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Together we can again make Michigan a magnet for jobs, people, and prosperity.

In its advisory capacity, the Growing Michigan Together Council (the Council) will:

Identify goals to grow the state’s population, improve educational outcomes, attract and retain talent, and build long-term, sustainable infrastructure

Define the gap between Michigan and the best performing states on these goals

Identify specific short-term, medium-term, and long-term policies needed to close these gaps and meet these goals

Analyze the effectiveness of existing programs and spending dedicated to achieving these goals

Make recommendations on how to address any gaps between projected revenues and recommended expenditures

In addition, the Council has been charged with preparing and submitting a report to the governor, the Michigan House of Representatives, and the Michigan Senate on the following categories: jobs, talent and people; infrastructure and places; preK-12 education; and higher education.

Learn more about the workgroups supporting these topics.

Council members

The Growing Michigan Together Council is made up of 28 members, 21 voting and seven nonvoting, who reflect the socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, cultural, gender, occupational, political, and geographic diversity of Michigan. It was created as an advisory body within the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.

Voting members

Ambassador John Rakolta, Jr., Chair
Chairman and CEO, Walbridge

Shirley Stancato, Chair
Governor, Wayne State University

Linda Apsey
President and CEO, ITC Holdings

Brian Calley
President and CEO, Small Business Association of Michigan

Joann Chavez
DTE Energy, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer

Susan Corbin
Director, Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity

Sandy Baruah
President and CEO, Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce

Sen. Darrin Camilleri
Michigan Senate

Robert Coppersmith
Vice President of Membership Services, Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association

Jeffrey Donofrio
President and CEO, Business Leaders for Michigan

Rep. Alabas Farhat
Michigan House of Representatives

Maha Freij
President, Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services

Patrick “Shorty” Gleason
Former President, Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council

Anika Goss
CEO, Detroit Future City

Ollie Howie
Managing Director, New Community Transformation Fund Grand Rapids

Dr. Santa Ono
President, University of Michigan

William “Bill” Parfet
CEO, Northwood Group

Jennifer Root
Executive Director, SEIU Michigan

Rep. Pauline Wendzel
Michigan House of Representatives

Nickolai Vitti
Superintendent, Detroit Public Schools

Nonvoting members

Jaclyn Butler
State Demographer

Rachel Eubanks
State Treasurer

Ronald Fisher
Professor of Economics, Michigan State University

Chris Harkins
Director, State Budget Office

Quentin Messer, Jr.
Chief Executive & Economic Competitiveness Officer, Michigan Economic Development Corporation

Poppy Sias-Hernandez
Executive Director, Office of Global Michigan

Brad Wieferich
Director, Department of Transportation