2018 Conference

For the second year, more than 20 statewide thought leaders offered their unbridled opinion on eight hot-button issues on the minds of attendees during the fast-paced Morning View: Mackinac Uncensored session to close out the 2018 Mackinac Policy Conference on …

As Rick Snyder nears the end of his term as Michigan’s 48th governor, he took Michigan’s Center Stage for the final time to deliver a keynote address on his vision for the state’s prosperity to close out the 2018 Mackinac Policy Conference. Snyder was welcomed to the stage with a standing ovation in a session sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

In Michigan’s first bipartisan gubernatorial debate hosted by the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Political Action Committee, the top six candidates for governor offered voters a glimpse of their leadership while trading barbs on a wide range of topics for Michigan’s future — from education reform and talent, to automotive insurance, tax incentives and recreational marijuana.

During the session, Making the Suburban Case for Regional Transit, The Kresge Foundation brought together three regional leaders to discuss the value of regional transit in suburban areas. Panelists included LeRoy Burcroff, mayor of Romulus; Andy Meisner, treasurer of Oakland County; and Barbara Rossmann, president and CEO of Henry Ford Macomb Hospitals.

Technology is advancing at a rapid, unprecedented pace. Cell phones have as much capability as desktop computers. It’s not just people connecting on the internet anymore, household appliances are being integrated with smart technology, too. There are no flying cars …

There is a strong disconnect between workforce training systems, educational systems, and business. How can organizations collaborate to fill positions and give chronically underemployed groups employment opportunities? This was the topic during W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s session, “The Future of Work in Michigan: Partnerships Pave the Way to Prosperity” at the Mackinac Policy Conference.

Confidence in Detroit’s overall economic rebound remains high, driven by a boom in small business and retail activity. Forty-one percent of Detroit entrepreneurs in 2017 said they were “very likely” to recommend opening a business in the city, according to …

When he was 12 years old and had lost both parents to illness, teachers in New York City Public Schools saved John B. King Jr.’s life. The former U.S. Secretary of Education and president and CEO of The Education Trust told his life story in a keynote address to Mackinac Policy Conference attendees to illustrate the potential for Michigan’s education system.

A panel of leading voices in the effort to reform and improve Detroit’s public school system came together on Michigan’s Center Stage to give a holistic assessment of the school district’s most pressing needs, and the opportunities to create further buy-in and participation from the larger business and civic community.

Roger Curtis, director of the Michigan Department of Talent and Economic Development (TED), hosted a discussion about the lack of qualified STEAM talent to fill job openings in Michigan during his session, “Upping Michigan’s Talent Game: Attracting and Retaining STEM …