(Flint, Mich., March 22, 2023) Wednesday, the Flint & Genesee Group reported on its accomplishments in 2022 and shared its priorities moving forward. The organization’s annual meeting – themed “Meeting What’s Next” – was held before an audience of more than 350 attendees at the FIM Capitol Theatre and included a keynote address from Doneen McDowell, manufacturing executive director of the truck and components sector at General Motors.

“For the Flint & Genesee Group, 2022 was the second year of our three-year strategic plan,” said Group CEO Tim Herman. “It was also a year with many successes, including the launch of new programs and a continued emphasis on partnership, both with internal and external stakeholders. Looking back on what we achieved, there is good reason to be optimistic about business, talent, and place in Flint & Genesee.”

In 2022, the Group worked to build awareness around Forward Together, which is a shared vision for making Genesee County a top-five community in Michigan based on jobs, talent, livability, and equity by 2040. Other initiatives from the Group and its divisions included the roll-out of the 40 Under 40 recognition program and the launch of the Flint & Genesee Business Bridge, an online directory and resource for minority-owned businesses in Genesee County.

Following are some key numbers highlighting last year’s accomplishments of the Group and its divisions in the areas of professional development, economic development, business advocacy, education and talent, and tourism.

Flint & Genesee Group

• 930 participants in professional development workshops; 115 employers represented
• 23 Genesee County interns in the Flintern program
• Eight Lead Now graduates

Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance

• Five economic development projects that generated $363 million in private investment and 393 jobs
• 250 connections made between employers and job seekers
• 271 Small Business Help Desk meetings with entrepreneurs and small business owner
• $63.7 million in federal, state, local, and subcontracting contracts

Flint & Genesee Chamber

• 124 new Chamber members
• 99.2% Chamber member retention rate
• 650% membership growth in the African American Advisory Committee

Flint & Genesee Education & Talent

• 1,433 students received afterschool and/or summer enrichment programming through YouthQuest
• 323 teens graduated from TeenQuest
• 205 teens employed through the Summer Youth Initiative/Michigan DNR Summer Youth Employment Program
• 150 Flint Promise scholars enrolled in local colleges and universities

Explore Flint & Genesee

• 7,524 hotel room nights contracted in Genesee County
• 53.7% hotel occupancy rate-down from 57.9% in 2019 but up from the 2020 low of 46.6%
• Average Daily Rate of $91.35 and total hotel revenue of $46.3 million surpassed the pre-pandemic figures of $75.95 and $37.7 million, respectively

Looking forward, the Group will stay focused on its goals and strategies. According to Herman, some of these efforts will include securing transformational investments that grow the local economy and create jobs; executing ideas that help bring new talent to Genesee County; and increasing existing support for small businesses and creating new partnerships that will reduce barriers to capital, technical capacity, and growth potential.

“We’ll identify new opportunities for businesses and individuals, work to remove barriers to success, and keep listening to our partners to understand their needs as they evolve,” Herman said.

A full copy of the Group’s Annual Report is available online at AnnualReport.FlintandGenesee.org.

McDowell was raised in Ellwood City, Penn. She has a Bachelor of Science in industrial and systems engineering from Youngstown State University and a Master of Science in manufacturing management from Kettering University.

“We look forward to hearing Doneen McDowell’s perspective on leading through change, creativity in the face of uncertainty, and collaborative approaches to progress,” said Group CEO Tim Herman. “These topics are of particular interest to our organization, and we hope attendees leave the event feeling inspired and energized to ‘meet what’s next’ in our community.”

The Group’s annual meeting is open to the public. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased online at FlintandGenesee.org. Registration is required and ends March 21 at 5 p.m.

About the Flint & Genesee Group
The Flint & Genesee Group supports the region through its commitment to developing business, talent, and place. The organization works to strengthen the Flint and Genesee County economy, and create a place where people thrive, and businesses invest and grow. Its programs and services are marketed through four divisions-Explore Flint & Genesee, the Flint & Genesee Chamber, the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance, and Flint & Genesee Education & Talent. For more information, visit FlintandGenesee.org, and check us out on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.