President of The Right Place: Why West Michigan Works

The Grand Rapids area has experienced an unprecedented level of growth and prosperity over of the past several decades, according to Birgit Klohs, president and CEO of The Right Place, Inc., an economic development organization for the retention, expansion and attraction of businesses to the West Michigan area. 

Klohs will be the speaker for the Peter F. Secchia Breakfast Lecture Series September 27 at the L. William Seidman Center. Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. and the lecture will be from 8-9 a.m.

Klohs will draw on her 30 years of experience in the region to talk about why West Michigan works, how it became one of the most prosperous metro areas in the Midwest and what the future holds for the region.

A native of Germany, Klohs has served as president and CEO of The Right Place, Inc. since 1987. Previously, she worked at Grand Valley as assistant director of the Office for Economic Expansion and was affiliated with Prince Corporation in Holland. 

Her economic development career began in 1977 as an industrial consultant with the Economic Development Corporation of Berrien County. She then joined the Michigan Department of Commerce as an account executive for the West Michigan region. She earned a bachelor's degree in corporate finance from Western Michigan University and is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute of the University of Oklahoma. She also attended Harvard University’s program on negotiation. Klohs has lectured in France, Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, China, Australia and Israel. 

The event is sponsored by the Seidman College of Business Alumni Association. For more information contact the Seidman College of Business at X17100 or email [email protected].