The Michigan Opportunity

Aerospace, Defense, Agribusiness, Tourism and more, make up the story of the Greater Muskegon Economic Development.

Hear Trevor Friedeberg describe the rich Muskegon community and history on the east side of Lake Michigan, as he breaks down the tools and resources the Greater Muskegon Economic Development (GMED) offers. Founded in 1999, the GMED is a county-wide economic development agency dedicated to supporting local business. Their focus is to leverage public and private investment to accelerate business growth and the creation of high-quality employment opportunities in Muskegon County.

PitchMI crowns 4 winners: smarter hospital beds, powered campsites, satellite tech, and in-game ads—highlighting Michigan’s dynamic startup ecosystem.

Join our two startup experts — Alison Todak of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and Pete Martin of the MSU Research Foundation — as they share how their organizations are helping to drive Michigan’s startup momentum. They give us insight into their collaboration on the PitchMI startup competition, highlight the four winning innovations for 2025, and explore the state’s thriving entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem. 

Powering Defense and Driving Innovation for a Safer, Smarter Future in Michigan

Matthew Warnick serves as Chief Executive Officer of American Rheinmetall, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. He has been with Rheinmetall for more than twelve years, guiding its U.S. operations since the establishment of American Rheinmetall (formerly American Rheinmetall Vehicles) in 2019. The company supports Rheinmetall’s Vehicle Systems Division with sales, engineering, and program management for defense and commercial markets. Matt is also an eight-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

She has lived and worked around the world and been to every 195 UN-recognized countries. But there’s only one place Jessica Nabongo calls home—Detroit. 

As the first Black woman to visit every country in the world, Jessica Nabongo is the author of the #1 best seller — Catch Me If You Can and mastermind behind The Catch Me If You Can travel blog. In this episode she shares why she made Michigan her home, the socioeconomical work she does around the world and teases her upcoming book, Catch Me in the Kitchen, featuring one recipe from every country in the world. Jessica is also an entrepreneur with a background in working with the United Nations. 

What exactly is a mobility ecosystem and how can it be measured to attract new business and top talent to Michigan? Our expert guests unpack their groundbreaking research that connects innovation, technology, networking and infrastructure to economic growth.

The Global Epicenter of Mobility (GEM) has partnered with Orange Sparkle Ball, Inc. to run a social network analysis, to try and gage GEM’s impact beyond their region and measure the relationship between organizations within their ecosystem. We talk with Meaghan Kennedy, Founder of Orange Sparkle Ball, Inc. and Bernard Swiecki, Vice President of Mobility and Research at GEM about their partnership and findings of their analysis.

Regarded as one of the world’s leading research universities - the Office of the Vice President for Research is driving the mission to catalyze, support and safeguard U-M research from private sector, to government, to non-profit and more. 

Dr. Arthur Lupia is the Vice President of Research and Innovation at the University of Michigan, where he is responsible for fostering the excellence and integrity of research across all three campuses (Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint). Lupia’s vast experience as a researcher, administrator and educator, also includes federal service which spans two U.S. presidential administrations. 

To Preserve and Grow: the Michigan Arts and Culture Council was established as the state’s steward of creativity and heritage.

In our next segment of Around Michigan in 30 Minutes we talk with Alison Watson, Director of the Michigan Arts and Culture Council. From the Upper Peninsula to our southern border, Alison takes us on a journey through the people, places, and stories that showcase Michigan’s cultural heartbeat. 

Since 1966, the State of Michigan has recognized the vital role vibrant arts and cultural sectors play in shaping our communities. Arts and culture fuel more than inspiration—they strengthen Michigan’s economy, boost tourism, and help attract businesses and talent to our state.

Global issues, local insights: Hear from two leaders with the International Affairs Forum-Traverse City discuss the world affairs shaping our future.

We sit down with Alex Tank, Director at Northwestern Michigan College and Michael Lehnert, retired Major General, to learn about the International Affairs Forum - Traverse City (IAF). They describe the unique relationship between IAF and the college, the various events and opportunities IAF offers, and more. 

The mission of the International Affairs Forum of Traverse City is to advance the understanding of the world and its critical issues through education and public dialogue. IAF is a member of the World Affairs Councils of America, the largest independent, non-partisan organization dedicated to engaging the public and leading global voices to better understand the world. Their national network is comprised of more than 90 councils in more than 40 states. 

By uniting Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, the Detroit Regional Defense Coalition (DRDC) is working to make Southeast Michigan a hub for defense and aerospace. 

We dive into Southeast Michigan’s role in the defense and aerospace sectors by talking with Vicki Selva, the Executive Director of DRDC. She takes us through how the coalition is driving collaboration, shaping supportive policy, and leveraging the region’s unique assets to attract investment and high-quality jobs. 

DRDC is a collaboration between Wayne County, Oakland County, and Macomb County in partnership with the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and the Detroit Regional Partnership. 

When it comes to attracting talent, supporting employers, and building a competitive future for Michigan, Hilary Doe is up to the challenge!

How do you grow a state’s population when faced with challenges like talent migration, employer needs, and quality of life? Michigan’s Chief Growth Officer, Hilary Doe, is tackling the issue head-on with a statewide road show. The Michigan Growth Office initiative highlights entrepreneurship, place making, economic diversification, housing, talent attraction, and higher education—laying out a comprehensive strategy to build Michigan’s future. This conversation dives into the plan, the vision, and what it takes for a state to stay competitive in a global economy.