Plenty of attention has been paid to the human toll of the Flint water crisis and the city's efforts to recover. But what about the business side of things and the city's effort to rebuild the economy?"We're seeing a lot of progress," said Tim Herman, CEO of the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce. "Flint is open for business. Flint is resilient, and Flint is transforming its economy to health and wellness, higher education, I.T. and advanced manufacturing. And Flint is moving forward."
Despite the water crisis, some companies are relocating to Flint.
C3 Ventures Flint is investing nearly $10 million in the city, adding projects like plastic auto parts and 3-D printing to an evolving economy.
"The low cost of entry here in Flint was certainly a big part of the initial decision to relocate here," said Bob Waun, CEO of C3 Ventures Flint. "But then as we dug into it, Michigan Works has been amazing in bringing us qualified candidates that can work for us. [There's a] very good labor stock here that, frankly, is willing to work hard, wants to work, and is affordable. [Those are] things that our friends on the east and west coast can't brag about."
For the full interview, including what Flint is doing to attract business and what water-related challenges businesses face, listen above.
(Subscribe to the Stateside podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or with this RSS link)
