Jim Holcomb, President & CEO of the Michigan Chamber, is joined by the Chamber's Senior VP, Wendy Block, and their Director of Environmental and Energy Affairs, Mike Alaimo, to discuss a host of potentially damaging state policy proposals under consideration and a new collaborative effort to help bring diverse job providers and organizations together to help convey the unintended consequences of these efforts and ensure we’re growing our Great Lakes State.

Jim Holcomb, President & CEO of the Michigan Chamber, discusses a big issue affecting the state’s cannabis industry – a lack of access to common banking and financial services that all other legal industries have.

Joining him in the discussion are Mike Elias, Co-Founder and CEO of Common Citizen - a Michigan-based cannabis company and Leah Robinson, Director of Legislative Affairs and Leadership Programming at the Michigan Chamber - and lead on this particular policy issue!

Mike Alaimo, Director of Environmental and Energy Affairs at the Michigan Chamber, is joined by Mike Troupos, VP of Foresight Management - a Grand Rapids-based sustainability and energy management consultant, to discuss “sustainability” and what Michigan businesses need to know - including trends, pressures, expectations, opportunities and challenges!

Leah Robinson, Director of Legislative Affairs and Leadership Programming for the Michigan Chamber, is joined by Sarah Himes Greer of Public Sector Consultants to discuss the childcare landscape in Michigan – including its affordability, accessibility and its impact to our workforce and economy. It’s our foundation for a three-part series on this critical issue!

Wendy Block, the Michigan Chamber’s Senior Vice President of Business Advocacy, is joined by two in-the-know insurance industry resources to discuss a key pending legislative package that’s been labeled “bad faith."

They are:

• Erin McDonough, Executive Director of the Insurance Alliance of Michigan
• Mark Friedlander with the Insurance Information Institute

Jim Holcomb, the Michigan Chamber’s president & CEO, talks with three great resources on a key pending legislative proposal that could dramatically change the way businesses of all sizes and types use independent contractors. Joining Jim in the conversation are:

• Wendy Block, Senior VP of Business Advocacy for the Michigan Chamber.
• Mike Pomerantz, Public Engagement Manager for DoorDash
• Dawn Crandall, the Executive VP of Government Relations for the Homebuilders Association of Michigan

Jim Holcomb, the Michigan Chamber’s president & CEO, is joined by three key members of our Capitol Press Corps who directly cover or lead coverage of our state’s policy and political landscape for their respective outlets. They are:

• Zoe Clark, Political Director for Michigan Radio - one of our state’s biggest public broadcasting stations
• Chad Livengood, Politics Editor and Columnist for The Detroit News - one of our state’s largest statewide daily newspapers.
• Jonathan Oosting, Capitol Reporter for Bridge Michigan - our state’s largest nonprofit news service that’s been steadily growing.

Leah Robinson, the Michigan Chamber’s Director of Legislative Affairs and Leadership Programming - which includes heading up the Michigan ATHENA program. In this episode, she is joined by a Mid-Michigan trailblazer and local news legend – anchor Sheri Jones of WLNS TV 6, who also happens to be the incoming chair of the Chamber’s Michigan ATHENA Advisory Council. We’ll be discussing women’s leadership development and why that’s so key in the business community. We’ll also share some great upcoming learning and networking opportunities!

Bob Thomas, COO of the Michigan Chamber, is joined by his President and CEO, Jim Holcomb, in part 2 of the discussion on the Chamber 's role in strengthening the great state of Michigan in a number of different ways!

Bob Thomas, COO of the Michigan Chamber, is joined by his President and CEO, Jim Holcomb, in part 1 of a 2 part discussion on the Chamber 's role in helping to strengthen the great state of Michigan in a number of different ways!