2021 Agenda

Sponsor: Enbridge Energy

Grand Coffee and Provisions

*Credentialed Media Only

*Government Officials Only

Sponsor: Ascension

Host: Huron-Clinton Metroparks
When a global pandemic kept us home from our offices, schools, businesses, and vacations, millions of Michiganders “re-discovered” their public parks, where they could safely hang with friends and family and decompress. This session will address the return on investment of public parks and efforts to steward public parks infrastructure.

Panelists: Alicia Bradford, Parks Director, Office of Wayne County Executive
Dan Eichinger, Director, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Amy McMillan, Director, Huron-Clinton Metroparks

Moderator: Vickie Thomas, Communications Director, City of Detroit; Black Business Minute Reporter, WWJ Newsradio 950

Healing Arts Live: Sculpting by Austen Brantley
Live sculpting demonstration with ceramic.

Host: Henry Ford Health System

Host: Henry Ford Health System

Panelists: Wright L. Lassiter III, President and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Ford Health System; Chairman, 2021 Mackinac Policy Conference
Megan Winkel, Manager, Healing Arts Program, Lindsay Anderson Curator of Art, Division of Supportive Oncology Services, Henry Ford Health System
Moderator: Omari Rush, Executive Director, CultureSource

Host: The Skillman Foundation

A poll issued by The Skillman Foundation and Michigan’s Children finds Michigan residents demand investing in kids be a priority. Across all geographies and demographics, voters expect their dollars to be put to work to help children lead healthy, productive lives. This session will present findings from a statewide poll and what it indicates for policymakers and child advocates.

Panelists: Matt Gillard, President and Chief Executive Officer, Michigan’s Children
Celinda Lake, President, Lake Research Partners
Moderator: Angelique Power, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Skillman Foundation

Healing Arts Live: Music by
Ian Finkelstein Trio

Host: Henry Ford Health System

Sponsor: Enbridge Energy

Sponsors: Barton Malow, Crain’s Detroit Business, PwC

Breakfast available 6-9 a.m.

*Credentialed Media Only

*Government Officials Only

Sponsor: Enbridge Energy

Sponsor: Michigan Realtors

Attendees can use the Tent for gathering and meeting. Refreshments will be available. Grab your boxed lunch from the Parlor and enjoy it outdoors.

Host: The Kresge Foundation

There are multidimensional causes, including historic policy decisions and discriminatory practices, that have shaped and continue to contribute to the racial wealth gap. This discussion will explore the systemic structures and evidence-based research on the impact of race and economic inequity, and the role that public and private sectors can play to create an equitable economic future for Michigan.

Panelists:  Anika Goss, Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Future City
Darrick Hamilton, Henry Cohen Professor of Economics and Urban Policy; Founding Director, Institute on Race and Political Economy, The New School Milano
Andre M. Perry, Senior Fellow, Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program

Moderator: Kim Trent, Deputy Director, Prosperity, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity

Host: Michigan Economic Development Corp.

Speaker: Fred Molnar, Vice President, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Michigan Economic Development Corp.

Host: Henry Ford Health System

Live mural painting on canvases on wall.

Host: PwC 

Health equity and social determinants of health have increasingly made their way into the public discussion, especially as disparate impacts became evident through the COVID-19 pandemic. This session will examine how increased awareness can be used to educate stakeholders who can impact health outcomes tackle the drivers of health disparities.

Panelists: Carladenise  Edwards, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Henry Ford Health System
Bridget Hurd, Vice President, Inclusion and Diversity, and Chief Diversity Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Trine Tsouderos, Health Research Institute Leader, PwC

Moderator: Claudia Douglass, Principal, Health Services Providers, PwC

Host: Michigan Economic Development Corp.

Speaker: Michele Wildman, Senior Vice President of Community Development, Michigan Economic Development Corp.

Speakers: Wright L. Lassiter III, President and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Ford Health System; Chairman, 2021 Mackinac Policy Conference
Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber

Panelists: Dennis W. Archer Sr., Chairman Emeritus, Dickinson Wright PLLC; Former Mayor, City of Detroit
Jocelyn Benson, Secretary of State, State of Michigan
Mariam Noland, President, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan

Moderator: Paul W. Smith, Host, WJR NewsTalk 760 AM

Speaker: Mark Reuss, President, General Motors Co.

Interviewer: Joe White, Global Auto Industry Editor, Reuters

Sponsor: General Motors Co.

