Business Leaders for Michigan (BLM) is the state’s business roundtable, composed of the chairpersons, CEOs or most senior executives of the state’s largest job providers and universities. Together, our members power one-third of the state’s economy and educate nearly one-half of the state’s university students, which makes us a powerful driver for economic development and change.
BLM’s work is concentrated on developing strategy, raising awareness, advocating policy and championing initiatives that grow the state’s economy. Our members know what it takes to make the economy grow and create new jobs, and they’ve distilled that knowledge into the Building a New Michigan Plan, a comprehensive strategy for making Michigan a “Top Ten” state for jobs, personal income and a healthy economy. Our organizational activities are geared toward achieving the goals outlined in that plan.
What’s more, we keep our focus on the cutting edge by continually researching and benchmarking new data and strategies that can help advance Michigan’s growth.
BLM is a private, nonprofit organization. We communicate our agenda through a variety of ways including two political action committees.
HISTORY
Our organization’s roots are in Detroit. First founded in the 1970s, BLM existed for decades as southeast Michigan-based Detroit Renaissance, a regional business roundtable. Given the economic challenges experienced by the State of Michigan as a whole, however, our expansion to a statewide organization in 2009 was natural. We now emphasize the development and expansion of jobs and economic growth across the entire state.