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Vision 2020
In 2000, the
Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce
launched a twenty-year plan for Saginaw County called
Vision 2020.
When the effort began, we were not in a recession and "off-shoring"
had a totally different meaning than sending our white and blue-collar
jobs to places like China and India.
Much has changed since then and like any good
business, the Vision 2020 Executive Committee has taken a critical
look at the realities of its circumstances. The organization has
accomplished much in its short five-year existence including:
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Launched and graduated 279 participants from the One Thousand Leaders
Program.
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Developed first comprehensive community-wide land use plan.
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Developed and implemented in 12
school districts and all Michigan Works! offices, a Career Ladders
program highlighting career information and advancement paths in
hard-to-fill regional occupations.
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Developed and implemented The Saginaw Valley STRONG ROOTS...STRONG
FUTURE image campaign.
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Developed a new Web Portal (search engine) promoting existing Saginaw
County Web Sites.
Top Initiatives for 2004 include:
Reading Buddies Project led by the
Success for All Students Committee and the Business Education
Partnership.
Medical and Health Targeting Plan
under the direction of the Economic Development Committee led by
Saginaw Future Inc.
Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum
spearheaded by the Quality of Life Committee.
Vision 2020’s Executive Committee has taken a critical
look at its financial resources and has adapted to the realities of
its funding by flattening the organizational structure, thereby
assuring that it uses its resources as efficiently as possible. The
organization has hired a new Program Coordinator, Leslie Sheridan, who
is responsible for coordinating strategic planning efforts, providing
communication, developing and maintaining an extensive database and
providing board support to the Vision 2020 Board of Directors.
The Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce
and its partners at Saginaw Future Inc. are targeting a total of
$180,000 to fund these new economic development initiatives over the
next three years.
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Saginaw
Future Inc.