NLEA announces annual award winners

BOYNE FALLS — The Northern Lakes Economic Alliance (NLEA) hosted its 2024 Northern Lakes Economic Symposium and Showcase on May 17 at Boyne Mountain Resort.

Nearly 300 business and community leaders and state and federal officials were in attendance at the symposium, which included keynote speeches from Brian Britton, president and CEO of Kilwins Chocolates Franchise, and Jake Manthei, president of Aster Brands.

“This year’s symposium was an important celebration of the innovation happening right here in this region. We look forward to building upon this momentum at next year’s event,” said NLEA president Payton Heins in a press release.

The event also featured breakout sessions on a variety of regional economic topics and an awards showcase.

The recipients include:

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Ed Grice
• Project of the Year Award: Manthei Wood Products
• Guts and Grit Award: The Community of Cheboygan, accepted by city manager Dan Sabolsky

NLEA, established in 1984, is a regional economic development organization serving Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan and Emmet counties.