“I’m Patrick McElgunn, and these days I run what I like to call the Idea Center at Northwood University. My official title is the Director of the Alden B. Dow Center for Creativity and Enterprise, but the simple version is this: I help students start, run, and scale businesses while they’re still in school.”
Read More“Hi, I’m Ben Marsh, and I’m one of the Owners of Creation Coffee. Creation is almost 10 years old, and that still feels unreal to say out loud. What started as a curiosity between my business partner, Jacob Spence, and me has grown into a roastery, multiple café locations, and a company that quietly supports a whole lot of other businesses across Michigan.” -Ben Marsh
Read More“I’m Jenifer Acosta, and I’m a real estate developer and housing strategist. I’m the lead consultant for Housing Forward, a community-based initiative working to implement solutions and develop and rehabilitate housing throughout Midland County and the surrounding region.” -Jenifer Acosta
Read More“I'm Holly Miller, and I'm the President and CEO of United Way of Midland County. I moved to Midland in the late 80s. Midland is home.” - Holly Miller
Read More“I have lived and worked in cities across the country, and I can confidently say that nowhere else matches the level of gratitude, generosity, and neighborliness here.” - Gary Billotti
Read More“For the future of Midland County, I want young people to know they can get what they seek right here. I want them to stay or return and find a high quality of life, a thriving professional path, and a social fabric that welcomes them.” -Terri Johnson
Read More“I was born a do-it-yourselfer. I've been that way since I was a kid. I once made a pair of glasses out of a fax machine tray and a Dremel tool because I broke my real ones. They didn't work, but I made something. That spirit has carried through my entire journey.” - Lily Kelsey
Read MoreI was born a do-it-yourselfer. I've been that way since I was a kid. I once made a pair of glasses out of a fax machine tray and a Dremel tool because I broke my real ones. They didn't work, but I made something. That spirit has carried through my entire journey.” - Brandon Morey
Read More“I want to see a future where everyone can experience nature, where kids and adults alike can walk, bike, and paddle their way to something meaningful. And I hope we keep making room for one another in the process because places do not just define this community; its people define it.” -Dennis Pilaske
Read More“We opened Chef Sergey’s in 2025, just a couple of years after fleeing Ukraine and arriving here with our family, no credit history and no financial stability. We brought experience in hospitality, a deep love for quality food, and a vision to serve people something meaningful. The bakery was born from that vision—and from necessity.” – Natalia Iakovleva, Chef Sergey’s Bakery
Read More“Before working here, I had a very different idea of Midland. I thought it was all “Sparkle City”—neat, shiny, maybe a bit exclusive. But I was wrong. Midland is a place of incredible depth, inclusivity, and heart. The arts community here is more vibrant than I ever imagined. The people are generous, supportive, and deeply engaged. There’s a space here for everyone—which means a lot coming from someone who once worried she wouldn’t quite fit.“ - Cailey Brown
Read More“Midland is a remarkable place. It’s a city with the heart of a small town where people show up for one another, where someone with no connection to our students rallies around them because they care, and where we prioritize connection, even across differences.“ -Penny Miller-Nelson
Read More“I’ve moved away before—college in Kentucky, work in Memphis and in Davison—but Midland has always called me back.“ -Jacqueline Leapheart
Read More“I want to continue helping shape a community where the arts aren’t just an add-on but a driving force of our identity. Midland has the heart, the vision, and the people to make that happen, and I’m grateful to be a part of it.” - Alex Woody
Read More“When I came back, instead of a fight, I found just an embrace—Midland was ready for what I had to bring." – Tonia West
Read More“I focus on one conversation at a time, hoping people will grow and see the importance of having conversations and listening to each other. Whether we have funding to do it in big places or outdoors in a park, I’ll always do this work.” -Erin Patrice, The Breaking Bread Village
Read More“With Nord Social on the horizon and my new role at Midland County ESA, I'm excited to be part of this community's next chapter.” -Grant Murschel
Read MoreMidland isn't just where I live; it's where I belong. And as we gear up for another pancake dinner, I'm reminded of the power of community, tradition, and a good plate of pancakes. In the end, it's about more than just pancakes, though. It's about being a citizen.” -Mike Williams
Read More“Young people really do have a voice and a place in our community, and have power to contribute.” -Jessica Chai
Read More“In order to experience success county wide, it comes from everybody helping each other out - sharing resources, people, and ideas.” -Skylyr Zink
Read More
