The Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber has announced the hiring of a director for the new Central Berrien Chamber and Growth Alliance, or CGA.
Central Berrien is a brand new CGA, the first to be formed with the chamber’s help following recent success at the Bridgman CGA. The Central Berrien CGA will serve Berrien Springs, Eau Claire, Baroda, and their surrounding townships.
Chamber President Arthur Havlicek tells us the first director to head up the Central Berrien CGA is Robert “Bob” Jones, who most recently has economic development experience in Wisconsin but has also been active in Southwest Michigan.
“He spent two years at Kinexus as a Small Business Association-SBA-certified business consultant,” Havlicek said. “He’s still a certified business consultant. And then prior to that, six years at Cornerstone Alliance, where he was an economic development professional and program manager.”
That was back when Harbor Shores was getting launched. Havlicek said Jones most recently served for eight years as the economic development director for Cuba City, Wisconsin.
Havlicek says the six municipalities making up the new CGA all contributed to hiring Jones under the CGA model that focuses on providing tailored, chamber-like support to smaller communities.
“They’re customizing it to their communities because their communities are a little different than Bridgman. A little more off the lake, a little more agricultural, just a different complexion.”
There are other CGAs in the planning stages in Stevensville and New Buffalo. Havlicek says Jones will start at the new Central Berrien CGA later this month.
