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The Right Place Inc. President and CEO Birgit Klohs addressed about 200 of the organization’s stakeholders at a recent celebration of the economic development group’s 25th anniversary. PHOTO: Jen Orr Bumstead, Shutterbug Photography

By Joe Boomgaard | MiBiz
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GRAND RAPIDS—Over the past quarter century, The Right Place Inc. says it has helped spur the investment of nearly $2 billion in the local business community resulting in the creation of over 30,000 jobs. If the group’s leaders have anything to say about it, they believe they’re just getting started.

In mid-November, the regional economic development organization brought together community leaders and local executives at Steelcase University for a celebration of the accomplishments from its first 25 years in existence.

Birgit Klohs, president and CEO of The Right Place, credited the executives and communities and all the “dedicated people” that invest in the organization for its successes and called on them to be a part of its successes in the future. She said that success mustn’t be measured in new buildings in and around Grand Rapids, but rather in the number of lives changed because the people in those buildings have jobs.

“(They) are what drives all of us at The Right Place,” Klohs told the crowd of nearly 200, noting she will have been with the organization for 23 years as of Nov. 30. “I didn’t think that I’d be here after 23 years. The life expectancy of the leader of an economic development organization is seven years. I’m still here. Why am I still here? As I grew into my job, I realized I’m not just here to make deals. I wanted to make a difference.”

Over the years, the organization has kept flexible and able to adapt to a changing economic landscape in West Michigan, Klohs and others said. And it’s not afraid to try new tactics to spur wealth creation in the region. Over the last year, Right Place sponsored visits from third-party site consultants to have them see what West Michigan had to offer and to gain insight into how that side of the economic development game makes its decisions.
“They said they’ve never been in a community that’s so united and so collaborative in making business deals work,” Klohs said.

In an evening full of reflection — and playful jabs at one another — past board members at The Right Place waxed on about what made the community stand out and thrive amid economic adversity. For David Van Andel, chairman and CEO of Van Andel Institute, there’s no better embodiment of that success than the string of developments on Medical Hill.

“We had $1 billion of investment in bio-med on Medical Hill…and Right Place played a big role,” Van Andel said.

The downtown especially has shown signs of life thanks to work helped along by The Right Place, he said. The skyline has changed dramatically since the mid-1970s, and changed for the positive, something many cities cannot claim. Van Andel cited the Amway Grand Plaza, Van Andel Arena, Medical Mile and countless other developments as proof of the city’s transformation.

“Right Place served as a groundbreaking model for others to emulate,” he said. “Birgit took over early on. She was an unknown, (and the founders) did something unheard of. They hired a woman. They realized she had something very unique,” Van Andel said. “25 years is not that long, and the downtown has changed dramatically. It’s a place that has vibrancy and has received national recognition. It’s an exception not by accident. We’ve worked to weather (tough) economic times, and now is not the time to quit. We need to make sure the community stays strong and vibrant. We have a chance to shape the future of the state from this side of the state. It’s our time to rise up and shine. We can embrace change and make a difference.”

Current board chair Jim Dunlap, regional banking group president at Huntington Bank, said the imprint of the DeVos and Van Andel families is seen in many ways in greater Grand Rapids, but their legacies within The Right Place are just as significant. While the families have been asked to give time and time again, they’re always willing to give one more time, he said, referring to incoming board chair Doug DeVos, president of Amway Corp.
But many others have also had an influence on the economic development group, and the organization wanted to have a way to keep them engaged as well. Dunlap said Right Place created a “Partners Council” to tap past members, chairs and other influencers in the community to “influence this organization going forward.”

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TAGS:

• bio-med
• birgit klohs
• david van andel
• economic development
• grand rapids
• medical hill
• the right place
• van andel institute