What do Charles Ross (CEO of InBIA), Sidney Moncrief (NBA All-Star), and David Brier (founder of Rising Above the Noise) all have in common? Leadership, entrepreneurship, authors and gurus! They are coming to Milwaukee on October 11 & 12 to share their passion for entrepreneurship, and so should you. Go to https://www.glin2.com/registration to register for pre-conference networking at Lakefront Brewery, the full day and a half summit, and the Power Lunch with David Brier. While you are at the website, don't forget to reserve your room at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center.

MBIA is a proud supporter of the Great Lakes International Innovation Summit. Please consider attending this outstanding regional event.

Make plans to attend the SURGE Celebration event on October 25th, 2018 from 5:00pm-7:30pm at the Holland Civic Center, 150 West 8th Street, Holland. This is a celebration of the West Michigan Lakeshore startup community and growth-minded business leaders and investors who support it. Organizers will recognize the growth and successes of local startup companies, the launch of a mentor network, major strides forward in community tech infrastructure, and milestones achieved through SURGE powered by Lakeshore Advantage support. You can view more information and register for the event here.

Lakeshore Advantage is pleased to announce that Amanda Chocko has recently joined the team as interim Director of the SURGE entrepreneurial program. Amanda has been a staple in the West Michigan startup ecosystem for over a decade assisting entrepreneurs in various capacities. Her current role involves connecting startups to valuable resources and helping to cultivate the lakeshore startup community.

We are happy to welcome two new members: the City of Battle Creek, Small Business & Startup Development, and the Grand Rapids Chamber. While both organizations are new members, the individuals are not. Valerie Byrnes (with the City of Battle Creek) and Brooke Corbin (with the Grand Rapids Chamber) are both former MBIA members. Many of you may remember Valerie Byrnes from when she was with the Muskegon Innovation HUB. Brooke was recently with Lakeshore Advantage. We are thrilled to have Valerie and Brooke back in the Association.