Introduction: Ric L. DeVore, Regional President, Detroit and Southeast Michigan, PNC Bank

Panelists:
Jay Farner, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Rocket Companies
Harold Ford Jr., Executive Vice President and Vice Chairman, Corporate and Institutional Banking, PNC
John Tuttle, Vice Chairman and Chief Commercial Officer, New York Stock Exchange
Moderator: Suzanne Shank, President and Chief Executive Officer, Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC

Sponsor: PNC

Sponsor: Plunkett Cooney

Speaker: Douglas Brinkley, Best-Selling Author; CNN Presidential Historian; Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and Professor of History, Rice University
Interviewer: Zoe Clark, Program Director, Michigan Radio

Speaker: Nicholas A. Christakis, Social Scientist and Physician; Director, Human Nature Lab, Yale University; Co-director, Yale Institute for Network Science

Sponsor: Consumers Energy

Panelists: Wright L. Lassiter III, President and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Ford Health System
Ryan Maibach, President and Chief Executive Officer, Barton Malow Holdings
Sandy Pierce, Senior Executive Vice President, Private Bank and Regional Banking Director and Chair, Huntington Michigan
Moderator: Rick Albin, Political Reporter, WOOD-TV 8

Sponsor: Business Leaders for Michigan

Introduction: Arn Tellem, Vice Chairman, Detroit Pistons; Chairman, 2022 Mackinac Policy Conference
Speakers: Mike Duggan, Mayor, City of Detroit
Antoine Bryant, Director, Planning and Development Department, City of Detroit

Moderator: Lloyd Jackson, Senior News Analyst, WJR NewsTalk 760 AM

Sponsor: DTE Energy

Sponsors: Detroit Medical Center, EY, Greektown Casino-Hotel, Southeastern Michigan Health Association 

Speaker: Nicholas A. Christakis, Social Scientist and Physician; Director, Human Nature Lab, Yale University; Co-director, Yale Institute for Network Science

Moderators: Zoe Clark, Program Director, Michigan Radio
Rick Pluta, Senior Capitol Correspondent, Michigan Public Radio Network

Host: Rocket Mortgage

Speakers: Jocelyn Benson, Secretary of State, State of Michigan
Elizabeth Hertel, Director, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Darienne Hudson, President and Chief Executive Officer, United Way for Southeastern Michigan
Nicole Nystrom, President and Manager/Chief Executive Officer, Midwest Strategy Group
Moderator: Steve Ogden, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Rock Central

Host: Henry Ford Health System

Attendees will enjoy a live DJ set.

Sponsor: General Motors Co.

Breakfast available 6-9 a.m

*Government Officials Only

*Credentialed Media Only

Sponsor: Priority Health

Attendees can use the Tent for gathering and meeting. Refreshments will be available. Grab your boxed lunch from the Parlor and enjoy it outdoors.

Sponsor: Comerica Bank

Host: Delta Dental

Less than 2% of venture capital goes to women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color. This session will explore how the local business community can provide opportunities for underrepresented entrepreneurs, while creating an ecosystem of truly sustainable companies built on inclusion.

Panelists: Candice Matthews Brackeen, Executive Director, Lightship Capital
Brian Calley, President, Small Business Association of Michigan
Hiram Jackson, Chief Executive Officer, Real Times Media

Moderator: Vickie Thomas, Communications Director, City of Detroit; Black Business Minute Reporter, WWJ Newsradio 950

Speaker: John Rakolta Jr., Chairman, Walbridge; Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
Interviewer: Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber

Host: Michigan Economic Development Corp.

Speaker: Quentin Messer Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Michigan Economic Development Corp.

Introduction: Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber

Speaker: Raj Chetty, William A. Ackman Professor of Public Economics and Director of Opportunity Insights, Harvard University

Panelists: Russell A. Kavalhuna, President, Henry Ford College
Richard Pappas, President, Davenport University
Angelique Power, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Skillman Foundation
Nicole Sherard-Freeman, Group Executive, Jobs, Economy, and Detroit at Work, City of Detroit

Moderator: Nolan Finley, Contributor, One Detroit and DPTV; Editorial Page Editor, The Detroit News

Sponsor: Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

Virtual Speaker: Rosalind Brewer, Chief Executive Officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance

In-Person Interviewer: Christy McDonald, Anchor, Detroit Public Television

Sponsor: W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Keynote and Moderator:  Dennis W. Archer Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Ignition Media Group; Founding Partner, Archer Corporate Services

Panelists: Hussein Berry, Vice President, Airport Operations DTW, Delta Air Lines
Matthew B. Elliott, President, Bank of America Michigan
Carla Walker-Miller, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Walker-Miller Energy Services LLC

Sponsor: Consumers Energy

Host: Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

This session will explore the challenges and opportunities this influx of federal funding presents and how collaborative partnerships are critical to effectively leveraging federal funding to best serve communities.

Panelists: Alize Asberry Payne, Racial Equity Officer, Washtenaw County
Kyle Caldwell, President and Chief Executive Officer, Council of Michigan Foundations
Stephan Currie, Executive Director, Michigan Association of Counties

Moderator: David Egner, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

Host: Comcast Business

This captivating chat with futurists will explore how the pressures of the pandemic inspired new ways to accelerate sustainable prosperity, connect underserved communities, and protect the health and safety of Michigan’s most vulnerable residents.

