safe caregiving. “People want a quality person that can take care of the most precious thing in their lives,” Weitschat said. “We can help kids give that security parents need.” To be able to help those in need, the Red Cross itself needs volunteers who are always welcome. “The ARC is about 96 percent volunteer and 4 percent staff, so we’re pretty dependent on volunteers,” Weitschat said. “We are also 100 percent funded by citizens so we also rely on donations.”
For those who would like to become a volunteer, contact
Marquette office: 906-228-3659 Traverse City office: 231-947-7286 www.redcross.org
Lake Superior Community Partnership | marquette.org
NON-PROFIT
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VISION - MARQUETTE COUNTY | 2015/16
RED CROSS
RESOURCES
& SERVICES U.P. AREA CODE | 906
Bold denotes LSCP partner in economic development.
UTILITIES Telephone (landline and cell):
Cable:
AT&T: 226-8000 - att.com Charter Communications: (888) 438-2427 - charter.com Verizon: 226-9900 – verizonwireless.com
Charter Communications: (888) 438-2427 - charter.com
Gas (Natural):
City of Ishpeming: 485-1091 – ishpemingcity.org City of Marquette: 228-0420 - mqtcty.org City of Negaunee: 475-9181 - cityofnegaunee.com Chocolay Township: 249-1448 - chocolay.org Ely Township: 486-6802 Forsyth Township: 346-9217 - forsythtwpmi.org Ishpeming Township: 485-5411 - ishpemingtownship.com Marquette Township: 228-6220 - marquettetownship.org Michigamme Township: 323-6608 - michigammetownship.com Negaunee Township: 475-7869 - negauneetownship.org Powell Township: 345-9345 - powelltownship.org Republic Township: 376-8827 - republicmichigan.com Richmond Township: 475-4180 - richmondtwp.org Skandia Township: 942-7404 Tilden Township: 486-6580 West Branch Township: 942-7400 - westbranchtownship.org
SEMCO Energy Gas: (800) 624-2019 - semcoenergygas.com
Gas (Propane): Amerigas: 263-7442 - amerigas.com Ferrellgas: (800) 530-0113 - ferrellgas.com Harvey Oil: 226-0866 - harveyoil.com Quality Propane Service: (800) 217-9982 Superior Propane: (877) 873-7467 – superiorpropane.com
Electric: Marquette Board of Light and Power: 228-0311 - mblp.org U.P. Power Company: (800) 562-7680 - uppco.com We Energies: (800) 242-9137 - we-energies.com
Water/Sewer:
ARTS & CULTURE City of Marquette Arts & Culture Center:
Marquette Symphony Orchestra:
DeVos Art Museum:
Lake Superior Theatre:
Forest Roberts Theatre:
Peninsula Arts Appreciation Council:
Michigamme Moonshine Art Gallery:
Pine Mountain Music Festival:
228-0472 mqtcty.org/arts.php
227-2235 nmu.edu/devosartmuseum
227-2553 nmu.edu/forestrobertstheatre
323-6546 michigan.org/property/michigamme-moonshine-art-gallery
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SERVICES
226-6591 marquettesymphony.org
227-7625 lakesuperiortheatre.com
475-7188 vistatheater.org
(888) 309-7861 pmmf.org
VISION - MARQUETTE COUNTY | 2015/16
MEDICAL U.P. Health System - Bell:
U.P. Health System - Marquette:
Upper Peninsula Medical Center:
486-4431 | bellhospital.org
228-9440 | mgh.org
225-3905 | penmed.com
EDUCATION Father Marquette Catholic Central School System:
NICE Community Schools:
225-1129 - fathermarquette.org
485-1021 - nice.k12.mi.us
Gwinn Area Community Schools:
Northern Michigan University:
346-9283 - gwinn.k12.mi.us
Ishpeming Public Schools:
485-5501 - ishpemingschools.org
Marquette Alger Regional Educational Service Agency: 226-5100 - maresa.org
Marquette Area Public Schools: 225-5320 - mapsnet.org
Midwest Skills Development Center:
227-2650 or (800) 682-9797 - nmu.edu
North Star Public School Academy: 226-0156 - nsacd.com
Powell Township School District: 345-9355 - sites.google.com/site/powelltownshipschooldistrict
Republic-Michigamme Schools: 376-2277 - r-mschool.org
346-9155 - lscpfoundation.org/midwest-skills-development-center
Wells Township School District:
Negaunee Public Schools:
238-4200 - wellstownshipschool.weebly.com
475-4156 - negaunee.k12.mi.us
TRANSPORTATION Air: American Eagle (American Airlines): (800) 433-7300 - aa.com Delta Airlines: (800) 221-1212 - delta.com Sawyer International Airport: 346-3308 - sawyerairport.com
Checker Transport: 226-7777 - checkertransport.com Enterprise Rent-A-Car: 225-8690 - enterprise.com Marquette County Transit Authority: 225-1112 - marq-tran.com
Ground (rental, taxi and bus):
National/Alamo: 346-6378 or (800) 227-7368 - nationalcar.com
Avis Rental Car Service: 346-6398 or (800) 331-1212 - avis.com
Thrifty: 346-4355 - thrifty.com
Budget Truck Rental: 249-2159 - budgettruck.com
UPtown Taxi: 362-2331 - mqttaxi.com
For more information about the state of Michigan’s Department of Transportation, please visit www.michigan.gov/mdot.
Lake Superior Community Partnership | marquette.org
SERVICES
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