Mackinac Conference

Jeb Bush to give keynote at Mackinac Conference

The Associated Press — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 16:42:00 +0000

MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. (AP) - Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will be the keynote speaker at the 2013 Mackinac Policy Conference in May.

The Detroit Regional Chamber's annual conference brings together politicians and business leaders on Mackinac Island. The chamber says Bush will talk about education, immigration and economic growth.

Bush is the son of former President George H.W. Bush and brother of ex-President George W. Bush. He was Florida's Republican governor from 1999 through 2007.

Jeb Bush has been mentioned as a potential GOP presidential candidate in 2016.

Commentary: Two States of Michigan

Jack Lessenberry — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 14:19:14 +0000

I heard some interesting ideas about our economic future on Mackinac Island last week at the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce's annual conference of the state's movers and shakers.

Gov. Snyder urges Michigan businesspeople to hire veterans

Rick Pluta — Tue, 29 May 2012 20:57:17 +0000

Governor Rick Snyder today asked businesspeople to make a special effort to hire veterans returning from overseas duty. It’s the topic of one of the sessions this week at the Detroit Regional Chamber’s annual Mackinac Island conference. It’s attended by 1,500 of the state’s business and political leaders.

The governor says returning veterans face an unemployment rate of about 30 percent, something he calls “unacceptable.”

“So we need to help these people,” Snyder said. “So I ask you to do everything possible to make the session and to hire ‘em. That would be great. Thank you.”

The governor recently returned from a trip to the Middle East to visit Michigan National Guard units. He’s made job training and connecting veterans to jobs a part of his workforce development initiative.

Commentary: Mackinac Conference

Jack Lessenberry — Tue, 29 May 2012 14:09:30 +0000

If you were going to stage a revolution and wanted to arrest the entire political and business leadership of our state, you might want to start by seizing Mackinac Island this week.

That’s because the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual Mackinac Policy Conference. It will feature speeches by national headliners, such as public intellectuals Thomas Friedman and Fareed Zakaria.