A Promising Blueprint for Growth: Mayor Sheffield’s First State of the City​

Mayor Mary Sheffield, Detroit’s 76th mayor and the first woman to hold the office, delivered her first State of the City speech at Mumford High School.

The address offered an encouraging vision of neighborhood investment, red tape reduction, and talent attraction. Having endorsed Sheffield in November, the Chamber looks forward to collaborating with the Sheffield  administration on these initiatives and supporting the Mayor’s work to attract more retail to the city.

In Case You Missed It: 2026 State of the Region Report

Last week, the Chamber released its 2026 State of the Region report during its annual event, revealing the Detroit Region’s economic health and what it means for businesses.

During the event, Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Sandy K. Baruah delivered a key message to regional leaders, emphasizing that Michigan’s house continues to be on fire, as indicated in the Chamber’s latest report.

“When we talk about the ‘house being on fire,’ we’re trying to give a very clear message to leaders like you, the media, and frankly, the citizens at large, that if we don’t know where we really stand on some key metrics, we’re really not going to know how to get where we want to go,” said Baruah.

Despite falling rankings, Baruah also shared some good news. Detroit’s resurgence continues and the report illustrates the Region’s emerging strength in venture capital investments and entrepreneurship, as well as commercial vacancy rates lower than the national average.

Click On Detroit | Metro Detroit Near Bottom in Key Economic Measures as Michigan Income Ranking Falls From 18th to 40th

Crain’s Detroit Business | Report Finds That Michigan’s Economic House Is ‘on Fire’ But We Don’t Know It

Bridge Michigan | Report: Metro Detroit Losing Ground, Faces ‘Hard Truths’ About Economy

WDET | Detroit Regional Chamber Sounds Alarm, Calls for Bipartisan Plan to Fix Economy

One Year Later, ‘Liberation Day’: MichAuto’s Stevens Weighs In

April 2 marks one year since President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day.”

In a Detroit News article, Glenn Stevens Jr., MichAuto Executive Director and the Chamber’s Chief Automotive and Innovation Officer, said U.S. companies have faced rising input costs, forcing them to mitigate, manage, and reshape supply chains, largely absorbing the costs to avoid passing them on to consumers.

For additional insights from Stevens and more tariff and trade policy resources, visit MichAuto’s Tariff Resource Center.

Do you know an up-and-coming leader in their 20s or 30s making significant contributions to their business, industry, or community, and who would be attending the Mackinac Policy Conference for the first time this year? Nominate them for this year’s cohort of Mackinac Future Leaders! Participants will have full access to all Conference sessions and activities at a reduced rate and will participate in exclusive networking opportunities. Submit your nomination before Friday, April 10. Submit a Nomination Event Recap | Culture Re-Wired: Unleash Your Inner AI CEO​ Last week, the Chamber hosted Automation Workz’s Ida Byrd-Hill (right), author of “Culture Re-Wired: Unleash Your Inner AI CEO,” and IBM watsonx’s Veronica Moyer (left) for an in-depth chat on how to harness AI for business transformation. Key takeaways for business leaders: It’s time to move past general AI exploration and into technology deployment, like agents. AI is a cultural movement, so people’s mindsets need to change in order to have a successful AI implementation in your workplace. Explore More Key Takeaways and Read a Recap Upcoming Events​

Windsor Essex Chamber of Commerce Celebrates 150th Birthday

Pictured left to right: Sandy K. Baruah, Ryan Donally Last Friday, Sandy K. Baruah, Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer, and Glenn Stevens Jr., MichAuto Executive Director and the Chamber’s Chief Automotive and Innovation Officer, attended the Windsor Essex Chamber of Commerce’s 150th birthday party. Baruah presented a special tribute from the State of Michigan signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II to acknowledge the milestone. Learn more about the Windsor Essex Area Chamber of Commerce and its impact.