Jill Bland, CEcD
Vice President
Email: jbland@swmfirst.com

Jill has been a part of Southwest Michigan First since its inception in 1997. With over 20 years experience in business development in Southwest Michigan, Jill knows the key to building successful companies.

Throughout her career, Jill has experienced many great successes, but her greatest achievement was a deal that brought the Target Regional Distribution Center to the Kalamazoo region. Her efforts on the $100 million project brought 900 jobs to the area.

Jill was a part of the transformation of the 2.0 million-square-feet Comstock Township former General Motors facility into Midlink Business Park.  She was instrumental in the expansion and location of such companies as Flowserve Corporation, American Greetings-DesignWare, Fabri-Kal, Graphics Packaging and Kaiser Aluminum.

Jill serves as President of the Michigan Economic Developers Association.

Jill holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Western Michigan University in Industrial Marketing/Economics and a Certificate in Executive Management from the University of Notre Dame. In July 2005, she was named as one of West Michigan's "Most Influential Women" by Western Michigan Business Review.She earned the designation of Certified Economic Developer in January 2006.

Business Taxes

Incentives

Workforce Training

Regional Employers