Lansing, Flint, Ann Arbor Small Business Owners To Appear At White House
LANSING -- On Friday, four business leaders from three of Lansing's most innovative companies will make a trip to the White House on behalf of the Lansing region and state of Michigan to engage in dialogue regarding the needs of innovative small businesses from Michigan.
Two of the businesses are LEAP board members.
Also participating are entrepreneurs from Flint and Washtenaw County.
Over the last year, the White House has hosted more than 500 meetings with business and civic leaders from different states to engage in conversation about collaboration between the private sector and government to foster greater opportunity, innovation and job creation.
Terry Grimm, Niowave, Inc. president and founder, and Jerry Hollister, Niowave COO, as well as Steve Curran, president and creative director of Harvest Creative Services and Pat Spyke, Senior Vice President of LAFCU will travel to Washington, D.C. on behalf of Lansing this Friday for a half-day roundtable dialogue.
LEAP received notification of this event from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and invited investors to represent the Lansing region at the event. After applying to attend, these representatives were then put through a screening process conducted by the White House. Less than 30 companies from across the state were confirmed to attend.
"These Lansing businesses and board members will represent more than 10 percent of the companies in attendance," said Bob Trezise, LEAP president and CEO. "This is the moment for our voice to be heard by the rest of the country, including President Obama and his team. We cannot afford to sit back and listen; we must be proactive in spreading the successes and needs of the small business innovators from the Lansing region. Congratulations to these businesses leaders for this great opportunity."
Also participating is Phil Hagerman, CEO of Flint-based Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy, the nation's largest, privately owned specialty pharmacy, and Tom Harrison, CEO and owner of Michigan Ladder Co. and chair of the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Regional Chamber board of directors.
