People love to complain about their government leaders to the point that being identified as a “politician” is akin to, well, fill in the blank.

But my experience has been that, with few exceptions, our elected officials and the staffs of the various governmental units are committed to improving our quality of life and are decent, hard working public servants.

I believe this is also true in the business world. Sometimes, it simply is a matter of getting that message out or knowing where to look for the help.

To help the local business community take advantage of these opportunities, the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber is using the next installment of our Investepreneur™ Roundtable series to focus on government grants, loans and other services being offered by government agencies at the county, state and federal levels. The session, scheduled for May 24, is aimed at finding crucial support for both start-up businesses and those looking to “graduate” to the second stage of their development.

Panelists include Genevieve Hayes, manager of the business development unit for the state of Michigan’s Department of Technology Management and Budget; and Mary Langhauser, supervisor of Oakland County’s department of Economic Development and Community Affairs. Both of our speakers have generously donated their time to educate our local business leaders on the myriad ways our county, state and federal governments are eager to help assist the entrepreneurial spirit that is becoming a powerful force in our region’s economy. Go to www.bbcc.com for more details.
Joe Bauman is the President of the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber. He welcomes feedback at joeb@bbcc.com