Community Success Panel Recap: October 22, 2026
On October 22, 2026, the Community Success Panel (CSP) convened key Midland County stakeholders from business, government, education, and non-profit sectors to align local economic development and community initiatives. Established in 2010 and utilizing the Communities of Excellence Baldrige framework, the Community Success Panel drives collective impact across health, education, the economy, and quality of life through four core focus areas: Building Our Livelihood, Developing Our Talent, Caring for Our People, and Enriching Our Community. The meeting featured updates on critical county issues along with updates from individual organizations on upcoming events and programming.
The meeting's featured presentation highlighted the work of the Michigan Baseball Foundation and the Great Lakes Loons, emphasizing how their unique community business model contributes to Midland County’s shared vision of being “an exceptional place where everyone thrives.” Chris Mundhenk shared how revenue generated through baseball, events, and media operations supports charitable giving, community investment, and regional economic development. The organization aligns its mission and vision with the community’s goals, using memorable experiences, partnerships, and community engagement to create impact across all four Community Success Panel focus areas.
Panel members learned about the organization’s contributions to economic development through Dow Diamond and related community investments, as well as its role in talent development through youth programming, leadership development, and workforce training. Significant community impact was also highlighted through charitable giving, volunteer service, youth engagement initiatives, and efforts to make family-friendly experiences accessible and affordable. Discussion focused on opportunities to strengthen partnerships, reduce barriers to participation, foster a greater sense of belonging, and identify new ways community organizations can collaborate with the Loons and the Michigan Baseball Foundation to advance shared priorities.
The panel also received updates from Max Loves Midland on community attraction and retention efforts. Recent successes include continued growth of the community calendar, expanded communications collaboration among local organizations, and new marketing initiatives designed to attract prospective residents while connecting current residents to local opportunities and experiences. The meeting concluded with a community round-robin discussion featuring updates from organizations across Midland County, highlighting ongoing progress in housing, health care, education, philanthropy, economic development, arts and culture, volunteer engagement, and community wellbeing. Together, these efforts reflect the collaborative spirit that continues to drive Midland County forward.
Do you have a Midland County story you would like to tell that aligns with our vision?