In this issue:Page 1 -2: New Regional CollaborationPage 3: Lenawee Sets the Pace in CrowdfundingPage 4: Michigan is Making a ComebackPage 5: How the Lenawee County Land Bank WorksPage 6: Achievements and SuccessesPage 7: Economic IndicatorsPage 8: Making an Impression

Lenawee Partners with Five Counties for CollaborationHillsdale, Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, Monroe and Washtenaw counties have joined together in an effort to attract businesses to the region. The counties are targeting businesses that are seeking a destination for relocation or expansion.

“Lenawee County is more than pleased with our newly formed partnership in the ‘Greater Ann Arbor Region’. Combining the resources and assets of our six counties brings a wealth of strength to the economic development process within our region,” commented Jim Van Doren, Executive Director of Lenawee Now.

With a grant funded by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the group’s

collaborative efforts will center on marketing the Greater Ann Arbor Region to company executives and site selectors considering new business locations. These efforts are designed to highlight the region’s unique assets, specifically in manufacturing, life sciences, automotive, software, and IT. Outreach efforts will also promote the Greater Ann Arbor Region’s robust University and College system.

“Each of the counties involved in the ‘Greater Ann Arbor Region’ marketing push brings unique strengths and assets to the table, but it’s in the combination of assets that a strong, compelling story emerges,” said Paul Krutko, president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK. “This collaborative effort to promote the Greater Ann Arbor

Region shines a spotlight on the importance of regionalism and how, by working together with our peers and neighbors, we can drive our economy forward.”

To kick off its outreach efforts, Greater Ann Arbor Region partners have created a new website that includes a robust suite of research data, available properties and other tools that businesses can use to evaluate location options. The website also features case studies of successful regional businesses, including Blissfield Manufacturing of Lenawee, The Cardinal Group of Hillsdale, La-Z-Boy of Monroe, and Barracuda Networks of Washetenaw.

5285 W. US 223, Adrian, MI 49221 | 517.265.5141 | LenaweeNow.com

In coming months, the partners will kick off a targeted email and social media marketing campaign to create awareness of the Greater Ann Arbor Region. Efforts will also include hosting site selectors for tours of the region.

New Online ToolsIn addition to having a new website, the Greater Ann Arbor Area also has a social media presence on Twitter and LinkedIn. These new social networks were selected because of their high use among business professionals, the key audience of the group.

While social media is a great tool to stay in the loop with local economic development news, a practical tool for building businesses has also been made available.

Zoom Prospector (pictured below) is a property search engine that allows site visitors to review a database of available properties in the area. Not only is this available on the Greater Ann Arbor Region website, but you can also find it on the Lenawee Now website, www.LenaweeNow.com, under the “For Business” section.

Is ‘Greater Ann Arbor’ Bigger than ‘Greater Detroit’?In an MLive.com article published on October 11, the question of Greater Ann Arbor being bigger than Greater Detroit was posed. With six counties in the coalition, Greater Ann Arbor has definitely expanded its footprint and thus its offerings to businesses interested in the area.

Readers of the article seemed to like the idea of the

The Greater Ann Arbor Region Online:

GreaterAnnArborRegion.orgTwitter.com/GreaterAnnArborlinkedin.com/company/greater-ann-arbor-region

new Greater Ann Arbor Region. An informal poll by MLive.com shows that about 50% of readers preferred to say they lived in Greater Ann Arbor as opposed to 20% saying they lived in Greater Detroit/Metro Detroit.

While Lenawee County is demographically and industrially different from Washtenaw County, we strongly embrace the fact that we will get more recognition thanks to the name association with Ann Arbor. In fact, all of the partners within the Greater Ann Arbor Region are glad for the diversity in resources among the six counties and expect it to be a great draw to the area.

2

Zoom Prospector is a property search engine featuring the Greater Ann Arbor Region.

Lenawee Sets the Pace in Crowdfunding

“We want to get a jumpstart on this and we want to announce some crowdfunding projects the day the governor signs the bill.”

- Chris Miller, Adrian Downtown Development Authority and economic development coordinator

Michigan’s House Bill (HB) 4996, introduced this fall by Rep. Nancy Jenkins, will give all Michigan residents an inclusive, simple and safe way to invest in local businesses and thereby re-invigorate Michigan’s entrepreneurial spirit.

The existing federal SEC regulations make it almost impossible for small businesses to receive investment from “Non-Accredited” investors. This classification of investor is defined as individuals with less than $1 million of net worth or an annual income of less than $200,000. Approximately 97% of Americans fit this definition. Thus a great deal of potential investment money is left out of the market.

This Bill will change that, at least for Michigan based companies and investors. HB4996 encourages Crowdfunding, the practice of funding a project or venture by raising small amounts of money from a large number of people. Specifically, it uses an exemption in the federal law that allows Non-accredited individuals to invest in companies that are based in the same state that the Non-accredited investor lives in.

HB 4996 is Inclusive, Simple and SafeNon-accredited investors can invest up to $10,000, per

What people are saying: “As someone that takes matters of the community to heart, I am proud to work with an organization such as Lenawee Now. They are an important part of rallying the community to invest in itself, bring positive attention to our hardworking citizens, and are constantly working to build our local economy.”

