Southwest Michigan First is honored by CoreNet Global as a finalist for the 2009 H. Bruce Russell Global Innovator's Award

Southwest Michigan First was selected as a finalist for CoreNet Global's ultimate and most prestigious award for its execution of Community Capitalism on the MPI Research expansion project.  Southwest Michigan First is the only economic development organization to ever be nominated for the award AND the only organization to be nominated twice.

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Southwest Michigan First and MPI Research Expansion Recognized as One of Top Seven Projects in U.S. in 2008
The December 2008 issue of Business Facilities magazine names Southwest Michigan First's work on the MPI Research expansion project as one of the top seven projects in the U.S. in 2008.  Southwest Michigan First is heralded as spearheading the collaborative effort which resulted in the $330 million investment by MPI Research to create 3,300 jobs in downtown Kalamazoo and Mattawan, Michigan.

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2008 Winner of Business Review's Dealmaker of the Year
Ron Kitchens and the team of Southwest Michigan First were awarded Business Review's Dealmaker of the Year award for attracting thousands of jobs to West Michigan in 2008, including those created by MPI Research. In addition, MPI Research received Deal of the Year honors.

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2008 Winner of the IEDC General Purpose Promotion Award
Southwest Michigan First was honored for its exceptional promotional endeavor, Community Capitalism:  Lessons from Kalamazoo and Beyond, which tells the story of how Kalamazoo is "leading the charge" in tackling the nation's "longstanding challenges in the midst of an inhospitable financial climate."

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2008 Finalist for Wall Street Journal and Winning Workplaces Top Small Workplaces recognition

2008 Finalist for U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration's Excellence in Economic Development Awards in the category of Excellence in Economic Adjustment Strategies

In May 2008, Southwest Michigan First was recognized as a finalist in the category of Excellence in Economic Adjustment Strategies for the successful employment of its economic development strategy of Community Capitalism to implement a set of initiatives, partnerships and public-private efforts to revitalize the local economy by tapping into existing resources in the Kalamazoo region.

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2007 Winner for Strategies & Innovation

In May 2007, CoreNet Global awarded Southwest Michigan First the Economic Development Leadership Award in the Leadership and Innovation category.  Southwest Michigan First was noted for its ability to work closely with community and business leaders, educators and others to launch a series of innovative initiatives to reverse a long period of economic decline. 

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2007 Winner of FAST COMPANY magazine’s annual worldwide search for ordinary people doing extraordinary things

Click here to view video of Ron Kitchens in Chicago on July 19, 2007.  (44 mb, video may take a minute to download depending on internet connection speed)

2007 Winner of the IEDC Multi-Year Economic Development Programs Award

Citing its ability to combine tried-and-true marketing techniques with innovative marketing campaigns, the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) praised Southwest Michigan First for greatly improving its visibility in its target industries - the life sciences, advanced manufacturing, customer care center and logistics industries.

2007 Winner of the IEDC Overall Marketing Award

Southwest Michigan First was credited with the creation of a corporate network that redefined the region's economy and stimulated its human capital assets when it was faced with steady job losses and limited growth potential.

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