Thursday, April 22, 2021 at 7 p.m.
Dr. Paul Isely | Rob Cleveland | Jim Hettinger
The Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan Speaker Series, hosted by The Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College, and the Speakers Series of South Haven are collaborating to co-present the next online speaker series event on Thursday, April 22, at 7 p.m.
The evening’s topic is The Pandemic Economy and Beyond.
Register for the event: The Pandemic Economy and Beyond
Guest speaker Dr. Paul Isely, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs in the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University, will take a close-up look at the impact of COVID-19 on our economy and what we can expect as the pandemic comes to an end. He will be joined by local panelist Rob Cleveland, president of Cornerstone Alliance; and Jim Hettinger, president & CEO of Jim Hettinger Urban Development Services, LLC to discuss the local impact and economic outlook for southwest Michigan.
Dr. Paul Isely is the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs in the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University. He joined the GVSU faculty in 1995, after earning his Ph.D. in Economics from Purdue University. He also holds an M.S. in Economics from Purdue University and a dual B.S. in Physics and Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research and teaching interests include firm/country level innovation, environmental economics, and regional forecasting.
Rob Cleveland is the President of the Cornerstone Alliance. Located in Michigan’s Great Southwest, the Cornerstone Alliance is Berrien County’s premiere economic development organization. He is a Certified Economic Development Professional (CEcD) by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). At Cornerstone, Cleveland leads a team of a dozen individuals devoted to the enrichment of economic vitality, improved employment opportunities, expansion of the tax base and the creation of wealth in Berrien County.
Jim Hettinger is President and CEO of Jim Hettinger Urban Development Services, LLC, prior to which he was president of Battle Creek Unlimited for 20 years. Hettinger has written and published a book and numerous articles dealing with economic development. Hettinger has received letters of commendation from Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. In 2007, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in public service from Western Michigan University. He has served on the transition teams of two Michigan governors and was Governor Engler’s first Economic Developer of the Year in 1995. Hettinger is an instructor for the International Economic Development Council and has served as an Adjunct Professor at Western Michigan University. He is currently working on an economic development plan for Berrien County, Michigan.
Passes for this online event are free with registration. A pay-what-you-can option to support the series is also available.
Register for the event: The Pandemic Economy and Beyond
Passes are available at The MendelCenter.com, or by calling 269-927-8700, option 1. Temporary box office hours are weekdays, 2 to 6 p.m. Advance registration is required to receive online access code.
