Networks Northwest

10/14/2026

💧 HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF MICHIGAN’S INFRASTRUCTURE! 🛣️

From drinking water and electricity to roads, bridges and internet service, infrastructure impacts our everyday lives. But when something goes wrong, do you know where to find answers?

The Michigan Infrastructure Council (MIC) is developing a Citizens Guide to Infrastructure Systems to help Michigan residents better understand the systems they rely on every day. And they want to hear from YOU! 🗣️

📋 Take the citizen survey before October 31! Share your questions, concerns and experiences to help shape this new resource for residents across Michigan.

⏱️ 11 questions | Approximately 10 minutes

👉 Take the survey: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/ce25a218a30c470f9dcf95ae2521fb2b

Your input matters! Help make infrastructure information more accessible to everyone.

Michigan Infrastructure Office

10/14/2026

🏙️ BOYNE AREA SENIOR CITIZENS: YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

Help shape the future of Boyne City! 🗣️ Join Networks Northwest Community Development staff to share your thoughts and provide input on the city’s strategic plan.

📅 Wednesday, October 28
⏰ 1:30–4 p.m.
📍 Boyne Area Senior Center
411 E. Division Street, Boyne City, MI

Our team will be there to help senior citizens complete online surveys, participate in interactive poster activities, and answer questions about the planning process.

Your feedback will remain anonymous and help inform strategies that guide Boyne City’s decisions over the next 10 years. Every voice helps build a stronger community!

🔗 Learn more: nwm.org/boynecity

10/12/2026

🏙️ CONNECTING COMMUNITIES THROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT!

Last Friday, members of our Networks Northwest Community Development team joined leaders from across the state for the Michigan Economic Developers Association (MEDA) 2026 Economic Development In Your Place Fall Conference in Traverse City! 🍂

Our CEO, Janie McNabb, moderated the MEDC Outlook panel, featuring Matt McCauley and Michelle Parkkonen. The discussion explored upcoming developments at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the tools and resources available to help communities plan for 2027 and move local projects forward.

Janie was joined by members of our Community Development team, connecting with fellow professionals, sharing ideas and gaining valuable insights to support the communities we serve.

At Networks Northwest, we're proud to participate in conversations that strengthen partnerships, encourage economic growth and help build stronger, more vibrant communities throughout Northwest Michigan. 🤝

10/07/2026

Congratulations to our very own, LeAnne Bush! LeAnne is one of our JMG Specialists serving Wexford-Missaukee Career Technical Center. Thank you LeAnne for all that you do for our students.

🌟 Meet Our October Jobs for Michigan's Graduates (JMG) Specialist of the Month: LeAnne Bush! 🌟

We're proud to recognize LeAnne Bush, a JMG Specialist with Networks Northwest, for nearly a decade of dedication to helping young people discover their strengths, build confidence, and find their path forward.

LeAnne is motivated by seeing young people find their niche and become successful in their career path. She meets youth where they are, helping them navigate challenges, build communication and leadership skills, and connect with the people and opportunities that can help them move forward.

For LeAnne, some of the most rewarding moments come from seeing young people grow into confident, independent leaders. The relationships she builds often last well beyond graduation, with former students continuing to reach out for advice or stopping to say hello in their communities.

Through her compassion, encouragement, and commitment to helping young people succeed, LeAnne continues to make a lasting difference in the lives of the youth she serves.

👉 Read LeAnne's full story and learn more about the impact she's making: https://bit.ly/3W7lbps

10/07/2026

🏘️ COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH: HOW COMMUNITY PLANNERS SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY

A downtown? A Community Planner might see unlimited potential.

An empty lot? They might see opportunity.

A road? They might see a transportation network connecting people, places and possibilities.

That’s just how Community Planners see the world. 👀

They look beyond what exists today to imagine what could be tomorrow—using community input, local priorities and thoughtful planning to help shape stronger communities across Northwest Michigan.

🎨 About these images: These are artist’s renderings based upon community input for desired land uses in various communities across the region, as featured in their master plans.

Want to see how Networks Northwest Community Development is helping communities turn vision into action?

👉 Learn more at nwm.org/community

10/05/2026

Congratulations Wolf Line Construction and our Northwest Michigan Works team! This is a BIG win for our region! 🏅

🏆 A FIRST FOR NORTHWEST MICHIGAN! 🏆

Congratulations to Wolf Line Construction, the 2026 Michigan Works! Association Employer of the Year and a 2026 Impact Award Winner through its partnership with Northwest Michigan Works!

