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eMacomb - Department News, Summer 2013
As the structure of county government under an executive form continues to evolve, furthering the goal of fiscal responsibility to the taxpayer, the department has undergone several structural changes in 2013. A few of those changes are:
The department is no longer a host for the Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC). At one time, Macomb County was the only county in Michigan to host a regional office. However, the SBTDC’s preferred model is to have an educational institution serve as a host agency. Therefore, services to Macomb County businesses are now offered out of Eastern Michigan University. Regional Director Richard King is responsible for providing those services in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties, with four satellite offices in Detroit, Livonia, Waterford and Sterling Heights.
SBTDC remains an important partner in Macomb’s economic development strategy. Now housed at Velocity Center for Economic Collaboration in Sterling Heights, it is staffed by Julie Oldham, SBTDC Finance and Strategy Specialist, and Business Counselor Wendy Richardson. To learn more about the services and workshops offered locally, visit SBTDC Southeast Michigan Regional Center and be sure to “like” their Facebook page.
In another move, the department’s Community Development staff has been moved to the Macomb Community Action. As administrators of the county’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), it made sense for this great group of people to move to an existing county department that also manages federal funds to eradicate poverty and eliminate blight.
As we wish the best to our departing co-workers, we also welcome a new staff member, Jack Johns, Senior Economic Development Specialist for the Home in Macomb Business Retention Program. Jack joins us with 12 years of experience with Michigan Works! as a supervisor for employment services. Prior to that, he worked for a staffing agency out of Clinton Township. Jack received a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management from Oakland University and a master’s degree in Human Resources Administration from Central Michigan University. He is also a certified “Business Solutions Professional.”