The Economic Club of Grand Rapids has been naming a Business Person of the Year for nearly three decades. The first recipient of the award honoring leaders contributing to, and supportive of, the West Michigan business community dates back to Richard DeVos in 1988.
This week, for the first time, a women has been bestowed the honor. Since 1987, Birgit Klohs has guided regional nonprofit economic development organization,The Right Place.
Over those years as President and CEO, The Right Place has set in motion a strategic plan for growing and retaining business in West Michigan. During her time leading the organization, The Right Place says it has “created over 44,000 new and retained jobs and spurred over $4.7 billion in new investment.”
Her leadership and vision recognized this week by the Economic Club of Grand Rapids naming Klohs its 2017 Business Person of the Year.
Klohs joining names like DeVos, Van Andel, Cook, Meijer, Secchia, Pew, Padnos and Frey just to name a few.
Patrick Center, WGVU News.