This recognition is especially meaningful for our region: Wolf Line Construction is the FIRST employer from Northwest Michigan to receive the Michigan Works Association Employer of the Year award! 🎉

Through a strong partnership with Northwest Michigan Works!, Wolf Line has developed U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Programs for Fiber Optic Lineman and Broadband Technician careers. These earn-and-learn pathways combine on-the-job training with related instruction, helping workers build the skills needed for rewarding careers while helping employers develop a highly skilled, safety-focused workforce.

Today, 30 workers across northern Michigan are beginning career paths as fiber optic line workers through this collaboration.

We’re also proud to celebrate Ryan Hansen, a Wolf Line journeyworker, Purple Heart recipient and 2026 Impact Award Winner. Ryan’s leadership during critical linework restoration efforts following severe ice storms is a powerful example of the talent, dedication and leadership that apprenticeship programs can help cultivate.

🎥 Want to learn more about Ryan’s story? Watch his 2026 Michigan Works Impact Award video: https://youtu.be/--AS29S880M?si=zAu2voStsLMLlGKe

👏 Congratulations to Wolf Line Construction on this well-deserved recognition and on being the first Employer of the Year winner from our region!

Your commitment to building career pathways and investing in Northwest Michigan’s workforce is making a lasting impact.

🔗 Read the full Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity story: https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/wd/success-stories/2026/09/29/wolf-line-construction-highlights-registered-apprenticeship-as-map-to-success?utm_campaign=sae-newsletter&utm_medium=email-Sept-2026&utm_source=govdelivery

10/01/2026

📊 HOW DOES YOUR TEAM SELL — AND WHERE COULD THEY USE MORE SUPPORT?

Traverse Connect is asking businesses across Northwest Michigan’s 10 counties to share how their teams sell today — what’s working, where they’re getting stuck, and where additional support could make a difference.

The survey takes just 8–10 minutes and will help shape future sales professional development opportunities and a regional look at how local businesses sell.

What you’ll get:

📈 The regional report — shared with everyone who responds
🎯 An optional free 4S snapshot of your team from Greg Coyne of Sandler when you complete the deep dive at the end

🔒 Individual responses will remain confidential, with results shared only in combined form.

Please respond by 4 p.m. Friday, October 16, 2026.

👉 Take the survey: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=DtVQFiTZ00ydMKmSKFVvmvATItx8OtFKohyS4MtIj3BUNUJEMVFLVktIUEZLTk84SldJVVNVTlpYSC4u

09/30/2026

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS… CONNECTING TALENT WITH OPPORTUNITY. 🔗

Over the past few weeks, we’ve explored what workforce development really means.

It’s seeing what’s possible.
It’s more than a class.
It’s a second chance.
It’s local.

And at the heart of all of it is a simple idea:
Connect people with opportunity.

For a job seeker, that might mean finding the right career, building new skills, earning a credential, overcoming a barrier or connecting with an employer.

For an employer, it might mean finding the talent they need, developing their workforce or connecting with resources to help their business grow.

For our communities, it means building pathways that help people and businesses thrive.

That’s the work of Northwest Michigan Works!

We connect people, employers, education, training and community resources to help Northwest Michigan move forward.

Because workforce development isn’t just about jobs.

It’s about people. It’s about opportunity. And it’s about strengthening the communities we call home.

📍 Northwest Michigan Works!
In your community. For your community.

👉 Learn more about Northwest Michigan Works!: https://www.nwmiworks.org/about/

09/30/2026

Congratulations Little Roots Childcare! 👶🏅

Last week, we were thrilled to accompany Megan Anthony, Program Administrator of Little Roots Childcare in Petoskey, to accept recognition as Michigan Childcare Champion. Pulse, an initiative of the W.E. Upjohn Institute, organized the award and event and is dedicated to solving the state's childcare crisis.

The NLEA was thrilled to support the creation of Little Roots Childcare by helping secure state and private investment to make the 36-opening center a reality.

Pictured are Payton Heins, NLEA's President & CEO, Megan Anthony, and Networks Northwest CEO, Janie McNabb.

Congratulations, Little Roots Childcare!

09/29/2026

Provide your input for Boyne City's future! Take the strategic plan survey here: bit.ly/BoyneCityStrategy

Your voice matters! 💬

🔔 The public is also invited to join the Community Drop-in Session happening October 6, 4pm-7pm in the Boyne City Hall Commission Chambers!

For additional information on the Boyne City strategic planning process, please visit nwm.org/boynecity