What is it that makes the Detroit Regional Chamber Mackinac Policy Conference so special?
At no other time or place do you have such an incredible array of decision makers, opinion leaders and policy developers together in one place and available to discuss the region. In a span of just a few hours, tonight alone, I had the good fortune to spend a few moments with City Council President Ken Cockrel, Jr., Wayne County Executive Bob Ficano and City Council hopeful Gary Brown and their staffers. Incredible.
Today (the first full day on the island), also presented the unique opportunity to reconnect with media friends and leadership I work with daily but rarely have an opportunity to visit with socially—Paul W. Smith and Lloyd Jackson from WJR; Georgeann Herbert and Jayne Bower at WWJ; Nolan Finely at the Detroit News and Tom Walsh of the Free Press; Nancy Kaffer, Sheri Begin and Amy Lane from Crain’s; Steven Clark of Channel 7.
And, add to this “mix” the infusion, once again, of the Fusion group of young professionals and their refreshing and much welcome energy and enthusiasm.
At Mackinac, the day-to-day mainland hierarchies and red tape take a temporary backseat to cooperation on a level playing field. Imagine that: a happening where regional cooperation and a common purpose are not the exception to the rule but, rather, the norm.