- Joe Williams, President and CEO, United Bank & Trust

issuer. In addition, the bill is designed to ignite the small business community. There is an annual fundraising cap of $1M for businesses without audited financials and $2M with audited financials. The bill also establishes a series of robust checks to safeguard investors.

HB 4996 promotes Economic DiversityAs cities in Michigan begin to rebound from the economic recession, they are increasingly in need of strategies to diversify their economic base. Crowdfunding makes it easy for a vast array of local businesses to raise capital, get off the ground and start to create jobs in their community. HB 4996 is about Michigan Investing in MichiganWith this bill, Michigan will be among the first wave of states to bypass Federal inaction and provide alternative financing options that help Michigan businesses and investors alike.

Left to right: Angela Barbash, CEO of Reconsider; Rep. Nancy Jenkins, 57th House District; Michael Sauvante, executive director of the Commonwealth Group; and Diane Bissell. (Courtesy: Michigan House Republicans)

3

Michigan is Making a Comeback

4

What people are saying: “Lenawee Now was a critical part in securing the necessary funding to expand our Blissfield location. This was not only a growth opportunity, but also a highly strategic move to stay competitive. We look forward to our continued partnership in making Lenawee County a premier place to do business.”

- Pat Farver, President and CEO, Blissfield Manufacturing Co.

Michigan’s standing as a manufacturing juggernaut is still intact as is Lenawee’s role in that reputation. Although the big news about Michigan’s top ranking for manufacturing job creation came out in late June, there is no loss of momentum, as witnessed by the overflowing parking lots at most of Lenawee’s manufacturing companies.

How can this be? There has been a transformation over the last few years and now Michigan is home to one of the best tax environments in the country. Additionally, the cost of living is competitive and there are more engineers per

capita than any other state. A strong tech workforce, multiple transportation options and a strong midwestern work ethic seal the deal.

It is not just our existing manufacturing companies creating new jobs. We have had several new manufacturers move to our area as well, such as Comstar, Metcan, Greenjak, and DiggyPOD.

Not to be outdone, Lenawee entrepreneurs are gearing up to take advantage of the funding opportunities that the aforementioned “crowdfunding” bill will create. Lenawee Now has

several start-ups waiting to go as soon as the bill is passed.

“We are looking forward to the coming years as we are working with Hillsdale and Jackson counties to develop a culture of entrepreneurship. We have the resources and talented individuals to make great things happen; it’s just a matter of connecting the dots. It will come together even faster as the community stays involved to identify areas of opportunity,” said Jim Van Doren, Executive Director of Lenawee Now.

Jim Van Doren, Executive Director, Lenawee Now

How the Lenawee County Land Bank Works

5

Land Bank. Maybe you have heard the term around town, particularly since there was recently a local property auction. Let us explain in a little more detail what it is all about.

Several years ago, the Michigan State Legislature created a new, streamlined system for returning tax-reverted properties to productive use. This legislation opened the door for communities to play an active role in eliminating blight and recycling abandoned properties.

The Lenawee Land Bank Authority (LLBA) is a government organization that uses this law as a constructive community development tool: avoiding the potential neglect or misuse that comes from selling property at auction, the County is able to acquire abandoned and tax foreclosed property and determine the best use of that property.

The LLBA assembles land for transfer to adjacent homeowners, develops long and short-term green spaces, and assembles land for new housing and commercial development. The objective is to restore the integrity of the community by removing dilapidated structures

and redeveloping abandoned properties.

At the tax foreclosure auction on October 29, 2013 the LLBA bought its first properties. We are now working to market these properties and hope to have some sold and back on the tax rolls before the end of the year.

“The LLBA is a powerful economic development tool that opens up many financing and development options that we just did not have before, especially for our Downtown Areas”, said Tim

Robinson, Lenawee Now, Director of Operations.

Please call us if you would like more information about the program or are interested in any of the properties.

What people are saying: “I credit Lenawee Now for making every effort to be involved and supportive of every corner of Lenawee County. Recent economic successes in Hudson and Morenci show their dedication to keeping our small towns a great place to work and live.”

- Jim Driskill, Lenawee County Commissioner, District 3

A land bank is a community development tool that returns properties to productive use.

Tim Robinson, CEdC, Director of Operations, Lenawee Now

Achievements and Successes

6

What people are saying: “One of the many great things about working with Lenawee Now is that they are always looking forward. Our team is developing ways to maximize the value of MIS year-round and Lenawee Now ‘gets it’. They are helping us find new opportunities to reach our goals. That is a priceless partnership.”

- Roger Curtis, President, Michigan International Speedway

We’ve had the opportunity to be a part of many successes this fall. Some had more of our involvement than others, but none were insignificant to Lenawee County’s economic development. Below is a partial list. If there is a business activity that we can support you on, please do not hesistate to contact us!

Cows love Lenawee…(and Hillsdale)After two long years, Milk Source has purchased the former Vreba-Hoff dairies and will re-open them in 2014. This means 100 new full time jobs and thousands of acres of Lenawee / Hillsdale farm land back in productive use. Milk Source’s new facilities even include a music system for the cows while they are being milked. Hopefully the DJ prefers Cream to Meatloaf.

