Entrepreneurs, collaboration make West Michigan work

There are four ideas or pillars that make West Michigan unique, according to Birgit Klohs, president and CEO of The Right Place, Inc., an economic development organization in Grand Rapids.

Klohs was the speaker for the Peter F. Secchia Breakfast Lecture Series September 27 at Grand Valley's L. William Seidman Center, where she talked about how the Grand Rapids area has experienced an unprecedented level of growth and prosperity over of the past several decades.

She said the four pillars are entrepreneurship, philanthropy, collaboration and common vision. "We are not a one-industry community," said Klohs. "Many entrepreneurs in our region, who started out small, invested in their employees and the community. There are more than 2,000 companies in the area and 60 percent are family owned. This gives us strength."

A native of Germany, Klohs has served as president and CEO of The Right Place, Inc. since 1987. She said more than 30 years ago community leaders decided to reinvent Grand Rapids and that fostered an attitude of philanthropy and collaboration.

"Collaboration is easy to talk about, but it's not easy to do," she said. "Regional collaboration is very important and is a hallmark of our area. This is how we can compete. We all benefit from each other's successes."

Klohs said international business leaders are surprised when she tells them how West Michigan business and community leaders came together to keep better airline service in the area. "This isn't happening anywhere else in the country," she said.

Klohs said looking forward, a big issue to address is broadband access because "there are too many holes in the region." She also addressed young businesspeople and students in the crowd saying philanthropy and collaboration is expected from them. 

"I like to use the saying, 'Someone sits in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.' What tree will you plant?" she asked.