The Right Place, Inc. celebrates 30th anniversary with local music, business leaders

Vice President of Marketing Tim Mroz still remembers the first big economic development project The Right Place, Inc. undertook back in 1990, when the organization helped to facilitate $20 million worth of investment alongside the creation of 200 new jobs at the Comstock Park company formerly named Behr Industries, now known as NBHX Trim. 

“I think it really solidified to the public what The Right Place does and what we were able to accomplish as an organization,” says Mroz, adding that additionally the project proved how effective the concept of economic development could be in having a major impact on West Michigan’s long-term economy. 

Next week, Mroz will join a few hundred others at the Amway headquarters in Ada to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the regional economic development organization. The sold-out event kicking off with a performance by indie-rock/soul musicians Vox Vidorra before a few remarks from Gov. Rick Snyder and other West Michigan business leaders such as Doug DeVos, Dave VanAndel, and TRP board chair/Spectrum Health CEO Richard Breon, 

“We truly want to provide a night where the business community and The Right Place can come together and celebrate 30 years of economic development, job creation, and investment in West Michigan,” Mroz says. 

Mroz says in the past 30 years, the organization has helped foster $4 billion of investment and 40,000 new jobs, recently driving forward more regional initiatives throughout West Michigan in Newaygo, Montcalm, Ionia, and Lake counties, to name a few. 

In 2012, TRP worked with Gov. Snyder’s administration to form a “13-county West Michigan prosperity region,” which now into its fourth year has worked with counties on initiatives that range from workforce development to industrial infrastructure. 

“We’ve been really working to push economic growth and job creation outside just Kent County to make sure there are opportunities throughout West Michigan.”

To learn more about TRP, visit www.rightplace.org. 

Written by Anya Zentmeyer, Development News Editor
Images courtesy of The Right Place, Inc.