Market One

Thank you to Kinexus Group for sharing some of our accomplishments from the past year! We are grateful for their partnership and support.

Market One along with our partners Michigan Works! Berrien, Cass, Van Buren attended the 20th Anniversary of the Women's Business Center at Cornerstone Alliance! It was a wonderful event to celebrate 20 years of empowering entrepreneurs.

Thank you to the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center for a phenomenal class on The Practical Approach to Project Management and for sponsoring our Economic Development Coordinator, Julia Wall through the course!

Our Community Development Manager, Courtney Michalka, attended the Michigan Economic Developers Association’s Basic Course in Lansing. Courtney learned much from the course and said it provided significant insight of strategic planning in aligning community goals with realistic resources and how different structures of Economic Development Organizations (EDOs) have unique approaches to governance and funding. Sessions provided education into the distinction between economic and community development and the tools available for facilitating growth in economically distressed areas. Additionally, there was an emphasis on the value of effective communication, especially in storytelling, building relationships with legislators, the critical role of business retention in driving local job growth, the impact of small businesses and entrepreneurship on the economy, and the ethical considerations essential for maintaining integrity in economic development.

#happynationalcoffeeday from the Team at Market One! Thank you to The Modern Well in Lawton for the delicious coffee! What is your favorite coffee shop in Cass or Van Buren counties? Comment below!

~2024 Market One Award Winner Highlight~ Legacy Award: James Crandall with Quality Assured Plastics, inc. The Legacy Award is a new award we introduced at the 4th Annual Awards Event this past June. The purpose of the Legacy Award is to recognize the economic trailblazers who have come before us. From our Executive Director, Zach Morris: "Early in my time in this role, I had the pleasure of meeting many outstanding community and business leaders. Many who had been working to advance the economic standards of their community, not because they had to, because they wanted to. One of those people I met was Jim Crandall; owner of Quality Assured Plastics, business park developer, school board member, and someone who attended every meeting about the economic future of Lawrence and was always willing to speak up and lead. When I attended his funeral it struck me just how impactful his life had been. Yet his greatest accomplishments were the way his wife and children felt about him. When I overheard Mrs. Crandall stating “We had a good life together”. I knew people like Jim Crandall needed to be recognized." We were pleased to present the inaugural Market One Legacy award to Mr. Crandall's family and are thankful for their continued impact on our community. Photo Courtesy: Scott Rose; Quality Assured Plastics, inc.

We are happy to announce that our 2024 Annual Report is now available in print and on our website! Investors, municipal leaders and business owners should have received a printed copy in their mailbox! If you don't receive one within the next few days, please reach out and we will happily add you to our mailing list! Check out our digital copy here:https://lnkd.in/db2fVWHR

Executive Director Zachary Morris, EDFP had the pleasure of teaching a segment of the Michigan Economic Developers Association (MEDA)'s Basic Economic Development course. MEDA partners with the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) to offer the Economic Development Basic Course. This course is a comprehensive educational opportunity that focuses on the critical areas of economic development. #econdev #economicdevelopment #teaching #education

~Investor Spotlight: EQ United~ EQ United's corporate office is located in Cassopolis along with EQ Systems which provides lifting and leveling solutions to the RV, horse trailer, motorsports and custom markets as well as EQ Harness which creates wire harnesses for many industries. They were founded over 100 years ago and have offered a robust operation within multiple industries to serve customers by offering professional products, services, and solutions! Market One was honored to play a role in helping EQ United relocate and expand their operations to Cass County in 2023 and we were able to recognize them at our 2023 Annual Awards Event as the Business Innovator of the Year for their creative and timely responses to changing industry conditions. More specifically, for providing the only true clamp-on/bolt-on 4-point leveling system for the Sprinter Chassis and the Ford Transit Chassis! We are grateful for EQ's role in our community! Find out more about EQ United by visiting their website: https://eqsystems.us/

~Introducing our Investor Spotlights~ Market One is grateful to have the support of over 50 private and public investors! We want to highlight our investors to show our appreciation and to promote the impact they are making on our community. Stay tuned for our first investor spotlight later today! #investors #relationships #community #communitysupport #businesses #muncipalities #econdev #econonomicdevelopment