The Site Selectors Guild, the only association of the world’s professional site selection consultants, announced the winners of its two award categories for exemplary economic development initiatives. The awards program, now in its fifth year, recognized the winners during the Guild’s Annual Conference, the world’s largest gathering of professional site selection consultants, in Orlando from March 12-14.

The two 2025 award winners are:

• Community Innovation – Building a Better Business Climate: Oakland County Economic Development | Oakland County, MI, USA

• Projects with a Purpose: Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance | Baldwin County, AL, USA

"Congratulations to Oakland County Economic Development and Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance for their groundbreaking initiatives that exemplify innovation and community engagement. By fostering strong partnerships between education, industry and small businesses, these projects pave the way for sustainable economic growth and workforce development,” said Seth Martindale, Site Selectors Guild board chair and senior managing director at CBRE, Inc.

The Community Innovation: Building a Better Business Climate award recognizes a unique initiative, public policy program or legislative action that was created and successfully implemented to support economic development and build a healthier environment for business on a local, state/province or national level.

Community Innovation – Building a Better Business Climate Oakland County's Business Retention & Growth team launched a Tech Collaboration initiative in 2024, focusing on IT/Computer Services, Research, Engineering and Design, and Robotics Integrators. This initiative aimed at small business innovators to access industry leaders, education resources and workforce opportunities, such as the Edu2B networking events held at various universities and colleges. These events provided a platform for businesses to network and exchange ideas, whether it be through apprenticeship or workforce training. The initiative emphasizes ongoing engagement and expanding the network beyond existing services.

To learn more about the Guild Awards program, visit https://siteselectorsguild.com/guild-awards.

headlines Oakland County

• Senators accepting applications from candidates interested in nomination for federal judgeship, U.S. attorney, and U.S. marshal in Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan
• Elizabeth Lake Pump Station rehabilitation project underway
• Virtual gathering looks at ‘Barrier Free Design for Planners’
• Bloomfield Township Department of Public Works earns award
• Judicial investiture

headlines National

• Summit offered research-based roadmap for law firms seeking to implement generative AI
• ACLU and BigLaw firm use ‘Orange is the New Black’ in hashtag effort to promote NY jail reform
• Former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice agrees to license suspension for alleged election-review misconduct
• ‘Stay out of my shorts,’ other discourteous comments led to censure for New York judge
• Federal judge’s Columbia clerk boycott didn’t harm public confidence in judiciary, judicial council rules
• ‘There is no question that we will fight,’ says latest law firm targeted in Trump executive order