2025 Mackinac Policy Conference Open

• Politics inform economic perceptions more than ever; Michigan is disproportionately at risk from fluctuating policies. 
• Talent is the catalyst in Michigan’s equation for impact and will ensure our competitiveness into the next decade and beyond. 
• Bipartisan efforts also help drive Michigan’s success. 

Opening the session, the Chamber’s Sandy K. Baruah gave a high-level summary of the Chamber’s most recent Michigan Voter Poll. He detailed that there is an undeniable shift in perceptions following November 2024’s presidential election, with the two major parties often swapping places in their views of key issues ranging from their economic outlook to the state of democracy. This is a concerning common thread throughout the entire poll. 

“It used to be that your view of the economy largely shared your view of the sitting president. You thought the economy was doing well – largely based on low unemployment and reasonable inflation – you thought the president was doing at least an okay job,” he said. “Today, this dynamic has flipped … We really haven’t seen major data swings in key metrics, yet each party is viewing the situation and the data very, very differently.” 

Dive Into the May 2025 Michigan Voter Poll Data and Takeaways. 

Baruah also touched on how policy decisions made in Washington, D.C., especially tariff-related ones, impact Michigan as much as Lansing’s. This is due to the state’s proximity to Canada and Michigan’s capital-intensive industries’ complex international supply chains, which means they are more exposed to tariff effects. Finally, local firms have made billions of investments in EV tech, which is now at risk of being thwarted.  

Because of these changes, Baruah implored that Michigan leaders across sectors and political ideologies must find common ground for solutions more than ever. 

“Policy consistency is difficult [in Michigan] … [but] if we can get some alignment between the parties and our leaders around educational achievement in 21st-century skills, economic development policy, building on our high-tech manufacturing and mobility base, we can move Michigan forward,” he said. “But it’s hard. If it were easy, we would’ve done it already.”

Related: Michigan, the “Center of the Political Universe (Again)” (Detroiter)

A good first step to finding solutions is setting the scene for such conversations, as Quigley demonstrated during his opening remarks as the 2025 Conference Chair. 

“It’s the diversity of thought that makes this Conference so special,” he said. “But this year, it feels different. We’re convening at a time when every organization in Michigan is dealing with existential [situations and challenges].” 

Therefore, Quigley is convinced Michigan will thrive when we define a clear vision for a better future for our people, businesses, and the environment, invest in tools, technologies, capabilities, and infrastructure, and build partnerships that overcome barriers and drive meaningful action. 

“Anything is possible when you have the right people with the right skills and the right motivations in the right jobs. Full stop,” Quigley said. “With our abundant economic and natural resources, Michigan can win the battle for talent.” 

Using the Equation of Impact, Michigan leaders can begin the conversations to attract and retain quality talent. But Quigley said “talk alone cannot solve” the challenges. 

“We heard that message loud and clear when the Governor implored us to focus on results [at her February 2025 State of the State Address],” he said. “The Equation is not hypothetical; it happens every day in our state … when we create the conditions for results, that’s when we have a positive impact and propel our state forward.” 

Related: Q&A With Conference Chair Peter Quigley (Detroiter) 

In her annual Conference welcome, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gave a brief overview of the recent work her administration has done in the last year. 

This includes securing Michigan’s position as the Arsenal of Democracy for the lifespan of the F-15EX as well as the start of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project in Illinois, a long-awaited series of barriers designed to prevent invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes. Whitmer called these recent victories “truly something that’s remarkable and crucial” for the state’s industry and its natural ecosystem. 

“No matter what is happening in Washington, D.C., we’ve been a model for effective leadership in Michigan,” she said. “Together we can do [and discuss] hard things; that’s what [the Conference] is about.” 

Related: Gov. Whitmer: Michigan is Key Card to Play in Future of U.S. Manufacturing (Detroiter)