Howard Miller had no idea what to expect when he decided to attend an informal gathering of retired and working executives in Nisswa.
He thought perhaps a half dozen people may show up.
Instead he had to wait in line to get in. About 45 people were drawn to the Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Inc. kick-off session for its new Executive Initiative, which was launched in August. The goal was to attract working and retired executives who may have a seasonal or vacation home in the lakes area and thus tap into an underutilized resource of energy, experience and expertise.
“Everybody wants to feel useful,” Miller said. “I’d like to make a positive contribution to the area I call home now.”
John Gunstad, BLAEDC economic development specialist, said the August kick-off meeting at Grand View Lodge in Nisswa brought people together from business, education and government backgrounds.
In an area where people can disappear off the beaten track into the many wooded neighborhoods along area lakes, the Executive Initiative offered participants a way to connect with their peers and participate in growing the lakes area economy.
“It’s a chance to get to know people, but there is a greater purpose,” Miller said.
Gunstad reported many of the conversations focused on how best to utilize the human resource the lakes area is fortunate enough to have residing in the area.
“I got a sense that many in the room, that were new to the area, were actively looking for some initiative like this to get involved in,” Gunstad said.
Once BLAEDC reached people interested in contributing, the challenge is to engage them and keep the momentum moving forward. After all, they are working with a group of people used to making decisions and seeing them executed.
Potential options to involve executives included using them as educational speakers at BLAEDC membership meetings; as advisers or mentors for area businesses; as ambassadors for the area in reaching out to their peers as a tool for job creation here; and as financial investors for an Angel Fund.
The nonprofit Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corp. was created to preserve and enhance the existing economic base and grow jobs by helping people grow their business in the lakes area and by working to raise awareness of the area in an effort to attract business here.
Next steps after the first meeting were to construct a database of the interests of those attending and their areas of expertise and begin matching area businesses that need assistance with executives who want to be in a mentoring role. BLAEDC had an initial list of companies interested in the program.
Miller said the challenge for BLAEDC will be how to marshal the people willing to give their time and talent. The steps going forward don’t have to be big but there must be a sense of progression or the energy witnessed in the first gathering may dissipate, Miller said.
“Everybody there felt they had something to give,” Miller said.
“Sometimes people just need somebody to bounce something off of who doesn’t have a vested interest,” Miller said of mentoring. Miller said interested companies may be able to send a question to BLAEDC and then have email access to several mentors who could give feedback on such issues as business marketing among others.
In terms of attracting jobs to the region, Miller said this is a beautiful area with assets to entice companies. But getting that attention is a bit like job searching. Miller said it’s a matter of networking and being able to walk into an executive’s office and say “why not?”
A relocation may offer an affordable option and a readily available work force at a time when technology eliminates a reason to be located in the Twin Cities metro area. And Miller said relocating puts everything those people are driving hours to reach for recreation — fishing, trails, golfing — within minutes of their new office.
Miller said it’s a matter of putting the spark out there and showing someone a possibility they may not have considered with a cost benefit to their bottom line.
Business owners may be in Miller’s own shoes. He spent about 20 years with Schwan’s wearing a variety of hats, including government affairs/corporate marketing/public relations. He was also a three-term state legislator. Miller was cutting back from 60 hours at work, had children through college and no reason to stay in southwestern Minnesota. His wife liked the Brainerd lakes area and after they looked at all the places they could go, they settled in the Merrifield area a couple of years ago. He said the Brainerd area has so many transplants, people are welcoming to newcomers.
“This is a destination point. I’m no different than 1,000 people up here,” Miller said. “No matter what your interest is, you can find it up here. Why wouldn’t somebody live here versus the metro area given the opportunity.”
RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.
