MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Marquette County Business leaders and community partners came together Thursday evening to celebrate the power of teamwork and the impact of economic development across the region. The Lake Superior Community Partnership held its annual dinner, silent auction, and awards ceremony, where the business community could reflect on a successful year and look ahead to the challenges of the year to come.
The Lake Superior Community Partnership’s annual dinner is one of Marquette County’s premier events, bringing together stakeholders from across the Upper Peninsula.
“We were working on housing, working on child care, working on air service, these bigger investments to economic development that are complex and nobody can solve alone. We do it as a team and bring the community together to tackle those issues,” said LSCP CEO Christopher Germain.
A perennial highlight is the Distinguished Service Awards. This year’s individual honoree is Anne Giroux of Invest U.P., recognized for more than 20 years of work supporting Housing Redevelopment and community initiatives.
“You look at Ann Giroux and all the different positions that she’s had, she’s always made Marquette County a better place, and now she’s making the entire U.P. a better place in her new role,” said Germain.
And the Business of the Year Award goes to Lake Superior Press, a family-owned company serving the region since 1973.
“Those guys are really active in the community. They’re charitable, they’re giving. They really bring people into the fold, and so that’s what you look for,” explained Germain.
“We try to give back to the community as much as possible. There are a lot of events. We support a lot of local nonprofits like Bay Cliff and The Steve Mariucci Beacon House,” said Lake Superior Press Vice President, Sam Jacques.
The evening was a bittersweet affair. It honored tonight’s Emcee and outgoing LSCP executive director Christopher Germain, and welcomed incoming director Natalie Chmiko.
“Four years ago, I was actually at the annual dinner being introduced to the community for the first time, so it feels kind of full circle that Natalie gets to do the same thing,” said Germain.
Beyond recognizing standout contributions, the event also serves as the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year, with a silent auction and basket raffle supporting economic development programs across Marquette County.