WIN Now with LenaweeWell technically, Lenawee is now with WIN (Workforce Intelligence Network). Lenawee Now helped secure USDA and Michigan Works! grant funding that gives Lenawee, Hillsdale and Jackson counties access to WIN’s extensive laborforce data and data analysts for the next two years. With this kind of current and actionable labor market intelligence, we will be able to strengthen and sustain our employer-driven talent system that serves as a resource hub and connection point for regional businesses, industries and education.

MOU with MISBTDCThe Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center has entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Lenawee Now to establish a satellite operation in our office. This will make accessing the valuable (and free!) business counseling services they offer even easier for Lenawee residents. Schedule your appointment today!

Dirty Job, Not Dirt CheapLocals to the area knew it as Dick’s Amoco. It was a long-closed gas station that needed extensive clean up before it could be returned to a useable state. Lenawee Now secured over $150,000 of EPA & MDEQ grant funding to remediate the site and return it to productive use. As it is located in a prime area in downtown Adrian, it will be repurposed very soon.

More in Morenci“Reuse, recycle, re-invent” is the motto for Greenjak, Inc. Lenawee Now, recently assisted the company with their site search and selection of Morenci. Greenjak recycles and repurposes industrial machine components. With this facility (former M&S Buildings), they are looking forward to handling bigger projects than ever before.

Dick’s Amoco lot after clean up

7

Economic Indicators

2013 YTD Inquiries

# of Projects New Jobs Investment

Expansion 20 274 $26,674,671Attraction 30 1417 $483,059,000Entrepreneurial 9 11 $1,020,000Totals 59 1702 $510,753,671

2013 YTD Open Projects

# of Projects New Jobs Investment

Expansion 6 130 $21,080,000 Attraction 5 787 $390,300,000 Entrepreneurial 4 15 $700,000 Totals 15 932 $412,080,000

2013 YTD Successes

# of Projects New Jobs Investment

Expansion 5 123 $10,129,671 Attraction 5 145 $23,650,000 Entrepreneurial 1 3 $350,000 Totals 11 271 $34,129,671

0  

5  

10  

15  

20  

25  

30  

35  

Expansion   A0rac3on   Entrepreneurial  

2013  YTD  Inquiries  

0  

5  

10  

15  

Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr   May   Jun   Jul   Aug  Une

mploymen

t  %  

2013  YTD  Unemployment  Rate  

Lenawee  8.6%  

Michigan  8.7%  

USA  7.3%  

Unemployment ratesLenawee’s unemployment rate is in line with that of the State of Michigan. It is slightly higher than the national average, which has been the case all year. Data for September and October was delayed due to the government shutdown.

Projects in the 2013 SuccessesLenawee Now is pleased to announce these business developments:• Attraction: DiggyPOD; DVMRI; Greenjak; Metcan Industrial Group; Milk Source• Expansion: Blissfield Manufacturing; Hi-Lex Controls; Next Specialty Resins; RIMA Manufacturing; Uniloy

Milacron• Entrepreneurial: Hometown Hardware

Attract! Expand! Start-up!We have had an incredible number of inquiries this year from companies of different sizes and interests. Lenawee has much to offer and we are doing our best to match their needs.

8

Making an ImpressionWe have a new look!You probably noticed that our logo has changed a bit. That is because early in the fall, we began rebranding ourselves as Lenawee Now. We are excited to build upon this new brand as we feel that it emphasizes our enthusiasm for businesses to come and grow in Lenawee County.

To fully launch our new branding, we re-designed our website to be a better tool for those looking to start a business here. That means we also need to include information about what it is like to live here. The website has been divided into two categories, “For Business” and “For Living”, for exactly that purpose. We have also added a blog named “Latest News” where we can share relevant content on business and quality of life in the county. Blog posts and more are promoted on our social media accounts.

Spreading the wordWhile working toward having a robust social media network and utilizing partner agencies to help spread the word about great things in Lenawee County, we have also been gaining more media attention.

• WTOL (Channel 11 in Toledo) gave coverage to the demolition of Dick’s Amoco in Adrian and interviewed Jim Van Doren regarding unemployment rates.

• The Daily Telegram has featured editorial pieces written by Jim Van Doren and Tim Robinson.• Crowdfunding has been covered in Forbes, Xconomy Detroit, Crain’s Detroit Business and the Daily

Telegram.• Local successes stories submitted to MEDC Daily, a statewide e-newsletter, have been included and sent to

its extensive mailing list.

Lenawee Now OnlineLenaweeNow.orgTwitter.com/LenaweeNowFacebook.com/LenaweeNowPinterest.com/LenaweeNow

What people are saying: “Not many people think of owning a hardware store as a dream come true, but for me it is. Thanks to Lenawee Now for working with me on a revolving loan fund, not only could I achieve my dream, but I can help keep the doors open of a locally-owned business that is staple for the community in Morenci.”

- Jeremie Peters, Owner, Hometown Hardware

Scan the QR code with your smartphone to visit us online!