Genesee County, MI — On Thursday, June 5, more than 100 movers and shakers came together in the spirit of collaboration with an eye toward the future of community and economic growth in Genesee County.

UM-Flint’s Riverfront Conference Center in Downtown Flint was the site of the Inaugural Impact Genesee Summit, an event co-hosted by Genesee County and the University of Michigan-Flint’s Office of Economic Development (OED).

Elected representatives from all corners of Genesee County, cities, townships and villages were in attendance, alongside community advocates, members of the business community and non-profit organizations. 

“This event represents what can happen when we work together with a common purpose,” said Paula Nas, Director of UM-Flint’s OED. “The connections that were made, the ideas that were sparked and resources that will be shared in the future are going to have a tremendous impact on the future of Genesee County.”

Led by Dr. Beverly Brown, Chair of the Board of Commissioners’ Community and Economic Development Committee, and the Impact Genesee Committee, attendees had the unique opportunity to engage with community and economic development experts from across the country, including J. Ryan McMahon, the County Executive of Onondaga County (NY), home of the largest investment in advanced chip manufacturing in U.S. history.  Participants listened intently to the speakers, participated in breakout sessions, shared best practices, and explored way to bring new economic growth opportunities to Genesee County. 

“We want to play a more active role as a convener, bringing people together to make a positive impact on all our residents,” said Dr. Brown (pictured above), who represents District 4 on the Genesee County Board of Commissioners. “We don’t want to sit back, admiring our problems and hoping solutions will seek us out. We want to face our challenges head on, with a proactive approach that leverages the people, places and things that make Genesee County great.”

Impact Genesee is one of many opportunities, led by Genesee County, to engage stakeholders in proactive solutions to the challenges we face as a community. The sessions were focused on five major areas that offer challenges and opportunities now and in the future: Housing, Universal Broadband, Re-imaging Retail Spaces, Sports Tourism and the growth potential of the Advanced Manufacturing District in Mundy Township. 

Each session, facilitated by a Genesee County Commissioner, allowed participants to first envision, then engage and finally to develop strategies for next steps — to create the path to economic growth that can usher in the next golden era in Genesee County.

“We cannot wait for something to happen; we must make it happen, and we have the tools we need to do it,” Dr. Brown said. “So why not us, why not here and why not soon?” 

Delrico J. Loyd, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, who spoke alongside UM-Flint Chancellor Laurence Alexander and Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley, said that the event is a huge step toward Genesee County speaking with one voice, with a clear mission and the right tools to get the job done for our residents.

“By fostering strong partnerships like we are today, we can create an environment that not only encourages economic growth but also promotes a sense of shared responsibility for our community’s well-being — a community of stakeholders who all share in the prosperity that’s to come,” he said. “That level of impact requires meaningful dialogue, shared resources and clear vision. Through our collective actions, we can ensure that every resident experiences the benefits of economic growth and prosperity—not just today, but for generations to come.”

Amy Hovey (pictured below), the CEO and Executive Director of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, was in attendance to speak about the role of housing and how we can adapt to the challenges and opportunities that come with economic growth, especially on the scale that would be created by what has been proposed in Mundy Township. 

Dr. Bento Lobo, head of the Department of Finance and Economics at the Rollins College of Business at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, who has been on the forefront of broadband Internet as a driver of economic and community growth was also in attendance, making connections with our NextGenesee team. 

NextGenesee, the brainchild of the Genesee County Broadband Task Force, came together in 2024 with an ambitious goal: to ensure every home and business in the county has access to reliable, high-speed internet. Dr. Lobo, talked about the true economic value of investing in fiber optic infrastructure like Hamilton County in Tennessee did. That investment has bridged the digital divide in education, lowered unemployment and returned an estimated $2.69 billion in economic growth — a fraction of the initial investment. 

Mark Vanderpool, who has served as city manager of Sterling Heights since 2004 shared a session with Flint Township Supervisor Karyn Miller. Vanderpool has been instrumental in the city’s economic development program that includes its largest single development, Lakeside City Center — a re-envisioning and redevelopment of Lakeside Mall, which had fallen on hard times like our own Genesee Valley Center. 

Amari Steward, of Explore Flint and Genesee, presented a session alongside Jashell Mitchell-Cross who currently serves as a Development Officer at the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, on imaging Genesee County as a destination for four-season sports and recreation. This economic development strategy would leverage the county’s parks and recreation assets, natural resources and tradition of athletic excellence to grow our local economy.  

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who shared a message by video (shown right) with attendees, said that Genesee County has and will continue to play a profound role in the economic future of Michigan. 

“The work you are engaged in today will have an impact beyond Genesee County,” she said. “Let’s keep collaborating to transform our communities through sustainable economic growth pave the way to a more prosperous future where everyone can thrive.”

On behalf of Genesee County, the Board of Commissioners and our partners at the University of Michigan-Flint, we want to thank everyone who participated in Impact Genesee 2025 and express our gratitude to all who had a role in making it happen, especially Paula Nas and her team at UM-Flint OED.

We also want to share our appreciation with the event’s sponsors, the University of Michigan Credit Union and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis. 

For a full list of speakers and their bios, click here.

Stay tuned for more updates on how we can continue to work together to Impact Genesee!