West Coast Chamber Hosts Advocacy in Action Event with State Leaders

The West Coast Chamber welcomed nearly 120 attendees to its recent Advocacy in Action program, held at the Ottawa Area ISD Young Adult Services Building. This event marked the first official collaborative effort of the Lakeshore Chamber Coalition, bringing together members from the Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce, Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, and The Chamber - Grand Haven, Spring Lake, and Ferrysburg.

Attendees heard from Michigan's Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II, who provided updates on key state initiatives and engaged in a Q&A with Chamber members. Highlights included:

From Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson:

• Increased administrative efficiencies that improve the in-office experience for Michigan
• Greater accessibility through multilingual Secretary of State kiosks located in places like grocery stores
• Smooth rollout of REAL ID renewal process
• Use of mobile offices to serve communities across the state, including dedicated units for the UP and West Michigan
• Road to Restoration Clinics that help residents regain their driving privileges

From Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II:

• Focus on fostering entrepreneurship and innovation across Michigan
• Commitment to improving infrastructure—roads, Internet, and more
• Launch of the MI Innovation Fund, an evergreen fund to support business growth
• Acknowledgement of decades-long underinvestment in essential infrastructure and what their office is doing to address it
• Ongoing work to build a more economically resilient and future-ready Michigan

This event was made possible by support from Advocacy in Action Lead Sponsor: Blue Cross Blue Shield and Blue Care Network of Michigan; Spotlight Sponsor: Consumers Energy; and Silver Sponsors: Cunningham Dalman, PC and Holland Board of Public Works.

Advocacy in Action is part of the Chamber's commitment to fostering a business-friendly environment through access to elected officials and education on key issues impacting our region.