Lakeshore Advantage levels up for 5-year regional growth plan

What’s happening: Lakeshore Advantage has successfully completed Powering Our Future: The Next Lakeshore Generation, a five-year growth plan and fundraising campaign designed to strengthen the Lakeshore region’s competitiveness in the global economy.

Why it’s important: Launched publicly in April 2025, the private-sector-focused campaign set out to raise $2.3 million to fund strategic initiatives supporting business growth, talent development, and entrepreneurship. The effort surpassed its goal, generating more than $2.4 million through commitments from 38 regional businesses, organizations, and individuals.

What they’re saying: “This campaign has been about more than dollars; it’s been about uniting our region’s leadership around a shared vision for the future,” says Jeff Stutz, campaign co-chair and chief operating officer of MillerKnoll. “These investments will directly fuel the initiatives that our region’s employers and communities need to remain strong, resilient, and competitive for years to come.”

What’s the impact: Stutz co-chaired the campaign alongside P.J. Thompson, CEO of Trans-Matic, and Lakeshore Advantage President Jennifer Owens. Funds raised will support Lakeshore Advantage’s five-year growth plan, built around three pillars:

• Powering Our Future Workforce: Accelerating attraction, retention, and growth in the talent pipeline, with a focus on emerging workers in high-demand positions.
• Powering Primary Employers and Communities: Supporting the stability and growth of existing businesses while continuing to position the region as a top choice for business investment.
• Powering the Next Generation of Employers: Growing a dynamic startup ecosystem for product and technology entrepreneurs.
  

What’s the ROI: Through these initiatives, Lakeshore Advantage aims by 2030 to:

• Create 5,000 new primary jobs and 4,374 indirect jobs
• Generate $375 million in new business expansion investments
• Drive $10 million in new capital investment in startups
• Strengthen regional resilience and competitiveness
  

These goals represent not just economic outcomes, but systemic solutions where talent, innovation, and investment reinforce one another.

Why it matters: Thompson reflects on the campaign’s significance: “When my father started Trans-Matic in 1968, he was investing in the future of our community. That’s exactly what this campaign represents – laying the foundation for the region’s immediate future and the next generation.”

Who’s behind the effort: The campaign’s success reflects broad private-sector support for the region’s economic vitality. Top supporters include:

• Now for the Next Fund
• Grand Haven Area Community Foundation
• MillerKnoll
• Allegan County Community Foundation
• Corewell Health / Priority Health
• Fifth Third Bank
• Huntington Bank
• LG Energy Solution
  

What’s next: “Exceeding our goal shows how deeply our investors are committed to building sustainable economic growth,” says Beth Blanton, vice president of engagement at Lakeshore Advantage. “When economic development is working at its best, the return is clear: thriving businesses, strong local governments, and high-quality job opportunities for people in this region.”