Dana Johnson, facilitator, and steering committee member, facilitated a discussion on communication and difficult conservations. We learned how to handle those challenging situations that all leaders face, especially when one of the team members smells bad. Next was Karin Van Dyke, Finlandia Art-Jutila Center, facilitated a discussion on the creative industries and economic development in the area. Ms. VanDyke explained about the businesses that currently operate at Jutila and Finlandia’ s plans for developing one of the floors for condominiums. After Ms. Van Dyke spoke, Robbyn Lucier explained the difference between passive, aggressive, and passive-aggressive behaviors in people. She also taught us how to recognize these behaviors in themselves. Ms. Lucier taught us how to transform from one of those negative categories into the positive assertiveness category. Using assertiveness as a leadership skill will truly benefit this year’s class when they are in the field. After Ms. Lucier spoke, Marilyn Clark, CEO of Smartzone. Spoke to us about the role of the SmartZone in the Keweenaw. Putting an emphasis on teams, Marilyn said that’s the first step in the process. From inception of an idea to market under a professional marketing team is Ms. Clark and her employees do. For example, GS Engineering went through Smartzone, and this year funded three participants to Leadership Keweenaw. From the Downtown Development Authority, Susie Landers and Scott McInnes, Field Services, Michigan Municipal League spoke to us about Houghton’s downtown. We have multi-use in downtown with commercial at the street level, and residential, above. The streetscape project was completed a few years ago, which was a beautification of our rustic downtown. KEDA Executive Director, Jeff Ratcliffe, gave us an overview of the economic development initiatives currently underway in the Keweenaw counties. Our last speaker, Susan Burack, from Keweenaw Community Art Center, discussed community, culture and the arts. She was focusing on theater, music, sculpture, and art teaching us how culturally rich the Keweenaw is.
Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce Newsletter
www.Keweenaw.org
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