Mi Business Matters

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!

Amanda Toy, VP of Membership and Partnerships for the Michigan Chamber, is joined by Jane Hagen, Senior VP & Director of Retirement Plans at Tri-Star Trust - a Michigan-based wealth management firm, to give a rundown on retirement savings – a topic that affects us all even if we don’t want to think about it. We discuss the latest investment market outlook, new federal policy changes for 401(k)s, and tools that can help both employers and employees!

Jim Holcomb, the Michigan Chamber’s president & CEO, takes a ‘behind the scenes’ look at a survey that’s the talk of Michigan’s capital city this time of the year – the MIRS/EPIC-MRA Insiders Survey.

Jim is joined by two great guests who put it together every two years:

• John Reurink, the publisher and co-owner of the Michigan Information & Research Service, otherwise known as MIRS - an in-depth capital news service.
• Bernie Porn, the founding principal and president of EPIC-MRA - a full-service survey research firm based in Lansing.

Sara Wurfel, the Michigan Chamber’s Chief Communications & Marketing Officer, takes a closer look at a host of pending legislation and how it might affect Michigan’s business climate and efforts underway to grow our Great Lakes State’s population. It’s the wonky concept of repealing local preemption laws which is another way of saying that Michigan’s 1,800+ local units of government could EACH set their own rules and regulations.

Joining Sara in the conversation are three special guests who are working every day on these issues and they are:

• Wendy Block, Senior VP of Business Advocacy & Member Engagement for the Michigan Chamber
• Amy Drumm, Senior VP of Government Affairs for the Michigan Retailers
• Marcus Keech, the Director of Governmental Affairs for the Grand Rapids Area Chamber

We’re going international! Jim Holcomb, President & CEO of the Michigan Chamber, is joined by Earl Provost, the Ontario Agent General, to discuss Michigan and Canada’s close relationship and some key projects between our two countries.

Jim Holcomb, President & CEO of the Michigan Chamber, is joined by Pete Sheffield, the Chief Sustainability Officer or CSO for Enbridge Energy, and Mike Alaimo, Director of Environmental & Energy Affairs of the Michigan Chamber to discuss our Energy Transition and how we can move forward in a way that’s realistic and works. This is an issue that’s increasingly front and center due to climate mitigation conversations along with policy proposals and actions at the state, federal, and global levels!