MARQUETTE, MI (September 28, 2020) InvestUP is pleased to welcome Amy Berglund to its business development team as Director of Business Initiatives. She will be integral in moving the organization forward in its mission to drive prosperity across the Upper Peninsula. Amy will focus on trending opportunities and strategic growth industries, collaborating with the private sector, organizations and community leaders to advance the region and drive economic development opportunities across all 15 U.P. counties.
InvestUP CEO Marty Fittante notes, “Amy will be a game changer. She’s one of the region’s foremost experts in rural economic development. She brings a career full of successes that have built federal, state and local relationships that will continue to benefit the U.P. through her new role. She knows our stakeholders and opportunities very well, and is already undoubtedly trusted across the Peninsula. Amy is passionate about the Upper Peninsula and chases opportunity. I have worked with her in many capacities over the years. Amy knows how to turn complex situations into opportunities and find solutions. We’re thrilled and fortunate to have her join the team.”
A native of Delta County, Amy most recently served as a Regional Director for the MEDC, where she was hired by CEO Steve Arwood, who is also now a strategic part of the InvestUP team. At the MEDC, Amy managed five of its ten statewide regions. She has also served as the MEDC’s Business Development Manager and as the Regional Representative for Senator Carl Levin. Amy’s work is reflected in a number of significant projects, including the breakwater replacement project in Grand Marais, the expansion of Engineered Machined Products in Escanaba and the preservation of the Quincy Smelter in Hancock. She was awarded a key to Grand Marais for the impact that her work had on the community.
Amy is quick to identify and embrace new, first-mover opportunities for the region. For example, as America’s cities face a number of challenges, more rural areas like the Upper Peninsula are experiencing a surge of interest. Across the region, tourism and real estate sales are thriving. Amy notes, “Right now the U.P. has a unique opportunity to benefit from the newfound flexibility we’re seeing from companies allowing people to work from home—wherever that may be. People no longer have to live and work in cities. Now they can work where they want to live. I plan to help drive those people and businesses to the U.P. Many areas of the country are struggling right now but I see nothing but opportunity for the Upper Peninsula.”