BDC Annual Investors’ Meeting Held

The BDC held its Annual Investors’ Meeting on Wednesday, March 10. This meeting was held in conjunction with our regularly scheduled Board of Directors’ Meeting. Due to COVID-19 restrictions still in place, the meeting was held for the first time virtually.

Our keynote address was from a staple in Michigan’s Cornerstone, Gerdau. Gerdau Monroe is classified as a special steel mill. They recycle high quality scrap metal into SBQ steel bars that are consumed primarily by the automotive, heavy truck, agricultural and construction equipment, oil, gas, and energy markets.

Daniel Mussap, Vice President & General Manager, Monroe Mill, of Gerdau, gave a presentation to learn more about this company as they celebrate their 120-year anniversary! A tour of the Monroe steel plant was given virtually and detailed the process starting with melting scrap in an electric arc furnace, then refining, degassing, casting, rolling and finishing.

Daniel stated, “Gerdau is pleased to be a partner to Monroe County BDC. Count on Gerdau to be an active business community member and a Monroe County supporter. We are happy to be a part of Michigan’s Cornerstone, and together with other businesses we’ll make Monroe County stronger for years to come”.

Other highlights of the meeting included an update on the BDC’s work. As our investors make this all possible, we like to share our work of the past year and offer a look into the future. As we like to be transparent, a condensed version of our regularly scheduled Board Meeting was held which included the 2020 Audit results presented by Deb Sabo of Cooley Hehl Sabo & Calkins.

Part of the BDC’s work involves the 5-year Monroe County Link Plan and the volunteers that assist us in reaching the achievement of action steps within this plan. The Image & Brand Pillar Team was tasked with building a grassroots effort to raise visibility and possibility in Monroe County. Their task became intermingled with an action step assigned to the Quality of Life & Tourism Pillar Team. They joined forces and this was the beginning of the Monroe County Brand (keep reading below)!

The BDC Board of Directors and Staff are very appreciative of our investors, partners, and elected officials. We thank them for allowing us to assist Monroe County with economic development initiatives and work to help create an environment of growth and prosperity.

Monroe County’s Brand … The Monroe County Brand is a tool that is available for use to help raise awareness of each community and to help compliment existing marketing efforts by them and businesses within. In working with Phire Group on the development of the Monroe County Brand, we learned that having wearables for your community to embrace and show their support helped spread the good news further than in our #MICorner of the world. We hope that you take advantage of this exciting opportunity to tell the Monroe County story – the story of where you live and work!

For more information and to get involved, please visit michcornerstone.com. A link to the MICorner Online Store is available from this site. We are hopeful that Monroe County – Michigan’s Cornerstone attracts visitors, new residents and businesses, and helps existing businesses recruit and prosper. Help the amazing and unique communities in #MICorner get noticed! We are Monroe County … Michigan’s Cornerstone. Be proud and tell the world!