Introduction: Todd England, Senior Director, Comcast Business Services

Panelists: Marc Siry, Vice President, Strategic Development, Complex Solutions, Comcast Business
Mark de la Vergne, Vice President, Project Development, Cavnue
Moderator: Paul W. Smith, Host, WJR NewsTalk 760 AM

Host: Michigan Economic Development Corp.

Speaker: Trevor Pawl, Chief Mobility Officer, State of Michigan

Host: Rocket Mortgage

Panelists: Antoine Jackson, Executive Director, MACC Development
Khalil Rahal, Assistant County Executive, Wayne County
Moderator: Laura Grannemann, Vice President, Rocket Community Fund

Live music and discussion.

Host: Henry Ford Health System

Host: Henry Ford Health System

Panelists: Robert C. O’Brien, Former United States National Security Advisor, Trump Administration
Michael Steele, Former Chairman, Republican National Committee; Former Lieutenant Governor, State of Maryland; Political Analyst, MSNBC
Moderator: Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber

Speaker: Richard Florida, Author, The New Urban Crisis, University of Toronto

Interviewer: Stephen Henderson, Contributor, One Detroit and DPTV; Host, WDET 101.9 FM; Founding Editor, BridgeDetroit

Speaker: Gretchen Whitmer, Governor, State of Michigan

Introduction and Interviewer: Daniel J. Loepp, Chief Executive Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Sponsor: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Grab a cocktail and join us in the parlor as several of Michigan’s most prominent thought leaders from various backgrounds will engage in spirited banter on the state’s hot-button issues, including voting rights, the 2022 election, employer vaccine mandates, and rank-choice voting.

Opening Remarks
Emcee: Dennis W. Archer Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Ignition Media Group; Founding Partner, Archer Corporate Services

Employer Vaccine Mandates
Segment Host: Chad Livengood, Senior Editor, Crain’s Detroit Business
Panelists: Dennis G. Cowan, Partner, Plunkett Cooney
Jared Fleisher, Vice President of Government Affairs and Economic Development, Rock Central

The Future of Talent and DE&I
Segment Host: Dennis W. Archer Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Ignition Media Group; Founding Partner, Archer Corporate Services
Panelists: Dan Garrison, Detroit Office Managing Director, Accenture
Ronia Kruse, President and Chief Executive Officer, OpTech, LLC and OpTech Solutions

Final Five Voting
Segment Host: Brad Williams, Vice President, Government Relations, Detroit Regional Chamber
Panelists: Scott Claxton, Co-Founder, Esys Automation and Final Five Michigan
Chris Marcus, Co-Founder, Esys Automation and Final Five Michigan

Women on Corporate Boards
Segment Host: TBD
Panelists: Portia Roberson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Focus Hope
David Parent, Managing Partner, Deloitte

Voting Rights
Segment Host: Rick Pluta, Senior Capitol Correspondent, Michigan Public Radio Network
Jim Lilly, State Representative (R-Park Township)
Nancy Kaffer, Columnist, Detroit Free Press; Member, Detroit Free Press Editorial Board

Rebuilding Urban Cities
Segment Host: Paula Gardner, Business Editor, Bridge Magazine
Panelists: Rick Baker, President and Chief Executive Officer, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
Kevin Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Economic Growth Corp.

2022 Election Roundtable
Segment Host: Zoe Clark, Program Director, Michigan Radio
Panelists: Mark Burton, Partner, Honigman LLP; Former Chief Strategist for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
Matthew Schneider, Partner, Honigman LLP; Former United States Attorney, Trump Administration

Sponsor: Accenture

Sponsor: General Motors Co.

Performer: Brian Calley, President, Small Business Association of Michigan

Speakers: Kevin Kolevar, Vice President, Global Government Affairs, Dow
Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber
Nolan Finley, Contributor, One Detroit and DPTV; Editorial Page Editor, The Detroit News
Stephen Henderson, Contributor, One Detroit and DPTV; Host, WDET 101.9 FM; Founding Editor, BridgeDetroit

Sponsor: Dow

*Separate Ticket Required

Sponsor: Michigan Health & Hospital Association

Breakfast available 6-9 a.m.

*Government Officials Only

*Credentialed Media Only

Speakers: Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber
Wright L. Lassiter III, President and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Ford Health System; Chairman, 2021 Mackinac Policy Conference

Interviewer: Christy McDonald, Anchor, Detroit Public Television

Speaker: Alec Ross, Best-Selling New York Times Author; Former Senior Advisor for Innovation, State Department

Interviewer: Glenn Stevens Jr., Executive Director, MichAuto; Vice President, Automotive and Mobility Initiatives, Detroit Regional Chamber

Session attendees will receive a free copy of Ross’ book, “The Raging 2020s”.