Keweenaw Industrial Council elects 2001 Board of Directors Tom Scanlan, president and owner of WBKP TV-5, at work in his office in Calumet, is the new President of the Keweenaw Industrial Council Board of Directors. (Photo courtesy WBKP TV-5) HOUGHTON ’Äì The Keweenaw Industrial Council recently elected its new Board of Directors for 2001. Tom Scanlan of WBKP TV-5 is President, replacing Bruce Rukkila of Bruce Rukkila, CPA, PC, who remains as a Board member. "Bruce Rukkila will be a hard act to follow," Scanlan said. "During the three years of Bruce’Äôs presidency, the KIC assisted a number of local companies to start up and expand, and was successful in attracting technology companies to the area. Under Rukkila’Äôs leadership, the Council increased its membership to 275 corporate and individual members." Other officers include Del Harma, vice-president; Frank Stipech of the Upper Peninsula Power Company (UPPCO), secretary; and Paul Kroll of Wells Fargo Bank, treasurer. Other Board members are Ellen Campbell, Nitrate Elimination Corporation; Bill Check, Northern Hardwoods; Kevin Codere, Peninsula Copper Industries; and Tim Lyons, Entrepreneurial Center owner. Stipech, Check and Lyons are new to the Board, replacing Bob Anderson, Jim Bogan and Dave Williams, respectively. Tim Lyons, owner of the Entrepreneurial Center in Lake Linden and new KIC Board member, is actively involved in community efforts. He was a guest speaker at the Common Ground workshop for Houghton County on Dec. 5, 2000, at Houghton High School. He is also co-planner for the Calumet Heritage Celebrations. "While we will miss the three Board members that have just left the Board," Scanlan added, "Frank Stipech, Bill Check and Tim Lyons are all strong businesspeople and are great additions to the Board." Said Lyons, "I’Äôm pleased and honored to be active in helping the Keweenaw economy grow." Lyons has been active, not only in providing space for new businesses in the Entrepreneurial Center in Lake Linden, but in community efforts such as the Common Ground initiative for sustainable development in the Keweenaw and the Heritage Celebration in Calumet. Lyons, who co-planned the Heritage Celebration last summer, is also co-planning Calumet’Äôs 2001 Heritage Celebration, scheduled for June 30, 2001. Anyone interested in helping with the celebration can call him at 296-9909 or 337-5224. Scanlan also noted the important economic development initiatives on which the Council is now working: obtaining, from the State of Michigan, SmartZone designation that will create a high technology park in the Keweenaw, commercialize technologies developed at Michigan Technological University and provide jobs for talented MTU and high school graduates; overseeing a needs study to improve local airline service; helping to develop workforce training programs; and developing Finnish-Keweenaw business relationships. KIC Executive Director Phil Musser spoke on sustainable economic development at the Common Ground workshop for Houghton County on Dec. 5, 2000, at Houghton High School. Musser is helping Keweenaw County township representatives plan the Feb. 5, 2001, Common Ground workshop on land use planning for Keweenaw County. "The new Board of Directors appreciates the support of the local community and will continue to work closely with Phil Musser, the KIC Executive Director, to pursue these initiatives and to continue growing the local economy," Scanlan said. The KIC is a private, non-profit organization that provides direct assistance to start-up and established local companies and works to attract new companies to the area. The Council also operates a revolving loan fund that provides loans to companies creating new jobs for the community. Rick Wright, chief executive officer of Keweenaw Memorial Medical Center, who led the KIC membership campaign last November, said the Council has helped create over 200 jobs in the past three years and expects to exceed its 250-job goal by the end of 2002. For more information on KIC contact Phil Musser, Executive Director, at (906) 482-6817. ’Äì January 20, 2001